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Chapter 20: The Independents
Think back to your years in middle school. Evaluate how effective the Independents would have been with a group of your teenage peers. Pages 130-133 Full credit: 25 WBT Certification Points Partial credit: 10 WBT Certification Points
In middle school, cliques were definitely apparent. There were Leaders, Followers, and Bottom Dwellers, just as Whole Brain Teaching describes. These groups ran on “humiliation, intimidation and reprisal” (Biffle, 132). The popular kids (“Leaders”) were continually making fun of others to make themselves look better. Often, the group was united against an authority. When someone was disrespectful in class, there wasn’t a safe opportunity to speak up, so the disrespect continued. A discouraging thing for me was when the rest of us had to suffer a punishment for the rebellious behavior. If a teacher had used the Independents technique, only rebels would have received consequences! I do think some students would have used the opportunity to band together rather than immediately turn on each other. I think peer pressure would have pulled some students back into the clique even if they chose to leave once. After awhile, however, I think students would have gotten tired of losing recess, especially if other members of their peer group had earned recess back. The act of asking out of the group is, in my opinion, the most valuable lesson taught in this technique. Even though I’m not sure myself or other middle school students would have fully grasped the power of choosing to leave a negative group, eventually this may have sunk in. Some of my friends from middle school were never able to break out of these groups and got themselves into trouble simply by being “Followers” or “Bottom Dwellers.” If they had had someone providing them with the opportunity to leave the group in a safe classroom setting, they may have had the courage to leave similar groups in real life!
Madeline, I agree, it is so hard for children to break out of these bottom dweller groups! But with this WBT strategy, we can help change lives! Here are 25 certification points.
Middle school is so hard. It is all about cliques. I think the Independents system would have been very effective with those teenagers I went to school with. It promotes many learning factors which are central to teenagers and their development. First, this system promotes the power of choice. The students who do not wish to be in the Independents group have only to state that they no longer want to be in the group and they are removed from it. This highlights their ability to make their own life choices and how those choices affect the student’s outcomes in life. The ability to turn your back on negative influences and break away is a lifelong skill that students need to be happy and successful.
Next, it teaches the students that the actions of one or two challenging students will no longer be seen as a problem for the entire classroom full of students. This takes the pressure off those students who are making good choices and places the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of those children acting out. They are responsible for their own behavior, which makes it so that the only way to not deal with consequences is to improve their own individual behavior, not to depend on the rest of the class to earn them the positive points to counteract their negative points.
Finally, this system gives the student a way to quietly acknowledge their needs and set up personalized goals for improvement of their behaviors while forming a positive emotional bond with an adult. For some of these kids, the bond that is formed with their teacher might be the only positive bond the student has with an adult, therefore it is so important. These personalized goals are the focus for the student to improve their abilities while having a safe place to express themselves.
I think, overall, the Independents level would be very effective for those hard to reach students because it would provide them with a sense of control and freedom that they might be missing in life, while still holding them accountable for their actions and for their own learning.
Amanda, You are right on the money with your statement "This takes the pressure off those students who are making good choices and places the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of those children acting out." This is the perfect way to restore balance to our classrooms! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus for a well written post!
I wish my middle school teachers had known about The Independents. The Independents would have been effective with my challenging middle school peers.
My middle school peers wouldn’t have stood a chance with this genius plan. The beauty of this fifth level of the Scoreboard Game is that the rebellious members of my middle school class would have turned against each other when they realized the unpleasant effect on everyone. Camaraderie seems to fuel rebellious behavior, and now, it’s comrade against comrade. All of the “joy” would have been taken out of rebellious behavior. I also appreciate that a rebellious student can choose not to be a part of The Independents. The plan offers an opportunity for character building by allowing the rebellious student to approach the teacher and express a desire not to be a part of the Independents. That is true success. Every part of Chris Biffle’s plan is complete.
The respectful students would have been encouraged by The Independents. They would not continue to be penalized for the actions of a few. I also appreciate that the challenging students are treated respectfully and that the objective for all students is that they would “make smart choices.”
I have a couple of “hard core” students for whom The Independents will work well.
Kay, I agree with your comment: I also appreciate that the challenging students are treated respectfully and that the objective for all students is that they would “make smart choices.” Nice job! Here are 25 points!
There is no doubt that Middle School is hard. It is probably one of the most difficult times in a young person’s life. During those “tween” years cliques are king and peer pressure rules. Social status is foremost in every child’s mind. As is the case in most groups, students are silently segregated into several very distinct, very different subgroups. There are the “Brains”, the “Nerds”, the “Jocks”, the “Rebels”, etc... At this age each child is either happily or painfully aware into which group he falls. Most of the groups will coexist without problems, but the Rebels always seem to delight in causing chaos and mutiny. As a result, classes lose instructional time, miss important concepts, and receive group punishments that are actually earned by only a few students.
According to Dr. Biffle, there is a hierarchy within the Rebel group. There is usually one “Leader” with many “Followers” and “Bottom Dwellers”. He says that, “…these cliques are small societies that run on humiliation, intimidation, and reprisal. They only truly unite when faced by Outsiders…” He goes on to say that “Rebel students, even close friends, are always ready to harass each other…” For this reason I think that using the “Independents” level would have been effective in my Middle School classes. It uses peer pressure to turn disruptive, rebellious, students against each other, hopefully causing them to leave the dark side and step into the light.
There are many advantages to using this system with middle schoolers. It promotes the power of choice. At this age children don’t really have many choices. They are told where to go, what to do, when to be there, etc… The students who do not wish to be in the Independents group have only to state that they no longer want to be in the group and they are removed from it. This enables students to make their own life choices and experience how these choices will affect outcomes in life. The ability to break away from negative influences is a life skill that will serve them well always. Also, it teaches students that they are individually responsible for their actions and in the end they will solely suffer the consequences of, or reap the benefits of those choices. One or two challenging students will no longer be seen as a problem for an entire classroom full of students. This forces the Rebels to realize that they are on their own. Therefore, the only way to avoid consequences is to improve individual behaviors, not to depend on the rest of the class to earn positive points to negate their negative points. An added benefit of the Independents system is that when the other social groups discover that they will no longer be connected to the Rebels, they tend to band together and become less separated amongst themselves.
Finally, this system gives rebellious students a way to quietly analyze their needs and develop personalized goals for improvement. Many Rebels come from uninvolved or even abusive homes. The one-on-one discussions with a teacher will allow the child to form a positive emotional bond with an adult. For some of these children, their teachers might be the only positive adult role models in their lives. It is so important.
Overall, I believe that using the Independents Level of the scoreboard would be an effective tool to help diminish inappropriate behaviors, unite students, and build self esteem in students at risk.
Julia, Your empathy for and understanding of the Middle School population will make the Independents Level that much more effective for you. Well stated post! Here are 25 points for you!
Thinking back to my years in middle school, I can honestly say how hard it was for some of my teachers to manage disruptive behavior. The whole class was usually punished for the misbehavior of a few. If only Whole Brain Teaching was around back then, the Independents would have been a great tool to handle the nonconformists! The disruptive students would have been the only ones to pay the consequences. I was often worried about being grouped with a ‘rebel’ or ‘rebels’ for group projects. I figured out my teacher’s strategy right off the bat. By placing good students with ‘rebels’ she was hoping to eliminate some of the disrespectful behaviors. However, it put a lot of pressure on others and me. If the group did not work cooperatively together to complete the project or lesson, and were acting up, the good students were also penalized. The respectful students were afraid to speak up, because they would be the next to be picked on. I dreaded going to this one particular class all year long! If only the class could have been divided up into the Independents and the respectful students. I could have completed my assignments without the stress, and paying the price for the actions of the ‘rebels’. To this day, I remember how it felt being penalized and promised myself if I became a teacher I would never do that to my hard working students. If the ‘rebels’ could have been introduced to the Independence, I believe most of the disruptive behaviors could have been eliminated. I am so thankful to have learned about the Independents. The bonding with a teacher is so powerful in helping those students want to try harder. They begin to understand their teacher does want them to succeed in life. What a wonderful behavior modification technique to help teenagers start making their own smart choices!
Julia, The Independents are able to "start making their own smart choices" with this Scoreboard level. Thanks for sharing another great post on our book club! Here are 25 points!
I went to Middle School at a large inner city school. I recall having pity on some of the teachers that tried so hard to teach over guffers and disrespectful students. It would have been teacher heaven had they known about "The Independents"! I also recall feeling resentful for being punished, as a class, for the actions of a few. As Coach B. said it so well, "...these cliques are small societies that run on humiliation, intimidation, and reprisal." Middle school aged students can be very cruel and hurtful to others. Level 5, The Independents, supports and unifies the students who are making the right choices and holds the "offender(s)" responsible for their actions. On page 132, Biffle states, "...students learn the very important life lesson that if they choose the wrong group, actions by even one member of the group can have a negative effect on everyone in the group. No more random group punishment for the actions of a few! Mighty Oh Yeah!
Bethany, The best part about using the Independents stage is that those students who DO make good choices are finally left out of those awful group punishments! Great post! Here are 25 certification points!
Because there are many “cliques” in middle school, adding Independents to the scoreboard would effectively remediate rebellion. Just like the Guff Counter, the students who are disrespecting the teacher are no longer accepted by the majority of students in the classroom. In an instant, friends will turn on each other if they know if effects them as well. I believe the Independents added to the scoreboard would change the dynamic of the classroom and how “popular” kids are viewed. The students in the Independent group would begin to reevaluate their choices and the choices of the peers in their group. The consequences are immediate and effective because they have to practice the rules they did not follow and recess time is being taken away. Middle school would have been completely different when I went if this strategy was around then!
Liz, I agree that the immediate consequences are most effective! Watch out for minor editing errors " if they know if effects them as well". Nice post - here are 25 certification points!
I remember being punished for a couple of people’s behavior growing up. In middle school it is particularly irritating because, well, everything is when you’re in middle school. All you want to see is these groups knocked off their pedestals and what better than the level 5 Independents technique.
Students in cliques would be forced to turn against each other because now it would be only their group being punished and not the rest of us. They would have no affect on what happened to the class; only to each other. This would certainly cause the clique to disenfranchise through becoming irritated with one another and choosing to leave their group. All of the pleasure of the Leaders ruining everything for everyone who didn't follow them would be lost. It would have been like a real life "Lizzy McGuire" episode!
Establishing the “Independents” in the middle school setting would have an immediate effect on breaking up the group mentality of the rebellious students. The group tends to sustain itself through the actions of its members. The leader is looking for approval for his/her actions while the followers need acceptance and a sense of belonging. The group’s dynamics dictate that each member supports each other when one of them gets in trouble. By establishing the “Independents”, you let the group members know that they are separated from the rest of the class. They also realize that each member’s actions will result in all members of the group receiving consequences. When you give each member of the group the opportunity to withdraw if they tell you that they wish to be removed from the “group”, this group dynamic is broken. The action not only removes them from the “Independents”, it also removes them from the rebellious group. You now have an opportunity to regain all them members of your class.
I don’t really recall there being a group of students who were continually disruptive to my learning in middle school. I’m sure that was not the case for the teachers therefore I must have been oblivious.
However, as I have taught middle school for 14 years I can definitely see how beneficial it could have been to me in the past. Since starting WBT about 7-8 years ago I have never really had a need to get to either “The Guff Counter” or “The Independents” UNTIL last year. Last year was the toughest of all my years. It was only after the school year had ended that I was re-reading some WBT material and realized there had been another step for me to take.
Looking back on what made last year’s classes so much more difficult was that there weren’t just 1 or 2 rebel students, there were more like 4-10 students banding together. It seemed like any time I felt like one would join “my side” there were 5 others to fill their place on the “other side”. If I had used “The Independents” portion of the scoreboard I would have been able to address them as a whole group and work on it that way.
I currently have 2 classes where I have NOT forgotten that these steps are ready and waiting for me to use. I cannot really express what relief I have in knowing that there are further steps for me to try and that I have not used all the “tools in my WBT toolbox”!
However, I do realize that these additions to the scoreboard will only be effective if the scoreboard itself is very well established in the classroom environment (which mine is!).
Jason, I'm so happy to hear that you are using the scoreboard effectively! These additional levels will help you reach "teacher heaven" and sail right into summer! Here are 25 certification points!
Thinking back to middle school.....okay, I just got some shivers down my spine! I think that if one word could be applied to middle school it would definitely be the word CLIQUE!!! Ah, there were many. I believe that this method, The Independents would have been great had it been used in my middle school. I don't remember there being that many disruptive students during these years, maybe two. I remember that the issues we had during my middle school years often took place outside of the classroom. There would be drama on the playground during recess or at lunch time but we were actually quite reserved in the classroom. However, all things considered this Independent method would have worked wonders in shutting down the behaviors of rebellious students. I think it would have been effective in terms of the cliques themselves turning on one another as a result of just one student making a poor choice, which would result in the others suffering the consequences. Great way to break a clique up! And, we all know that the students who are having a decent day will not at all appreciate this.
mochalala, Yes, the Independents Level is an effective way to neutalize the cliques, and to stop the unwarranted consequences to the rest of the class. Here are 25 points to you.
I had the good fortune and pleasure of growing up in a small town. Our school district was comprised of one rather large, architecturally-pleasing granite building that housed the grades kindergarten through grade eight. I have many fond memories from those years spent at the Broad Street School. Then I went to high school.
Our high school was made up of grades seven through twelve. They housed a middle school for local borough students. In grades nine through twelve, students from smaller neighboring towns (towns lacking their own high school, including our town) were bused in and forced to join in the mix.
My high school contemporaries, or peers, were certainly different from those in grammar school. In grammar school we wouldn't have even thought of chewing gum in school. The first day of high school was met with a rebellious few offering free tickets to the school’s elevator (for those gullible enough to believe it). You guessed it. The school had no elevator. Thus began the days of my real “education.” In order to survive (let alone actually learn something), I had no choice but to grow up rather quickly. There were plenty of rebels, and-- oh my!-- the omnipresent cliques!
The Independents Scoreboard Game would have had a tremendous impact on our day-to-day classroom lives! How liberating it might have been-- for both teacher and students-- had poor old Miss Carlin (my freshman homeroom and history teacher) known about Whole Brain Teaching techniques, including the Level Five Scoreboard Game: The Independents.
Boy did those kids drive old “Carlin” crazy! A rebellious few would convince the rest of the class that we had to participate in their antics. If dear Miss Carlin had only known about the Independents, she could have nipped their bullying actions in the bud, and the rest of the class would have silently stood and cheered from inside our heads.
The Independents Scoreboard Game forces the rebellious few to make good moral choices, and that, in itself, is critical, because, oftentimes, I feel that is precisely why some students are rebellious-- they simply feel they don’t have a choice.
The Independents Scoreboard Game is also liberating for the teacher, as well as students, because the actions and choices of the rebels are no longer projected upon the teacher and innocent students, but instead, their actions are pitted against each other; the rebels are left without a target and without a leg on which to stand.
Jacqueline, Your experiences will strengthen your determination to utilize the power of the Independents Level should you ever need it! Nice post! Here are 25 points!
Middle school was a time in my life when I was trying to figure out my identity and trying to fit in as well as possible with peers. In order to do that many of my peers were disruptive during class because they thought it brought them positive attention from their classmates. Maybe they thought they were being cool if they were disruptive, disrespectful or disobedient. The independents scoreboard might work with a group of my peers if they turned against each other, but it might have also had the opposite effect. If we thought we were being cool and we all paid the consequences as a group it would only cause us to be even more challenging. However, if we had been split up and each student paid the consequences individually some of us would have become model students. Therefore, I think that teachers should be careful how they use the independents because it could create a group of challenging students that will only become stronger if they are resistant to punishment.
Adrienne, The teacher is instrumental in any classroom management technique. A big benefit of The Independents is the support the other students feel in not being a part of the consequences of a few rebellious students' behaviors. Even many rebellious students won't repeatedly serve penalties for the behavior of another student. Students who remain resistant to this level on the Scoreboard may respond individually to the Bull's Eye Game and the Agreement Bridge. Here are 25 points!
