Recess and Behavior Problems: Foolproof Methods to Help Students Succeed
This will be my last post for those teachers who asked what they could do to deal with a student’s behavior if they couldn’t keep them in for recess. Troubling student behavior in today’s overcrowded, diverse classrooms is a huge problem for many teachers. I struggled even with smaller class sizes in special education until I got my stride. The goal with these posts are to ensure that teachers give their students much needed recess breaks and find other solutions to dealing with problematic behavior.
Some teachers don’t like the idea of using any kind of reinforcement and rewards, and if you can manage your classroom like that my hat is off to you.
But some students need more structure, and it can be done in a way that doesn’t hinder a student’s ability to communicate or be an individual with their own rights. I’m not talking rigid rules and monitoring every move a student makes. I do not want robots for students! But incorporating some classroom organization helps students understand boundaries, especially if they have behavioral difficulties.
Put aside your test prep, permit unconditional recess, and try the following:
Journal Writing
Let students have ten minutes (or more) to write in a journal every day. Let them write how they feel or anything they want. Maybe they will draw a picture or write a story. If you have the time read their journal entries. If you can’t read them all, try to skim through them, and especially pay attention to the student who is having behavior difficulties. It is amazing how students will tell you things in a journal that they never would mention outright! Journal writing is freeing to a child with learning disabilities, yet you can pull the piece that is good, correct it and help them to rewrite it well. When you find the good in a student’s writing it makes a powerful impact.
Fridays
I learned to use Fridays. Every Friday my students knew that if they flew right the rest Recess and Behavior Problems: Foolproof Methods to Help Students Succeed: