I am looking forward to implementing many ideas from day one this year, instead of starting mid year when I discovered everything last year. With that being said... When do I implement the Scoreboard Game? Is this something that I start the year off with or do I wait until I feel I need to change up routine things? Or do I wait for challenging behavior? Just confused whether this becomes my sole classroom management plan from day one or do I use what I have been using and add this when I feel needed?

Under my point of view (and inside my teaching philosophy), the scoreboard is a core concept of WBT that should be applied from the very beginning.

It's not just a tool for controlling misbehavior, but it's a tool that enables you to control and boost the motivation of your learners, their energy in the activities and, most of all, to show your learners that you are the leader of the group and that you are serious and constant with what you are doing. It's key to show all that from the very beginning, and that's why I'd use it from the first day of class.

And, of course, don't forget the scoreboard is fixed! And don't forget the +3/-3 rule!

Best,

Edward

I usually teach the core elements, the Big Seven, like this:

Day One:

Class!-Yes!
Mirror!
The 5 Rules
The Scoreboard Game

Day Two:
Hands and Eyes!
Teach!-Ok!
Switch!

Sometimes I can get through more in the first day.

What is the +3/-3 rule?

sonyachism wrote:


Hi Sonya!

It is a rule that you must follow when using the scoreboard. The difference between one side and the other of the scoreboard should never exceed 3 in any of the directions. If you have 4 frowny faces you should have, at least 1 smiley face and no more than 7 of them.

You can find more about it in the free ebooks in this site.

Best,

Edward

sonyachism wrote:


When you are using the Scoreboard Game it will work best to make sure that you are not overrewarding- too many smilies or students points, or underrewarding- too many frownies or teacher points.

Doing either will lose the students' interest. The +-3 rule is that you should never let the students get more than three ahead, or more than 3 behind you during the course of a class. This way their interest in the game, and in winning smileys or beating the teacher stays high. It keeps the Scoreboard Game effective.