How to use PBIS points to gamify your classroom and increase student engagement.
If you're going to keep students engaged you need to create a plan to do so. My plan is based on using PBIS points to incentivize participation and engagement.
Matter of fact, PBIS points have truly been a game-changer in my classroom.
“Grant!! I am so proud of you for transitioning to the carpet nicely, that’s 1 point!”
“Hazel, you turned in the challenging homework by the end of the week, that’s 1 point!”
Great hallway behavior? Fantastic day with the substitute teacher? All of these behaviors are worthy of PBIS points in your classroom! Throughout the day, I am constantly giving my students praise with compliments and points.
They deserve to know when they demonstrate great behavior. Continue reading to find out how I incorporate PBIS points in my classroom, and you can too!
To understand PBIS points, we need to understand what PBIS actually is. PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) is a framework focused on prevention and instruction. In short, it assists with identifying and supporting desired behaviors in a school setting.
PBIS points reward positive behavior for students. My school uses LiveSchool to award our students with digital PBIS points in your school and to track behavior trends in our building.
PBIS points work because students are not only rewarded with points to celebrate preferred behavior, but it also gives them a choice to “cash in” those points for items or privileges.
Consistency and usage are major key components of using PBIS points in your classroom. Give out points all day, every day. Consistency with points is paramount. The controlled behavior that you want will NOT exist if you are NOT consistent.
To hold myself accountable, I have a daily alarm on my phone as a reminder. I also have a responsible student that reminds me to award points. It really does take a village! These reminders hold me accountable to reward my students if I have not done so during the day.
In addition, I add comments for students who had a rough day or add a positive comment for a student who was having an amazing day. The more specific that you are, the better, as parents receive recaps of their child’s points.
This brings me to my next tip: analyze your data. At Freedom Crossing Academy, our administration team meets every Tuesday to discuss behavior trends that are documented.
Not only does our admin team meet, but our PBIS team (one teacher from each grade level) meets monthly to discuss LiveSchool usage, behavior trends, grade-level incentives, and quarterly rewards.
PBIS points are not something that is one-and-done. It needs to be analyzed and discussed to improve school culture and behavior. Asking questions with your team such as:
All of these questions are important to ask your team to ultimately improve school-wide behaviors.
Give students reward options! Tangible toys are great…however, they can also be pricey! Our school has a LiveSchool cart. Our amazing PTO donates items for students to purchase so the teachers don’t have to.
In addition to items…our school provides incentives and special privileges for the kids. Eating lunch with the teacher, extra recess time, using the teacher chair, popsicles, dance party…and more!
These are just a few examples you can use for whole group or individual cash outs. You can also check out the LiveSchool Rewards that Rock Database for more ideas!
Let’s talk about classroom jobs. It keeps our room running smoothly, gives responsibility to students, and shows the importance of teamwork. PBIS points tie into this perfectly!
My students know that if Ms. Dougherty does not show up to the school to do her job, she will not get paid. The same is for our classroom jobs. They know my expectation is to do their job the right way and show up to school! Every Friday, students are “paid” in LiveSchool points. We call it… payday!
I do not change jobs every week. I need to be honest…I could not keep up with the weekly maintenance (but if you switch yours out every week…kudos to you!)
Instead, my students have the same job for the entire quarter and they become “experts” by the end. Each quarter, students select the top 4 jobs they would like. We call it the “job application” process.
They need to list a persuasive reason as to why I should pick them for the job they would like. After each quarter, we switch and the process starts up again.
This simple classroom management strategy has worked tremendously for me and has contributed wonderfully to our student-led classroom.
“Classroom management is not about having the right rules…it’s about having the right relationships.”
This is a quote that stuck with me (and will continue to stick with me) for the rest of my educational career. Know your students. Know what their interests are. Every single kid in your room.
This helps with LiveSchool points in the long run. For example, the majority of my boys (and a few girls!) are interested in basketball. For the whole month of March, I’ve incorporated a way students still learn our standards, shoot a basketball, and earn LiveSchool points.
I have high engagement because my students know they will be rewarded with points for participating in our lesson…and have the opportunity to shoot some hoops!
Imagine being a student and walking into a classroom with the LiveSchool dashboard displayed. Setting a positive tone in the morning is a great way to start the day for your students to succeed.
Make every LiveSchool point a big deal…then move on. The sound of students receiving points is your saving grace! Students' faces light up, they freeze, and look at your smartboard. Make sure you have your volume up while awarding points!
Use the LiveSchool app for immediate praise to students (administration approval for phone usage). I use the LiveSchool app during transitions from lunch to resource.
It is a great tool to use when your class is “on the go.” Especially the littles, they need immediate praise. Using the app also helps with point usage and consistency.