Brandi Young WBT Ch. 20 The Independents As I reflect on my middle school years, I think that the Scoreboard in any form would have been a wonderful tool for all of my middle school teachers to have in their rooms. There are many effective concepts that I imagine middle school teachers would appreciate about Level 5 (the Independents) of the Scoreboard. For instance, how the teacher comes to the student outside of class. This eliminates the embarrassment or in some cases the attention factor that some teenagers crave more than ever in middle school. This tool would have been perfect for targeting the several cliques that kept a tight knit circle of friends. Breaking the clique apart by only punishing that small group of boys in the back of the class or the girls that smacked their lips every time the teacher would speak of upcoming assignments would have benefited the class as a whole. Another valuable, yet effective concept that the Independents, Level 5 of the Scoreboard offers, is that it does not involve punishing the whole class. Instead the students that typically cause disruption and mayhem are grouped together. Just how most middle school students like to be. However, when one students decides to act out the group is punished. This will cause conflict within the clique and hopefully lead to better decision making while in class. Middle school was and still is a time when teenagers truly begin their journey on becoming adults. This level of the Scoreboard promotes moral decision making skills and allows students to see how unpleasant life could be if one was to get caught up in the wrong crowd. Thankfully, this level of the Scoreboard offers a way out. Students can choose to leave the group by stating that they want out. The use of this Scoreboard in a middle school setting is both valuable and effective. It benefits the class as a whole. It encourages students who try their best and accomplish their work to shine and they are not affected by their peer’s inability to follow the rules. The Independents are punished when necessary but are also provided with a way out once they figure out that missing recess every day is not how they want to spend the rest of the year.
Brandi, Great job! I really like your statement "This level of the Scoreboard promotes moral decision making skills and allows students to see how unpleasant life could be if one was to get caught up in the wrong crowd"! That is really our goal with this level isn't it? Here are 25 certification points!
You are asking a lot with this prompt because I am no spring chicken! However, I do remember a group of boys that took great pleasure in taunting the nuns and other students. It is true that they fed off of each other. When one did something mean, it gave the others permission to do it, too. I remember wishing that just one of those boys would call the others out on their behavior. It might have embarrassed the misbehaver enough that he would have stopped. But, alas, that never happened. The bullying continued and the rebel group got stronger and stronger. The Independents Game would have saved a lot of kids from embarrassing moments and teachers from many frustrating scenes. The majority of my class was well behaved and eager to learn. The five or six boys that bonded together to wreak havoc on our class got yelled at by teachers but with habituation it just rolled off their backs. Not only were they were not scared by the threats; it became a badge of honor for them. I remember one or two of the boys being less mean than the others. If the Independents Game had been in place, they would have opted out of the group, making it less powerful. As the members slowly but surely left the group, the leaders would have begun to feel ostracized from the class. They would have learned the power of peer pressure. This simple but effective game could be what every middle school teacher needs in her bag of tricks to maintain class control. Of course, it should be preceded by the other levels of the Scoreboard for maximum effectiveness. The teacher will want the majority of the class behind her before she begins this game. I wish I had known about this game my first year of teaching, when, at 20 years old, I had a bunch of rebels in my class. These kids were just a few years younger than me and I had no idea of how to control them. The Independents Game would have helped me out tremendously! Liz Howard
I think the Independents would be a great way to motivate teenagers and get them out of their cliques. Teens are more likely to operate in cliques and to use those cliques against authority figures including teachers. The Independents in Whole Brain Teaching puts those students together so that the negative behavior of one impacts all of them negatively but not the whole class. This unites the rest of the class with the teacher because most students want to learn and don’t like to be disrupted by the negative behavior of one or several students. The rest of the class also appreciated not being punished and often feel relieved that the teacher is dealing with the problem behaviors. For the Independents, it means that the whole group is being punished for the behavior of one so, they will put pressure on the others to behave appropriately. I also love that the students can opt-out of the group the next day just by telling the teacher that they want out. They do not have to prove anything or do anything special – just make a request. This allows them to see that they have options and that they don’t have to go along with a group of students that are acting inappropriately. The teacher has the option of putting that student back with the independents as necessary because it may take some time for them to get out of the clique. Mary Carlson
Mary, I agree, the rest of the class does appreciate not having a group punishment. They get tired of paying the price for that small group of rebels! That is why the Independents is so perfect! Here are 25 certification points!
Establishing The Independents in middle school would have eliminated a lot of the cliques and challenging peer behavior in middle school. There were definitely Leaders, Followers, and Bottom Dwellers in my middle school. I completely agree with Coach B. these groups were small societies that ran on “humiliation, intimidation, and reprisal” (pg. 132). Middle school students can be so cruel and are quick to jump on board with their peers. I felt sorry for other students as well as some teachers in middle school because of the way they were treated. I think the Independents is a chance for everyone to be treated with respect and all students would “make smart choices”. Level 5 on the Scoreboard is The Independents which supports and rewards students who continually do the right thing and holds the disrespectful students responsible for their actions. Which eliminates group punishments for the actions of others. Ten Finger Woo! The rebellious students also have an opportunity to grow, build character, and express their desire to not be part of the Independents, thus teaching them more responsibility. When you take an audience away from rebellious students, they tend not to misbehave. That would be true success for all students.
Tonya, Removing the audience does make a huge difference, especially with middle school students! Watch out for sentence fragments "Which eliminates group punishments for the actions of others." Here are 20 certification points!
If my middle school teachers had WBT, I would have sobbed for joy! I had the same group of rebels in almost every class. They were low achievers and seemed to feel like the world was against them. They stole so much learning time from each class that it makes me furious even to this day! Eventually, a few rebels grew up and robbed and assaulted a clerk at a convenience store. The getaway driver received the same punishment as the rebels who robbed the clerk-5 years in prison! If the rebels learned the lesson of the serious consequences of choosing to be in the wrong group in middle school, perhaps they wouldn't have ended up in prison. The Independents technique uses peer pressure to teach the consequences of their disruptive actions in a safe environment. When they decide it isn't fair to get punished for the actions of a few, they would have stopped their disruptive behavior.
Krissa, Isn't is sad that students choose to be part of these rebel groups? I love your statement "The Independents technique uses peer pressure to teach the consequences of their disruptive actions in a safe environment". Here are 25 certification points!
Middle school was always a stressful time for me and I often felt frustrated at the thought of being punished for the behavior of a select number of students. The concept of the Independents perfectly separates the rebellious students from the faithful students, creating a certain level of alienation that stimulates a change in behavior. By creating this separate group of troublesome students, the tendency for teenage rebellious students to create an atmosphere of disrespect towards the teacher can be eliminated. The 5th level of the Scoreboard Game causes the Independents to turn against each other after their supporters realize that their behavior results in punishment for all of them, not just the troublesome students. I truly love the idea that not only does this modification manage troublesome students but also it allows for the connection to made between smartly choosing your peers and the consequences you must face based on their actions. This lesson is especially important for middle schoolers; they are facing increasing independence and pressure from peers to make certain choices. The fact that this technique allows for the students to make their own choices gives them a sense of individuality. It also allows the “Followers” and “Bottom Dwellers” to redeem themselves in the classroom and be seen as a faithful student. Grouping rebellious students together and obedient students together eliminates pressure and anxiety of being punished for obedient students and directs punishment to the root cause of disruptive behavior.
Anne, I love your statement "It also allows the “Followers” and “Bottom Dwellers” to redeem themselves in the classroom and be seen as a faithful student."! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
When I was in middle school many teachers had trouble teaching due to the misbehavior of students. There were many cliques in school and many students followed the rebellious leaders of the school. If there were such a system as the Independents in place I believe the behavior would have been much more manageable and more learning could have taken place. I believe the Independents encourage positive behavior in middle school. Students are learning to make choices for themselves and take responsibility for their actions in class. This also encourages students to choose their friends wisely and allows them to see the other side of others who some students may have wanted to be friends with. Irish Brown
Middle school is the beginning of serious cliques among students. I remember being a student and so clearly seeing the difference in the cliques. I also could see WHY certain students were in certain cliques. Typically the most “popular” of students were the ones who misbehaved. They often stuck together through anything and wouldn’t take consequences very seriously. As a teacher in the upper elementary grades at an inner city school, I do see cliques beginning to form. These cliques are definitely smaller but they are there. I see the “queen bee” among the students and all of her workers. Using The Independents, especially with a teenage group, could be VERY effective. Instead of seeing the queen bee get in trouble while all of her workers laugh it off, they are all now going to have to pay the consequence for someone in their own groups’ actions! No longer is it “cool” to be the bad kid. No longer is it respected among peers to be the one getting in trouble and being off task. It definitely adds a whole new spin to the term “peer pressure.”
Looking back on my middle school years I can now understand the dynamics of the classrooms that my teachers had to deal with. I can remember clearly one day that a student made my seventh grade teacher cry. Rebellious students were in control of the classroom and learning was not taking place, only power struggles were taking place.
If my teacher had any idea of how to use “The Independents” technique then my seventh grade year would have been a different experience. We had to spend countless days in trouble due to one or two students who were disrespectful.
The Independent group has their own score separate from the class, if a student in the Independent group is misbehaving then the entire independent group gets a mark on the Frownie side and gets a white practice card. During my middle school years this would have meant that I would not have had to endure many days of lost recess time.
I know that at first the rebels will want to unite and will think it is funny or cool to have their own group but in the end they will realize the consequences of their actions and will ask to leave the rebel group. This will be the most powerful tool that the teacher can use, giving students the power of choice!
Lori, The Independents Level is such a relief for those students that aren't rebels- they won't be punished for behavior they had no part of! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 20 Think back to your years in middle school. Evaluate how effective the Independents would have been with a group of your teenage peers
I went to Junior High School in the 60s. I did not really experience the behaviors associated with middle school today. I went to school when you did as you were told because you were told.
Looking at Independents from today’s perspective I think this would give children an out; a way to disassociate with others who may be disruptive or disrespectful with out being identified by peers. It is individual and non-public, thus it will work. Often we get ourselves into a situation and do not have the skills be they social or cognitive to evaluate and make judgments based on our circumstances. The concept of Independents is one that divides and conquers, because the behavior that was intended to be teacher-aggravating becomes buddy-infuriating.
I like this concept because I have always had a problem with the shot gum approach to managing difficult students. The line in the text, “The whole class is no longer going to pay the price for the actions of the rebels” is extremely powerful and motivation. It is so unjust for all the class to be punished because a few people are rebels.
Dian, I love your statement "The concept of Independents is one that divides and conquers, because the behavior that was intended to be teacher-aggravating becomes buddy-infuriating." Did you mean shot gun (not gum) in the last paragraph? :) Here are 25 certification points!
I think this would have been a huge success when I was attending middle school. I was a very good student in both academics and behavior. That being said, I can recall many times that I had to deal with the punishment of students with rebellious behavior. Many times the teacher would punish the entire class when the misbehavior was being done by one or two students. This is a solution to this problem. It also gets others in that group to point out the incorrect behavior.
Karen, It can be very effective when dealing with rebellious students! Try to give a little more information in your posts, we love to hear your thoughts! Here are 25 certification points.
I love how this whole WBT is broken down into parts that are taught sequentially. I remember middle school, along with all of my other years in school and no matter what year, every teacher in every grade always punished the entire class for the behavior of a few. My students love the Scoreboard and the Guff Counter. These have definitely cut down on the disruptions in the classroom, but there are always a few resistant students that lead their pack down the wrong path, especially in middle school. These strong personalities were very hard to stand up against. The Independents is an amazing strategy that is going to make my life so much easier. It places the rebels together where they will all have the same consequences when only one breaks the rules. This will cause the tight knit group to fall apart in order to save themselves from negative effects. I think that this technique will help the rest of the class unite against negative behaviors and it will allow students demonstrating negative behaviors to break away from the independent group just by asking. I also agree with Chris Biffle when he said that for some students, it will take many times going in and out of the Independent group to grasp the idea that they can choose to separate from a bad group. Putting the rebels together really sets them against each other, which weakens the group as a whole. This helps each one to see that individually they have the strength to walk away.
Jackie, You are right! When we put the challenging kids together and we put pressure on them as a group they begin to fall apart. It may take a few times, but it is so worth it in the end! Here are your 25 certification points.
Apparently, I lived in Bizzaro World in middle school, because I do not remember my teachers being faced with "independents". Or perhaps, I was too busy daydreaming and I was the independent!! I'm sure the teachers had some classes with independents, but because I was in the advanced program I think I was sheltered from the misbehaviors of my peers. Misbehaviors were not tolerated and students were removed from the program if they caused any problems for the teacher or class. However, as a teacher in an inner city school, I definitely see the need in the "Independents" level. I have yet to implement it in my class, but I am interested to see what it has to offer. I think back on this past school year...ok, several school years... and there are so many times it could have come in handy! There is power in a group of challenging students and I see how the independents level would turn them against each other and break their bond. Oh yeah!
Often, there are always one or two students who march to the beat to their own drum. They do not care if others students care about their behavior or not. This is where level 5 of the super improvers team comes into play; the independents. Grouping rebellious students together allows a few key points of classroom management. The rebellious students are now identified. The rebellious students have to rely on EACH OTHER’s behavior to achieve any positive gains. In previous lessons, a rebellious student had the crutch of an entire class to help them get away with mischievous behavior. However once isolated, their behavior is more out in the open and the student’s behavior is now highlighted more than ever. This can lead to students wanting to leave the independents and return to normal classroom behavior. Middle school is a time to which students experience a lot of changes to their personalities. “Independents” type behavior seems to be more common in this setting. The ragging hormones and the development of ones personality leads to more rebellious behavior in this age. However the Whole Brain Teaching strategy, the Independents, would have been super effect in managing my peers when I was in middle school. Middle schoolers are very interested in their own self. Not to mean they are selfish, but this is the age to which they begin to develop their social identity. The social self is influenced greatly by the way others perceive them. With the WBT strategy, the Independents, the rebellious students are isolated from the class. The spotlight on their behavior is a strong deterrent from rebellious behavior in middle school. It will prevent them from siding with other student’s rebellious behavior as well. Overall is will lead to a more balanced classroom management system in middle school.
Jason, Great thoughts! I appreciate your statement "The social self is influenced greatly by the way others perceive them." Middle school is such a difficult time emotionally, the independents is often a lifesaver for the teacher! There was one small error, "Overall is will lead to a more balanced classroom". Here are 20 certification points!
Middle school is tough. My memories of it are mostly negative. There were a lot of cliques, and if you were not in the right clique you were no one. The teachers seemed to spend a lot of their time dealing with difficult students. I can still remember the foul moods that some of my teachers would get in after a power struggle with a particularly difficult student. The rest of the period was not fun for any of the class.
For many of my teachers, their solution to these difficult students often involved a lot of whole class consequences. A favorite line of one of my teachers was, "You win as a team, and you lose as a team." I was a very quiet child who always followed the rules, and I never did think it was fair that I had to be punished for the choices of a handful of students. I wish my teachers had known about the independents. Foul moods would have decreased, and learning would definitely have increased.
Another really good thing about the independents is that it causes these students to lose their power with the other students. Instead of being the center of attention and their behavior looking "cool", they are isolated in their own group, with a spotlight shining on their negative behavior. Hopefully, this will motivate them to want to get out of the independents, and will cause some of the "fence sitters" to not want to become a part of the independents.
I also like that the choice is theirs. When they want to leave the group, all they have to do is say so. They are then responsible for making good choices and working as part of a positive team. It reminds me a lot of when I have had to "remove a student from community". The student was always allowed to choose when he was ready to return to the community, but once he made that choice, he was expected to be a positive contributing member of the community. I found this technique to be very successful, largely because students were given the power of choice. I think that level five (independents) is successful for mainly the same reason: students are given the power of choice.
As a second grade teacher I hope that I do not have to use this level of the scoreboard, but it is nice to know that it is there if I need it.
