Eastern Washington University
This tool is a great way to implement a positive community in the classroom. Many times we think of positive behaviors and accomplishments people around us do but do not tell them. Praise is one of the most simple and effective methods for engaging and motivating your students. Praise, when used correctly, may help children overcome behavioral issues and enhance their attitudes toward learning.
Fuzzy Friend is a stuffed animal of any sort that will remain on a different student’s desk every day. Students will decide at the end of each day which student was helpful, friendly, giving, respectful, etc. will get the fuzzy friend to sit on their desk the next day.
The cool-down buddy tool is a corrective strategy that can help students who are going through emotions during class time and need a chance to cool down. When the student is upset, they can quietly walk to tap their cool-down buddy on the shoulder, and walk to the designated cool-down spot in the classroom together.
Brain Break Cards help keep students engaged during longer activities by giving them an activity break! These activities get students moving and energized in order to help them along when it is time to resume their tasks. Brain breaks are a great preventative tool to use to help keep your students alert and ready to learn!
This tool would be used to signify that the class is transitioning. Different songs can be connected with transitioning to the carpet, to centers, back to their desks, etc.
When students are absent, another student is the “Well Wisher”. The student will color a picture and write a note to the student absent, reminding them we missed them at school.
Kindness notes are a great way for students to support one another in the classroom. Students are to draw a name out of a cup and write a nice note towards the other student. This helps students branch out and find new friends within the classroom.
This tool is incredibly helpful for many reasons. This tool gives the opportunity for students to lift other students up. Students may not hear a lot of nice things about them from their friends or family, so hearing a compliment can lift their spirits. This tool creates a strong and positive classroom community by uniting students in thinking positively about others.
This tool is a call and response. The teacher calls out “Boomer” and the Students yell back “Sooner” while stopping side conversation and facing the teacher.
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