Using PBIS points to support your classroom management creates a positive learning environment, prevents disruptive behavior, and sets clear expectations for student behavior.
When classroom management is not prioritized, we are not able to teach effectively and efficiently. We all want to spend more time teaching and less time focusing on behaviors. The time is now to implement PBIS points in your classroom!
For more ideas on incorporating PBIS into your classroom check out the magic happening at our partner school: Bowmar Elementary.
Are you looking for more classroom management tips? Check out episode 34 of our podcast.
If you're going to keep students engaged you need to create a plan to do so. My plan is based on using PBIS points to incentivize participation and engagement.
Matter of fact, PBIS points have truly been a game-changer in my classroom.
“Grant!! I am so proud of you for transitioning to the carpet nicely, that’s 1 point!”
“Hazel, you turned in the challenging homework by the end of the week, that’s 1 point!”
Great hallway behavior? Fantastic day with the substitute teacher? All of these behaviors are worthy of PBIS points in your classroom! Throughout the day, I am constantly giving my students praise with compliments and points.
They deserve to know when they demonstrate great behavior. Continue reading to find out how I incorporate PBIS points in my classroom, and you can too!
To understand PBIS points, we need to understand what PBIS actually is. PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) is a framework focused on prevention and instruction. In short, it assists with identifying and supporting desired behaviors in a school setting.
PBIS points reward positive behavior for students. My school uses LiveSchool to award our students with digital PBIS points in your school and to track behavior trends in our building.
PBIS points work because students are not only rewarded with points to celebrate preferred behavior, but it also gives them a choice to “cash in” those points for items or privileges.
Consistency and usage are major key components of using PBIS points in your classroom. Give out points all day, every day. Consistency with points is paramount. The controlled behavior that you want will NOT exist if you are NOT consistent.
To hold myself accountable, I have a daily alarm on my phone as a reminder. I also have a responsible student that reminds me to award points. It really does take a village! These reminders hold me accountable to reward my students if I have not done so during the day.
In addition, I add comments for students who had a rough day or add a positive comment for a student who was having an amazing day. The more specific that you are, the better, as parents receive recaps of their child’s points.
This brings me to my next tip: analyze your data. At Freedom Crossing Academy, our administration team meets every Tuesday to discuss behavior trends that are documented.
Not only does our admin team meet, but our PBIS team (one teacher from each grade level) meets monthly to discuss LiveSchool usage, behavior trends, grade-level incentives, and quarterly rewards.
PBIS points are not something that is one-and-done. It needs to be analyzed and discussed to improve school culture and behavior. Asking questions with your team such as:
All of these questions are important to ask your team to ultimately improve school-wide behaviors.
Give students reward options! Tangible toys are great…however, they can also be pricey! Our school has a LiveSchool cart. Our amazing PTO donates items for students to purchase so the teachers don’t have to.
In addition to items…our school provides incentives and special privileges for the kids. Eating lunch with the teacher, extra recess time, using the teacher chair, popsicles, dance party…and more!
These are just a few examples you can use for whole group or individual cash outs. You can also check out the LiveSchool Rewards that Rock Database for more ideas!
Let’s talk about classroom jobs. It keeps our room running smoothly, gives responsibility to students, and shows the importance of teamwork. PBIS points tie into this perfectly!
My students know that if Ms. Dougherty does not show up to the school to do her job, she will not get paid. The same is for our classroom jobs. They know my expectation is to do their job the right way and show up to school! Every Friday, students are “paid” in LiveSchool points. We call it… payday!
I do not change jobs every week. I need to be honest…I could not keep up with the weekly maintenance (but if you switch yours out every week…kudos to you!)
Instead, my students have the same job for the entire quarter and they become “experts” by the end. Each quarter, students select the top 4 jobs they would like. We call it the “job application” process.
They need to list a persuasive reason as to why I should pick them for the job they would like. After each quarter, we switch and the process starts up again.
This simple classroom management strategy has worked tremendously for me and has contributed wonderfully to our student-led classroom.
“Classroom management is not about having the right rules…it’s about having the right relationships.”
This is a quote that stuck with me (and will continue to stick with me) for the rest of my educational career. Know your students. Know what their interests are. Every single kid in your room.
This helps with LiveSchool points in the long run. For example, the majority of my boys (and a few girls!) are interested in basketball. For the whole month of March, I’ve incorporated a way students still learn our standards, shoot a basketball, and earn LiveSchool points.
I have high engagement because my students know they will be rewarded with points for participating in our lesson…and have the opportunity to shoot some hoops!