Joyce, I agree, I'm not a big fan of the "win as a team, lose as a team" mentality in a classroom. It's not too fun for the quiet kids! That's why the independents is such a great tool to have in our back pockets! Here are 25 certification points!
The independents level of the scoreboard is more advanced. It involves two groups – the class as a whole and a smaller group called the independents. Independents are students who just don’t go along with the rest of the class – rebels!
I think this level of the scoreboard would’ve been very effective with a group of my teenage peers in middle school and high school. We definitely had these kids and we actually called them rebels – Rebels of ’89, Rebels of ‘90, Rebels of ’91! Going to school in a very small town almost guaranteed you that these rebels would be in most of your classes. (I can even see their faces right now and can name every single one of them).
It was evident that the rebels teamed up and fed off each other whenever they didn’t want to do the work, listen to the teacher, or they wanted to stop classroom instruction. If my teachers would’ve implemented the independents I believe two things would’ve happened.
First, the independents would’ve turned on each other. Not everyone in the group would want the white practice card and loss of recess minutes. Well, in my case, it would’ve been a loss of minutes sitting on “the hill” after lunch. (This is where the rebels made all of their spectacular moves on the girls they were pursuing). Loss of this time would have made a rebel stop and think before they interrupted class again.
Second of all, the entire class would’ve learned a lot more because without these many disruptions the teacher would have been able to teach a lot more instead of us losing so much instructional time. Although this is a great benefit to those of us who wanted to learn, I can’t help but think how much more these rebels would’ve learned too!
I believe incorporating the independents level would greatly reduce the amount of referrals and rebels being sent to the office. This would result in a much greater learning time then these rebels have ever had. This level would’ve been a sure winner for all!
Middle School is a very difficult time in life for many people. Everything changes and I mean everything. I did not like Middle School because I felt like I had very few friends and I was not cool enough especially when I got around some of the people from the “Independents Group.” I remember hating my image because I did not have the cool clothes like the popular kids. They would say things and make fun of other people. They were so powerful, even more powerful than the teachers, because the teachers did not have many strategies to deal with the bullying behaviors. When there was a problem, all the teacher did in response to one of the bullies was make them apologize. Then as soon as the teacher left the bully continued on their path of destruction. If the teachers in my Middle School had used the Independents Game the “Popular Kids” would not have reigned for so long. In this game students realize that the choices they make or the choices their group makes can result in consequences. I think students at first may have had a difficult time leaving the group because being a part of the group was what they were used to. However, after a certain amount of time they would probably get tired of working hard individually but still losing recess because one person in their group decided to make a bad choice. I think this part of the scoreboard is a great tool for teachers to teach students a life lesson. They get the opportunity to teach their students to make independent choices and to choose their friends wisely. I also think all students would benefit from this. When The Independents learn to make smarter choices there will be less disruptions in class and more time for learning! This is a win-win for everyone!
Amber, I imagine there are several kids that can really relate to your experience in middle school! How wonderful that we have this strategy to make it a better experience for them! Here are 25 certification points!
Middle school holds some traumatic memories for most people. It is certainly an age that I have little desire to relive. Cliques, insecurity, and bullying reign. For many students, peers become one of their strongest support systems. The Independents level works within the peer system to disrupt negative behavior. I remember that some bullies were pleasant people without an audience, only to do an about face around peers. I have observed that same phenomenon as a teacher. The idea behind the Independents is to take away peer support for disruptive behavior. I've often seen students “egg on” disruptive or disrespectful classmates. In addition, as Coach B points out, passiveness is the same as condoning the behavior. Because the challenging student’s peer group will also be held responsible for negative behavior, they will no longer support it. The challenging student’s behavior isn’t so much fun anymore.
I hope I don’t have to use this strategy, but, when I do, I’m looking forward to seeing it make my classroom teacher heaven.
Sheryl, Holding those challenging students responsible for each other's behavior is so effective! What a change it makes in the classroom! Here are 25 certification points!
I went to middle school in a small community. We had our share of cliques. I really felt sorry for my teachers as they dealt with disrespectful, rebellious behavior. I could see their frustration levels rise as they tried to regain control of their classroom.
Having an Independent group is a genius idea. The rebels at my middle school would not have a chance with Level Five of the Scoreboard. The rebels would have turned against each other when they realized that they shared the unpleasant consequences with everyone in the Independent Group. On page 132, Biffle states, "...students learn the very important life lesson that if they choose the wrong group, actions by even one member of the group can have a negative effect on everyone in the group. One other amazing part is that the rebellious student can change and make a smarter choice. They have the opportunity to leave the independent group by simply asking the teacher. The decision would have been a great character building opportunity.
I think that I would have benefited the most. I struggled with math in middle school. Because the teachers spent so much time with the rebels, I did not receive the additional support I needed.
This plan is a win-win for all involved. Teachers are in teaching heaven, struggling students are getting more of the teacher’s time and rebels are learning to make better choices.
Kim, It does help us as teachers to be able to relate to the frustration our students must feel as they deal with these rebel groups in class. I'm so thankful to have these strategies to take that frustration away and provide a safer environment more conducive to learning! Here are 25 certification points!
I feel the Independents would have been a superb classroom management system when I was in school and now. I can see this being quite effective in every grade. And what a super lesson in good choices!
I agree with how each rebel group has a leader, followers, bottom dwellers and they harass each other as well as outsiders. (Reading this chapter reminded me of ‘The Outsiders’.) And I fully agree that they are truly united when they face outsiders, especially those in authority, a.k.a. the teacher. As a student, I saw groups of students gang up on teachers, and as a teacher, I have also witnessed this.
The majority of the class is going to relish in the fact that they no longer have to get frownies for rebels’ behaviours. They will be more motivated than ever to get more smilies.
I like that the teacher selects a few for independents, rather than the whole group. The independents will see that some of their group is part of the whole class and not losing recess time. This will help them to have the courage to ask to leave the independent group, and hopefully they will internalize that hanging with the wrong crowd can get you into trouble.
Looking back, I can see that the leader of the group will want to hold on to his/her title, and try to put more pressure on the other independents to stay with her/him. As the followers leave to rejoin the rest of the class, the leader is going to feel more and more isolated. He/she will most-likely give up the role as class rebel (and losing recesses and being sent home with notes for the practice cards) and fall in to line with the rest of the class. But I imagine he/she will be looking for other ways to get his/her status back.
I don’t foresee using this with the class I am getting, but looking back to when I taught 7/8, this would have been fantastic!!! Nearly makes me want to go back to intermediate – but not quite. ;)
Bonnie, Isn't it a great feeling that a technique such as this can make you excited about how wonderful it should work! While most classrooms won't need this strategy, all the time, it has its place. Here are your 25 certification points, and if you find yourself back in a class that has these rebels, you have a great tool to use!
I would have loved this system when I was in middle school. I was a direction follower, known as a leader in WBT and I did not like the fact that we were all punished for the actions of a few students! Most of the students in a classroom were leaders. We were quiet and listened to the teachers and we took notes. I do not remember many disruptive times back then because the alternative was the principal's office. There were no warnings or discussion about it. I remember the bottom dwellers the most because they were always just "The bottom dwellers." There was no way for them to get out of that clique. Once a bottom dweller, always a bottom dweller. With the Independents Level of the scoreboard, however, the bottom dwellers would have a chance to pull themselves out and make better choices. The same could happen with the followers because they just had to make the choice to improve their behavior. As this level continues the students would begin to rally behind the teacher. When I was in middle school it always felt like it was the teachers against the students. It was a different time and respecting your teacher was expected. If there would have been WBT the classroom would have felt more inviting!
Mitzi, You made a good point, "Once a bottom dweller, always a bottom dweller" (In the past!!!) Isn't it wonderful to have a tool to help these kids move to a level where they will thrive and be happy?! Here are 25 certification points!
In sixth grade, there was a youngster, Sam, who would have qualified for the independents. He had unfortunately been convinced that, the only way he would establish himself in the classroom, was by humor, even humor directed at the teacher.
Often, when Mr. Newteacher was explaining some idea or giving directions, Sam would be turned around, rattling off a new joke or quoting Steve Martin. Mr. New teacher had used lots of ineffective methods. He yelled, he made him write sentences, he even put his desk in the hall for a time. He had partners in crime. They would sometimes race each other writing those sentences, intended to curb their rebellion.
Sam remained disruptive. He knew one thing. Some kids thought he was funny. Infuse Mr. Newteacher with the great knowledge of Whole Brain Teaching and put him at level 4.
Mr. N: (whispering right next to Sam) Sam, since you are having trouble following rule 2 today, you are on the Independents today. You only have to be on the team one day. If you don’t like it, you can tell me you want off.
Little did Sam know that his two partners in crime had already been recruited to the Independents.
Sam: Yes. I wanted to be on this team!
Fast forward a few minutes. During directions, Sam turned around and made a joke to his neighbor, who was trying to listen.
Mr. N.: That’s one for the independents! Just then, Mike and Josh both turned and glared at Sam. A strange, sinking feeling came over Sam. Where was his power? Where was the laughter? What kind of madness was this?
Jim, Great job-very creative! It is such an effective way to help the kids really take a step back and look at their own behavior. Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!
Chapter 20 – The Independents Thinking back to my middle school (Junior High) days is a challenge. That was over 35 years ago!! I think “The Independents” would have been a fantastic life lesson for me and many of my peers. Often we would be goofing off and laughing at each other’s silly behavior. The problem with our silliness was we were distracted from the main purpose of us being at school: learning!!!! If the teacher had divided us into the class as a whole and the smaller group called, “The Independents”, we would have seen the destructive effects of being in the wrong group. Every time one of my goofball friends disrupted the class, I would suffer the penalty. “No Fair!” I would scream. But it would be fair because all I had to do to get out of the group was to ask. Then I could rejoin the students who were choosing to follow directions and make their dear teacher happy! I love the statement in Chapter 20 that says, “When students deliberately chose to leave the Independent group, Mrs. Maestra knew she had helped them make an important moral decision. They had decided to separate from a group that got them into trouble. Some students went in and out of the Independent group, asking over and over to be let out. This was fine with Mrs. Maestra. These were precisely the pupils who needed long practice in seeing how unpleasant life could be when chained up with a group of outlaws.” Of course, the teacher would have to lay the groundwork by slowly implementing the levels of the scoreboard, but the Independent level is a very powerful step in isolating and defeating the class rebels. Carl Rust 370 cp
Carl, Isn't it wonderful to have the opportunity to guide the students as they learn to make those important moral decisions? Nice work! Here are 25 certification points!
Middle school is such a tough time for many students. It is a time of trying to figure out who you are and where you fit in. Peer pressure is at its height and belonging to a group seems so important. My middle school classes were filled with the over achievers in our school, so the “independents” were not a real concern for my teachers. My brother, however, was not so fortunate. He did not fit in with any particular group in middle school, so he joined the independent group. He was not the leader of the group, but a follower. If his teachers had the Independent Behavior System, this would have encouraged him early on to change groups. It would have taught him that the poor decisions of his peers were negatively affecting him, and he would have had the opportunity to get away from the group. One of the beauties of WBT is that no one is left out or made to feel like they do not belong or fit in and less they choose to be independent. They are always given the opportunity to make another choice with the Independent System and join the group. This would have been life altering for my brother. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 12:26, “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 states, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” Making students think about long term consequences and then giving them the support they need to leave a negative group makes this a valuable tool for the student not only in class but in life!
Melissa, You made a strong point in your statement "One of the beauties of WBT is that no one is left out or made to feel like they do not belong or fit in and less they choose to be independent. " Learning to make great choices is something all of our students can learn to do! Here are 25 certification points!
I can think back to my experiences in middle school and recall those students that made it so difficult for our teachers. They absolutely held all of the power in the room and wielded it ruthlessly! The other students may not have actively participated in their shenanigans, but they certainly would laugh and remark about incidents in order to feel a part of the “in” group or they would become very annoyed and disconnected with the class. This idea of the independent group certainly would have helped my teachers way back when! It pits the cliques and trouble-makers into an exclusive club without negatively impacting the other students. In fact, I think the other students would find some inner-glee with the squashing of their annoying classmates. The independent group takes all of the power away from the rebel students and places it into the hands of the teacher and other students. The other students will back their teacher when they know they can’t get into trouble any more, thus effectively eliminating peer support from those rebels. The independent group is an awesome way for the teacher to take control of their classroom back!
Brianne, You are so right, many just join in for the feeling of acceptance, and the others tune out quickly as the rebels take over the class! The independent group is a great too to have in our back pocket! Here are 25 certification points!
I went to school in a very small town, graduating with only 22 students. Many of us were pretty close as we moved through the years. Those who were not a part of some close-knit group in my school would have benefited greatly from many components of whole brain teaching, which would have then lead up to the Independents on the scoreboard. The Independents would have been a great resource for several of my classmates who were a bit on the rebellious side.
What I like most about this level is that students have a chance to leave the Independents when they feel it is necessary. This gives students responsibility and accountability to make the appropriate decisions to work towards leaving the group, thus dwindling the group of Independents down to just a few, very similarly to what the Guff Counter does. Another aspect of the Independents I believe would work well with my peers from the past is the fact that when one student in the independent group acts out the entire group has to deal with the consequences. As I think about the classmates I had in middle school, I know for a fact several of them would not take kindly to another student doing something that could jeopardize the group getting a smiley. This feeling alone could very well encourage many students in the independents to want to leave, aside from their own conscience telling them the same.
There is one concern I might have about using this with one or two of my previous classmates. The concern is that some students could lash out at other students in anger of that student causing the group to get “punished”. I had at least one student I can think of who used physical aggression and was easily angered when someone crossed him. Of course the assumption is these students would have already been through the major components of whole brain teaching and several levels of the scoreboard before being presented with the Independents. This alone would probably help alleviate some of the anger and frustration a student may be feeling. It is still something I would be worried about with students who show high aggression and anger in the classroom. Just a thought as I process the use of this with some of my peers.
Ellen, You have given a thoughtful analysis and I agree, some students may not respond like we would want them to, but thankfully, Coach B. has provided other levels just for those specific rebel behaviors! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
The Independents group is such a wonderful idea. Although I was always the teacher’s pet and always behaved in school, I still felt like I was getting yelled at when just a few kids were acting up in class. As described in the book, there are the Leaders, the Followers, and the Bottom Dwellers. I felt sorry for the Bottom Dwellers because they usually took the blame for the most misbehaved children (Leaders). The Leaders were smart, though, because they manipulated the Followers and the Bottom Dwellers to do whatever they wanted, which would in turn get them into trouble.
The Independents group would have been effective in my particular sixth grade class because I remember we had four boys who fed off of one another’s misbehavior. If one boy did something that interrupted instruction or irritated our teacher, the other three boys would join in and start misbehaving as well. I remember that these boys always got yelled at by our teacher and forced us all to stay in for recess many days during the year. In sixth grade, and even now as a grown adult, I know it’s not fair. I quickly recognized that these boys would not stop until they emotionally beat the teacher down. If Whole Brain Teaching would have been used in my sixth grade classroom, the Scoreboard, Guff Counter, and Independents group would have saved those boys from making bad choices all the time. It also would have saved my teacher a lot of turmoil. Unfortunately, that teacher only lasted another year before she decided to switch careers.
The effectiveness of the Independents group in my classroom right now is incredible. I have seen a drastic change in behavior from my most challenging students. Those kids that used to feed off of each other are now battling one another to behave in class. Those kids that used to give me guff and constantly bring down other students are now working hard to stay out of the Independents group. I am blessed that this strategy is available for me to use so that I don’t get burnt out on teaching and I don’t feel constantly bogged down by my misbehaving students. Whole Brain Teaching always saves the day!
Hannah, The Independents group is very helpful these last few weeks of school! When you couple it with the Guff Counter, you have two extremely effective tools in your back pocket! Here are 25 certification points!
I attended a rough middle school with several Guffers or disrespected students. However, when I taught this age group, there were many more Guffers, many independents. Biffle states, "These cliques are small societies that run on humiliation, intimidation, and reprisal.” Students in my middle school formed a clique just like Mr. Biffle stated! Humiliation and intimidation were there targets. I was one of them.
The fifth level of our scoreboard, the Independents, would have helped these rebellious classmates to analyze the group they were in. When one made a wrong choice, the entire group would have had a strong consequence. The independents would not have wanted this to continue. They are each allowed an opportunity to move back with the students making positive choices. They did have to stay an entire day with the Independents. This opportunity, to be free of the group punishments, is great. I think it would have dissolved the clique. This level supports the students who make the right choices while treating all students with respect.
I do wish my middle school teachers would have used the wisdom that this level teaches. The action by even one member of the group would have had a negative effect on everyone in the group.
I realize that even though I was in middle school more than thirty years ago, the Guffers of that age impacted my life tremendously. I was their victim. This level will definitely be highlighted in my kindergarten classroom. “Sock it to those rebels!”
Regina, Isn't it amazing how much we remember from those days thirty years ago. As a teacher, it is so nice to know that we have this strategy in our back pockets to help alleviate some of the pain another child may have endured from the cliques. You had a small error "intimidation were there targets"(their). Here are 20 certification points!
The first thing that comes to mind when reading this chapter is “guilt by association”. In middle school this concept is hard for children to comprehend when the main concern is to fit in. In my opinion, the best features of the Independents system are the power of choice, self reflection and responsibility.
Teenage years are a delicate time when children are learning the value of friendship and are still learning about themselves. This system gives students a way to evaluate their friendships and behaviors as well as the impact their behaviors and decisions have on themselves and others. Many times students in the Independents group display inappropriate, attention seeking behavior because they have strength in numbers. This strategy eliminates that safety net, isolating the troublesome students. In a safe, guided environment, the children have the opportunity to “opt out” of the Independents group. The experience based strategy empowers students to use good judgment and grow lifelong decision making skills.
The Independents also takes away the burden and frustration of the challenging student behavior from those students who are the “rule followers”. It can be discouraging to continuously follow the rules when others are regularly challenging authority at the expense of the class.
As with other WBT techniques, The Independents is an effective tool to provide students with control over and accountability for their own actions while unifying the class behind the goal of having fun while learning.
Bethann, It is wonderful to have this tool to not only help the challenging students self correct, but to give the "rule followers" their best chance for a great education! Here are 25 certification points!
When I think of independents in my middle school experience, one specific class comes to mind. Looking back, I think my 8th grade year must have been very early in his teaching career. His control of students was minimal; his classroom management very weak. As typical 14 year olds, I remember the class “running over” him frequently. The scoreboard levels would have transformed his classroom.
I recall there being two or three students who always seemed to get us going. I think being labeled “Independents” and being held responsible for each other’s behaviors would have helped this specific teacher weed out those most oppositional students, while positively supporting the remaining students. I like that this level puts the control completely in the students’ hands. They have the power to put themselves in or take themselves out of the group. Their negative choices affect only a small group of students as opposed to the whole group. It doesn’t matter to these challenging students if the whole class is punished due to their behavior choices, but, if only 2 or 3 are suffering consequences, it is not nearly as fun. You effectively remove the audience and therefor, the reward of attention and support of the followers and bottom dwellers. This lack of support diminishes the power of the independents, which is victory for the teacher!
Elisabeth, Great job! You made a great point, "It doesn’t matter to these challenging students if the whole class is punished due to their behavior choices, but, if only 2 or 3 are suffering consequences, it is not nearly as fun." That is so true! Here are 25 certification points!
I would have loved for my middle school teachers to incorporate the Independents in my classes. I was always the “model student.” I did exactly what was expected of me, when it was expected of me, and how it was expected of me. I never doubted the teacher’s authority for a second. Unfortunately, not everyone shared my philosophy on classroom behavior. In each of my classes, there was always a group of students who banned together and made it their mission to make our teacher’s life miserable for those 45 minutes. I would feel sad for the teacher and angry at those rebels who were making all of us suffer. If my teachers had implemented the Independents, I would have reveled in the fact that the students were finally being grouped in a way that effected only them! I like the idea that the students can ask to get out of the group. That is so important that the students can decide that they want to separate themselves from making these poor choices. Perhaps it would have helped point some of my classmates in the right direction, rather than some of the choices they ultimately made. If needed, I am looking forward to implementing this step in my classroom this year. It gives the students a great opportunity to make an important decision for themselves, rather than relying on those classmates that they are rallying together with.
Courtney, I think you are right, this is extremely helpful to the students that choose great behavior. They get so tired of listening to the Guff of the rebels and this helps redirect the class in a positive manner! Here are 25 certification points!
Middle school is a turbulent time in the lives of our middle schoolers. Things haven’t changed much since I was in middle school. We had various groups of kids. Jocks, freaks, snobs were in every class. I really never fit into any group, I guess I was in the group that liked school and learning, today I would be called a “try-hard”. I believe the Independents level of the Scoreboard Game is a great way to keep the rebels in check. I am a retired Army officer and this reminded more of the Army than middle school. The exception being putting the rebels in a sub group. In the Army if one soldier made a poor choice the whole unit would pay the consequence. The problem soldiers were quick to change their ways for fear of the entire unit turning against them. I love two things about this level first is that I do not punish the rest of the class and second the rule gives the students the power of choice. They just have to asked to be removed from the Independents, which empowers the students to make the right choice. This will come in handy mid-year when I have identified my rebels, so excited to implement!
Rebecca, I hadn't ever thought of the relationship between the independents and the army. That is interesting! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
I really like this idea, especially as it applies to the older student. Once students reach the double digits in age, their behaviour changes and we, as teachers, need to modify our approach to them in order to remain effective!
When I was in Grade 7, there was a group of “popular kids” who decided that they were in charge. They were not mean or bad per se, they simply decided that their wants and desires superseded anything else in the school. I can only imagine how hard it was for my teacher to deal with them!
If I were able to travel back in time, knowing what I know now, I would strongly encourage my teacher to not only adopt WBT but specifically to use the technique called “The Independents” with the Scoreboard. The students causing most of her problems were not inherently “bad” kids, they simply wanted to have fun and had discovered strength in numbers. With “The Independents” technique, that group of students could be placed together in a sub-group. This means that their actions would no longer impact the entire class in quite the same way. As well, it would provide the members of this sub-group the opportunity to learn that “strength in numbers” can also become a liability. More than that, this technique would allow those students “to learn the very important life lesson that if they choose the wrong group, actions by even one member of the group can have a negative effect on everyone in the group” (Biffle, 2013, p. 132).
I believe that if this technique had been used, peer pressure from within the group would have quickly been applied. Their numbers would have begun to dwindle because students would have chosen to exit the group.
Christina, The effects of peer pressure is amazing. These students are so used to being backed up by their buddies and this is a game changer! Here are 25 certification points!
Trying my best to think back THAT many years ago as a middle school student…(WAIT, we did not even call it middle school back in the day, it was referred to as Junior High!), however, I believe the effectiveness of grouping the “beloved rascals” into the Independents would have been immeasurable. As I reflect back on my middle school peers, it is not difficult to recall whom the El Supremo, Followers, and Bottom Dwellers were in my class. This level of the Scoreboard, The Independents, might just be the most ingenious strategy I have ever heard of for dealing with students that negatively target their teacher and disrupt the flow for faithful students.
As this school year progresses, my hope is that I will not have to establish a group of Independents. However, if it is necessary, below are several factors with this resourceful system that appeal to me.
1. Most importantly, I love how the courteous, hardworking students are not punished for the undesirable decisions of disrespectful classmates. 2. I feel that the parents of the respectful students will appreciate immensely the fact that their child is not punished or given practice for the actions of a few students. 3. As for the parents of the rebellious students, my hope is that they would view this strategy as a life-lesson, as well as, a way that validates my love and concern for their child’s academic success. The life-lesson being conveyed is that regardless of where their child has been or what they have done; only THEY have the option of disconnecting themselves from a self-destructive path. 4. As for the rebellious student, it is my opinion that by allowing them the jurisdiction of remaining in the group or asking for removal, they will develop a sense of “independence” in deciding their destiny.
…. As for the faithful students, I can audibly hear in unison a resounding “OH, YEAH”!!
Kelly, I agree, I think the ones that appreciate this the most are definitely the faithful students! What a refreshing change it will be when they don't have to deal with the rebellious students and their interruptions! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
Thinking back to middle school I have vivid memories of students pushing the limits of respect. Words of compliance laced with sarcasm, groans, eye rolls, and downright defiance were commonplace, and frequently met with giggles of approval. A system such as WBT’s various scoreboard levels would have gone a long way toward curbing this nonsense. Level 5, The Independents, would have been extremely effective with my classmates.
The students most often involved in giving guff were also more than ready to mock and point out the faults of their peers. The ongoing battle for supremacy would have created the perfect atmosphere for this strategy to work. Given the likelihood that they would have denied their culpability, Level 5 would have been met with curiosity by the targeted students. As this level of the Scoreboard played out, I can see how easily my peers would have abandoned their loyalties in favor of laughing at the misfortune of their friends.
This method would have affected my middle school classes with three significant benefits. First, the teachers would have been seen as having more authority (Power to the Teachers!). Second, the faithful students would have been joyfully relieved that they were no longer going to be penalized for the misbehaviors of a few. Finally, the cliques involved in hell-raising would have been tamed, and exposed to an important truth – choosing the wrong group of friends can have a powerful impact on your happiness.
Middle school is a time of intense peer pressure and the power of cliques. Cliques in middle school are usually divided into the Jocks, the Brains, the Nerds and the Popular Kids. The cliques are usually led by one or two prominent students and have a number of faithful followers. Chris Biffle explains these as the Leaders, Followers and the Bottom Dwellers. I went to Catholic School for both 7th and 8th grades. In that school, there were very few cliques. The students did not want to challenge the nuns, so behavior was very controlled. When I transferred to a junior high school in 9th grade, things were very different. For the first time I not only experienced the power of cliques, but also the disruptive behavior of other students. A tool like, the Independents, would have been very useful in breaking the power of the disrupters. Turning students against one another would definitely have broken down the power within the cliques. As students abandoned their disrespectful behavior and peers, those students still acting out would find them without their “back up.” Their power would be greatly diminished. I especially like how the Independents teach students the power of choice. This lesson is one that will be important for the rest of their lives. It is a lesson that once learned will guide them to make more positive choices in all areas of their lives.
Susan, First, how wonderful that you were able to attend a school where this wasn't a problem! But, in moving to the new school, you were able to see first hand the real need for a positive tool like the Independents! Nice job, here are 25 certification points!
I was never part of the “In” crowd. I was always part of the nerds that studied during the big football game. The Independent crowd never phased me because I knew early on that I would never fit into the mold they wanted their peers to be in. Nor did I care to either. I have always marched to the beat of my own drum. That being said, I can see the beginnings of independents groups in my own classroom right now. I notice how one student will start the behaviors then, even if they would never instigate it themselves, other students go along with the unruliness. Behaviors cease once I call out the instigator. I will begin using the Independents technique later on in the year once students have become immune to lower levels on the scoreboard. I know that it will be very effective because I can already see that other students do not want to get in trouble for what another student does.
Geni, You are right, students don't want to be punished for poor choices that others have made in class. This helps the teacher focus more on helping those that make the poor choices without handing out group punishments. Here are 25 certification points!
In my middle school years, I had just moved into a new state and a new school. It felt like I was hyper-aware of every clique in the school because I was moving on the outside. Soon enough, I would fall into my normal group, but until then, I could vividly see which students were in which groups.
We had the students that would cause our seventh grade teacher to put her head in her hands and squeeze her hair. Those were the students that got several “demerits” daily. Demerits terrified me, but certainly not them.
We had the sleepers, who would pull their hoodie over their head, lean on their fist and pretend to be reading. They usually smelled like pot and spoke slowly. The teacher never paid much attention to them unless they started snoring.
We had the over-achievers who the teacher used as her teaching-base. These were the only students who were ever called on to answer questions or provide clarification. They received warm, friendly teacher smiles daily.
And then we had the group that I would inevitably join: the quiet students. We paid attention and completed all of our work, but we hated being put on the spot. We were middle-to-high performing kids who stayed middle-to-high performing based on our personal work ethics.
If the Independents system had been used in this classroom (if the scoreboard in general had been introduced), miracles would have been worked. The hair-squeezing kids would have had their support cut from them. The sleepers would have been expected to pay attention in order to respond. The over-achievers would have had less of their instruction cut from them (aka time taken to yell at the hair-squeezers). The quiet kids would have been gently pulled from their quiet comfort zone and given a voice that didn’t stand out—but also wasn’t ignored. For one moment, everyone (aside from the Guffer) would have been unified in a single instance that would have easily transferred them into the next part of the teacher’s lesson.
Catherine, This really does help us focus on all of our students. I agree, the quiet kids often get ignored, and this is a great way to help solve that problem! Here are 25 certification points!
Thinking back to my school days I can remember certain groups of, what I call, low-level rebels who would certainly have had their classroom behaviour changed for the better with ‘the Independents’ section of the Scoreboard. These children were not hard core rebels, but they did like to annoy teachers with silly noises, throwing bits of paper, etc. All of this behaviour was definitely done for the benefit of their buddies in the class who would laugh and give the rebel a kick of ‘dark-dopamine’. Clumping these children together in a group, where the actions of one child led to repercussions for the others, would have quickly taken the shine from their little acts of tomfoolery. “The behaviour they had intended as teacher-aggravating is now buddy-infuriating,” (Biffle, 2012).
I can even remember how some of the more well behaved children could occasionally act up in the classes of the more meek and mild teachers. These types of dissenter would definitely have ceased all rebellious behaviour immediately if they had been put into the Independent group, purely because the thought of their parents finding out would stop them dead in their tracks.
However, there were certain naturally rebellious children at my school who, in hindsight, were probably on the spectrum, and who, I don’t think, possessed the empathy required to understand or care that their actions impacted on the lives of others. They would, though, have been exceptionally annoyed by someone else’s behaviour resulting in them losing break time and having to practise class rules. So, even with these children, the Independents would have had a positive effect.
Of course, the fabulous thing about WBT is that you always have something else in your back pocket to try with your most hardened rebels. Any child who was immune to peer pressure, or lacked the social skills to care, would probably have responded well to the Bullseye Game.
In middle school, cliques were definitely apparent. There were Leaders, Followers, and Bottom Dwellers, just as Whole Brain Teaching describes. These groups ran on “humiliation, intimidation and reprisal” (Biffle, 132). The popular kids (“Leaders”) were continually making fun of others to make themselves look better. Often, the group was united against an authority. When someone was disrespectful in class, there wasn’t a safe opportunity to speak up, so the disrespect continued. A discouraging thing for me was when the rest of us had to suffer a punishment for the rebellious behavior. If a teacher had used the Independents technique, only rebels would have received consequences! I do think some students would have used the opportunity to band together rather than immediately turn on each other. I think peer pressure would have pulled some students back into the clique even if they chose to leave once. After awhile, however, I think students would have gotten tired of losing recess, especially if other members of their peer group had earned recess back. The act of asking out of the group is, in my opinion, the most valuable lesson taught in this technique. Even though I’m not sure myself or other middle school students would have fully grasped the power of choosing to leave a negative group, eventually this may have sunk in. Some of my friends from middle school were never able to break out of these groups and got themselves into trouble simply by being “Followers” or “Bottom Dwellers.” If they had had someone providing them with the opportunity to leave the group in a safe classroom setting, they may have had the courage to leave similar groups in real life!
ReplyDeleteMadeline Mahan
Chapter 20
Madeline,
DeleteI agree, it is so hard for children to break out of these bottom dweller groups! But with this WBT strategy, we can help change lives! Here are 25 certification points.
Middle school is so hard. It is all about cliques. I think the Independents system would have been very effective with those teenagers I went to school with. It promotes many learning factors which are central to teenagers and their development. First, this system promotes the power of choice. The students who do not wish to be in the Independents group have only to state that they no longer want to be in the group and they are removed from it. This highlights their ability to make their own life choices and how those choices affect the student’s outcomes in life. The ability to turn your back on negative influences and break away is a lifelong skill that students need to be happy and successful.
