Behavior Management

Behavior management is one of the most important things that is going on in the classroom. I am always trying to find new and positive ways to encourage good behavior in my classroom. This last year one of the biggest problems I had with my 5th grade students was them telling on each other all the time. So I decided to make some rules on how the students were to report to me that they felt another student had done something wrong. I created a form that the student would have to fill out in order to "tell" on someone else. I had about 20 questions on my form, and I would change them up from time to time. Here is an example of how some of my forms would go:

1. What is your full name?


2. What is your mother's full name?


3. What is the full name of the person you are filling this form out about?


4. Who is sitting next to you?


5. What is your complaint with the student you are filling this form out about? (Use complete sentences.)


6. Did you do something to this student first? Be honest!


7. How old are you?


8. How old is the other student?


9. Did you finish all of your homework last night?


10. What did you eat for breakfast?


11. Where did you go after school yesterday?


12. What did you eat for lunch today?


13. How did you get to school this morning?


14. What are your plans for the weekend?


15. Are you still upset with the student you are complaining about?


16. If you answered yes, please explain why in 3-5 complete sentences.


17. Please explain in 3-5 complete sentences what you think the solution to this problems is.


18. Am I your favorite teacher, why or why not?


19. Please explain why you felt it necessary to fill out this form in order to complain about another student in 3-5 complete sentences.


20. In 3-5 complete sentences please explain if you feel it was worth it to complete this form in order to tell about another student?

The point is to make the form so long and drawn out that the student is discouraged from telling on another student. It worked really well in my classroom and helped cut down on all of the interruptions from students telling on each other.