Countdown Boards: Interactive Behavior Charts for Positive Classroom Management
Behavior charts and behavior boards are extremely meaningful to the students visually and to the teachers who can see how they are responding through out the day. Charts and boards for behavior also provide ongoing documentation of daily performance. I have an entire stash of go-to charts and boards, and I love them all! Perhaps the easiest one to use is also the most misunderstood: the Countdown Board.
The Most Versatile Behavior Chart
The countdown board is a versatile tool that everyone in the classroom can benefit from. I use it most commonly is as an unstructured visual to-do list. First, I pick if I’m going to use a 3, 4, or 5 spot board. See the pictures below for examples. Then I pick which type of moveable pieces I want to use. These are either numbers, alphabet letters, shapes, checkmarks, color cards, smiley faces, or coping strategies. Usually, I start with a board that has numbers 5 through 1 displayed vertically. Next, my class starts any daily activity in the classroom. When the first step of the activity is finished, the number 5 is removed from the board. When the next phase is finished, the number 4 is taken off the board. This continues until only the number 1 is on the board, and it is removed when the activity is finished. This shows the student how projects, assignments, and time are slowly completed.
A Timer that Works for You!
I also use this as a general timer. Do you know how many times I’ve told a kid, “In just a minute,” or “Yep, we will get to that in five minutes,” instead of setting an actual timer? I never get the right time that I’ve promised! Instead of the exact time method, I use the Countdown Board and loosely gauge that amount of time. The cards allow me to make the time fit into the school day a little bit better if I am just pulling off the cards as I go. Keeping the Countdown Board on the student’s desk or on the wipe-off board, I pull the cards as quickly or as slowly as I need.
An Amazing Self-Regulation Tool
Many of my students are learning how to cope with anxiety and figuring out how to use self-regulation tools and coping strategies. To help with this the Countdown Board is easily utilized. I really enjoy using the deep breathing pictures for this. First I start with a board full of breathe-in and breathe-out pictures. Then while working with the student in a 1-1 setting, I show them how to take one deep breath in and blow a breath out while I remove the number at the top of the countdown board. We repeat this step four more times each time removing one number as we go until they’re all removed. After practicing this, I repeat the activity but have the student move the numbers as the deep breathing is occurring. The same idea can be used for breaks, turn taking, and deep pressure.
Typical Uses of the Countdown Board
So, what are the best activities or times to use the Countdown Board? Below are a list of the times I am grabbing for this behavior board but the sky is the limit! Not only do I use the board to show students how many more of something they have left to complete, but I can use it to limit the number of times they are allow to do something. This could be whining, tattling, taking a break, using the bathroom, etc.
★ time
★ activities
★ number of problems (math, vocabulary, science, etc.)
★ number of worksheets
★ coping skills (deep breaths, counting slowly, squeezes, brushes)
★ number of sentences or paragraphs
★ movements (laps, stretches, basketball shots)
★ sequences or steps (shoe tying, organizing, cooking)
★ chores
★ turn taking
★ comments during class discussions/raising hand/volunteering
★ tries or chances
★ bites of food
I often include the Countdown Boards as the main tool to teach self-regulation within IEPs and progress monitoring citing the goals above. Share what you use your Countdown Boards below!
