My First Clip Chart

I had a chance to visit Sandlot School today. My old class are coming along well, I'm so proud of them! They are really growing up into fine little people. While I was there, I was able to take some photos of the Clip Chart that I made in June. Here's how it looks!

As explained in this amazing post at Clutter-Free Classroom, each student in the class has a peg with their name on it. For behaviour, they are told to clip up (good) or down (bad). It's a great, visual, way for younger students to understand how they are doing. What I loved about it is that it really worked with my class. I introduced it and, within two days, students who were normally troublesome were hovering around the top of the chart. When I left Sandlot School, my host teacher asked to keep the Clip Chart. To my happiness, they are still using it over two months later.

"We like the colours" - student, age 7, when talking about the clip chart this morning.

Each student goes back to Ready to Learn at the end of every day, showing that being ready to learn is the goal of this operation.

• Here is a link to the free Clip Chart ebook, which details exactly how to use the chart and how to make it. 
• Some cute Clip Chart record sheets over at Frogs and Fairytales, for noting down all of that good/bad behaviour.
• A spotty Clip Chart design from Teaming Up To Teach, just print on white paper!
• Interesting portable 'Clip Stick' from First Grade Wizards
• Queen of the First Grade Jungle has a jungle-themed Clip Chart
• Babbling Abby at The Inspired Apple made a rockin' Clip Chart

I don't have a .pdf to share with you all- my own Clip Chart was just made from labels I made in OpenOffice Writer, stuck to coloured card/paper. The coloured paper was then stuck together and the whole thing was laminated. I punched two holes in the top and threaded a shoelace through it, to make the hanging height adjustable. My cutting of the labels wasn't exactly straight, if I use this method again I'll use a guillotine to do the cutting!

In general, I'm pleased with how my first Clip Chart turned out- and especially thrilled that my host teacher wants to keep using it with her students. Now that I know how well they can work, I'm looking forward to creating the next one!