ReplyDeleteNext, it teaches the students that the actions of one or two challenging students will no longer be seen as a problem for the entire classroom full of students. This takes the pressure off those students who are making good choices and places the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of those children acting out. They are responsible for their own behavior, which makes it so that the only way to not deal with consequences is to improve their own individual behavior, not to depend on the rest of the class to earn them the positive points to counteract their negative points.
Finally, this system gives the student a way to quietly acknowledge their needs and set up personalized goals for improvement of their behaviors while forming a positive emotional bond with an adult. For some of these kids, the bond that is formed with their teacher might be the only positive bond the student has with an adult, therefore it is so important. These personalized goals are the focus for the student to improve their abilities while having a safe place to express themselves.
I think, overall, the Independents level would be very effective for those hard to reach students because it would provide them with a sense of control and freedom that they might be missing in life, while still holding them accountable for their actions and for their own learning.
Amanda Blum
Amanda,
DeleteYou are right on the money with your statement "This takes the pressure off those students who are making good choices and places the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of those children acting out." This is the perfect way to restore balance to our classrooms! Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus for a well written post!
Kay Spencer
ReplyDeleteChapter 20
I wish my middle school teachers had known about The Independents. The Independents would have been effective with my challenging middle school peers.
My middle school peers wouldn’t have stood a chance with this genius plan. The beauty of this fifth level of the Scoreboard Game is that the rebellious members of my middle school class would have turned against each other when they realized the unpleasant effect on everyone. Camaraderie seems to fuel rebellious behavior, and now, it’s comrade against comrade. All of the “joy” would have been taken out of rebellious behavior. I also appreciate that a rebellious student can choose not to be a part of The Independents. The plan offers an opportunity for character building by allowing the rebellious student to approach the teacher and express a desire not to be a part of the Independents. That is true success. Every part of Chris Biffle’s plan is complete.
The respectful students would have been encouraged by The Independents. They would not continue to be penalized for the actions of a few. I also appreciate that the challenging students are treated respectfully and that the objective for all students is that they would “make smart choices.”
I have a couple of “hard core” students for whom The Independents will work well.
Kay,
DeleteI agree with your comment: I also appreciate that the challenging students are treated respectfully and that the objective for all students is that they would “make smart choices.” Nice job! Here are 25 points!
There is no doubt that Middle School is hard. It is probably one of the most difficult times in a young person’s life. During those “tween” years cliques are king and peer pressure rules. Social status is foremost in every child’s mind. As is the case in most groups, students are silently segregated into several very distinct, very different subgroups. There are the “Brains”, the “Nerds”, the “Jocks”, the “Rebels”, etc... At this age each child is either happily or painfully aware into which group he falls. Most of the groups will coexist without problems, but the Rebels always seem to delight in causing chaos and mutiny. As a result, classes lose instructional time, miss important concepts, and receive group punishments that are actually earned by only a few students.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Dr. Biffle, there is a hierarchy within the Rebel group. There is usually one “Leader” with many “Followers” and “Bottom Dwellers”. He says that, “…these cliques are small societies that run on humiliation, intimidation, and reprisal. They only truly unite when faced by Outsiders…” He goes on to say that “Rebel students, even close friends, are always ready to harass each other…” For this reason I think that using the “Independents” level would have been effective in my Middle School classes. It uses peer pressure to turn disruptive, rebellious, students against each other, hopefully causing them to leave the dark side and step into the light.
There are many advantages to using this system with middle schoolers. It promotes the power of choice. At this age children don’t really have many choices. They are told where to go, what to do, when to be there, etc… The students who do not wish to be in the Independents group have only to state that they no longer want to be in the group and they are removed from it. This enables students to make their own life choices and experience how these choices will affect outcomes in life. The ability to break away from negative influences is a life skill that will serve them well always.
Also, it teaches students that they are individually responsible for their actions and in the end they will solely suffer the consequences of, or reap the benefits of those choices. One or two challenging students will no longer be seen as a problem for an entire classroom full of students. This forces the Rebels to realize that they are on their own. Therefore, the only way to avoid consequences is to improve individual behaviors, not to depend on the rest of the class to earn positive points to negate their negative points. An added benefit of the Independents system is that when the other social groups discover that they will no longer be connected to the Rebels, they tend to band together and become less separated amongst themselves.
Finally, this system gives rebellious students a way to quietly analyze their needs and develop personalized goals for improvement. Many Rebels come from uninvolved or even abusive homes. The one-on-one discussions with a teacher will allow the child to form a positive emotional bond with an adult. For some of these children, their teachers might be the only positive adult role models in their lives. It is so important.
Overall, I believe that using the Independents Level of the scoreboard would be an effective tool to help diminish inappropriate behaviors, unite students, and build self esteem in students at risk.
Julia Simons
Julia,
DeleteYour empathy for and understanding of the Middle School population will make the Independents Level that much more effective for you. Well stated post! Here are 25 points for you!
Julia Berry / Chapter 20 / Feb. Assignment
ReplyDeleteThinking back to my years in middle school, I can honestly say how hard it was for some of my teachers to manage disruptive behavior. The whole class was usually punished for the misbehavior of a few. If only Whole Brain Teaching was around back then, the Independents would have been a great tool to handle the nonconformists!
The disruptive students would have been the only ones to pay the consequences. I was often worried about being grouped with a ‘rebel’ or ‘rebels’ for group projects. I figured out my teacher’s strategy right off the bat. By placing good students with ‘rebels’ she was hoping to eliminate some of the disrespectful behaviors. However, it put a lot of pressure on others and me. If the group did not work cooperatively together to complete the project or lesson, and were acting up, the good students were also penalized. The respectful students were afraid to speak up, because they would be the next to be picked on. I dreaded going to this one particular class all year long!
If only the class could have been divided up into the Independents and the respectful students. I could have completed my assignments without the stress, and paying the price for the actions of the ‘rebels’.
To this day, I remember how it felt being penalized and promised myself if I became a teacher I would never do that to my hard working students. If the ‘rebels’ could have been introduced to the Independence, I believe most of the disruptive behaviors could have been eliminated. I am so thankful to have learned about the Independents. The bonding with a teacher is so powerful in helping those students want to try harder. They begin to understand their teacher does want them to succeed in life. What a wonderful behavior modification technique to help teenagers start making their own smart choices!
Julia,
DeleteThe Independents are able to "start making their own smart choices" with this Scoreboard level. Thanks for sharing another great post on our book club! Here are 25 points!
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJulia,
DeleteThe points have been added, sorry for the delay!
Chapter 20 Independents Bethany Kirkland
ReplyDeleteI went to Middle School at a large inner city school. I recall having pity on some of the teachers that tried so hard to teach over guffers and disrespectful students. It would have been teacher heaven had they known about "The Independents"! I also recall feeling resentful for being punished, as a class, for the actions of a few. As Coach B. said it so well, "...these cliques are small societies that run on humiliation, intimidation, and reprisal." Middle school aged students can be very cruel and hurtful to others.
Level 5, The Independents, supports and unifies the students who are making the right choices and holds the "offender(s)" responsible for their actions. On page 132, Biffle states, "...students learn the very important life lesson that if they choose the wrong group, actions by even one member of the group can have a negative effect on everyone in the group. No more random group punishment for the actions of a few! Mighty Oh Yeah!
Bethany,
DeleteThe best part about using the Independents stage is that those students who DO make good choices are finally left out of those awful group punishments! Great post! Here are 25 certification points!
Because there are many “cliques” in middle school, adding Independents to the scoreboard would effectively remediate rebellion. Just like the Guff Counter, the students who are disrespecting the teacher are no longer accepted by the majority of students in the classroom. In an instant, friends will turn on each other if they know if effects them as well. I believe the Independents added to the scoreboard would change the dynamic of the classroom and how “popular” kids are viewed. The students in the Independent group would begin to reevaluate their choices and the choices of the peers in their group. The consequences are immediate and effective because they have to practice the rules they did not follow and recess time is being taken away. Middle school would have been completely different when I went if this strategy was around then!
ReplyDeleteLiz Cheney
Liz,
DeleteI agree that the immediate consequences are most effective! Watch out for minor editing errors " if they know if effects them as well". Nice post - here are 25 certification points!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI remember being punished for a couple of people’s behavior growing up. In middle school it is particularly irritating because, well, everything is when you’re in middle school. All you want to see is these groups knocked off their pedestals and what better than the level 5 Independents technique.
ReplyDeleteStudents in cliques would be forced to turn against each other because now it would be only their group being punished and not the rest of us. They would have no affect on what happened to the class; only to each other. This would certainly cause the clique to disenfranchise through becoming irritated with one another and choosing to leave their group. All of the pleasure of the Leaders ruining everything for everyone who didn't follow them would be lost. It would have been like a real life "Lizzy McGuire" episode!
Josephine,
DeleteNice job! Here are 25 certification points.
Establishing the “Independents” in the middle school setting would have an immediate effect on breaking up the group mentality of the rebellious students. The group tends to sustain itself through the actions of its members. The leader is looking for approval for his/her actions while the followers need acceptance and a sense of belonging. The group’s dynamics dictate that each member supports each other when one of them gets in trouble. By establishing the “Independents”, you let the group members know that they are separated from the rest of the class. They also realize that each member’s actions will result in all members of the group receiving consequences. When you give each member of the group the opportunity to withdraw if they tell you that they wish to be removed from the “group”, this group dynamic is broken. The action not only removes them from the “Independents”, it also removes them from the rebellious group. You now have an opportunity to regain all them members of your class.
ReplyDeleteSteve Sublett
Steve,
DeleteGreat job! Here are 25 certification points!
I don’t really recall there being a group of students who were continually disruptive to my learning in middle school. I’m sure that was not the case for the teachers therefore I must have been oblivious.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as I have taught middle school for 14 years I can definitely see how beneficial it could have been to me in the past. Since starting WBT about 7-8 years ago I have never really had a need to get to either “The Guff Counter” or “The Independents” UNTIL last year. Last year was the toughest of all my years. It was only after the school year had ended that I was re-reading some WBT material and realized there had been another step for me to take.
Looking back on what made last year’s classes so much more difficult was that there weren’t just 1 or 2 rebel students, there were more like 4-10 students banding together. It seemed like any time I felt like one would join “my side” there were 5 others to fill their place on the “other side”. If I had used “The Independents” portion of the scoreboard I would have been able to address them as a whole group and work on it that way.
I currently have 2 classes where I have NOT forgotten that these steps are ready and waiting for me to use. I cannot really express what relief I have in knowing that there are further steps for me to try and that I have not used all the “tools in my WBT toolbox”!
However, I do realize that these additions to the scoreboard will only be effective if the scoreboard itself is very well established in the classroom environment (which mine is!).
Here is to the last few months! :)
~Jason McKinney
Jason,
DeleteI'm so happy to hear that you are using the scoreboard effectively! These additional levels will help you reach "teacher heaven" and sail right into summer! Here are 25 certification points!
Thinking back to middle school.....okay, I just got some shivers down my spine!
ReplyDeleteI think that if one word could be applied to middle school it would definitely be the word CLIQUE!!! Ah, there were many. I believe that this method, The Independents would have been great had it been used in my middle school. I don't remember there being that many disruptive students during these years, maybe two. I remember that the issues we had during my middle school years often took place outside of the classroom. There would be drama on the playground during recess or at lunch time but we were actually quite reserved in the classroom.
However, all things considered this Independent method would have worked wonders in shutting down the behaviors of rebellious students. I think it would have been effective in terms of the cliques themselves turning on one another as a result of just one student making a poor choice, which would result in the others suffering the consequences.
Great way to break a clique up! And, we all know that the students who are having a decent day will not at all appreciate this.
mochalala,
DeleteYes, the Independents Level is an effective way to neutalize the cliques, and to stop the unwarranted consequences to the rest of the class. Here are 25 points to you.
Whoops, forgot to enter my real name...Karlyn Davis
DeleteThanks and have a great rest of the weekend!
Chapter 20: The Independents
ReplyDeleteI had the good fortune and pleasure of growing up in a small town. Our school district was comprised of one rather large, architecturally-pleasing granite building that housed the grades kindergarten through grade eight. I have many fond memories from those years spent at the Broad Street School. Then I went to high school.
Our high school was made up of grades seven through twelve. They housed a middle school for local borough students. In grades nine through twelve, students from smaller neighboring towns (towns lacking their own high school, including our town) were bused in and forced to join in the mix.
My high school contemporaries, or peers, were certainly different from those in grammar school. In grammar school we wouldn't have even thought of chewing gum in school. The first day of high school was met with a rebellious few offering free tickets to the school’s elevator (for those gullible enough to believe it). You guessed it. The school had no elevator. Thus began the days of my real “education.” In order to survive (let alone actually learn something), I had no choice but to grow up rather quickly. There were plenty of rebels, and-- oh my!-- the omnipresent cliques!
The Independents Scoreboard Game would have had a tremendous impact on our day-to-day classroom lives! How liberating it might have been-- for both teacher and students-- had poor old Miss Carlin (my freshman homeroom and history teacher) known about Whole Brain Teaching techniques, including the Level Five Scoreboard Game: The Independents.
Boy did those kids drive old “Carlin” crazy! A rebellious few would convince the rest of the class that we had to participate in their antics. If dear Miss Carlin had only known about the Independents, she could have nipped their bullying actions in the bud, and the rest of the class would have silently stood and cheered from inside our heads.
The Independents Scoreboard Game forces the rebellious few to make good moral choices, and that, in itself, is critical, because, oftentimes, I feel that is precisely why some students are rebellious-- they simply feel they don’t have a choice.
The Independents Scoreboard Game is also liberating for the teacher, as well as students, because the actions and choices of the rebels are no longer projected upon the teacher and innocent students, but instead, their actions are pitted against each other; the rebels are left without a target and without a leg on which to stand.
I weep tears of joy in your absence, Miss Carlin.
Jacqueline Nessuno
Jacqueline,
DeleteYour experiences will strengthen your determination to utilize the power of the Independents Level should you ever need it! Nice post! Here are 25 points!
Middle school was a time in my life when I was trying to figure out my identity and trying to fit in as well as possible with peers. In order to do that many of my peers were disruptive during class because they thought it brought them positive attention from their classmates. Maybe they thought they were being cool if they were disruptive, disrespectful or disobedient.
ReplyDeleteThe independents scoreboard might work with a group of my peers if they turned against each other, but it might have also had the opposite effect. If we thought we were being cool and we all paid the consequences as a group it would only cause us to be even more challenging. However, if we had been split up and each student paid the consequences individually some of us would have become model students.
Therefore, I think that teachers should be careful how they use the independents because it could create a group of challenging students that will only become stronger if they are resistant to punishment.
Adrienne,
DeleteThe teacher is instrumental in any classroom management technique. A big benefit of The Independents is the support the other students feel in not being a part of the consequences of a few rebellious students' behaviors. Even many rebellious students won't repeatedly serve penalties for the behavior of another student. Students who remain resistant to this level on the Scoreboard may respond individually to the Bull's Eye Game and the Agreement Bridge. Here are 25 points!
Brandi Young WBT Ch. 20 The Independents
ReplyDeleteAs I reflect on my middle school years, I think that the Scoreboard in any form would have been a wonderful tool for all of my middle school teachers to have in their rooms. There are many effective concepts that I imagine middle school teachers would appreciate about Level 5 (the Independents) of the Scoreboard.
For instance, how the teacher comes to the student outside of class. This eliminates the embarrassment or in some cases the attention factor that some teenagers crave more than ever in middle school. This tool would have been perfect for targeting the several cliques that kept a tight knit circle of friends. Breaking the clique apart by only punishing that small group of boys in the back of the class or the girls that smacked their lips every time the teacher would speak of upcoming assignments would have benefited the class as a whole.
