The Good Behavior Board Game: Classroom Edition
A CD Classroom Management System Manual
Ennio Cipani, Ph.D.
Author Biography
Ennio Cipani, Ph.D., a graduate of Florida State University, is a licensed psychologist and a full professor at National
University- Fresno. He has published numerous articles, chapters, instructional
materials and books (available from any online bookstores, search Cipani)
including Classroom management for all teachers: Evidence-based practice
(3rd edition, 2008), Functional behavioral assessment, diagnosis
and treatment (2007) and, Triumphs in early autism treatment (2008).
He has given many workshops and continuing education courses focusing on the
effective management of problem child behavior. Dr. Cipani has been doing
in-home and school based behavioral consultations for families and school
personnel since 1982. He has dealt with many families and a variety of behavior
problems, conducting assessment and intervention activities in homes and
classrooms. For more information about Cipani & Associates Publishers go to
www.ecipani.com
Table of Contents
Introduction
Section I: Brief description
Section II: Designating classroom behavior rules
Section III: Procedures
Section IV: Hypothetical example of GBBG
Section V: You
asked, I answered!
The
Good Behavior Board Game
Introduction
To be an effective teacher, your students should attend while you are presenting instructional content and engage in their class assignments with vigor. Unfortunately, you may have some (or many) students who do the opposite. Often they do not attend while you are teaching. Subsequently, they are unable to perform the assignments, since their successful completion was predicated on their listening to your lecture. They seem to lack motivation to do well in school and complete their assignments. You have encountered some who are openly oppositional to your instruction and class assignments. You may be a great teacher, but if you cannot deliver instruction, your skills, talents, and good intentions become immaterial. You need a behavior management system that is easy to use and effective in controlling disruptive and problem behaviors. It would be even better if your students beg you to use it!
Welcome to such a classroom management system. The Good Behavior Board Game (GBBG) addresses how you can effectively handle problem behaviors during independent seat work and/or lesson presentations for all students in the class. The GBBG is derived from the Good Behavior Game, which has received extensive research testing that demonstrates its positive effects on students in this country and others.[1]
Terms you need to learn
Behavior Goal: The maximum number of good behavior rule violations within a good behavior interval that determines whether the class icon moves up one space on the game board.
Game Board Maze: Board maze with spaces and Treasure Box spots through which the class icon progresses.
“Good behavior interval”: The unvarying interval length established for the class to meet the behavior goal. I suggest 10 to 15 minutes for most classes with the exception of younger grades (K-2), which may warrant shorter intervals. To keep track of the interval lengths, a portable oven timer, visible to the students, is set for a length of time. The oven timer is re-set for the same interval length until the end of the instructional period.