The Truth About Behavior Charts in Preschool Pre-K Kindergarten

Are Behavior Charts Bad for Kids

Behavior charts are often used in early childhood classrooms with the hope of improving student behavior. Let’s be honest, not all young children are angels and behavior problems can escalate quickly in today’s over-crowded classrooms.

But what if the answer to better behavior in your classroom has nothing to do with that cute behavior chart hanging on your wall? What if that behavior chart is actually causing your students more harm than good?

Behavior Chart for Preschool and Pre-K

Preschool Behavior Charts

Before we can discuss behavior charts, first we need to define exactly what they are. Typically, behavior charts are placed on the wall in a classroom and are used as a way to track student behavior. Often, these charts are color coded and assign certain colors to certain behaviors, such as green is good, yellow is so-so, and red is bad. They may also incorporate happy and sad faces or other emoji type images.

Behavior Charts in the Classroom

Classroom Behavior Charts

Many behavior charts use clothespins with student’s names to “clip up” or “clip down” according to each child’s behavior. The goal is to make good choices so your clip stays on the “good” color and to avoid moving your clip down. Are you with me so far?

No More Behavior Charts

Why Behavior Charts Don’t Work

If you’ve ever used a behavior chart in your classroom you’ll understand this scenario; little Liam is on red almost every single day. If he gets on red at the beginning of the school day, that’s it, he’s out of control for the entire day. Then there’s little Sophia who is always on green, she has never had to move her clip.

Do you see where I’m going with this? With a behavior chart, the “good kids” are always good, and the “bad kids” are always bad – nothing changes.

Behavior charts do nothing but humiliate the children who are caught being “bad” and cause others to focus on the chart. Even parents get caught up in the “Did you move your clip today?” scenario instead of focusing on the whole child.

How to get kids to behave

The Key to Better Behavior

You won’t find the answers to better behavior in a chart, or a marble jar, or any other cutesy method. Charts, marbles, and trips to the school store are simply methods of bribing and shaming children into being compliant.

What to Use Instead of Behavior Charts

To truly change behavior in your classroom you need to teach your students the classroom rules, routines, and procedures so they can learn how to self-regulate. Behavior is a skill that must be learned, just like learning how to tie your shoes or recite the alphabet is a skill that you learned when you were a child.

Editable Classroom Rule Books for Preschoolers

Moving Beyond Behavior Charts

While it may sound simple, teaching classroom rules, routines, and procedures is actually a lot of work. But the good news is that if done properly and with the right tools, it can work!

I created the following resources you can use to help teach your students the rules, routines, and procedures:

The secret to making it all work is continuous modeling and practice, all year long.

Are you ready to get rid of your behavior chart? You won’t regret it – pinky swear!

The Teaching Trailblazers

Having successful classroom management skills is only one small part of a preschool teacher’s job. The best place to discuss teaching best practices and get the support you need is inside the Teaching Trailblazers mentorship program. We have many printable lessons and on-demand video trainings to help you become the best teacher you can be! If you want to get on the waiting list for the Teaching Trailblazers, do it soon so you don’t miss the next open enrollment period!

3 thoughts on “The Truth About Behavior Charts in Preschool Pre-K Kindergarten”

  1. I really dislike behavior reports. I stopped using charts on walls years ago. When I have used green, yellow and red faces in private folders, everyone focuses on what color the child recieved for the day. I am using folders again this year with no behavior reports. My plan is to use the folders to communicate what we focused on that day, questions the parents may want to ask their child about the topic and ideas for home. I feel like the more I focus on education and positives the more everyone else will too! I want to thank you for helping me get to this point because I have taken your suggestions on resource books like “Teaching with Love and Logic” seriously and that has lead me to the “Responsive Classroom” building a community. We have also benefited from using Kelso’s Choices.

  2. Centers and Circle Time

    I agree with Tonya, I really dislike behavior reports as well. Sadly, our center requires us to use them. I usually find them still stuck in their bags or lunch boxes the next day. Huhh! Also, if it’s a busy day, I’m stuck trying to make a general “happy faces” since I’m rushed to get them out before I leave for the day. I saw Tonya mention the red light, yellow light, green light technique. I saw it used in a K class and thought it’d be cute for the center I work in at the time. The parents would come in and ask “What color was he on today?” before asking “How’d she do”. And then I had a co-teacher that mis-used it. She threatened the kids constantly. One morning I came in and snatched it off the wall…Ahh peace:)

    Always love stopping by your site:)

  3. i’ve never used daily behavior reports or behavior charts either. i generally dislike them but this year i have 4 children in my class (we’ve been in school almost a month now) whose behavior i can’t seem to modify. i’ve tried just about everything i can think of and have even been talking to the parents (when i see them – i think they are trying to avoid me). so maybe this might work! it’s worth a try i guess. how do you decide when they get a sad face, a face in the middle, or a happy face? how many times do they have to exhibit the “bad” (for lack of a better word) behavior before it’s a sad face? and do you do this at end end of the day before everyone is dismissed or during the day? like i said, i’m willing to try just about anything at this point…and any help is appreciated! :o)

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