Introduction
Points are the building block for classroom management systems in LiveSchool. A positive point says “you did something great! nice job!” A negative point, or demerit, says “you violated an expectation of our classroom or school."
Points can’t teach your expectations, build relationships with students, or manage behavior for you. But they can provide you with a consistent vocabulary and foundation to accomplish those goals!
Once you’ve logged in, click the mode selector on the top left of the screen and select Points. Ready to get started? Jump to learn more about:
Recording Points and Comments
Once you’ve logged in for the first time, you are ready to record points and comments in real-time. To record a point, simply:
- Click a student's name
- Click Continue
- Click a behavior
- Click the comment button to leave a comment (optional)
- Click Submit!
If you need to record a behavior from earlier in the day, you can click the Time Selector on the top right of the behavior rubric screen. Next to the time selector, you can also change the location of the behavior to note where in the building it occurred.
After recording a point, three things will happen:
- A red or green data bubble will pop up on the student’s name
- Your point will be visible to other teachers and administrators in the app
- Your point will show up on the student’s weekly report
To view or undo points for a student, click that student’s name then click the eye icon on the bottom of the screen. This will open up Points View, where you will see all points recorded over the past seven days for the selected student. If you need to undo a specific behavior, click the blue X on the right-hand side.
Once you get the hang of recording and viewing points, you are ready to learn some of the time-saving tips available in LiveSchool!
Watch VideoSee how to record points and comments
(1 minute, 46 seconds)
Time-Saving Tips
LiveSchool is all about reducing paperwork so that you can spend more time with your students. When recording a point, there are a few tips that can help you do more in less time:
- You can select multiple students all at once by clicking their names
- Use the select all and clear buttons on the bottom left of Points mode to quickly select all the students in a roster, or clear your selection
- You can also select multiple behaviors are the same time
- You can double-tap a student to proceed to the rubric screen. If you are selecting multiple students, double click the last student's name to pull up the rubric screen.
- You can also double-tap on a behavior to submit.
Here’s an idea! When teaching a new classroom management procedure to students, reinforce student learning by awarding a point for students who successfully model the new procedure – you can use select all and then unselect any students who aren’t following along.
Also consider appointing a student helper to do the data entry for you! Select a student who is responsible and focused enough to stay engaged with their learning while occasionally marking a point for you. Using a student helper to record positive points not only saves you time, but also contributes to a more positive classroom culture! It is up to you whether your classroom helper will also record demerits, or if you prefer to handle that yourself.
Watch VideoLearn time-saving tips in Points mode
(54 seconds)
Classroom Management with Points
Points are most effective when accompanied by specific verbal praise and a little bit of WOW. Students want to know that they did something great and that you’re genuinely excited to see them on the right path. Positive praise is also a powerful tool to maintain a constructive class culture. It can be more fun – and effective – to positively narrate the great work most students are doing than to fixate on the few individuals who are off track.
We all know that classroom management isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. Students will make negative choices, and demerits are an important tool to help students get back on track. However, demerits can also become a source of negativity if not used properly. Keep these three ideas in mind when using demerits:
- Don’t give demerits for an expectation that isn’t explicit. It can be tempting, but it’s not fair or effective. If you realize you haven’t clearly communicated an expectation, make a note and circle back to it first thing next class period.
- Provide students non-verbal and verbal reminders for minor misbehavior. Especially for elementary and middle-grades students, misbehavior can just as often be due to impulse control as bad intentions.
- Define a consequence ladder in advance. Giving a student ten demerits in a row doesn’t solve anything. Connect specific numbers of demerits to an escalating series of feedback and interventions. Building blocks like cool-off time, a reflection letter, and parent phone calls are essentials.
Finally, consider modeling behaviors ahead of time for students. Act out different scenarios and have your students vote on whether you deserve a positive point or demerit. Different people interpret expectations differently, and the best way to create consensus about the expectations in your classroom or school is through discussing specific examples of behavior and the impacts they have on your community.