Another valuable, yet effective concept that the Independents, Level 5 of the Scoreboard offers, is that it does not involve punishing the whole class. Instead the students that typically cause disruption and mayhem are grouped together. Just how most middle school students like to be. However, when one students decides to act out the group is punished. This will cause conflict within the clique and hopefully lead to better decision making while in class.
Middle school was and still is a time when teenagers truly begin their journey on becoming adults. This level of the Scoreboard promotes moral decision making skills and allows students to see how unpleasant life could be if one was to get caught up in the wrong crowd. Thankfully, this level of the Scoreboard offers a way out. Students can choose to leave the group by stating that they want out.
The use of this Scoreboard in a middle school setting is both valuable and effective. It benefits the class as a whole. It encourages students who try their best and accomplish their work to shine and they are not affected by their peer’s inability to follow the rules. The Independents are punished when necessary but are also provided with a way out once they figure out that missing recess every day is not how they want to spend the rest of the year.
Brandi Young
Brandi,
DeleteGreat job! I really like your statement "This level of the Scoreboard promotes moral decision making skills and allows students to see how unpleasant life could be if one was to get caught up in the wrong crowd"! That is really our goal with this level isn't it? Here are 25 certification points!
You are asking a lot with this prompt because I am no spring chicken! However, I do remember a group of boys that took great pleasure in taunting the nuns and other students. It is true that they fed off of each other. When one did something mean, it gave the others permission to do it, too. I remember wishing that just one of those boys would call the others out on their behavior. It might have embarrassed the misbehaver enough that he would have stopped. But, alas, that never happened. The bullying continued and the rebel group got stronger and stronger.
ReplyDeleteThe Independents Game would have saved a lot of kids from embarrassing moments and teachers from many frustrating scenes. The majority of my class was well behaved and eager to learn. The five or six boys that bonded together to wreak havoc on our class got yelled at by teachers but with habituation it just rolled off their backs. Not only were they were not scared by the threats; it became a badge of honor for them. I remember one or two of the boys being less mean than the others. If the Independents Game had been in place, they would have opted out of the group, making it less powerful. As the members slowly but surely left the group, the leaders would have begun to feel ostracized from the class. They would have learned the power of peer pressure.
This simple but effective game could be what every middle school teacher needs in her bag of tricks to maintain class control. Of course, it should be preceded by the other levels of the Scoreboard for maximum effectiveness. The teacher will want the majority of the class behind her before she begins this game.
I wish I had known about this game my first year of teaching, when, at 20 years old, I had a bunch of rebels in my class. These kids were just a few years younger than me and I had no idea of how to control them. The Independents Game would have helped me out tremendously!
Liz Howard
Liz,
DeleteI can relate to your "I'm no spring chicken" comment! I had to really think back on this one too! Great job! Here are 25 certification points!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think the Independents would be a great way to motivate teenagers and get them out of their cliques. Teens are more likely to operate in cliques and to use those cliques against authority figures including teachers. The Independents in Whole Brain Teaching puts those students together so that the negative behavior of one impacts all of them negatively but not the whole class.
ReplyDeleteThis unites the rest of the class with the teacher because most students want to learn and don’t like to be disrupted by the negative behavior of one or several students. The rest of the class also appreciated not being punished and often feel relieved that the teacher is dealing with the problem behaviors.
For the Independents, it means that the whole group is being punished for the behavior of one so, they will put pressure on the others to behave appropriately. I also love that the students can opt-out of the group the next day just by telling the teacher that they want out. They do not have to prove anything or do anything special – just make a request. This allows them to see that they have options and that they don’t have to go along with a group of students that are acting inappropriately. The teacher has the option of putting that student back with the independents as necessary because it may take some time for them to get out of the clique.
Mary Carlson
Mary,
DeleteI agree, the rest of the class does appreciate not having a group punishment. They get tired of paying the price for that small group of rebels! That is why the Independents is so perfect! Here are 25 certification points!
Establishing The Independents in middle school would have eliminated a lot of the cliques and challenging peer behavior in middle school. There were definitely Leaders, Followers, and Bottom Dwellers in my middle school. I completely agree with Coach B. these groups were small societies that ran on “humiliation, intimidation, and reprisal” (pg. 132). Middle school students can be so cruel and are quick to jump on board with their peers. I felt sorry for other students as well as some teachers in middle school because of the way they were treated. I think the Independents is a chance for everyone to be treated with respect and all students would “make smart choices”. Level 5 on the Scoreboard is The Independents which supports and rewards students who continually do the right thing and holds the disrespectful students responsible for their actions. Which eliminates group punishments for the actions of others. Ten Finger Woo! The rebellious students also have an opportunity to grow, build character, and express their desire to not be part of the Independents, thus teaching them more responsibility. When you take an audience away from rebellious students, they tend not to misbehave. That would be true success for all students.
ReplyDeleteTonya,
DeleteRemoving the audience does make a huge difference, especially with middle school students! Watch out for sentence fragments "Which eliminates group punishments for the actions of others." Here are 20 certification points!
If my middle school teachers had WBT, I would have sobbed for joy! I had the same group of rebels in almost every class. They were low achievers and seemed to feel like the world was against them. They stole so much learning time from each class that it makes me furious even to this day! Eventually, a few rebels grew up and robbed and assaulted a clerk at a convenience store. The getaway driver received the same punishment as the rebels who robbed the clerk-5 years in prison! If the rebels learned the lesson of the serious consequences of choosing to be in the wrong group in middle school, perhaps they wouldn't have ended up in prison.
ReplyDeleteThe Independents technique uses peer pressure to teach the consequences of their disruptive actions in a safe environment. When they decide it isn't fair to get punished for the actions of a few, they would have stopped their disruptive behavior.
Respectfully,
Krissa White
Krissa,
DeleteIsn't is sad that students choose to be part of these rebel groups? I love your statement "The Independents technique uses peer pressure to teach the consequences of their disruptive actions in a safe environment". Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 20 Anne Corrigan
ReplyDeleteMiddle school was always a stressful time for me and I often felt frustrated at the thought of being punished for the behavior of a select number of students. The concept of the Independents perfectly separates the rebellious students from the faithful students, creating a certain level of alienation that stimulates a change in behavior. By creating this separate group of troublesome students, the tendency for teenage rebellious students to create an atmosphere of disrespect towards the teacher can be eliminated. The 5th level of the Scoreboard Game causes the Independents to turn against each other after their supporters realize that their behavior results in punishment for all of them, not just the troublesome students. I truly love the idea that not only does this modification manage troublesome students but also it allows for the connection to made between smartly choosing your peers and the consequences you must face based on their actions. This lesson is especially important for middle schoolers; they are facing increasing independence and pressure from peers to make certain choices. The fact that this technique allows for the students to make their own choices gives them a sense of individuality. It also allows the “Followers” and “Bottom Dwellers” to redeem themselves in the classroom and be seen as a faithful student. Grouping rebellious students together and obedient students together eliminates pressure and anxiety of being punished for obedient students and directs punishment to the root cause of disruptive behavior.
Anne,
DeleteI love your statement "It also allows the “Followers” and “Bottom Dwellers” to redeem themselves in the classroom and be seen as a faithful student."! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
When I was in middle school many teachers had trouble teaching due to the misbehavior of students. There were many cliques in school and many students followed the rebellious leaders of the school. If there were such a system as the Independents in place I believe the behavior would have been much more manageable and more learning could have taken place.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Independents encourage positive behavior in middle school. Students are learning to make choices for themselves and take responsibility for their actions in class. This also encourages students to choose their friends wisely and allows them to see the other side of others who some students may have wanted to be friends with.
Irish Brown
Irish,
DeleteYou are right, the Independents will encourage the students to chose wisely when making friends! Here are 25 certification points.
Middle school is the beginning of serious cliques among students. I remember being a student and so clearly seeing the difference in the cliques. I also could see WHY certain students were in certain cliques. Typically the most “popular” of students were the ones who misbehaved. They often stuck together through anything and wouldn’t take consequences very seriously. As a teacher in the upper elementary grades at an inner city school, I do see cliques beginning to form. These cliques are definitely smaller but they are there. I see the “queen bee” among the students and all of her workers. Using The Independents, especially with a teenage group, could be VERY effective. Instead of seeing the queen bee get in trouble while all of her workers laugh it off, they are all now going to have to pay the consequence for someone in their own groups’ actions! No longer is it “cool” to be the bad kid. No longer is it respected among peers to be the one getting in trouble and being off task. It definitely adds a whole new spin to the term “peer pressure.”
ReplyDeleteKasey Wicker
Kasey,
DeleteI love your bee analogy! It really does put a new spin on peer pressure! Here are 25 certification points!
The Independents Chapter
DeleteLooking back on my middle school years I can now understand the dynamics of the classrooms that my teachers had to deal with. I can remember clearly one day that a student made my seventh grade teacher cry. Rebellious students were in control of the classroom and learning was not taking place, only power struggles were taking place.
If my teacher had any idea of how to use “The Independents” technique then my seventh grade year would have been a different experience. We had to spend countless days in trouble due to one or two students who were disrespectful.
The Independent group has their own score separate from the class, if a student in the Independent group is misbehaving then the entire independent group gets a mark on the Frownie side and gets a white practice card. During my middle school years this would have meant that I would not have had to endure many days of lost recess time.
I know that at first the rebels will want to unite and will think it is funny or cool to have their own group but in the end they will realize the consequences of their actions and will ask to leave the rebel group. This will be the most powerful tool that the teacher can use, giving students the power of choice!
Lori Crigler
Lori,
DeleteThe Independents Level is such a relief for those students that aren't rebels- they won't be punished for behavior they had no part of! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 20 Think back to your years in middle school. Evaluate how effective the Independents would have been with a group of your teenage peers
ReplyDeleteI went to Junior High School in the 60s. I did not really experience the behaviors associated with middle school today. I went to school when you did as you were told because you were told.
Looking at Independents from today’s perspective I think this would give children an out; a way to disassociate with others who may be disruptive or disrespectful with out being identified by peers.
It is individual and non-public, thus it will work. Often we get ourselves into a situation and do not have the skills be they social or cognitive to evaluate and make judgments based on our circumstances. The concept of Independents is one that divides and conquers, because the behavior that was intended to be teacher-aggravating becomes buddy-infuriating.
I like this concept because I have always had a problem with the shot gum approach to managing difficult students. The line in the text, “The whole class is no longer going to pay the price for the actions of the rebels” is extremely powerful and motivation. It is so unjust for all the class to be punished because a few people are rebels.
Dian,
DeleteI love your statement "The concept of Independents is one that divides and conquers, because the behavior that was intended to be teacher-aggravating becomes buddy-infuriating." Did you mean shot gun (not gum) in the last paragraph? :) Here are 25 certification points!
I think this would have been a huge success when I was attending middle school. I was a very good student in both academics and behavior. That being said, I can recall many times that I had to deal with the punishment of students with rebellious behavior. Many times the teacher would punish the entire class when the misbehavior was being done by one or two students. This is a solution to this problem. It also gets others in that group to point out the incorrect behavior.
ReplyDeleteKaren,
DeleteIt can be very effective when dealing with rebellious students! Try to give a little more information in your posts, we love to hear your thoughts! Here are 25 certification points.
I love how this whole WBT is broken down into parts that are taught sequentially. I remember middle school, along with all of my other years in school and no matter what year, every teacher in every grade always punished the entire class for the behavior of a few. My students love the Scoreboard and the Guff Counter. These have definitely cut down on the disruptions in the classroom, but there are always a few resistant students that lead their pack down the wrong path, especially in middle school. These strong personalities were very hard to stand up against. The Independents is an amazing strategy that is going to make my life so much easier. It places the rebels together where they will all have the same consequences when only one breaks the rules. This will cause the tight knit group to fall apart in order to save themselves from negative effects. I think that this technique will help the rest of the class unite against negative behaviors and it will allow students demonstrating negative behaviors to break away from the independent group just by asking. I also agree with Chris Biffle when he said that for some students, it will take many times going in and out of the Independent group to grasp the idea that they can choose to separate from a bad group. Putting the rebels together really sets them against each other, which weakens the group as a whole. This helps each one to see that individually they have the strength to walk away.
ReplyDeleteJackie Rabin
Jackie,
DeleteYou are right! When we put the challenging kids together and we put pressure on them as a group they begin to fall apart. It may take a few times, but it is so worth it in the end! Here are your 25 certification points.
Apparently, I lived in Bizzaro World in middle school, because I do not remember my teachers being faced with "independents". Or perhaps, I was too busy daydreaming and I was the independent!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the teachers had some classes with independents, but because I was in the advanced program I think I was sheltered from the misbehaviors of my peers. Misbehaviors were not tolerated and students were removed from the program if they caused any problems for the teacher or class.
However, as a teacher in an inner city school, I definitely see the need in the "Independents" level. I have yet to implement it in my class, but I am interested to see what it has to offer. I think back on this past school year...ok, several school years... and there are so many times it could have come in handy! There is power in a group of challenging students and I see how the independents level would turn them against each other and break their bond. Oh yeah!
Shila,
DeleteIt does work wonders to take away that feeling of power that those challenging students have! Here are 25 certification points!
Often, there are always one or two students who march to the beat to their own drum. They do not care if others students care about their behavior or not. This is where level 5 of the super improvers team comes into play; the independents. Grouping rebellious students together allows a few key points of classroom management. The rebellious students are now identified. The rebellious students have to rely on EACH OTHER’s behavior to achieve any positive gains. In previous lessons, a rebellious student had the crutch of an entire class to help them get away with mischievous behavior. However once isolated, their behavior is more out in the open and the student’s behavior is now highlighted more than ever. This can lead to students wanting to leave the independents and return to normal classroom behavior.
ReplyDeleteMiddle school is a time to which students experience a lot of changes to their personalities. “Independents” type behavior seems to be more common in this setting. The ragging hormones and the development of ones personality leads to more rebellious behavior in this age. However the Whole Brain Teaching strategy, the Independents, would have been super effect in managing my peers when I was in middle school. Middle schoolers are very interested in their own self. Not to mean they are selfish, but this is the age to which they begin to develop their social identity. The social self is influenced greatly by the way others perceive them. With the WBT strategy, the Independents, the rebellious students are isolated from the class. The spotlight on their behavior is a strong deterrent from rebellious behavior in middle school. It will prevent them from siding with other student’s rebellious behavior as well. Overall is will lead to a more balanced classroom management system in middle school.
Jason Thomashefsky
Jason,
DeleteGreat thoughts! I appreciate your statement "The social self is influenced greatly by the way others perceive them." Middle school is such a difficult time emotionally, the independents is often a lifesaver for the teacher! There was one small error, "Overall is will lead to a more balanced classroom". Here are 20 certification points!
Middle school is tough. My memories of it are mostly negative. There were a lot of cliques, and if you were not in the right clique you were no one. The teachers seemed to spend a lot of their time dealing with difficult students. I can still remember the foul moods that some of my teachers would get in after a power struggle with a particularly difficult student. The rest of the period was not fun for any of the class.
ReplyDeleteFor many of my teachers, their solution to these difficult students often involved a lot of whole class consequences. A favorite line of one of my teachers was, "You win as a team, and you lose as a team." I was a very quiet child who always followed the rules, and I never did think it was fair that I had to be punished for the choices of a handful of students. I wish my teachers had known about the independents. Foul moods would have decreased, and learning would definitely have increased.
Another really good thing about the independents is that it causes these students to lose their power with the other students. Instead of being the center of attention and their behavior looking "cool", they are isolated in their own group, with a spotlight shining on their negative behavior. Hopefully, this will motivate them to want to get out of the independents, and will cause some of the "fence sitters" to not want to become a part of the independents.
I also like that the choice is theirs. When they want to leave the group, all they have to do is say so. They are then responsible for making good choices and working as part of a positive team. It reminds me a lot of when I have had to "remove a student from community". The student was always allowed to choose when he was ready to return to the community, but once he made that choice, he was expected to be a positive contributing member of the community. I found this technique to be very successful, largely because students were given the power of choice. I think that level five (independents) is successful for mainly the same reason: students are given the power of choice.