Imagine being a student and walking into a classroom with the LiveSchool dashboard displayed. Setting a positive tone in the morning is a great way to start the day for your students to succeed.
Make every LiveSchool point a big deal…then move on. The sound of students receiving points is your saving grace! Students' faces light up, they freeze, and look at your smartboard. Make sure you have your volume up while awarding points!
Use the LiveSchool app for immediate praise to students (administration approval for phone usage). I use the LiveSchool app during transitions from lunch to resource.
It is a great tool to use when your class is “on the go.” Especially the littles, they need immediate praise. Using the app also helps with point usage and consistency.
Using PBIS points to support your classroom management creates a positive learning environment, prevents disruptive behavior, and sets clear expectations for student behavior.
When classroom management is not prioritized, we are not able to teach effectively and efficiently. We all want to spend more time teaching and less time focusing on behaviors. The time is now to implement PBIS points in your classroom!
For more ideas on incorporating PBIS into your classroom check out the magic happening at our partner school: Bowmar Elementary.
Are you looking for more classroom management tips? Check out episode 34 of our podcast.
If you're going to keep students engaged you need to create a plan to do so. My plan is based on using PBIS points to incentivize participation and engagement.
Matter of fact, PBIS points have truly been a game-changer in my classroom.
“Grant!! I am so proud of you for transitioning to the carpet nicely, that’s 1 point!”
“Hazel, you turned in the challenging homework by the end of the week, that’s 1 point!”
Great hallway behavior? Fantastic day with the substitute teacher? All of these behaviors are worthy of PBIS points in your classroom! Throughout the day, I am constantly giving my students praise with compliments and points.
They deserve to know when they demonstrate great behavior. Continue reading to find out how I incorporate PBIS points in my classroom, and you can too!
To understand PBIS points, we need to understand what PBIS actually is. PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) is a framework focused on prevention and instruction. In short, it assists with identifying and supporting desired behaviors in a school setting.
PBIS points reward positive behavior for students. My school uses LiveSchool to award our students with digital PBIS points in your school and to track behavior trends in our building.
PBIS points work because students are not only rewarded with points to celebrate preferred behavior, but it also gives them a choice to “cash in” those points for items or privileges.
Consistency and usage are major key components of using PBIS points in your classroom. Give out points all day, every day. Consistency with points is paramount. The controlled behavior that you want will NOT exist if you are NOT consistent.
To hold myself accountable, I have a daily alarm on my phone as a reminder. I also have a responsible student that reminds me to award points. It really does take a village! These reminders hold me accountable to reward my students if I have not done so during the day.
In addition, I add comments for students who had a rough day or add a positive comment for a student who was having an amazing day. The more specific that you are, the better, as parents receive recaps of their child’s points.
This brings me to my next tip: analyze your data. At Freedom Crossing Academy, our administration team meets every Tuesday to discuss behavior trends that are documented.
Not only does our admin team meet, but our PBIS team (one teacher from each grade level) meets monthly to discuss LiveSchool usage, behavior trends, grade-level incentives, and quarterly rewards.
PBIS points are not something that is one-and-done. It needs to be analyzed and discussed to improve school culture and behavior. Asking questions with your team such as:
All of these questions are important to ask your team to ultimately improve school-wide behaviors.
Give students reward options! Tangible toys are great…however, they can also be pricey! Our school has a LiveSchool cart. Our amazing PTO donates items for students to purchase so the teachers don’t have to.
In addition to items…our school provides incentives and special privileges for the kids. Eating lunch with the teacher, extra recess time, using the teacher chair, popsicles, dance party…and more!
These are just a few examples you can use for whole group or individual cash outs. You can also check out the LiveSchool Rewards that Rock Database for more ideas!
Let’s talk about classroom jobs. It keeps our room running smoothly, gives responsibility to students, and shows the importance of teamwork. PBIS points tie into this perfectly!
My students know that if Ms. Dougherty does not show up to the school to do her job, she will not get paid. The same is for our classroom jobs. They know my expectation is to do their job the right way and show up to school! Every Friday, students are “paid” in LiveSchool points. We call it… payday!
I do not change jobs every week. I need to be honest…I could not keep up with the weekly maintenance (but if you switch yours out every week…kudos to you!)
Instead, my students have the same job for the entire quarter and they become “experts” by the end. Each quarter, students select the top 4 jobs they would like. We call it the “job application” process.
They need to list a persuasive reason as to why I should pick them for the job they would like. After each quarter, we switch and the process starts up again.
This simple classroom management strategy has worked tremendously for me and has contributed wonderfully to our student-led classroom.
“Classroom management is not about having the right rules…it’s about having the right relationships.”
