WBT Book Club-Chapter 19: The Guff Counter

Mr. S-

We just wanted to let you know that our Classroom Management System is in full swing.  You had inquired about our team’s Super Improvers Team (Level 2 of our Scoreboard), and we want you to be reminded that it is the best strategy we have implemented for encouraging individual student improvement and success.  We wanted you to be aware we have also introduced a new class management technique, the Guff Counter (Scoreboard Level 4).  We have had several students back talk and be disrespectful lately, and the Guff Counter is specifically designed to eliminate this.  We know, as you have stated many times, “Student success relies heavily on keeping their E-tanks (emotional tanks) full.  It is difficult to keep E-tanks full when others are disrespectful during class, and with months of school left, we felt it was time to add this classroom management strategy.  

Here’s how the Guff Counter works:  We have added a row, called Guff, to each of our classroom scoreboards.  When we see disrespectful behavior, either toward us or other students (eye rolling, back talk, groaning, etc.), we will verbally say, “That sounds like guff to me, where's my marker?"  This will cue the class to raise their hand with a "stopping gesture" while firmly responding, “Please stop!”  This effective classroom management strategy unites the class behind the teachers and the team because it does not allow disrespectful behavior to be tolerated.  This quickly shows the guffer that they are all alone and not supported by their classmates.  During the introduction/practice session, students lost one point for each disrespectful word/gesture, but in reality, they will never lose points for individual guff.  Students do not want to lose points and will always stand behind the teacher's leadership.  They can, however, earn points for uniting together when they say, “Please stop!”  

“No one may interrupt instruction and learning” is one of our team expectations, and we can’t afford to allow rebel students to win a classroom struggle.  Nor is it our goal for any one student to be hurt or upset.  The Guff Counter is an effective classroom management technique because it allows us to correct the behavior as a class so we can quickly continue with learning.  

Thank you for supporting our team’s Whole Brain Teaching efforts.  We just thought we should let you know about our current steps toward making our team stronger and more proficient.  

None of us is stronger than all of us!

Respectfully yours,

Team Canterbury Castle