Let's Talk About Behavior Charts.

As I was scrolling Facebook a few days ago, I came across THIS blog post.  A friend of mine who's husband is an administrator (and also a friend;) had posted it.  To say that this article was thought-provoking would be quite an understatement.  I might even say that Miss Night's thoughts here are revolutionary.  In our day, when our classrooms are becoming so standardized, I think many of us (myself included) have also standardized our classroom behavioral management plans.  While blanket classroom behavior plans (i.e. the "stoplight" or, the rainbow, or card-flipping) are neat and certainly easier than 20 to 30 individual discipline relationships, I tend to agree with Miss Night that neat and easy are not always best.

It is becoming more and more clear to me that Fair is not always Equal, but it's scary to think about giving up my neat (and pretty cute) little classroom management rainbow.  Not only do I fear the added pressure of coming up with logical consequences, (as opposed to "move your clothes-pin" or "flip your card") I worry that the kids won't understand the concept that Fair is not always Equal. I appreciate Miss Night's post (and this follow-up post) because she shows that kindergartners can and do understand the concept, even if many adults cannot.

I'm learning that as I make an effort to differentiate my lessons, I should also make an effort to differentiate my discipline in the classroom.  We learn in teacher-school that it is important to teach to our students differing educational needs.  If our students learn academics in different ways is it not logical to assume that they would also learn behavioral management in different ways?

I think Miss Night says it all when she says that behavior management should not be about systems, but it should be about relationships.  I am most definitely still in the learning stages of differentiated behavioral management and would love to hear your thoughts.  Have any of you given up your behavior charts for a more individualistic approach?  Do you have a fool-proof behavior system in your classroom?