Teaching with Mel D

Classroom Management Linky Party

Mrs. Randall from Miss Kindergarten is hosting a classroom management linky party & I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE LINKY PARTIES!

The first thing I would like to blog about is

Yes these look like pom poms to you, right? NO! These are magical WARM FUZZIES…I MEAN MAGICAL…well to my classroom management they are magical! I have been using these magical little puffs of heaven for years now & I wouldn’t have it any other way! I can give warm fuzzies & I can also take them away. And let me tell you when I take one away…I have seen tears…oh yeah I have seen tears over these little puff balls! Each of my students has one of these

I had to find a pic online since I didn’t take one at school. I have used old film containers & baggies in the past but I saw the light when I passed by these & thought PERFECTO! The kids are told they are not allowed to take the lid off until Friday which is trading day. Did you notice there are BIG and LITTLE warm fuzzies? Well, that is for a reason. A BIG warm fuzzy is a BIG deal because it equals FIVE little fuzzies! When I take a BIG fuzzy away I keep the nurse on call because someone might be going to the hospital..lol. The following are some examples of why I would give a fuzzy.
1. I spy a quiet table
2. I spy someone walking “normal” in the hallway
3. I spy someone being a good friend
4. I spy a good listener
5. I spy someone being organized
I think you get the point. So if they do they opposite of the above I take some away.
1. I spy someone talking during calendar
2. I spy someone skipping in the hallway
3. I spy someone not following directions
4. I spy someone not being nice to their friends
5. I spy someone being a little piggy in their desk
Needless to say my little monsters really LOVE to earn fuzzies! It’s a sad day in Mrs. Dillard’s class on Friday when someone has no fuzzies :o( This means they don’t get a chance at the treasure box, no homework passes, pencils, or treat jar!
I have to rethink the amount I give when the kids start taking AR tests. I’ve had many aides tell me that my kids are OBSESSED with taking AR tests & I said…”It’s because they get a BIG warm fuzzy each time they pass a test!” Whatever works, right?
This does help keep the NOISE level way down because I will have a table hand in a fuzzy & as soon as the others see that, everyone is quiet immediately! The fuzzies help with a lot of math skills such as counting by ones, fives, tens, etc. If you have any fuzzy questions let me know. BTW, I got some fuzzies in the $ section of Target!
Check out the terrific transitions section of my blog…this section also gives some excellent classroom management tips.

http://seusstastic.blogspot.com/search/label/transitions

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I wish there was a LOVE button… because I am in LOVE with this idea!!! Thank you sooooo much for sharing this wonderful idea! Do you have like a list of how many fuzzies things cost for when they trade them in? Also, where did you find the containers? Thanks so much for sharing! I enjoy your blog! 🙂

    Elisabeth
    http://www.missdelk.blogspot.com

  2. Ok, I want to go to target right now and buy ALL of the warm fuzzies! What a great, great idea! Thanks for linking up!

    Hadar

  5. I use warm fuzzies!! I got the idea from my fabulous teammate. I used the warm fuzzied mostly for compliments. If my kids received a compliment in the hall, in a specials class, from a parent, or who ever…then I told them that that always made me feel warm and fuzzy inside…hence the name! 🙂 I also had mini warm fuzzies the same way that you did! Love it! I put this on my "wishlist" at the beginning of the year and get them donated by parents. Love warm fuzzies!!
    Tammy
    Live Love Laugh Everyday In Kindergarten

  6. @Elizabeth I just got the containers from Lakeshore…they are perfect..the fuzzies fit right in! The kids get to trade ten warm fuzzies (2 big ones or 10 little ones) for a prize from the treasure box, a pencil, a no homework pass, or something from the candy jar. The parent's are great about donating stuff for the treasure box & treat jar. I talk all about the fuzzies at open house.
    @Hadar I usually put my fuzzies on our school supply list & I will pick them up when their on clearance since I do tend to run out of them when there is a competition going on in my room..lol. They compete for who has the MOST warm fuzzies..LOL!
    Peace,Mel D
    Oh the Places We’ll Go

  7. I must say I am so stinking excited about this idea!!! I've told everyone! haha I went to school yesterday and dug out all my warm fuzzies that I had in my craft stuff. I had a ton! So I'm super pumped about it!! Any suggestions on what to keep them in in case I don't get the containers right away? Also, what do you do if the kids have more than 10 fuzzies? Or if someone doesn't have enough? Again thanks for sharing this darling idea! LOVE IT and I LOVE your blog!!!! 🙂

    Elisabeth
    http://www.missdelk.blogspot.com

  8. I LOVE the fuzzies! I have also done the same concept in the spring with coins but never thought about it with fuzzies for the beginning of the year! Thanks for sharing!!

