Classroom Management

I am first year teacher, as many of you already know. I teach fourth grade science to four different classes throughout the day. When I found out that I had gotten the job, I was excited! However, I started thinking about how to manage four different classes! The other teachers in my team wanted to handle their own discipline and not have a grade level system, which was even harder.

The first thing that I came up with, and still seems to be a hit was this...


I have five magnetic bees on the corner of my whiteboard. These bees represent the amount of links the class can earn daily. If majority of the class is off-task, not following directions, etc. then a bee comes down. However many bees are left at the end of the period is how many links they are awarded. The links are hung at the top of my whiteboard and whenever the chain touches the ground the WHOLE class is rewarded (candy, special treat, extra free time, homework passes, etc.).




The classes also like to compete with each other, who can touch the ground first, and now who can get the most treats before the year is up. This system has been very effective.



The bees came from Hobby Lobby in their wooden crafts section and I glued a magnet on the back. I chose bee's because that is my theme because of Lazenby, with the "by" pronounced as "BEE," get it? Hahaha!

UPDATE ON THE CLASSROOM COMPETITION CLICK HERE.