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After graduating in the spring of 2010, I got a great job as a 7th grade math co-teacher for the upcoming school year. When I say great, I really mean it. The school was amazing, the kids were awesome, the people I worked with were above and beyond brilliant (many of whom I am still in contact with today).
Every Friday, we would have Fun Friday. This was a 15-30 minute period during each class where my students could play educational games, like Blokus or Sudoku.
I started out using Fun Friday as a reprieve, which was an awful idea on my part. Students 1, Mrs. D 0.
After learning from the mistake, I decided to make these desk cards for each of my kiddos.
Now my kids had to earn Fun Friday, which they thought was awful because they actually had to do work and behave. BUT the system was easy to manage, simple to explain and understand, and it worked!
After the first week of testing it out, my students realized that their actions were causing them to lose points, which in turn meant they might lose out on Fun Friday. So they started managing their own behaviors. Imagine that! Point for Mrs. D.
At the end of every class, I would give each student a “score” of 0-3. If the student got sent out of class for behavior, they received a 0. If the student needed several reminders (3 or more) to stay focused or stop doing something (like calling out or talking during
instruction), the student got a 1. If the student did an average job, s/he got a 2. If the student went above and beyond, participated in class, and did his/her work to the best of his/her ability without complaints or whining, the student got a 3 (the best score).
Pretty simple.
What did I do if a student lost Fun Friday privileges on Tuesday or Wednesday?
I always gave them the opportunity to earn it back with “perfect” behavior.
I know, I know… how unethical of me! A student already lost the opportunity, why give him a second chance, right?! Wrong… if I had not given the students a chance to earn points back, their behavior would have continued on a downward spiral for the remainder of the week, making it that much harder for me to teach and for the other students to learn.
Jedi mind tricks! I mastered them!
To help you with any of your behavioral management needs, you can get these editable behavior point charts here for free, just click on the picture above. There are 6 versions included (with homeroom and without; and with 2, 3 and 4 classes). You can edit the rules and notes at the bottom as well.
What have you found works best in your classroom to help manage behaviors? Tell us in the comments below!
I love the idea of Fun Friday and love that your children have to earn it! I can totally see myself working this into my current classroom management system! Thanks for the freebie to get me started! I am super excited to be read all of the tips and tricks with behavior management this week! Thanks for hosting this wonderful linky to get us all ready to go back to school!
Amanda
Learning to the Core
Great post! I like your point system! I agree with you about allowing the students opportunities to ear their points back. Some teachers are against this theory but what I've seen is that if they can't earn them back, they "throw in the towel" if they have any bad markings. The balance is tricky though. It's important to make it clear to them that they have to EARN it back and it's not going to be given back because I feel bad. #tugsontheheartstrings I've linked up, I'd love for you to read about what I do in my classroom!
Mrs. Olson’s Lucky Little Learners
Loved your post! I really enjoyed reading about how you manage Fun Friday. What a fantastic way to have ongoing data AND reward students for behavior! I've already downloaded this and am considering trying this out!
Katie
Simply Creative in KY
Fantastic idea! I love the idea of teaching students to manage their behavior….thereby instill self-control and self-discipline. What an excellent way of keeping accurate data throughout the school year. I am a Kindergarten teacher. I have already downloaded the behavior charts and looking as to how I can adapt them. Previously, I have used a card system, I am looking for something new and I have found it. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas. I really appreciate it.
I love your post, and how you have your students take responsibility of their own behavior management. What a great way to have them want those elusive intrinsic rewards!! Thank you so much for sharing, and for hosting such a great linky where we can learn all about the different tricks and techniques teachers all over use for behavior management!
Warmest Wishes,
Erin
http://www.kinderdragons.blogspot.com
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I love the ideal of Fun Friday, however, I teach history so what would be a good game that is history related that can be played? I know the ones that you listed are for math.
So what does a student do during fun Friday if they have lost their privileges?
Hi, do you still have the behavior charts for Fun Friday available? I tried to download the free files, but it wouldn’t work.
You can find this resource in the Resource Library here: http://www.mrsdscorner.com/resource-library
Fun Friday! That brings back warm memories of pre-COVID world, and makes me get teary eyed. My son (HF-ASD) has an amazing 3rd grade teacher last year (he has been in a gen ed class with a FT 1:1 para since first grade; kinder he was in an intervention program within the elementary school.). He really came into his own after several long years of steady but slooooow progress. He was making real friendships, he was independent at recess and lunch time.
And the most remarkable thing was the magic of Fun Friday! In order to earn Fun Friday, their reading and Dreambox log. My son – the kid who used to start pulling his pants off when I asked him to brush his teeth, who went to school with his pants and shirt on backwards more times than I care to admit (mom has ADHD, lol) – he would remind US to get the paper signed and into his bag. And if he missed a night of Dreambox, he would willingly do twice as much to make sure he earned FF.
I wish I could harness that same ability here at home during virtual learning. It’s been rough, and I feel like I’m the worst person to help him be independent! I think I’ll adapt your point system and tie it to self-initiation (join calls on time; check schedule for next step when call is over, etc). I just need to think of something fun, since we don’t have playgrounds!
Your site and forms are so helpful to me right now! Thank you for your generosity!
Do you have individual student goal points for Fun Friday games or is it a standard set amount of points for each student? I, like many other commenters, would love to know how you alter your point expectations or earning power for students who may not earn points early in the week or are not motivated by earning points.