Katelyn McCormick Noticing Blog Week 4

            As I observed my students this week, I noticed many reactions to the behavior chart.  The chart we have in our class is one in which students change the color of their card based on their behavior.  All students begin the day on green and proceed to change their color to yellow, orange, and then red as their behavior gets off track.  Each day that students stay on green for the entire day, they receive two "Eagle Bucks" that they can use to spend in the school store.  Students receive one "Eagle Buck" for a yellow day and no "Eagle Bucks" for orange and red days.  I noticed that most students do not seem to mind that they have to change their card and that they continue to act out during class.  Students typically change their card for being unsafe in school and/or talking while teachers are teaching. 

            The most important thing is that students aren't responding to the chart in the way that my mentor and I have imagined.  We assumed students would be upset about changing their color, therefore they would change their behavior in a more positive way.  Many students have not been doing this at all.  On numerous occasions, I have overheard students bragging about having a red day.  This is not the behavior that we expect in class, since we don't want students to be proud that they misbehaved all day.  I'm thinking that it's important to re-read the definitions of each color on the behavior chart so that students clearly understand why they are on that particular color.

            I believe that I understand why students are not taking the behavior chart seriously.  The reason that I think students have not minded that they receive a red or orange day is because they have not seen any incentives that go along with their green and yellow behavior days.  Students have not been given any "Eagle Bucks" yet since the school year recently began.  They have not yet visited the school store to be able to spend any "Eagle Bucks" or see what the store has to offer.  I think that students will be more likely to mind their behavior and stay on green or yellow if they are actually getting their money reward.  I don't think that students should have to have a physical incentive to behave in class, but since we do have a system that allows for this, students will probably be better behaved if they are gaining money.  Students will likely visit the store at the end of this week or next week, so I will be looking to see if they are staying on track with their behaviors as a result of the incentive.  I hope that students who have had multiple red days will see other students spending money in the store and will want to better their behavior so that they can do the same next week.

            This is a case of classroom management and behavior issues.  I understand that students are going to want to talk and will sometimes act out in class, however, my mentor and I are unable to teach since there has been so much chattiness.  I hope that students will change their behaviors in school so that they can learn and can have money to spend in the school store.  I will keep track of the behavior progression throughout the year to see which strategies work and which ones do not.