Behavioral Clip Charts

 Behavioral clip charts

Most of us have seen them...or even used them...but do we truly understand the psychology and research behind them?  As a new teacher, I must admit, I didn't understanding their impact but I used it anyway because it's what the rest of my team did, it is what my principal (a micro-manager) supported.   He even went as far and wrote me up as a new teacher who needed support, told me my classroom management skills were poor because I didn't use the chart enough.

I have seen all different type, tried them out, AND researched them all.  Why are they all harmful to a child?  Let's break it down here.

The "super star"
 chart has both positive and negative levels.  Showing that it will praise and "show-off" exemplary students while also publicly showing off the students that make bad decisions.  

Big question to consider:  

Why does it need to be public?  

To increase competition?  

To motivate students? 

Positive reinforcement, competition and motivation can be done so many other ways.  

For the students who are working on behavior, sure they could use a visual reminder....but does it need to be up for all to see?  And in direct comparison of their peers at all times?  The simple answer is no.  

If you don't post academic grades in the hallway (hello 1950's), then you shouldn't be doing it with behavior  either.  

But let's look at a different chart, one that only has "positive" levels.  On this one, students can only move up and if they do move down, they can't land in a negative area because they stop at "ready to learn".  But what happens when a great student doesn't move from the "ready to learn" position at all?  Or don't make it up to the clip chart even though they had phenomenal behavior...because after all, as a teacher it wouldn't be right to have the same students hit the top of the chart every day.  So what about those students?  

They turn into perfectionists.  They start to compare, and possibly even believe that they are not seen, that good behavior is always expected from them....that they must have done something wrong if they're not at the top.  This is when the chart really hit me.  I had a parent approach me with this exact scenario.  Her daughter would come home crying feeling as if she failed if her clip didn't move....when in reality, I was dealing with some of my "trickier" students and forgot to move the clip.  When I child is too focused on external motivation (especially if it is visual and referred to multiple times a day....really, anytime any clip is moved it comes to all of the student's attention) because that's the purpose.....to SHOW and REINFORCE desired behaviors.  

Let's put in context...this quote pretty much sums it up

"What if this happened to us as adults?  Imagine that during faculty meetings, your principal called you out for talking.  In addition, your principal made you walk up to the front of the room and in front of your peers had you move a marker next to your name down so that all can see where the principal thinks you stand.  Sounds crazy doesn't it?  Yet, why do we choose to do this to our students?  Because we're in a position of power?  Because we're older than them?" (full article linked here)

I know I would be mortified....and yes, my behavior might improve, but it would be out of fear, out of compliance...and I would be thrown back into self-doubt, feelings of anxiety and a perfectionist mentality.  We are humans, we make mistakes...but do not need to be shamed for them.