Positive Referral: Recognition That Works

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My new students (SY 2006-2007) showing off their medals they earned during an assembly recently.

I haven't been updating my blog lately because I've been too busy preparing for back-to-school. I'm in for a brand new school year this year. I love all the changes! My classroom has been transferred from the 2nd floor to the 1st floor; I am now a self-contained special ed teacher from being a resource class teacher; and my school is now adopting what I have been implementing in my classroom since I started teaching: Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.

I read about this classroom behavior management strategy in a book: "Classroom Teacher's Survival Guide". Since my classroom is a "Positive Zone" and I am using a lot of positive reinforcement techniques, I decided to adapt this POSITIVE REFERRAL in communicating with the parents of my students.

The adage "The squeaky wheels get the grease" too often holds true in schools. In many schools, many misbehaving students get the bulk of the staff's attention. In such a climate, educators can easily overlook students' positive behaviors.

Students gain special recognition when they do something positive - in or out of the classroom - that benefits the school or community. My students' parents get a phone call from me whenever their child does something good in class. Then they get an "End of Advisory Certificate of Recognition" which gives them plus Pride Points from their homeroom teachers. The certificates remain posted in the class bulletin board until the Parent Teacher Conferences wherein their parents personally pick up the certificate of recognition.

This program in my class is to give recognition and focus more on positive behaviors. The criteria for behaviors worthy of positive referral are open- ended to allow as many as possible to be recognized.