Submitted by Janet Carson, Plymouth, Michigan
Idea posted September 27, 2002
I use a card system for discipline. I have poster boards with #1-30 library card pockets glued on. Each student is assigned a number at the beginning of the year. In each pocket are three cards - red, yellow, and green.
All cards are green at the beginning of class time. First infraction, student is asked to turn their card to yellow. If there is a second time, turn to red, and they fill out a form we have at our school as part of our school-wide plan - a sort of reflection piece, they write about what they did, what they will do to make sure it doesn't occur again/what they will do differently. I keep these in a folder for reference at progress report time.
Usually all I have to say is, "Please turn your card," and go on with the lesson, with minimum disruption. Sometimes I just point to the poster board, and they know. Most students HATE to get up and walk over there and turn their card, and even more so, they hate to fill out that form, so it's really very effective.
One of the jobs students like to volunteer for is to check the cards at the beginning of class and make sure they are all green to start out for their class. Also, many of the teachers look at the cards as soon as they arrive to take the class back, and they'll say, "Hmm, who is #7?" etc. Then, the student is accountable to his/her teacher for his/her behavior, and it reinforces my system.
I have a notebook next to the cards with a page for each class, with their #'s, so if they "forget their number" all they have to do is find their name on their class list. That way, I don't have to further disrupt the lesson to remind them what their number is.