Peer Interaction Tracking Chart

This is a chart I use to track positive peer interactions for students. This helps me to see if they are applying the social skills learned in my classroom to non-structured settings (lunch, recess, and hallways). The directions for usage are at the top of the chart. I hope it is useful to you!

Classroom Visits

This is my first year teaching as an exclusive BD teacher. In my previous positions, I work with students who may have had both academic and behavior goals on their IEPs. Now, I share my students with academic special education teachers. It is a pretty nifty system most of the time. But, sometimes working exclusively with BD kiddos, I get stuck in a rut and visiting other classrooms can be a way to dig myself out!

My principal and superintendent granted me the privilege to visit two BD classrooms in neighboring school districts today. It was both comforting and enlightening. The teachers that I spoke with shared many of the same concerns about their students as I have. Students refusing to use or carry behavior tracking charts, other teachers not taking the behavior charts seriously, and finding time to teach the necessary social skills when there is so much pressure to use special education time for work completion.

However, I also did gain some valuable ideas about teaching methods and curriculums to use back in my classroom. One teacher chose to use some behavior specific programs. The other two teachers chose to use a variety of materials, including games, to help students learn social skills. I think that each teacher needs to find what works best for his/herself and his/her students.

If you are given a chance to spend a day visiting classrooms, especially at other schools, be sure to jump at it! It just might be the refresher you need!

Behavior Tracking Charts

In special education, we are required to track student progress on a consistent basis. In my case, I do this daily for most of my students. For these students, they carry a "Behavior Tracking Chart" with them throughout the school day. The chart looks something like this:

Students are expected to carry this chart with them to each of their classes. I figure a percentage of positive (+) out of a total number of marks given. For example, if a student earns four +'s for the day and four -'s, then he/she will earn a score 50%. I then average these percentages over a two-week period and enter that data into the student's IEP.

If the student is entitled to or benefits from breaks, I use the "Breaks" column to track this information. I also make sure to read any comments from teachers and address those as necessary.

Reasons these charts work well:

• The charts provide immediate feedback to a student on their behavior during a particular class period.
• Stakeholders (parents, teachers, administration, etc.) can get daily reports on a student's behavior.
• Behavior can be seen to have its rises and falls and patterns may begin to emerge (issues with particular teachers, times of day, certain subjects, certain days of the week, etc.).
• The chart can be used for the student to earn rewards.

Difficulties with the behavior charts:

• Sometimes when a student earns a minus (-) for his/her behavior, she/he may "fall off the wagon" for the rest of the day.
• The charts are not necessarily private since they are brought out each class period. They can cause peer issues of teasing.
• Students may not really care about how their day is going so the chart doesn't have any "teeth."
• Teachers may have other behavior issues with students that are hard to track on the chart.

As you might assume, problems also arise with this type of data collection. The most frequent issues I run into are:

• Students refusing to carry the chart.
• Teachers not filling in the chart.
• Students "losing" or destroying the chart when they receive a minus (-) sign or poor overall score.
• Students not taking the chart to particular classes.

Solutions that I have tried with these issues include (none are perfect!):

• Offering rewards for returning a completed chart.
• Having students serve lunch/recess time in my classroom.
• Having the chart move among just teachers.
• Switching the students data collecting system.
• Reminding teachers to ask the students for their charts.
• Having the student carry the chart only on certain days of the week.

I hope this chart can help you and your students track daily behavior!