It’s no secret that providing kids with an incentive is an effective way to get them to behave and complete tasks in our household. The same system rings true in many classrooms. Teachers may also get positive results with classroom behavior charts. However, according to a Washington Post article, rewarding a child may only work for a short period of time.
If you walk into any elementary classroom these days, you’re likely to find charts with stars and other bright colors representing levels of behavior and good deeds like this one from HappinessHomemade.net.
My daughter’s kindergarten class had a color system similar to this with the lowest being purple and the highest being red. The idea is pretty much the same in first grade. But instead of colors, the teacher uses phrases like “reach for the stars.” That’s the level my daughter wants to get to each day.
“If you get three ‘reach for the stars,’ you get a prize,” she says.
Every day she recaps her day and tells us whether or not she gets top honors. She also talks about students who achieve the highest level. It’s interesting to see how much fun she’s having with this type of reward system. She’s usually at the middle of the pack, which is considered good behavior.
Princess may not get to “reach for the stars” on a given day, but is happy for her classmates who reach that level.
I believe my daughter is a better student because of systems like this. It teaches her about setting goals and being a good sport. She’s no longer the little girl who throws tantrums if someone else does well. She’s happy for those who achieve top honors and is motivated to do better, which is commendable.
But, the Washington Post article states otherwise. The writer, Katie Hurley, is a child and adolescent psychotherapist and parenting educator in Los Angeles. She says there is a dark side to these behavior management systems.
“For the kid who doesn’t earn the stickers, clips down instead of up, or never climbs above the yellow card, these charts can be shame-inducing. Imagine seeing your bad day played out in bright colors on the very wall that all of your peers stare at all day long. These systems can leave students feeling worthless, overwhelmed and incapable. They can negatively impact the student’s self-confidence, which can result in poor academic performance and even more behavioral issues. These behavior management systems, although well-intentioned, can be downright devastating,” she writes.
Hurley also claims to have witnessed how color charts negatively impact students. She talks about a bright and engaging 7-year-old boy who “loves a good joke.”
He’s enthusiastic, loves math and science. However, he has a hard time paying attention and sitting quietly. The first grader often calls out answers, which some would consider bad classroom behavior.
Hurley also talks about seeing kids shutting down and crying after losing a good behavior sticker. Some may lose interest after a short period of time, while continuing to struggle with behaving themselves by the end of the year. She suggests that teachers use tactics to manage classroom behavior through programs like MindUp and Ruler, which provide an alternative to the traditional sticker charts.
There’s no question that all students are different. There are kids like the 7-year-old she mentions who may have a hard time sitting still in a classroom setting. They’re not necessarily bad kids, but they may learn at different speeds.
I remember my nephew having a similar issue. His teacher complained about him calling out in class all the time. His mother learned that he was ahead of all the other kids, after meeting with a teacher. He’d finished his assignments before his classmates and had nothing else to do, so he’d often call out in class.
Despite my nephew’s experience, I personally don’t think there’s anything wrong with behavioral charts. It prepares children for real life. If they don’t learn at an early age about reward systems, how will they deal with it when they get older?
If that’s the case, maybe we should do away with sports. Kids may win some games, and lose other games. Should the rules of the game change to make the losing team feel better? That would be absurd.
I’ll admit that kids with special needs may not benefit from this type of system. But, I don’t see how it can negatively impact other kids. If parents take the time to speak with their children and teachers, there probably wouldn’t be an issue of kids shutting down. It all boils down to communication being the key to a successful school year for your child.
How do you feel about classroom behavior charts? Is there really a dark side to using them in class?
My daughter’S school uses them. Purple is the best. She’s in kindergarten and has been on purple since school began, up until this week when her teacher was absent. She’s now a level below on blue. She comes home sad. We try to encourage her, but I’m not sure either way how I like it.