Four Classroom Management Ideas for Spring Fever

It's almost Spring!  Can you feel it.  Changing is coming.  It's staying lighter later.  We've had a few warmer days here and there.  I love Spring.

I bet your students can feel the changes, too.  Are they starting to stretch and grow?

Every Spring, I always noticed a change in my classroom.  It was subtle, but it was there.  My students became more independent and our lessons became more in-depth, but it was more difficult for students to focus and pay attention.  I had a difficult time teaching and students were sometimes not so kind to each other.

Here are a few ideas that can help with classroom management during the spring when you need to pull out all your tricks!

Use a Behavior Chart

If you have a couple students who are slightly out of control, consider using a behavior chart to check-in with them on a more consistent basis.  You can customize a behavior chart to match your day and teaching style.

Find out more about how I use a behavior chart in my classroom.

Use Literature

One of my favorite ways to build character in the classroom is through literature.  Students can identify with a character in the story and build empathy.  This is not a one-time deal.  It's something that needs to be developed consistently every few weeks.

This post has some ideas on how to use literature in the classroom to reflect on behavior.

Focus on a Specific Character Trait

Often, students don't know what it means to be responsible, caring, or to show kindness.  I know with my own boys at home, I'm often giving them the language to show empathy to someone else.  It just doesn't come naturally for one of my boys and he needs clear examples of what it looks like.

Likewise, our classroom students need clear examples of each of the character traits we want them to reflect.  I'm not sure who said it, but this quote always resonates with me: More is caught than taught. If we don't teach it, they won't learn it.

Here is one way where we have focused specifically on one character trait.

Change it Up a Bit

Sometimes all you need to do is have a little fun and do something different.  There are many ways to enjoy the classroom with students and sometimes it only takes 10-15 minutes.

Here are 80 Sponge Activities that you can use in your classroom to refocus students and just have a little fun in a short amount of time.

There you have it.  Four different ways to refocus students' behavior this Spring.  Do you have any tried and true ideas to help students focus during the changing Spring?

Ticket to Good Behavior

When my daughter Gabrielle was a girl she had an ornery pony named Bailey. He was cute, but pretty difficult. Her trainer (in bottom picture) told me that you "need to try everything" when it comes to training horses. With her trainer's help Gabrielle was able to compete with Bailey in shows, take him on trail rides, and enjoy horsey fun with her sister and friends. 

By now I'm sure you're wondering what this has to do with classroom management. Well, as I decided to write about my the evolution of my behavior management plan I was reminded of Mr. Sanjuan's advice. He didn't let Gabrielle give up when working with her pony (even when he cleared a jump at practice, but refused to jump at shows). And, I don't want to give up on helping my students achieve their best. Over the years I have tried a variety of management plans with varying degrees of success.

Gabrielle & Bailey in 2004.

I used a chart like this when I taught first grade. It worked for most students, but a few didn't care if they had to change their cards. Several teachers in my school still use a chart like this.

When I moved to kindergarten I used this stop sign chart. Again, it worked pretty well for some, not so much for others.

One year I had a little guy who was always in the red light pocket. It got to the point that he was just a "red" kid. I knew he was a good kid, and wanted him to feel a sense of redemption, so I made this clip chart. It really did help him to work toward making better choices so he could move back up the chart. Students who reached pink got a "diamond" to stick to their clothespins. I liked this chart, but wanted to try something else to see if I could reach those "Baileys" in my classroom. 

This year I am using tickets. Students earn tickets for making good choices, being kind, and following the rules. Conversely, poor choices will cost them tickets. They don't earn a ticket for every good choice, act of kindness, or rule following. I explained to them that it will take about two weeks to earn ten tickets, and so far my Kinders are doing well with this new plan. Because I don't hand out tickets left and right, they feel really special when earned. It also works well when praising a student who has changed his/her behavior. Knowing that I have noticed a change in behavior goes a long way in helping a student to continue making good choices. And, knowing that not-so-good choices will cost them tickets will hopefully help them to gain control over their actions. 

On Friday we count our tickets (which are stored in little food containers I purchased at Target). Ten tickets earns a reward coupon for things like "no morning work," "bring a stuffed animal to school," etc. I use my talented daughter's Reward Binder. Click HERE to purchase. 

We are twenty days into the new school year, and I think I am going to really like this new behavior management plan because it focuses on the positive, and downplays the negative. If you are up for "trying everything," I have a freebie for you ~ click HERE to get your own Ticket Ten Frame & tickets.

Please visit me at my blog & Facebook page:

Kinder Doodles

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My Kids Won't STOP TALKING and an Enchanting Math Resource that STICKS!

OH MY WORD!  Do you ever get that 1 or 2 or 3 kids that just always have something to say and they have something to say ALL THE TIME! I mean ALL  THE   TIME!

These table tents are highly effective because children become aware of their talking and the table tents are a visual reminder for them.  I think it is also highly effective because it is like a game to them.   They know they don't want one but when they get one they don't want more.  Once they get 2 they know with 3 there is a consequence. If they get 3 - they want you take one off their desk.  It has worked for me in Kinder and and I am certain it would work all the way up the grades.  

Have you come across Arithmetic Village?    I had seen and heard of Linus Minus and went searching for resources for it.  I finally came across this:

Created By:

I cannot tell you the last time I just fell in love with a teaching resource.  Connecting the literature piece with subtraction and addition has just been amazing!  These books are enchanting and charming and bring back the imagination to learning.  The stories help the concepts stick.  I mean, I have kinders using these ($4.99 from Party City)

to write Linus Minus stories in written form and in number sentences.   They are just as enchanted as I am.  So that's not all.  This lady is amazing and generous.  You are going to have to explore her site to find all the amazing free downloads she has. Here are just a few things you can access from her site:

Free downloadable activity books, math work mats with the characters, projectable books, ones, tens and hundreds, she has a facebook page, Pinterest page, and she has a TpT store.  My only questions is - WHY THE HECK HAVEN'T I RAN INTO HER SITE BEFORE??????    That's why I am blogging about it.  I mean, I blog stalk, I go on Pinterest, TPT, etc.  but I never saw these before?  

These are the best ever (shouldn't I be telling you about my math centers unit)?  I want to but these books and resources are the best. The ideas and activities she has are plentiful, open ended, fun, and engaging.  I have not been this excited about a resource in a very long time! Addition, Subtraction, and she even has multiplication and division.   So here is what I am going to do.  

I am going to leave you a link to the downloadable NO Talking Table Tents HERE:

A Link to my Blog HERE if you want to follow me to catch updates on how the Table tents and the Arithmetic Village activities are being used in my class (I will post pictures next week).

I am going to leave you a link to Kimberly's web-site and blog to explore  her stuff HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.

Have a great Weekend!

Warm Regards,

Tonya Leslie