One of the hardest parts of teaching can be classroom management. What’s the point of the most awesome lesson you planned if no one will listen or follow directions? I started using Class Points my first year teaching and it transformed my classroom and my teaching.
At the end of the day, I want to challenge my students and inspire their passion for learning. I also just love to have fun and see them light up and smile! Class Points helps me achieve all of that.
I hope the ideas in this blog post are helpful and save you some time and sanity during the school year! In this blog post I explain why Class Points is one of my favorite classroom routines and classroom management strategies, as well as some tips to use them in your classroom:
- What are Class Points?
- Why I Love Class Points
- Class Points and Classroom Management
- The Secret to Class Points is Communication and Positive Reinforcement
- Examples using Class Points
If you want to use Class Points in your classroom, there are several benefits. You can improve student behavior, communicate effectively with students, and manage a more efficient classroom. Check out How to Implement Class Points as a System for Classroom Management. You’ll find more tips on how to get started using Class Points.
What are Class Points?
Class points are a way to track a class meeting their goals in real time. I give students regular praise, updates, and directions. When they meet or exceed my expectations, they get a class point. I record the class points on the board for everyone to see. When the class gets to 20 points, we do a class raffle and prize giveaway.
Class points is a clear and direct way to communicate with students about their progress and behavior. Class points is a transparent way to run my class, where students understand what is expected of them and if they need to do anything differently.
Why I Love Class Points
Class points are one of my favorite classroom routines. It is hands down the easiest and most effective classroom management strategy I came across. Once class points is in place, it is a really easy routine to maintain. It goes on in the background and I can focus on teaching and working with students. Class points enables me to simultaneously communicate with my class, and support everyone to stay on track.
I love class points because they helped me become a better teacher. Class points are a reminder for me to give praise to my students for a job well done. Now it is ingrained in me to check in with my classes regularly. I don’t even have to think about it. Engagement, praise, motivation, encouragement, and feedback are just part of my teaching style.
My class is a safe place to learn because of class points. Students are confident because the expectations are clear, and I acknowledge their efforts. They are motivated to follow directions, stay on task, and be on good behavior.
Class Points and Classroom Management
Class points is my favorite classroom management strategy because I don’t need to spend extra effort or energy on it. A few times an hour I remember to check on the class and give them an update. Then I give them a class point for doing a good job. It is the easiest way I found to communicate with my students and reinforce positive behavior.
So many classroom situations are easier with class points to back me up. It can take some effort to hold everyone’s attention during a lecture. Bringing the whole class together for a discussion also requires effort. Class points just makes keeping the class quiet, on task, and working, so much easier.
If I need the class attention and it isn’t quick enough, I just walk over to the class points on the board and point to it. Students will start to hush one another and they usually get it together. I don’t have to yell or raise my voice. I don’t have to say anything!
On a rare occasion I can definitely take a class point away if it takes too long to follow directions. Students are protective of their class points, and losing one is a big wake-up call for them. If they lose a class point, or miss one, I just look for an opportunity for them to earn another point before too long. Class points works because of positive reinforcement, so I don’t want to get in the habit of punishing them by taking points away.
The Secret to Class Points is Communication and Positive Reinforcement
Effective communication and feedback can be a challenge in a class of 35 students. For instance, when I need to get everyone’s attention and they are in the middle of doing something. Class points means I have regularly planned opportunities to check in with the class. Students become habituated with my routine of giving updates, and this structure and predictability saves me effort and energy throughout the day.
Class points is an example of positive reinforcement because it rewards the good behavior. I thank students for following directions, communicating well, working well together, staying focused, being on task, cleaning up…
Class points is positive rather than punitive. It encourages students to repeat their positive behavior. It is the most effective strategy I have used to change student behavior.
Examples Using Class Points
After I give the compliment, update, feedback, directions to the class, they usually get a Class Point on the board.
- “Everyone, please pause your conversations and direct your attention to the front of the room.” Class point.
- “Thanks everyone for being on time, and getting to work quietly on the warm-up. Well done!” Class point.
- “Everyone is focused and working together on the lab. Great job!” Class point.
- “The class is on task and making progress on the Vocabulary Log. Keep up the good work!” Class point.
- “Shhh thanks for listening. I see students looking up at the presentation, and I see pencils moving. Good job taking notes. We’re on these bullet points here.” Class Point.
- “Tables 2 and 5 did an excellent job putting their supplies away and now they are wiping down their lab station. Still some more groups need to put their equipment away, let’s work on that and I’ll check back in 5 minutes.” Another opportunity for a class point in 5 minutes. Raffle tickets for tables 2 and 5.
- “Can I have everyone’s attention at the front of the room?” Class needs more time. “I’ll wait.” Walk over to the Class Points on the board. It takes a moment but everyone quiets down. They do not earn a point because it took too long. I give another opportunity for a class point in 5 minutes. I give praise when I write their new point on the board.
Give Class Points a Try!
It’s unfortunate that teachers need to put extra effort and energy into classroom management. There’s no excuse for bad or disruptive behavior. I suppose its just the norm these days to put extra effort into classroom management. The huge class sizes are a challenge, and distractions from cell phones disrupt learning.
My first year teaching I wasn’t prepared for the classroom management side of things. It was a big slap in the face. If you’re a new teacher, struggling teacher, or just want to try something new, I highly recommend class points as a classroom routine and system for classroom management. I started with Teacher/Class points, and it just sort of evolved from there.
Learn how to use Class Points in your classroom. Check out my blog post, How to Implement Class Points as a System for Classroom Management. To read more classroom management strategies and teaching tips, check out my blog posts below!
15 thoughts on “Why Class Points is My Favorite Classroom Management System”