Behavior charts: why are they demonized?

Learn why behavior charts are getting a bad rep, and why educators should stop using them.

Public behavior charts are shame-based punishment for challenging behavior in the classroom. These are usually a "clip chart" where each student's name is on a clip and the clip is moved up or down based on their behaviors throughout the day.

Proponents of these charts say that it's helpful for a child to have consequences for their behavior and the "clip up" or "clip down" incentivizes" good behavior and discourages bad behavior. But they miss a critical piece of the process: other students necessarily see the clips as well. And this creates a system of public shame and humiliation.

Some will say, "But they work to reduce challenging behaviors!" And this might work in the short-term, but the long-term harm that these charts create for students who struggle will only compound over time.

Students who have experienced trauma often already live in a shame-based world where the people who were supposed to care for them instead hurt and humiliate them, often blaming them for their abuse or pain. Adding shame to that pain can retraumatize these students and creates a system where students who already feel like they are "bad" have that notion reinforced publicly.

Think about if you would enjoy having a public display for everyone in the school that tracked every mistake you made! For students who are already struggling, this is what it can feel like when teachers use this kind of shame-based classroom management technique!

So the natural question is: What can I do instead?

Some students need a tracker that helps them see progress--in this situation, having a private tracker or a silent signal can help those students stay on track. Reflections on how the day went can be helpful (even for adults!), so having a private time of reflection where students fill out a sheet could help.

It is also important to note that tracking student behavior may be necessary at times, but this should be done privately. This can help identify triggers and help as you put plans in place for students who struggle to make positive choices.

Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all replacement technique, but there are some general principles:

As much as you focus on negative choices, remember that even the most frustrating students make positive choices throughout the day. Celebrate those! Point them out!
Remember that progress can be slow, but we should celebrate small victories. If there is a student who never does anything in your class and then one day they get out a pencil and paper but still don't write notes, celebrate the win! They took a step today that they did not take yesterday and there was growth.
Shame and humiliation compound the trauma students have experienced and can even cause trauma for your students. These are tactics used by abusers to silence their victims and educators should behave so differently, our students know we are safe. Whatever option you choose, remember that students should be treated with dignity and respect.
Private behavior charts may be helpful in some situations, but remember that the goal is not simply behavior change--we want them to heal from their trauma, grow as human beings, and make positive choices so they can have the future they were created for living. This requires us to shift our thinking and ask: if I am tracking behavior and not attitudes, strengths, gifts, talents, etc. then am I reducing this student to a few difficult choices they made today?

The bottom line: Behavior charts and similar strategies can make you feel better because it seems like you are doing something to combat challenging behavior, but the harm is inevitable and not worth the potential positives. And while there is no easy answer for what to do instead, remember that sometimes the best work is the hardest and that complex problems don't always have simple solutions.

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Categories: : Classroom, Education, Physical Space, Teacher