Behavior management is a tricky balancing act. On the one hand, you want to establish trust with your students and prove they can trust you as their teacher. On the other hand, you also need to maintain control in the classroom so that teaching and learning can occur.
With this in mind, behavior plans are an easy way of keeping everyone on the same page while providing structure for your classroom. A behavior plan is essentially a document that sets expectations for students and consequences if those expectations are not met.
This article will walk you through creating your behavior plan to establish clear rules, consequences, and rewards for your students from day one. So, let’s get started!
What is a Behavior Plan?
A behavior plan is a document that outlines rewards and consequences for students breaking or following classroom rules. It can also include strategies for handling behavior management issues, such as tips for handling out-of-control students or ideas for confronting bullying and cyberbullying.
A behavior plan is like a contract: you and your students sign and agree to follow its terms. This is helpful because it gives students a clear idea of what is expected of them and what will happen if they don’t follow the rules.
It’s important to note that every student is different; therefore, every behavior plan will be different. A plan for one student may not necessarily be appropriate for another, so you must create your plan. A replacement behavior chartis handy in this case as it helps track a student’s progress towards behavioral change.
Why Are Behavior Plans Requirements?
Behavior plans are essential for two primary reasons: they help establish trust with your students and help students know what is expected of them. A behavior plan is a contract between you, your students, and the administration. This contract outlines what is expected of every party.
Developing a Behavior Plan
Before you create your behavior plan, you must decide what type of plan will work best for your classroom. There are several different types of plans, such as reward-only, graduated punishment, and positive self-regulation.
The method you choose will depend on your needs, your teaching style, and the requirements of your specific students. For example, a reward-only plan may not be appropriate if you have students with special needs.
Behavior plans often include the following components: classroom rules, behavioral expectations, consequences for breaking the rules, and rewards for following rules. Creating these sections ensures that your plan is comprehensive, detailed, and easy to understand.
Step 1: Establish clear classroom rules
One of the first things you’ll do in your plan establishes clear classroom rules. These rules should be related to student interactions, such as appropriately communicating, respecting each other and the school, and promoting a positive learning environment.
You can also include rules related to the classroom, such as expected arrival and departure times and how to treat the classroom. With these rules in place, you can determine what happens if a student breaks the rules in your plan.
Step 2: Identify behavioral expectations
Next, you need to establish behavioral expectations for your students. These can be related to the plan’s classroom rules or other areas. For example, if you want your students to arrive at class on time, you may want to include a behavioral expectation that they arrive five minutes before the start of each class.
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Behavioral expectations should be focused on promoting positive student interactions. This can include working in pairs or groups whenever possible, avoiding derogatory language, and not interrupting the class flow.
Behavioral expectations can also be related to academic expectations, such as how long a student should take to complete their homework. You can add as many expectations as you’d like to your plan, but it’s important to remember that they should be realistic.
Step 3: Determine consequences for breaking rules
Once you’ve established the classroom rules and behavioral expectations, you need to determine the consequences for breaking those rules. You can do this for each rule individually or for the entire behavioral expectations section.
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For example, if a student breaks a rule related to respect, you may decide that they need to write a letter of apology. If a student breaks a rule related to completing homework, you may decide that they need to stay after school to finish their assignment.
It’s essential to be consistent with these consequences. If you give out too many detentions, they may lose their effectiveness. If you’re not consistent, you’re not using the rules to help your students succeed.
Step 4: determining rewards for following rules
Finally, you must determine rewards for following your plan’s rules and behavioral expectations. Rewards can be anything from a verbal compliment to extra time on homework assignments.
They can also be related to specific circumstances. For example, if a student follows all the rules associated with arriving to class on time, you may decide that they can choose to arrive early every day for the rest of the week. Rewards are a great way to encourage positive behavior and make students feel appreciated.
Final Words
Behavior plans are an essential part of any classroom. They allow you to set clear rules, expectations, and consequences while giving your students a structured environment where they can thrive. Creating a behavior plan doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools and a bit of organization, you can have a plan ready to go in no time.