As a second grade teacher I hope that I do not have to use this level of the scoreboard, but it is nice to know that it is there if I need it.
Joyce,
DeleteI agree, I'm not a big fan of the "win as a team, lose as a team" mentality in a classroom. It's not too fun for the quiet kids! That's why the independents is such a great tool to have in our back pockets! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 20: The Independents
ReplyDeleteThe independents level of the scoreboard is more advanced. It involves two groups – the class as a whole and a smaller group called the independents. Independents are students who just don’t go along with the rest of the class – rebels!
I think this level of the scoreboard would’ve been very effective with a group of my teenage peers in middle school and high school. We definitely had these kids and we actually called them rebels – Rebels of ’89, Rebels of ‘90, Rebels of ’91! Going to school in a very small town almost guaranteed you that these rebels would be in most of your classes. (I can even see their faces right now and can name every single one of them).
It was evident that the rebels teamed up and fed off each other whenever they didn’t want to do the work, listen to the teacher, or they wanted to stop classroom instruction. If my teachers would’ve implemented the independents I believe two things would’ve happened.
First, the independents would’ve turned on each other. Not everyone in the group would want the white practice card and loss of recess minutes. Well, in my case, it would’ve been a loss of minutes sitting on “the hill” after lunch. (This is where the rebels made all of their spectacular moves on the girls they were pursuing). Loss of this time would have made a rebel stop and think before they interrupted class again.
Second of all, the entire class would’ve learned a lot more because without these many disruptions the teacher would have been able to teach a lot more instead of us losing so much instructional time. Although this is a great benefit to those of us who wanted to learn, I can’t help but think how much more these rebels would’ve learned too!
I believe incorporating the independents level would greatly reduce the amount of referrals and rebels being sent to the office. This would result in a much greater learning time then these rebels have ever had. This level would’ve been a sure winner for all!
Heidi Baird
Heidi,
DeleteWouldn't it be wonderful to eliminate those rebel cliques? I love the humor in your posts! Here are 25 certification points!
Middle School is a very difficult time in life for many people. Everything changes and I mean everything. I did not like Middle School because I felt like I had very few friends and I was not cool enough especially when I got around some of the people from the “Independents Group.” I remember hating my image because I did not have the cool clothes like the popular kids. They would say things and make fun of other people. They were so powerful, even more powerful than the teachers, because the teachers did not have many strategies to deal with the bullying behaviors. When there was a problem, all the teacher did in response to one of the bullies was make them apologize. Then as soon as the teacher left the bully continued on their path of destruction. If the teachers in my Middle School had used the Independents Game the “Popular Kids” would not have reigned for so long. In this game students realize that the choices they make or the choices their group makes can result in consequences. I think students at first may have had a difficult time leaving the group because being a part of the group was what they were used to. However, after a certain amount of time they would probably get tired of working hard individually but still losing recess because one person in their group decided to make a bad choice. I think this part of the scoreboard is a great tool for teachers to teach students a life lesson. They get the opportunity to teach their students to make independent choices and to choose their friends wisely. I also think all students would benefit from this. When The Independents learn to make smarter choices there will be less disruptions in class and more time for learning! This is a win-win for everyone!
ReplyDeleteAmber Hartzler
Amber,
DeleteI imagine there are several kids that can really relate to your experience in middle school! How wonderful that we have this strategy to make it a better experience for them! Here are 25 certification points!
Middle school holds some traumatic memories for most people. It is certainly an age that I have little desire to relive. Cliques, insecurity, and bullying reign. For many students, peers become one of their strongest support systems. The Independents level works within the peer system to disrupt negative behavior. I remember that some bullies were pleasant people without an audience, only to do an about face around peers. I have observed that same phenomenon as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteThe idea behind the Independents is to take away peer support for disruptive behavior. I've often seen students “egg on” disruptive or disrespectful classmates. In addition, as Coach B points out, passiveness is the same as condoning the behavior. Because the challenging student’s peer group will also be held responsible for negative behavior, they will no longer support it. The challenging student’s behavior isn’t so much fun anymore.
I hope I don’t have to use this strategy, but, when I do, I’m looking forward to seeing it make my classroom teacher heaven.
Sheryl Larson
Sheryl,
DeleteHolding those challenging students responsible for each other's behavior is so effective! What a change it makes in the classroom! Here are 25 certification points!
I went to middle school in a small community. We had our share of cliques. I really felt sorry for my teachers as they dealt with disrespectful, rebellious behavior. I could see their frustration levels rise as they tried to regain control of their classroom.
ReplyDeleteHaving an Independent group is a genius idea. The rebels at my middle school would not have a chance with Level Five of the Scoreboard. The rebels would have turned against each other when they realized that they shared the unpleasant consequences with everyone in the Independent Group. On page 132, Biffle states, "...students learn the very important life lesson that if they choose the wrong group, actions by even one member of the group can have a negative effect on everyone in the group. One other amazing part is that the rebellious student can change and make a smarter choice. They have the opportunity to leave the independent group by simply asking the teacher. The decision would have been a great character building opportunity.
I think that I would have benefited the most. I struggled with math in middle school. Because the teachers spent so much time with the rebels, I did not receive the additional support I needed.
This plan is a win-win for all involved. Teachers are in teaching heaven, struggling students are getting more of the teacher’s time and rebels are learning to make better choices.
Kim,
DeleteIt does help us as teachers to be able to relate to the frustration our students must feel as they deal with these rebel groups in class. I'm so thankful to have these strategies to take that frustration away and provide a safer environment more conducive to learning! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 20 – The Independents
ReplyDeleteI feel the Independents would have been a superb classroom management system when I was in school and now. I can see this being quite effective in every grade. And what a super lesson in good choices!
I agree with how each rebel group has a leader, followers, bottom dwellers and they harass each other as well as outsiders. (Reading this chapter reminded me of ‘The Outsiders’.) And I fully agree that they are truly united when they face outsiders, especially those in authority, a.k.a. the teacher. As a student, I saw groups of students gang up on teachers, and as a teacher, I have also witnessed this.
The majority of the class is going to relish in the fact that they no longer have to get frownies for rebels’ behaviours. They will be more motivated than ever to get more smilies.
I like that the teacher selects a few for independents, rather than the whole group. The independents will see that some of their group is part of the whole class and not losing recess time. This will help them to have the courage to ask to leave the independent group, and hopefully they will internalize that hanging with the wrong crowd can get you into trouble.
Looking back, I can see that the leader of the group will want to hold on to his/her title, and try to put more pressure on the other independents to stay with her/him. As the followers leave to rejoin the rest of the class, the leader is going to feel more and more isolated. He/she will most-likely give up the role as class rebel (and losing recesses and being sent home with notes for the practice cards) and fall in to line with the rest of the class. But I imagine he/she will be looking for other ways to get his/her status back.
I don’t foresee using this with the class I am getting, but looking back to when I taught 7/8, this would have been fantastic!!! Nearly makes me want to go back to intermediate – but not quite. ;)
Bonnie,
DeleteIsn't it a great feeling that a technique such as this can make you excited about how wonderful it should work! While most classrooms won't need this strategy, all the time, it has its place. Here are your 25 certification points, and if you find yourself back in a class that has these rebels, you have a great tool to use!
I would have loved this system when I was in middle school. I was a direction follower, known as a leader in WBT and I did not like the fact that we were all punished for the actions of a few students!
ReplyDeleteMost of the students in a classroom were leaders. We were quiet and listened to the teachers and we took notes. I do not remember many disruptive times back then because the alternative was the principal's office. There were no warnings or discussion about it.
I remember the bottom dwellers the most because they were always just "The bottom dwellers." There was no way for them to get out of that clique. Once a bottom dweller, always a bottom dweller. With the Independents Level of the scoreboard, however, the bottom dwellers would have a chance to pull themselves out and make better choices. The same could happen with the followers because they just had to make the choice to improve their behavior. As this level continues the students would begin to rally behind the teacher.
When I was in middle school it always felt like it was the teachers against the students. It was a different time and respecting your teacher was expected. If there would have been WBT the classroom would have felt more inviting!
Mitzi,
DeleteYou made a good point, "Once a bottom dweller, always a bottom dweller" (In the past!!!) Isn't it wonderful to have a tool to help these kids move to a level where they will thrive and be happy?! Here are 25 certification points!
In sixth grade, there was a youngster, Sam, who would have qualified for the independents. He had unfortunately been convinced that, the only way he would establish himself in the classroom, was by humor, even humor directed at the teacher.
ReplyDeleteOften, when Mr. Newteacher was explaining some idea or giving directions, Sam would be turned around, rattling off a new joke or quoting Steve Martin. Mr. New teacher had used lots of ineffective methods. He yelled, he made him write sentences, he even put his desk in the hall for a time. He had partners in crime. They would sometimes race each other writing those sentences, intended to curb their rebellion.
Sam remained disruptive. He knew one thing. Some kids thought he was funny. Infuse Mr. Newteacher with the great knowledge of Whole Brain Teaching and put him at level 4.
Mr. N: (whispering right next to Sam) Sam, since you are having trouble following rule 2 today, you are on the Independents today. You only have to be on the team one day. If you don’t like it, you can tell me you want off.
Little did Sam know that his two partners in crime had already been recruited to the Independents.
Sam: Yes. I wanted to be on this team!
Fast forward a few minutes. During directions, Sam turned around and made a joke to his neighbor, who was trying to listen.
Mr. N.: That’s one for the independents!
Just then, Mike and Josh both turned and glared at Sam. A strange, sinking feeling came over Sam. Where was his power? Where was the laughter? What kind of madness was this?
Signed Jim Hobley, Wholebrainer
Jim,
ReplyDeleteGreat job-very creative! It is such an effective way to help the kids really take a step back and look at their own behavior. Here are 25 certification points and a 5 point bonus!
Chapter 20 – The Independents
ReplyDeleteThinking back to my middle school (Junior High) days is a challenge. That was over 35 years ago!! I think “The Independents” would have been a fantastic life lesson for me and many of my peers. Often we would be goofing off and laughing at each other’s silly behavior. The problem with our silliness was we were distracted from the main purpose of us being at school: learning!!!!
If the teacher had divided us into the class as a whole and the smaller group called, “The Independents”, we would have seen the destructive effects of being in the wrong group. Every time one of my goofball friends disrupted the class, I would suffer the penalty. “No Fair!” I would scream. But it would be fair because all I had to do to get out of the group was to ask. Then I could rejoin the students who were choosing to follow directions and make their dear teacher happy!
I love the statement in Chapter 20 that says, “When students deliberately chose to leave the Independent group, Mrs. Maestra knew she had helped them make an important moral decision. They had decided to separate from a group that got them into trouble. Some students went in and out of the Independent group, asking over and over to be let out. This was fine with Mrs. Maestra. These were precisely the pupils who needed long practice in seeing how unpleasant life could be when chained up with a group of outlaws.”
Of course, the teacher would have to lay the groundwork by slowly implementing the levels of the scoreboard, but the Independent level is a very powerful step in isolating and defeating the class rebels.
Carl Rust 370 cp
Carl,
DeleteIsn't it wonderful to have the opportunity to guide the students as they learn to make those important moral decisions? Nice work! Here are 25 certification points!
Middle school is such a tough time for many students. It is a time of trying to figure out who you are and where you fit in. Peer pressure is at its height and belonging to a group seems so important. My middle school classes were filled with the over achievers in our school, so the “independents” were not a real concern for my teachers. My brother, however, was not so fortunate. He did not fit in with any particular group in middle school, so he joined the independent group. He was not the leader of the group, but a follower. If his teachers had the Independent Behavior System, this would have encouraged him early on to change groups. It would have taught him that the poor decisions of his peers were negatively affecting him, and he would have had the opportunity to get away from the group. One of the beauties of WBT is that no one is left out or made to feel like they do not belong or fit in and less they choose to be independent. They are always given the opportunity to make another choice with the Independent System and join the group. This would have been life altering for my brother. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 12:26, “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 states, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” Making students think about long term consequences and then giving them the support they need to leave a negative group makes this a valuable tool for the student not only in class but in life!
ReplyDeleteMelissa,
DeleteYou made a strong point in your statement "One of the beauties of WBT is that no one is left out or made to feel like they do not belong or fit in and less they choose to be independent. " Learning to make great choices is something all of our students can learn to do! Here are 25 certification points!
I can think back to my experiences in middle school and recall those students that made it so difficult for our teachers. They absolutely held all of the power in the room and wielded it ruthlessly! The other students may not have actively participated in their shenanigans, but they certainly would laugh and remark about incidents in order to feel a part of the “in” group or they would become very annoyed and disconnected with the class. This idea of the independent group certainly would have helped my teachers way back when! It pits the cliques and trouble-makers into an exclusive club without negatively impacting the other students. In fact, I think the other students would find some inner-glee with the squashing of their annoying classmates. The independent group takes all of the power away from the rebel students and places it into the hands of the teacher and other students. The other students will back their teacher when they know they can’t get into trouble any more, thus effectively eliminating peer support from those rebels. The independent group is an awesome way for the teacher to take control of their classroom back!
ReplyDelete-Brianne Betz
Third grade teacher in New Jersey
Brianne,
DeleteYou are so right, many just join in for the feeling of acceptance, and the others tune out quickly as the rebels take over the class! The independent group is a great too to have in our back pocket! Here are 25 certification points!
I went to school in a very small town, graduating with only 22 students. Many of us were pretty close as we moved through the years. Those who were not a part of some close-knit group in my school would have benefited greatly from many components of whole brain teaching, which would have then lead up to the Independents on the scoreboard. The Independents would have been a great resource for several of my classmates who were a bit on the rebellious side.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like most about this level is that students have a chance to leave the Independents when they feel it is necessary. This gives students responsibility and accountability to make the appropriate decisions to work towards leaving the group, thus dwindling the group of Independents down to just a few, very similarly to what the Guff Counter does. Another aspect of the Independents I believe would work well with my peers from the past is the fact that when one student in the independent group acts out the entire group has to deal with the consequences. As I think about the classmates I had in middle school, I know for a fact several of them would not take kindly to another student doing something that could jeopardize the group getting a smiley. This feeling alone could very well encourage many students in the independents to want to leave, aside from their own conscience telling them the same.
There is one concern I might have about using this with one or two of my previous classmates. The concern is that some students could lash out at other students in anger of that student causing the group to get “punished”. I had at least one student I can think of who used physical aggression and was easily angered when someone crossed him. Of course the assumption is these students would have already been through the major components of whole brain teaching and several levels of the scoreboard before being presented with the Independents. This alone would probably help alleviate some of the anger and frustration a student may be feeling. It is still something I would be worried about with students who show high aggression and anger in the classroom. Just a thought as I process the use of this with some of my peers.
Ellen Tucker
Ellen,
DeleteYou have given a thoughtful analysis and I agree, some students may not respond like we would want them to, but thankfully, Coach B. has provided other levels just for those specific rebel behaviors! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
The Independents group is such a wonderful idea. Although I was always the teacher’s pet and always behaved in school, I still felt like I was getting yelled at when just a few kids were acting up in class. As described in the book, there are the Leaders, the Followers, and the Bottom Dwellers. I felt sorry for the Bottom Dwellers because they usually took the blame for the most misbehaved children (Leaders). The Leaders were smart, though, because they manipulated the Followers and the Bottom Dwellers to do whatever they wanted, which would in turn get them into trouble.
ReplyDeleteThe Independents group would have been effective in my particular sixth grade class because I remember we had four boys who fed off of one another’s misbehavior. If one boy did something that interrupted instruction or irritated our teacher, the other three boys would join in and start misbehaving as well. I remember that these boys always got yelled at by our teacher and forced us all to stay in for recess many days during the year. In sixth grade, and even now as a grown adult, I know it’s not fair. I quickly recognized that these boys would not stop until they emotionally beat the teacher down. If Whole Brain Teaching would have been used in my sixth grade classroom, the Scoreboard, Guff Counter, and Independents group would have saved those boys from making bad choices all the time. It also would have saved my teacher a lot of turmoil. Unfortunately, that teacher only lasted another year before she decided to switch careers.
