One of the bazillion questions that some had at the conference this week and I am sure at other conferences, was how do we integrate the WBT into a color card system (ex: children move their colors in a chart when breaking rules). In my case, as in many others I spoke to, this color card system is MANDATORY! I hate it but alas due to the school wide grading system for behavior I am required to use the color system. SOOOOOOO.....yes yes yes....give me a AH HAAAA!!! I spoke with Andrea and she gave me a pretty cool idea to run with....and by golly I think it is going to work! I am going to get pictures in the next few days but this is basically what I (with Andrea's suggestions) came up with....
Pocket Chart: made from a poster board and library card pockets (mine are zebra print and pink since that is the "theme" in my classroom this year.
Individual Color Cards: I bought and downloaded the new rules pictures...awesome!!! I then used Microsoft word to create a document with a table and put each picture in one of 6 "cells" in the table. Fooled with the table to get the lines so that the cards will be the right size for my chart, shrunk the pictures so that they were smaller versions of the big rule posters in the room and printed. I printed them on green, yellow, and red card stock (approx 15 of each color and each rule). I then did the same on purple paper for the "WISDOM" cards only I printed about 50 of each rule!
How my chart will work:
Children have a pocket on the chart that is labeled with their number (they will keep number all year). If a child moves out that pocket stays unassigned until a new child comes in and they take over that number. Every student will start off with a BLUE card in their pocket. At the beginning of the year the students will not know that the rules are printed on one side of the other colors. We will simply use the colors for individual behavior and the scoreboard for classroom behavior. Last year (once I slowed down) this worked for a while. However, if and when I need to move to level two I am ready. Instead of introducing white practice cards, I will introduce the "MAGIC" color cards. See my "MAGIC" color cards used to be the "PLAIN JANE" cards but over night and like magic they transformed into "MAGIC PRACTICE CARDS" Now when a student has to have his color changed (or when you would otherwise give a practice card) I will simply find the card with the rule that was broken, in the color that the child would be going to next and put it in their pocket.
EXAMPLE:
Johnny isn't following directions quickly and Mrs. Shipley has called out Rule #1 several times and the classroom has repeated the rule several times. Johnny currently has a blue card in his pocket and is sitting at a 95 for the daily grade in behavior. However, because Mrs. Shipley has had to, although very briefly, interrupt her teaching in order to practice a rule that Johnny should be able to follow. She, without stopping her teaching, walks over to the pocket chart at the front of the room and picks up a GREEN RULE #1 card and places it in Johnny's pocket while asking the students to again tell her RULE #1. Then she continues teaching. At recess, Johnny will be asked to stay with Mrs. Shipley while the rest of the class goes to the playground. Mrs. Shipley will give Johnny his green magic practice card, discuss the rule broken and for approx 1 min Johnny will practice the rule before he goes out to play. Mrs. Shipley will put the green card back into Johnny's pocket and enjoy her peace and quiet knowing that a rule was broken BUT it was practiced and hopefully Johnny will have a better day in the afternoon. If Johnny stays on green for the rest of the day, no additional practice after school will be necessary. A note (the practice note provided in the ebook) will go home for Johnny's parents to see and practice with him at home. Johnny's grade (85 for green) will be recorded in the grade book and his color will be returned back to blue for the following day...however a white "NOTE" card will be put in his pocket and until the note is signed and returned will remain in the pocket, requiring Johnny to practice each day at recess before going out to join the class.
Now...how am I using the wisdom cards you say? Well here's what I am thinking....
Let's say that Johnny practices at recess...stays on green, and Mrs. Shipley sees that he is doing an excellent job raising his hand to speak (Rule #2). She would possibly want to award a purple wisdom card for Rule #2 to Johnny...but not gloss over the fact he still needs work with Rule #1...so he will get the purple card to take home (with the note of the rule he needs to practice) and 5 points will be added to his behavior grade. (85 for green + 5 for wisdom card= 90 for daily behavior grade). Now purple cards will be rare...I mean like the big kahuna of awards so they wouldn't be given out just willy nilly.
I think this allows me to praise and practice all in the same breath and definitely not scold!!!!!
So...fellow WBT what do you think...will it work? All comments welcome!!!!
Blessings,
Farrah
Forum
, Andrea 