This is a quote that stuck with me (and will continue to stick with me) for the rest of my educational career. Know your students. Know what their interests are. Every single kid in your room.
This helps with LiveSchool points in the long run. For example, the majority of my boys (and a few girls!) are interested in basketball. For the whole month of March, I’ve incorporated a way students still learn our standards, shoot a basketball, and earn LiveSchool points.
I have high engagement because my students know they will be rewarded with points for participating in our lesson…and have the opportunity to shoot some hoops!
Imagine being a student and walking into a classroom with the LiveSchool dashboard displayed. Setting a positive tone in the morning is a great way to start the day for your students to succeed.
Make every LiveSchool point a big deal…then move on. The sound of students receiving points is your saving grace! Students' faces light up, they freeze, and look at your smartboard. Make sure you have your volume up while awarding points!
Use the LiveSchool app for immediate praise to students (administration approval for phone usage). I use the LiveSchool app during transitions from lunch to resource.
It is a great tool to use when your class is “on the go.” Especially the littles, they need immediate praise. Using the app also helps with point usage and consistency.
Using PBIS points to support your classroom management creates a positive learning environment, prevents disruptive behavior, and sets clear expectations for student behavior.
When classroom management is not prioritized, we are not able to teach effectively and efficiently. We all want to spend more time teaching and less time focusing on behaviors. The time is now to implement PBIS points in your classroom!
For more ideas on incorporating PBIS into your classroom check out the magic happening at our partner school: Bowmar Elementary.
Are you looking for more classroom management tips? Check out episode 34 of our podcast.
If you're going to keep students engaged you need to create a plan to do so. My plan is based on using PBIS points to incentivize participation and engagement.
Matter of fact, PBIS points have truly been a game-changer in my classroom.
“Grant!! I am so proud of you for transitioning to the carpet nicely, that’s 1 point!”
“Hazel, you turned in the challenging homework by the end of the week, that’s 1 point!”
Great hallway behavior? Fantastic day with the substitute teacher? All of these behaviors are worthy of PBIS points in your classroom! Throughout the day, I am constantly giving my students praise with compliments and points.
They deserve to know when they demonstrate great behavior. Continue reading to find out how I incorporate PBIS points in my classroom, and you can too!
To understand PBIS points, we need to understand what PBIS actually is. PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) is a framework focused on prevention and instruction. In short, it assists with identifying and supporting desired behaviors in a school setting.
PBIS points reward positive behavior for students. My school uses LiveSchool to award our students with digital PBIS points in your school and to track behavior trends in our building.
PBIS points work because students are not only rewarded with points to celebrate preferred behavior, but it also gives them a choice to “cash in” those points for items or privileges.
Consistency and usage are major key components of using PBIS points in your classroom. Give out points all day, every day. Consistency with points is paramount. The controlled behavior that you want will NOT exist if you are NOT consistent.
To hold myself accountable, I have a daily alarm on my phone as a reminder. I also have a responsible student that reminds me to award points. It really does take a village! These reminders hold me accountable to reward my students if I have not done so during the day.
In addition, I add comments for students who had a rough day or add a positive comment for a student who was having an amazing day. The more specific that you are, the better, as parents receive recaps of their child’s points.
This brings me to my next tip: analyze your data. At Freedom Crossing Academy, our administration team meets every Tuesday to discuss behavior trends that are documented.
Not only does our admin team meet, but our PBIS team (one teacher from each grade level) meets monthly to discuss LiveSchool usage, behavior trends, grade-level incentives, and quarterly rewards.
PBIS points are not something that is one-and-done. It needs to be analyzed and discussed to improve school culture and behavior. Asking questions with your team such as:
All of these questions are important to ask your team to ultimately improve school-wide behaviors.
Give students reward options! Tangible toys are great…however, they can also be pricey! Our school has a LiveSchool cart. Our amazing PTO donates items for students to purchase so the teachers don’t have to.
In addition to items…our school provides incentives and special privileges for the kids. Eating lunch with the teacher, extra recess time, using the teacher chair, popsicles, dance party…and more!
These are just a few examples you can use for whole group or individual cash outs. You can also check out the LiveSchool Rewards that Rock Database for more ideas!
Let’s talk about classroom jobs. It keeps our room running smoothly, gives responsibility to students, and shows the importance of teamwork. PBIS points tie into this perfectly!
My students know that if Ms. Dougherty does not show up to the school to do her job, she will not get paid. The same is for our classroom jobs. They know my expectation is to do their job the right way and show up to school! Every Friday, students are “paid” in LiveSchool points. We call it… payday!
I do not change jobs every week. I need to be honest…I could not keep up with the weekly maintenance (but if you switch yours out every week…kudos to you!)
