WBT Chapter 4: Charting Progress

I finished another year of teaching third graders and this year was more successful due to my improved classroom management. I've faithfully charted my own behavior through weekly reflections as an instructor. I also charted my students’ progress. Looking back, I learned that I made  progress in the areas of controlling my emotions by controlling my tone of voice throughout the year. I also worked hard to consistently follow through with my classroom management plan. In the coming year, I am looking for my own continued improvement with consistency in classroom management as this is a struggle at times for me. 

I used the following measures to evaluate each student's classroom behavior- followed directions quickly, raised their hands for permission to speak, stayed on task, and turned in neat work on time. I also divided the students into four groups: Alphas, Go-Alongs, Fence Sitters, and Challenging Students. My goal was to raise the average score for all students' behaviors by .1 per month. Many students did achieve this level bringing them up a full level in classroom behavior by the end of the school year. I did have a few challenging students with whom I had to help them (and myself mentally when evaluating them) to focus on one area at a time such as turning neat work on time. After seeing the child show improvement in that area, I would help the child focus on another area. This helped the student to not feel overwhelmed and assisted me in staying consistent with my classroom management plan. 

Next year, the principal suggested having the students chart their own behavior (as that is part of the evaluation program we are using.) I am thinking of having each child use a calendar in a folder to self-score him/herself each day out of 4 points before getting ready to go home at the end of the day. I will have the students help me make a rubric (with my own ideas/goals already in mind) for what behaviors they should show in order to receive the points for behavior for the day. This will help them to take ownership of their behavior and show both of us their progress or areas they need improvement.