The effectiveness of the Independents group in my classroom right now is incredible. I have seen a drastic change in behavior from my most challenging students. Those kids that used to feed off of each other are now battling one another to behave in class. Those kids that used to give me guff and constantly bring down other students are now working hard to stay out of the Independents group. I am blessed that this strategy is available for me to use so that I don’t get burnt out on teaching and I don’t feel constantly bogged down by my misbehaving students. Whole Brain Teaching always saves the day!
Hannah,
DeleteThe Independents group is very helpful these last few weeks of school! When you couple it with the Guff Counter, you have two extremely effective tools in your back pocket! Here are 25 certification points!
Chapter 20 Independents
ReplyDeleteI attended a rough middle school with several Guffers or disrespected students. However, when I taught this age group, there were many more Guffers, many independents. Biffle states, "These cliques are small societies that run on humiliation, intimidation, and reprisal.” Students in my middle school formed a clique just like Mr. Biffle stated! Humiliation and intimidation were there targets. I was one of them.
The fifth level of our scoreboard, the Independents, would have helped these rebellious classmates to analyze the group they were in. When one made a wrong choice, the entire group would have had a strong consequence. The independents would not have wanted this to continue. They are each allowed an opportunity to move back with the students making positive choices. They did have to stay an entire day with the Independents. This opportunity, to be free of the group punishments, is great. I think it would have dissolved the clique. This level supports the students who make the right choices while treating all students with respect.
I do wish my middle school teachers would have used the wisdom that this level teaches. The action by even one member of the group would have had a negative effect on everyone in the group.
I realize that even though I was in middle school more than thirty years ago, the Guffers of that age impacted my life tremendously. I was their victim. This level will definitely be highlighted in my kindergarten classroom. “Sock it to those rebels!”
Regina-Champagne Babin
Regina,
DeleteIsn't it amazing how much we remember from those days thirty years ago. As a teacher, it is so nice to know that we have this strategy in our back pockets to help alleviate some of the pain another child may have endured from the cliques. You had a small error "intimidation were there targets"(their). Here are 20 certification points!
The first thing that comes to mind when reading this chapter is “guilt by association”. In middle school this concept is hard for children to comprehend when the main concern is to fit in. In my opinion, the best features of the Independents system are the power of choice, self reflection and responsibility.
ReplyDeleteTeenage years are a delicate time when children are learning the value of friendship and are still learning about themselves. This system gives students a way to evaluate their friendships and behaviors as well as the impact their behaviors and decisions have on themselves and others. Many times students in the Independents group display inappropriate, attention seeking behavior because they have strength in numbers. This strategy eliminates that safety net, isolating the troublesome students. In a safe, guided environment, the children have the opportunity to “opt out” of the Independents group. The experience based strategy empowers students to use good judgment and grow lifelong decision making skills.
The Independents also takes away the burden and frustration of the challenging student behavior from those students who are the “rule followers”. It can be discouraging to continuously follow the rules when others are regularly challenging authority at the expense of the class.
As with other WBT techniques, The Independents is an effective tool to provide students with control over and accountability for their own actions while unifying the class behind the goal of having fun while learning.
Bethann Barneman
Bethann,
DeleteIt is wonderful to have this tool to not only help the challenging students self correct, but to give the "rule followers" their best chance for a great education! Here are 25 certification points!
When I think of independents in my middle school experience, one specific class comes to mind. Looking back, I think my 8th grade year must have been very early in his teaching career. His control of students was minimal; his classroom management very weak. As typical 14 year olds, I remember the class “running over” him frequently. The scoreboard levels would have transformed his classroom.
ReplyDeleteI recall there being two or three students who always seemed to get us going. I think being labeled “Independents” and being held responsible for each other’s behaviors would have helped this specific teacher weed out those most oppositional students, while positively supporting the remaining students. I like that this level puts the control completely in the students’ hands. They have the power to put themselves in or take themselves out of the group. Their negative choices affect only a small group of students as opposed to the whole group. It doesn’t matter to these challenging students if the whole class is punished due to their behavior choices, but, if only 2 or 3 are suffering consequences, it is not nearly as fun. You effectively remove the audience and therefor, the reward of attention and support of the followers and bottom dwellers. This lack of support diminishes the power of the independents, which is victory for the teacher!
Elisabeth Thompson
Elisabeth,
DeleteGreat job! You made a great point, "It doesn’t matter to these challenging students if the whole class is punished due to their behavior choices, but, if only 2 or 3 are suffering consequences, it is not nearly as fun." That is so true! Here are 25 certification points!
I would have loved for my middle school teachers to incorporate the Independents in my classes. I was always the “model student.” I did exactly what was expected of me, when it was expected of me, and how it was expected of me. I never doubted the teacher’s authority for a second. Unfortunately, not everyone shared my philosophy on classroom behavior. In each of my classes, there was always a group of students who banned together and made it their mission to make our teacher’s life miserable for those 45 minutes. I would feel sad for the teacher and angry at those rebels who were making all of us suffer. If my teachers had implemented the Independents, I would have reveled in the fact that the students were finally being grouped in a way that effected only them! I like the idea that the students can ask to get out of the group. That is so important that the students can decide that they want to separate themselves from making these poor choices. Perhaps it would have helped point some of my classmates in the right direction, rather than some of the choices they ultimately made. If needed, I am looking forward to implementing this step in my classroom this year. It gives the students a great opportunity to make an important decision for themselves, rather than relying on those classmates that they are rallying together with.
ReplyDelete-Courtney Wood
Courtney,
DeleteI think you are right, this is extremely helpful to the students that choose great behavior. They get so tired of listening to the Guff of the rebels and this helps redirect the class in a positive manner! Here are 25 certification points!
Middle school is a turbulent time in the lives of our middle schoolers. Things haven’t changed much since I was in middle school. We had various groups of kids. Jocks, freaks, snobs were in every class. I really never fit into any group, I guess I was in the group that liked school and learning, today I would be called a “try-hard”. I believe the Independents level of the Scoreboard Game is a great way to keep the rebels in check. I am a retired Army officer and this reminded more of the Army than middle school. The exception being putting the rebels in a sub group. In the Army if one soldier made a poor choice the whole unit would pay the consequence. The problem soldiers were quick to change their ways for fear of the entire unit turning against them. I love two things about this level first is that I do not punish the rest of the class and second the rule gives the students the power of choice. They just have to asked to be removed from the Independents, which empowers the students to make the right choice. This will come in handy mid-year when I have identified my rebels, so excited to implement!
ReplyDeleteRebecca,
DeleteI hadn't ever thought of the relationship between the independents and the army. That is interesting! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
I really like this idea, especially as it applies to the older student. Once students reach the double digits in age, their behaviour changes and we, as teachers, need to modify our approach to them in order to remain effective!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in Grade 7, there was a group of “popular kids” who decided that they were in charge. They were not mean or bad per se, they simply decided that their wants and desires superseded anything else in the school. I can only imagine how hard it was for my teacher to deal with them!
If I were able to travel back in time, knowing what I know now, I would strongly encourage my teacher to not only adopt WBT but specifically to use the technique called “The Independents” with the Scoreboard. The students causing most of her problems were not inherently “bad” kids, they simply wanted to have fun and had discovered strength in numbers. With “The Independents” technique, that group of students could be placed together in a sub-group. This means that their actions would no longer impact the entire class in quite the same way. As well, it would provide the members of this sub-group the opportunity to learn that “strength in numbers” can also become a liability. More than that, this technique would allow those students “to learn the very important life lesson that if they choose the wrong group, actions by even one member of the group can have a negative effect on everyone in the group” (Biffle, 2013, p. 132).
I believe that if this technique had been used, peer pressure from within the group would have quickly been applied. Their numbers would have begun to dwindle because students would have chosen to exit the group.
Christina,
DeleteThe effects of peer pressure is amazing. These students are so used to being backed up by their buddies and this is a game changer! Here are 25 certification points!
Trying my best to think back THAT many years ago as a middle school student…(WAIT, we did not even call it middle school back in the day, it was referred to as Junior High!), however, I believe the effectiveness of grouping the “beloved rascals” into the Independents would have been immeasurable. As I reflect back on my middle school peers, it is not difficult to recall whom the El Supremo, Followers, and Bottom Dwellers were in my class. This level of the Scoreboard, The Independents, might just be the most ingenious strategy I have ever heard of for dealing with students that negatively target their teacher and disrupt the flow for faithful students.
ReplyDeleteAs this school year progresses, my hope is that I will not have to establish a group of Independents. However, if it is necessary, below are several factors with this resourceful system that appeal to me.
1. Most importantly, I love how the courteous, hardworking students are not punished for the undesirable decisions of disrespectful classmates.
2. I feel that the parents of the respectful students will appreciate immensely the fact that their child is not punished or given practice for the actions of a few students.
3. As for the parents of the rebellious students, my hope is that they would view this strategy as a life-lesson, as well as, a way that validates my love and concern for their child’s academic success. The life-lesson being conveyed is that regardless of where their child has been or what they have done; only THEY have the option of disconnecting themselves from a self-destructive path.
4. As for the rebellious student, it is my opinion that by allowing them the jurisdiction of remaining in the group or asking for removal, they will develop a sense of “independence” in deciding their destiny.
…. As for the faithful students, I can audibly hear in unison a resounding
“OH, YEAH”!!
Ooops.....I forgot to sign!
ReplyDeleteKelly Avery
2014-15 WBT Intern
Kelly,
DeleteI agree, I think the ones that appreciate this the most are definitely the faithful students! What a refreshing change it will be when they don't have to deal with the rebellious students and their interruptions! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!
Thinking back to middle school I have vivid memories of students pushing the limits of respect. Words of compliance laced with sarcasm, groans, eye rolls, and downright defiance were commonplace, and frequently met with giggles of approval. A system such as WBT’s various scoreboard levels would have gone a long way toward curbing this nonsense. Level 5, The Independents, would have been extremely effective with my classmates.
ReplyDeleteThe students most often involved in giving guff were also more than ready to mock and point out the faults of their peers. The ongoing battle for supremacy would have created the perfect atmosphere for this strategy to work. Given the likelihood that they would have denied their culpability, Level 5 would have been met with curiosity by the targeted students. As this level of the Scoreboard played out, I can see how easily my peers would have abandoned their loyalties in favor of laughing at the misfortune of their friends.
This method would have affected my middle school classes with three significant benefits. First, the teachers would have been seen as having more authority (Power to the Teachers!). Second, the faithful students would have been joyfully relieved that they were no longer going to be penalized for the misbehaviors of a few. Finally, the cliques involved in hell-raising would have been tamed, and exposed to an important truth – choosing the wrong group of friends can have a powerful impact on your happiness.
Traci Katz
Traci,
DeleteThe three points you listed are right on target! Good job, here are 25 certification points!
Middle school is a time of intense peer pressure and the power of cliques. Cliques in middle school are usually divided into the Jocks, the Brains, the Nerds and the Popular Kids. The cliques are usually led by one or two prominent students and have a number of faithful followers. Chris Biffle explains these as the Leaders, Followers and the Bottom Dwellers.
ReplyDeleteI went to Catholic School for both 7th and 8th grades. In that school, there were very few cliques. The students did not want to challenge the nuns, so behavior was very controlled. When I transferred to a junior high school in 9th grade, things were very different. For the first time I not only experienced the power of cliques, but also the disruptive behavior of other students. A tool like, the Independents, would have been very useful in breaking the power of the disrupters. Turning students against one another would definitely have broken down the power within the cliques. As students abandoned their disrespectful behavior and peers, those students still acting out would find them without their “back up.” Their power would be greatly diminished.
I especially like how the Independents teach students the power of choice. This lesson is one that will be important for the rest of their lives. It is a lesson that once learned will guide them to make more positive choices in all areas of their lives.
Susan,
DeleteFirst, how wonderful that you were able to attend a school where this wasn't a problem! But, in moving to the new school, you were able to see first hand the real need for a positive tool like the Independents! Nice job, here are 25 certification points!
I was never part of the “In” crowd. I was always part of the nerds that studied during the big football game. The Independent crowd never phased me because I knew early on that I would never fit into the mold they wanted their peers to be in. Nor did I care to either. I have always marched to the beat of my own drum.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I can see the beginnings of independents groups in my own classroom right now. I notice how one student will start the behaviors then, even if they would never instigate it themselves, other students go along with the unruliness. Behaviors cease once I call out the instigator. I will begin using the Independents technique later on in the year once students have become immune to lower levels on the scoreboard. I know that it will be very effective because I can already see that other students do not want to get in trouble for what another student does.
Geni Ainge
Geni,
DeleteYou are right, students don't want to be punished for poor choices that others have made in class. This helps the teacher focus more on helping those that make the poor choices without handing out group punishments. Here are 25 certification points!
In my middle school years, I had just moved into a new state and a new school. It felt like I was hyper-aware of every clique in the school because I was moving on the outside. Soon enough, I would fall into my normal group, but until then, I could vividly see which students were in which groups.
ReplyDeleteWe had the students that would cause our seventh grade teacher to put her head in her hands and squeeze her hair. Those were the students that got several “demerits” daily. Demerits terrified me, but certainly not them.
We had the sleepers, who would pull their hoodie over their head, lean on their fist and pretend to be reading. They usually smelled like pot and spoke slowly. The teacher never paid much attention to them unless they started snoring.
We had the over-achievers who the teacher used as her teaching-base. These were the only students who were ever called on to answer questions or provide clarification. They received warm, friendly teacher smiles daily.
And then we had the group that I would inevitably join: the quiet students. We paid attention and completed all of our work, but we hated being put on the spot. We were middle-to-high performing kids who stayed middle-to-high performing based on our personal work ethics.
If the Independents system had been used in this classroom (if the scoreboard in general had been introduced), miracles would have been worked. The hair-squeezing kids would have had their support cut from them. The sleepers would have been expected to pay attention in order to respond. The over-achievers would have had less of their instruction cut from them (aka time taken to yell at the hair-squeezers). The quiet kids would have been gently pulled from their quiet comfort zone and given a voice that didn’t stand out—but also wasn’t ignored. For one moment, everyone (aside from the Guffer) would have been unified in a single instance that would have easily transferred them into the next part of the teacher’s lesson.
Catherine,
DeleteThis really does help us focus on all of our students. I agree, the quiet kids often get ignored, and this is a great way to help solve that problem! Here are 25 certification points!
Thinking back to my school days I can remember certain groups of, what I call, low-level rebels who would certainly have had their classroom behaviour changed for the better with ‘the Independents’ section of the Scoreboard. These children were not hard core rebels, but they did like to annoy teachers with silly noises, throwing bits of paper, etc. All of this behaviour was definitely done for the benefit of their buddies in the class who would laugh and give the rebel a kick of ‘dark-dopamine’. Clumping these children together in a group, where the actions of one child led to repercussions for the others, would have quickly taken the shine from their little acts of tomfoolery. “The behaviour they had intended as teacher-aggravating is now buddy-infuriating,” (Biffle, 2012).
ReplyDeleteI can even remember how some of the more well behaved children could occasionally act up in the classes of the more meek and mild teachers. These types of dissenter would definitely have ceased all rebellious behaviour immediately if they had been put into the Independent group, purely because the thought of their parents finding out would stop them dead in their tracks.
However, there were certain naturally rebellious children at my school who, in hindsight, were probably on the spectrum, and who, I don’t think, possessed the empathy required to understand or care that their actions impacted on the lives of others. They would, though, have been exceptionally annoyed by someone else’s behaviour resulting in them losing break time and having to practise class rules. So, even with these children, the Independents would have had a positive effect.
Of course, the fabulous thing about WBT is that you always have something else in your back pocket to try with your most hardened rebels. Any child who was immune to peer pressure, or lacked the social skills to care, would probably have responded well to the Bullseye Game.
Quentin Dalrymple
3/4th grade
Perthshire, Scotland.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteQuentin,
DeleteYour third paragraph really sums up the beauty of the Independents! Nice job! Here are 25 certification points!