Instead, my students have the same job for the entire quarter and they become “experts” by the end. Each quarter, students select the top 4 jobs they would like. We call it the “job application” process.
They need to list a persuasive reason as to why I should pick them for the job they would like. After each quarter, we switch and the process starts up again.
This simple classroom management strategy has worked tremendously for me and has contributed wonderfully to our student-led classroom.
“Classroom management is not about having the right rules…it’s about having the right relationships.”
This is a quote that stuck with me (and will continue to stick with me) for the rest of my educational career. Know your students. Know what their interests are. Every single kid in your room.
This helps with LiveSchool points in the long run. For example, the majority of my boys (and a few girls!) are interested in basketball. For the whole month of March, I’ve incorporated a way students still learn our standards, shoot a basketball, and earn LiveSchool points.
I have high engagement because my students know they will be rewarded with points for participating in our lesson…and have the opportunity to shoot some hoops!
Imagine being a student and walking into a classroom with the LiveSchool dashboard displayed. Setting a positive tone in the morning is a great way to start the day for your students to succeed.
Make every LiveSchool point a big deal…then move on. The sound of students receiving points is your saving grace! Students' faces light up, they freeze, and look at your smartboard. Make sure you have your volume up while awarding points!
Use the LiveSchool app for immediate praise to students (administration approval for phone usage). I use the LiveSchool app during transitions from lunch to resource.
It is a great tool to use when your class is “on the go.” Especially the littles, they need immediate praise. Using the app also helps with point usage and consistency.
Using PBIS points to support your classroom management creates a positive learning environment, prevents disruptive behavior, and sets clear expectations for student behavior.
When classroom management is not prioritized, we are not able to teach effectively and efficiently. We all want to spend more time teaching and less time focusing on behaviors. The time is now to implement PBIS points in your classroom!
For more ideas on incorporating PBIS into your classroom check out the magic happening at our partner school: Bowmar Elementary.
Are you looking for more classroom management tips? Check out episode 34 of our podcast.
If you're going to keep students engaged you need to create a plan to do so. My plan is based on using PBIS points to incentivize participation and engagement.
Matter of fact, PBIS points have truly been a game-changer in my classroom.
“Grant!! I am so proud of you for transitioning to the carpet nicely, that’s 1 point!”
“Hazel, you turned in the challenging homework by the end of the week, that’s 1 point!”
Great hallway behavior? Fantastic day with the substitute teacher? All of these behaviors are worthy of PBIS points in your classroom! Throughout the day, I am constantly giving my students praise with compliments and points.
They deserve to know when they demonstrate great behavior. Continue reading to find out how I incorporate PBIS points in my classroom, and you can too!
To understand PBIS points, we need to understand what PBIS actually is. PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) is a framework focused on prevention and instruction. In short, it assists with identifying and supporting desired behaviors in a school setting.
PBIS points reward positive behavior for students. My school uses LiveSchool to award our students with digital PBIS points in your school and to track behavior trends in our building.
PBIS points work because students are not only rewarded with points to celebrate preferred behavior, but it also gives them a choice to “cash in” those points for items or privileges.
Consistency and usage are major key components of using PBIS points in your classroom. Give out points all day, every day. Consistency with points is paramount. The controlled behavior that you want will NOT exist if you are NOT consistent.
To hold myself accountable, I have a daily alarm on my phone as a reminder. I also have a responsible student that reminds me to award points. It really does take a village! These reminders hold me accountable to reward my students if I have not done so during the day.
In addition, I add comments for students who had a rough day or add a positive comment for a student who was having an amazing day. The more specific that you are, the better, as parents receive recaps of their child’s points.
This brings me to my next tip: analyze your data. At Freedom Crossing Academy, our administration team meets every Tuesday to discuss behavior trends that are documented.
Not only does our admin team meet, but our PBIS team (one teacher from each grade level) meets monthly to discuss LiveSchool usage, behavior trends, grade-level incentives, and quarterly rewards.
PBIS points are not something that is one-and-done. It needs to be analyzed and discussed to improve school culture and behavior. Asking questions with your team such as:
All of these questions are important to ask your team to ultimately improve school-wide behaviors.
Give students reward options! Tangible toys are great…however, they can also be pricey! Our school has a LiveSchool cart. Our amazing PTO donates items for students to purchase so the teachers don’t have to.
In addition to items…our school provides incentives and special privileges for the kids. Eating lunch with the teacher, extra recess time, using the teacher chair, popsicles, dance party…and more!
These are just a few examples you can use for whole group or individual cash outs. You can also check out the LiveSchool Rewards that Rock Database for more ideas!
