I taught Reading Intervention at the middle school level for grades 6-8. Most of these students had the ability to do well in school, but they were either poor test takers or their behavior stifled their success. The school had in place "demerits," and if a student received 2 demerits during a class period, they would be sent to in-school detention for the rest of the class period. If a student received 3 or more demerits in a day (regardless of which classes), they would receive in-school suspension the next school day. Negative consequences worked for some, but not for all. In my class, I had a balance. I kept the demerits in place (due to school procedures), but I also gave a reward at the end of each week to students that did not receive a demerit in my class. For you, the clip charts usually start on a positive color (green), then move to red. This may not bother the students because the consequences do not affect them. Make sure your consequences are appropriate. Also, make sure you are consistent. You can't exclude some students from the clip chart-- it's an all or nothing behavioral management system. Try positive rewards as well. You can scrap the clip chart, start something new just like it. Explain the rewards system. Students who had great behavior all week will get a choice of a prize on Friday (pencil, piece of candy, etc.). Students who had one behavioral problem will get a smaller prize. Students with 2 or more do not receive anything. Seeing other students with goodies might motivate them!

I use a money system in my classroom, where they each start with $100 and lose money for various things throughout the week. Their money total at the end of the week is a great indication of their behavior. You could try this and have goals for ending the week with certain totals.

In my room, I have a behavior chart for one of my students with behavior problems. This child's chart is located on the inside of his locker, so he is the only one that can see it. After each activity, the child gets to make a red mark or a green mark next to his name. If he gets no more than three red marks at the end of the day, he gets a piece of candy. This strategy works for my student, because he can see how many red and green marks he has, and he can tell if he has had a good or bad day.

I would have a clip for each student. If there is no clip for certain students, it may make them feel excluded from the entire class, which can cause behavior to get worse. I would give the students an individual behavior chart in addition to the clip chart. The clip chart can be used for severe behavior. The behavior chart can be used for documentation of the students behavior.

Excluding any student from the clip chart is not a good idea. It's not fair for the students who have clips that others don't even though the clips may not help the others. If they are younger students they may not understand why they get the clips and others don't, because it may seem that they are the only ones who get in trouble if they move down. You may try adding rewards for the students who stay on one of the good colors (including warning colors for once or twice a week) all week, like picking out of the treasure box or an extra 5 minutes of free time on Fridays. That might get the other students who have behaviors to realize that if they behave they have something to look forward to on Fridays.

Please bring the clip back for every student. You are showing the students without clips that their behavior does not matter and you may be sending them the wrong message that they can do anything in your classroom. Once the clips are returned for every student go over your classroom rules again. Reevaluate your classroom rules and change if needed. Explain the classroom rules and teach them to your students again. Create a goal that when students reach the top of the chart they receive a jewel that sticks to the clip. Its a small incentive, but students love it, including the boys. Now you can focus on the students positive behavior. Find an instance when the students do something right and clip them up. Good luck!

I would make sure that all students are included in all classroom management matters. If there are students who are not affected by clipping down, then the punishment for each of the clip downs should be rethought about.

It could be that simply just moving the chip is not enough, but each time they move their chip their is a consequence. At my school, when you move your chip you lose 5 minutes of free time and so on.

I would make sure to have a clip for every student to make sure everyone feels included. Not having clips for a few students may make them misbehave even more.

In the classroom I volunteer in, we have a clip system. They start at a 5 everyday and can move down to a 1. I think this is a great system, even with the children who have really bad behavior problems. When they get really bad and their clip gets moved they know they are in trouble and also that the teacher and I are watching them. If you do not keep the clips up, the students will think they can get away with anything, so it is good to know that you are watching them. Be sure to account for their behavior based on where their clip is for the day and take the action necessary for the behavior. Do not let your misbehaved students walk over you and continue with the behavior. Keep track of their behavior to send home to parents, so you have good evidence and multiple counts of this behavior. This record can help you in the long run with parents, other teachers, and administration help.

I think giving a reward for numerous areas is beneficial. Taking turns, proper line leading, raising hands, sitting quietly, helping a friend, helping the teacher. Try to give as many areas as possible to do well so everyone gets a taste of the reward. This has helped in the past. I eventually can slim down the system once I find a way for everyone to appreciate it.

Try a positive behavior system explaining if they do well they will get a treat

I think doing a chart where you can only clip up and earn incentives could be beneficial in this case. When students are called out for their bad behavior, they're less likely to correct it.

It may be necessary to implement an individual behavior management strategy for an individual student, though I would not exclude any students from the whole class strategy that you use.