Safe Pocket System

Hello everyone! This will likely be a short post because Mr. Kietzman and I are closing on our new house today :) I have a lot of things packed up already, but I wanted to show the new classroom management system I'm thinking I will end up starting the year with.

First off, I should say that I am VERY excited to be teaching primary for many reasons, but one reason is certainly because I get to make my classroom 10 times cuter! I am going with a zoo animal theme this year-- for name plates, calendar, birthdays, notes, etc. So it seemed appropriate that I would have a classroom management system to match that.

In addition to using the BIST program (which I love! And I'm going to a 5-day conference next week about), I needed to adopt a classroom management program that worked as positive reinforcement as well.
The original idea for this is from Fairy Dust Teaching, but I've adapted it to work for me.


It's called the Safe Pocket System.  And like the name might suggest.. it involves kangaroos!  The first day of school I am going to explain to the students that their families are trusting me to help keep them safe, just like a kangaroo keeps her joey safe in her pouch.

I will then show the kids that they each have their own kangaroo stick (names will be added once I have a roster) that will start each school day in their own pouch (which they will decorate).  If they can end the day with their kangaroo in their own pouch, then they will get a raffle ticket to be in the lunch bunch (have lunch with me and other lunch bunch classmates on that Friday).

Here's how it works:  I will have the words: Helpful, careful, responsible, respectful, and patient written on the board where all of our pouches are.  If students are not acting helpful, responsible, etc, then they have to move their kangaroo to my pouch so I can help them be safe (in addition to moving to the safe seat which is  a part of BIST). When/if I catch the student being careful, patient, etc., then they will get to move their kangaroo back into their pouch.  I really like the idea because it lets students have the chance to redeem themselves AND rewards students who show good character traits.

I can't go into school to set up my bulletin board right now, but I think it's going to be great--let me know what you think of the idea and let me know if you have any suggestions to helping the system run more smoothly.