Score!

The Scoreboard.

This is something we have been doing since September.  I have a chartbaord/ whiteboard that wheels its way to the front of my room for all whole group activities.  This board holds the most important pieces of the room- the things kids always ask "what's the date?" and "what's the score".  On the top of my board you will find the date written on the right.  On the left you will see a smile and a frown in a t-chart (with many tally marks below it).  This my friends is our beloved scoreboard.

Please no handwriting judgment friends- Check out the top left corner (and note that my kids were beyond awesome that day!  I still remember it)!

Fun story:
We now have a section of advanced math in kindergarten.  I am teaching that group of 29 type A personality smarty-pants kindergarteners.  Then I first got this group (a mix from all classes) I was bewildered as to how to control them!  Our classes are equipped for 24 students.  I can make my 26 work- but 29 is a beast of 5 year-olds!  I was so frustrated after the first week that I almost cried when my homeroom class returned to our room!  I missed them!  I missed the way they act!  Then it dawned on me- I need to do the same thing in math.  The next day I taught them the scoreboard and that day my class went from 29 terrors to 29 learners.  I was excited!  I had energy to continue teaching the rest of the day!  At the end of the day another teacher commented that she was having the same problem, my answer for her- WBT.  I told her to start with the scoreboard.  Her class has magically changed as well!

The scoreboard I use with my Math class (Sorry for the side view)

I want to admit that I do not use it as specified in the presentation of this.  I tried it, it wasn't effective for this group, I modified it and it is my saving grace!

So how does this magic happen?

1)Put up the scoreboard- see here.
2) Explain it: Every time you are awesome you get a mark here, every time you make me frown you get a mark here
3) Model how it works ("Show me how you sit ready to learn- wow that was fast- Mighty Cheer!") *Teach Mighty Cheer (Mighty Oh Yeah) and Mighty Groan*
4) Keep to the +/- 3 rule (no side should have more than 3 over the other side)
5) Watch the kids respond
6) Reward (in our case at the end of each week we have a special Zumba time.  Every now and then we mix it up with a KizBop Dance party care of Youtube)

What happens when the kids get a tally?
Mighty Oh Yeah: In our room this is called a mighty cheer- because I couldn't remember the actual name when I was introducing it- I praise the students for what was done right- specifically stating what was good- then say "Give yourself a mighty cheer!" and the class responds by lifting their arm up, and pulling it down while saying "Score!" (adorable with Kinders)  This is there 'One second Party'.  It is fantastic positive reinforcement and helps everyone to work as a team!  Remember this is for whole class not individuals!

Mighty Groan: When we are out of sorts, too lout, a bit crazy- or doing anything as a gropu that makes me frown I call out "Class/Yes" and state what is making me frown.  Tally on the frown side means a mighty groan students say "Oohh" and shrug their shoulders.  I say "let's fix it!"  If it is something immediate like taking too long to respond, or sitting incorrectly I give a second chance right away which always earns them back a smile.  Things like quietly working at their daily 5 stations I give them a few minutes then return for praise for the correction.

End of the week: Reward time if they meet their goal.  I am teaching my kids about goals so I write a goal number of mighty cheers to reach by the end of the week instead of always just trying to beat the frowns (because frankly, they don't get a lot of those!).  If the kids meet their goal they get to watch a Zumba video on Friday.  If they meet their bonus goal (something that seems almost impossible) they get something bigger (like a walk to the big kid playground and 1 minute to be on it).

Give it a try- let them pick a reward, and see if your crazy class magically changes too! (PS, using WBT methods will help that magic, the more I do the better these kids are getting both behaviorally and academically.

Happy Scoring!

(WBT Webcast on Scoreboard)