  9. Loving this idea. I've seen a community warm fuzzies collection before, but never individual, so I have a few questions. Do you use labels to put each student's name on the container, and if so, how do you make them reusable year to year? Also, do you leave the little lids on them? Do you give the warm fuzzy to the child to put in their container, or do you put them directly in the containers for them?

    Thanks!!

  10. I used to put # labels on each one but now I just put their name on labels & they easily rip off for the next year. The lids ABSOLUTELY STAY ON! Otherwise, you'll have a mess on your hands with their hands in them all the time. They are not allowed to take the lid off until right before they trade & they need to count them. If I see a lid off then I take the fuzzies. They put them in the containers themselves..if they lose it..oh well. It's all about responsibility. I hope this helped. :o) The kids are OBSESSED with the fuzzies.

  12. I absolutely love this idea! =) I am so getting some fuzzies!!!! I am glad the year has just begun… def a great behavior management tool. Now I just have to figure out what they can get with the fuzzies! =) I love this! Thank you for sharing!!!!

  13. I bought the fuzzies today at Michael's. They aren't expensive at all… $4.99 for a bag of 300 and they always have coupons for 40 and 50 percent off! =0) I just can't wait to start this on Monday. I will be ordering the no spill paint cups through another site… Google and you can find them at better prices. Thanks again for sharing this fabulous idea!!!

  14. I began using your warm fuzzies idea and my students love it! They got to go shopping yesterday! It was great. Of course the kids that didn't have enough were upset, but oh well… do the right things and you shall be rewarded!! =)

    I had a teacher ask me why I take them away if they earned it… well this is my behavior management technique so you earn them for doing the right things, but you can easily lose them for doing the wrong things… that is real life…. she didn't agree with me! She says students shouldn't lose if they earn and I explained how will they learn real responsibilities if they don't lose what they've earned? In real life, if you own a car, drive it around normally and if you then decide to drive recklessly you will get in trouble (get tickets, lose your license, etc)… that's real life even if you "earned" you car.
    What's your take on earning and losing fuzzies?

  15. Hey love your coupons and warm fuzzies, i was doing something similar-they received tickets and earned certain amount and moved a clip to a poster on their choice of reward but hated keeping up with thickets and sometimes forgot to let them trade for rewards. i have printed them and put them in library pockets on board and they will take coupon of choice and put in their own pocket but was wondering do you still trade your fuzzies 10 small for 1 coupon 2 big ones also for 1 coupon since you changed to coupons? Also do you only let them trade fuzzies for coupons on Fridays and they earn/collect them throughout week? Also do you let them keep their containers on their tables and how do you store them on the tables? Thanks for sharing such cute things i love your site!!

  16. Hi, I love your warm fuzzie concept and have started using it in my classroom this year. Thanks for sharing the coupons and everything as it has made it so much simpler for me to start using. I have added a graph for recording weekly results and at the end of term they will be able to reflect back and see how they went. My blog as a copy of the graph I use if anyone wants to use it.
    http://sowingseedsoflearning.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/behaviour-management.html

  17. Thank you so much for this great idea! I think you have just helped me tweak my classroom management to just what I have been needing! Thank you!

  18. I'm a first year teacher this year and this is the perfect behavior management technique!! I think a lot of people have asked this question, but I couldn't find an answer.. Do you have a specific "cost" for each of the coupons or do they all cost the same? Thanks!

  19. I am curious what grade everyone teaches who uses these warm fuzzies. I love this idea, but am wondering if they would be appropriate for middle school special ed. Any ideas?

  20. Hi….great idea! When they owe you a fuzzy, do they have to pay you immediately? Also, is it distracting when they have to go open their container and give it to you?

    • I teach kindergarten and a lot of the time the students are on the rug. I feel like if I give them a fuzzy on the carpet they'll play with it until they get to their desk. Or would I just say, "if you play with it…it gets taken away"?

  21. Hi….great idea! When they owe you a fuzzy, do they have to pay you immediately? Also, is it distracting when they have to go open their container and give it to you?

  22. Someone shared the idea of using Starbucks frap cups with lids rather than expensive paint cups! Pure genius!!! michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/2009/01/aha-use-from-to-go-cup-to-no-spill.html

  23. Hi! I'm a student teacher this year, but I fell in love with your Warm Fuzzies idea last year while taking a Classroom Management class! I keep trying to watch the video/presentation on your classroom management tips and a more in depth description of this, but it won't let me watch it – only takes me to the teachersnotebook.com website. Do I have to have an account? Also, is your Bucket Filler resource no longer listen on TpT?? I love it as well!! Omg, things like this make me so excited to begin teaching. 🙂 Thanks so much!!

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