Let’s talk about classroom jobs. It keeps our room running smoothly, gives responsibility to students, and shows the importance of teamwork. PBIS points tie into this perfectly!
My students know that if Ms. Dougherty does not show up to the school to do her job, she will not get paid. The same is for our classroom jobs. They know my expectation is to do their job the right way and show up to school! Every Friday, students are “paid” in LiveSchool points. We call it… payday!
I do not change jobs every week. I need to be honest…I could not keep up with the weekly maintenance (but if you switch yours out every week…kudos to you!)
Instead, my students have the same job for the entire quarter and they become “experts” by the end. Each quarter, students select the top 4 jobs they would like. We call it the “job application” process.
They need to list a persuasive reason as to why I should pick them for the job they would like. After each quarter, we switch and the process starts up again.
This simple classroom management strategy has worked tremendously for me and has contributed wonderfully to our student-led classroom.
“Classroom management is not about having the right rules…it’s about having the right relationships.”
This is a quote that stuck with me (and will continue to stick with me) for the rest of my educational career. Know your students. Know what their interests are. Every single kid in your room.
This helps with LiveSchool points in the long run. For example, the majority of my boys (and a few girls!) are interested in basketball. For the whole month of March, I’ve incorporated a way students still learn our standards, shoot a basketball, and earn LiveSchool points.
I have high engagement because my students know they will be rewarded with points for participating in our lesson…and have the opportunity to shoot some hoops!
Imagine being a student and walking into a classroom with the LiveSchool dashboard displayed. Setting a positive tone in the morning is a great way to start the day for your students to succeed.
Make every LiveSchool point a big deal…then move on. The sound of students receiving points is your saving grace! Students' faces light up, they freeze, and look at your smartboard. Make sure you have your volume up while awarding points!
Use the LiveSchool app for immediate praise to students (administration approval for phone usage). I use the LiveSchool app during transitions from lunch to resource.
It is a great tool to use when your class is “on the go.” Especially the littles, they need immediate praise. Using the app also helps with point usage and consistency.
Using PBIS points to support your classroom management creates a positive learning environment, prevents disruptive behavior, and sets clear expectations for student behavior.
When classroom management is not prioritized, we are not able to teach effectively and efficiently. We all want to spend more time teaching and less time focusing on behaviors. The time is now to implement PBIS points in your classroom!
For more ideas on incorporating PBIS into your classroom check out the magic happening at our partner school: Bowmar Elementary.
Are you looking for more classroom management tips? Check out episode 34 of our podcast.
Brooke Dougherty is a 2nd-grade teacher at Freedom Crossing Academy, one of the newest K-8 schools in St. Johns County, Florida. After graduating from college with a dual major in Early Childhood and Special Education in 2020, she accepted a job in one of St. John’s “A” rated schools—FCA.
FCA stood out because of its strong stance on school culture and student/staff relationships. Prior to being hired, her principal at the time engraved this very familiar line into her brain: “here at Freedom Crossing Academy we do three things and three things well: LiveSchool, Capturing Kids’ Hearts, and the PLC process.”
The best description of FCA’s school culture is like walking into Disney. The faculty are always brainstorming creative ways to enhance student learning and school culture. Freedom Crossing Academy is truly a special place to be.
Classroom Management. Two words I didn't realize the importance of until I stepped foot into my own classroom. Classroom management isn’t something that is nice to have, it’s a necessity. Without it, the lessons we plan and the standards we strive to teach aren’t likely to reach your students.
If you're going to keep students engaged you need to create a plan to do so. My plan is based on using PBIS points to incentivize participation and engagement.
Matter of fact, PBIS points have truly been a game-changer in my classroom.
“Grant!! I am so proud of you for transitioning to the carpet nicely, that’s 1 point!”
“Hazel, you turned in the challenging homework by the end of the week, that’s 1 point!”
Great hallway behavior? Fantastic day with the substitute teacher? All of these behaviors are worthy of PBIS points in your classroom! Throughout the day, I am constantly giving my students praise with compliments and points.
They deserve to know when they demonstrate great behavior. Continue reading to find out how I incorporate PBIS points in my classroom, and you can too!
To understand PBIS points, we need to understand what PBIS actually is. PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) is a framework focused on prevention and instruction. In short, it assists with identifying and supporting desired behaviors in a school setting.
PBIS points reward positive behavior for students. My school uses LiveSchool to award our students with digital PBIS points in your school and to track behavior trends in our building.
PBIS points work because students are not only rewarded with points to celebrate preferred behavior, but it also gives them a choice to “cash in” those points for items or privileges.
Consistency and usage are major key components of using PBIS points in your classroom. Give out points all day, every day. Consistency with points is paramount. The controlled behavior that you want will NOT exist if you are NOT consistent.
