Throw away behavior charts

Throw away behavior charts.    They do not support kids and can actually cause further issues for many due to anxiety of not being able to meet the expectation.  

Kids meet the expectation when they CAN.  Kids do well if they CAN.  If they can’t, it is up to us to find out WHY and support the child.  It isn’t about motivation.  It is about lagging skills and the child’s physiological brain state at that moment.

This is a perfect example of how behavior charts will do nothing to solve the child’s problem ; which it is the unsolved problem that is the underlying cause of why the child isn’t meeting an expectation.  If we change our lenses to see the child as struggling and needing support, rather than being difficult and purposely not following directions (or any other demand), it changes our tone to a more compassionate and supportive, how I can help this child?  Rather than , what’s wrong with this child?  It matters.

From Greg Santucci, Occupational Therapist:

Charlie was in red.

I asked another student...why is Charlie in red?

The response: "He wasn't sitting right".

I'll bump up my previous post on "sitting right".

Red? For not sitting right? He went above yellow for that? Even the chart loyalists should admit that "red" is harsh! Geez!

So now what? A call home so he can get grounded later that night for "not sitting right" during the day? 

Did the teacher take away recess? Because recess would give Charlie the input he needs so he can....wait for it......"sit right". No behavior chart needed.

Charlie was having a hard time sitting in his chair.

Charlie may not need to sit like the teacher expects their students to sit in order to pay attention.

Charlie may need a movement break.

Charlie may benefit from some flexible seating options.

Charlie may have difficulty sitting up (poor trunk control, seat too high so his feet can't support him, etc). I'm quite certain Charlie is not willfully sitting "wrong" to get attention or aggravate his teacher.

 Kids "sit right" if they can. 😉

Charlie had to stare at his name in red. All his friends knew that Charlie got in trouble. Charlie was "bad" today. Charlie may feel embarrassed for getting in trouble, but feeling embarassed doesn't help him sit up. Or, Charlie may feel defeated, or not even care anymore about the punishment, because he's unable to meet the teacher's unrealistic expectation.

This chart is SO CLOSE to the garbage can...which is where is belongs.

Charlie needs support. This chart solves no problems.

Tear Down Your Behavior Chart!

 http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept18/vol76/num01/Tear-Down-Your-Behavior-Chart!.aspx

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