To hold myself accountable, I have a daily alarm on my phone as a reminder. I also have a responsible student that reminds me to award points. It really does take a village! These reminders hold me accountable to reward my students if I have not done so during the day.
In addition, I add comments for students who had a rough day or add a positive comment for a student who was having an amazing day. The more specific that you are, the better, as parents receive recaps of their child’s points.
This brings me to my next tip: analyze your data. At Freedom Crossing Academy, our administration team meets every Tuesday to discuss behavior trends that are documented.
Not only does our admin team meet, but our PBIS team (one teacher from each grade level) meets monthly to discuss LiveSchool usage, behavior trends, grade-level incentives, and quarterly rewards.
PBIS points are not something that is one-and-done. It needs to be analyzed and discussed to improve school culture and behavior. Asking questions with your team such as:
All of these questions are important to ask your team to ultimately improve school-wide behaviors.
Give students reward options! Tangible toys are great…however, they can also be pricey! Our school has a LiveSchool cart. Our amazing PTO donates items for students to purchase so the teachers don’t have to.
In addition to items…our school provides incentives and special privileges for the kids. Eating lunch with the teacher, extra recess time, using the teacher chair, popsicles, dance party…and more!
These are just a few examples you can use for whole group or individual cash outs. You can also check out the LiveSchool Rewards that Rock Database for more ideas!
Let’s talk about classroom jobs. It keeps our room running smoothly, gives responsibility to students, and shows the importance of teamwork. PBIS points tie into this perfectly!
My students know that if Ms. Dougherty does not show up to the school to do her job, she will not get paid. The same is for our classroom jobs. They know my expectation is to do their job the right way and show up to school! Every Friday, students are “paid” in LiveSchool points. We call it… payday!
I do not change jobs every week. I need to be honest…I could not keep up with the weekly maintenance (but if you switch yours out every week…kudos to you!)
Instead, my students have the same job for the entire quarter and they become “experts” by the end. Each quarter, students select the top 4 jobs they would like. We call it the “job application” process.
They need to list a persuasive reason as to why I should pick them for the job they would like. After each quarter, we switch and the process starts up again.
This simple classroom management strategy has worked tremendously for me and has contributed wonderfully to our student-led classroom.
“Classroom management is not about having the right rules…it’s about having the right relationships.”
This is a quote that stuck with me (and will continue to stick with me) for the rest of my educational career. Know your students. Know what their interests are. Every single kid in your room.
This helps with LiveSchool points in the long run. For example, the majority of my boys (and a few girls!) are interested in basketball. For the whole month of March, I’ve incorporated a way students still learn our standards, shoot a basketball, and earn LiveSchool points.
I have high engagement because my students know they will be rewarded with points for participating in our lesson…and have the opportunity to shoot some hoops!
Imagine being a student and walking into a classroom with the LiveSchool dashboard displayed. Setting a positive tone in the morning is a great way to start the day for your students to succeed.
Make every LiveSchool point a big deal…then move on. The sound of students receiving points is your saving grace! Students' faces light up, they freeze, and look at your smartboard. Make sure you have your volume up while awarding points!
Use the LiveSchool app for immediate praise to students (administration approval for phone usage). I use the LiveSchool app during transitions from lunch to resource.
It is a great tool to use when your class is “on the go.” Especially the littles, they need immediate praise. Using the app also helps with point usage and consistency.
Using PBIS points to support your classroom management creates a positive learning environment, prevents disruptive behavior, and sets clear expectations for student behavior.
When classroom management is not prioritized, we are not able to teach effectively and efficiently. We all want to spend more time teaching and less time focusing on behaviors. The time is now to implement PBIS points in your classroom!
For more ideas on incorporating PBIS into your classroom check out the magic happening at our partner school: Bowmar Elementary.
Are you looking for more classroom management tips? Check out episode 34 of our podcast.
Classroom Management. Two words I didn't realize the importance of until I stepped foot into my own classroom. Classroom management isn’t something that is nice to have, it’s a necessity. Without it, the lessons we plan and the standards we strive to teach aren’t likely to reach your students.
If you're going to keep students engaged you need to create a plan to do so. My plan is based on using PBIS points to incentivize participation and engagement.
Matter of fact, PBIS points have truly been a game-changer in my classroom.
“Grant!! I am so proud of you for transitioning to the carpet nicely, that’s 1 point!”
“Hazel, you turned in the challenging homework by the end of the week, that’s 1 point!”
Great hallway behavior? Fantastic day with the substitute teacher? All of these behaviors are worthy of PBIS points in your classroom! Throughout the day, I am constantly giving my students praise with compliments and points.
They deserve to know when they demonstrate great behavior. Continue reading to find out how I incorporate PBIS points in my classroom, and you can too!
To understand PBIS points, we need to understand what PBIS actually is. PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) is a framework focused on prevention and instruction. In short, it assists with identifying and supporting desired behaviors in a school setting.
PBIS points reward positive behavior for students. My school uses LiveSchool to award our students with digital PBIS points in your school and to track behavior trends in our building.
PBIS points work because students are not only rewarded with points to celebrate preferred behavior, but it also gives them a choice to “cash in” those points for items or privileges.
Consistency and usage are major key components of using PBIS points in your classroom. Give out points all day, every day. Consistency with points is paramount. The controlled behavior that you want will NOT exist if you are NOT consistent.
To hold myself accountable, I have a daily alarm on my phone as a reminder. I also have a responsible student that reminds me to award points. It really does take a village! These reminders hold me accountable to reward my students if I have not done so during the day.
In addition, I add comments for students who had a rough day or add a positive comment for a student who was having an amazing day. The more specific that you are, the better, as parents receive recaps of their child’s points.
This brings me to my next tip: analyze your data. At Freedom Crossing Academy, our administration team meets every Tuesday to discuss behavior trends that are documented.
Not only does our admin team meet, but our PBIS team (one teacher from each grade level) meets monthly to discuss LiveSchool usage, behavior trends, grade-level incentives, and quarterly rewards.
PBIS points are not something that is one-and-done. It needs to be analyzed and discussed to improve school culture and behavior. Asking questions with your team such as:
All of these questions are important to ask your team to ultimately improve school-wide behaviors.
Give students reward options! Tangible toys are great…however, they can also be pricey! Our school has a LiveSchool cart. Our amazing PTO donates items for students to purchase so the teachers don’t have to.
In addition to items…our school provides incentives and special privileges for the kids. Eating lunch with the teacher, extra recess time, using the teacher chair, popsicles, dance party…and more!
These are just a few examples you can use for whole group or individual cash outs. You can also check out the LiveSchool Rewards that Rock Database for more ideas!
Let’s talk about classroom jobs. It keeps our room running smoothly, gives responsibility to students, and shows the importance of teamwork. PBIS points tie into this perfectly!
My students know that if Ms. Dougherty does not show up to the school to do her job, she will not get paid. The same is for our classroom jobs. They know my expectation is to do their job the right way and show up to school! Every Friday, students are “paid” in LiveSchool points. We call it… payday!
I do not change jobs every week. I need to be honest…I could not keep up with the weekly maintenance (but if you switch yours out every week…kudos to you!)
Instead, my students have the same job for the entire quarter and they become “experts” by the end. Each quarter, students select the top 4 jobs they would like. We call it the “job application” process.
They need to list a persuasive reason as to why I should pick them for the job they would like. After each quarter, we switch and the process starts up again.
This simple classroom management strategy has worked tremendously for me and has contributed wonderfully to our student-led classroom.
“Classroom management is not about having the right rules…it’s about having the right relationships.”
This is a quote that stuck with me (and will continue to stick with me) for the rest of my educational career. Know your students. Know what their interests are. Every single kid in your room.
This helps with LiveSchool points in the long run. For example, the majority of my boys (and a few girls!) are interested in basketball. For the whole month of March, I’ve incorporated a way students still learn our standards, shoot a basketball, and earn LiveSchool points.
I have high engagement because my students know they will be rewarded with points for participating in our lesson…and have the opportunity to shoot some hoops!
Imagine being a student and walking into a classroom with the LiveSchool dashboard displayed. Setting a positive tone in the morning is a great way to start the day for your students to succeed.
Make every LiveSchool point a big deal…then move on. The sound of students receiving points is your saving grace! Students' faces light up, they freeze, and look at your smartboard. Make sure you have your volume up while awarding points!
Use the LiveSchool app for immediate praise to students (administration approval for phone usage). I use the LiveSchool app during transitions from lunch to resource.
It is a great tool to use when your class is “on the go.” Especially the littles, they need immediate praise. Using the app also helps with point usage and consistency.
Using PBIS points to support your classroom management creates a positive learning environment, prevents disruptive behavior, and sets clear expectations for student behavior.
When classroom management is not prioritized, we are not able to teach effectively and efficiently. We all want to spend more time teaching and less time focusing on behaviors. The time is now to implement PBIS points in your classroom!
For more ideas on incorporating PBIS into your classroom check out the magic happening at our partner school: Bowmar Elementary.
Are you looking for more classroom management tips? Check out episode 34 of our podcast.
All the behavior resources you need to create the positive culture your school community deserves.
