How to Quick Start with CHAMPS in Your Classroom

Need a little change in your classroom management? Here’s how you can start using CHAMPS quickly and with success.

Let me share a little about why I needed CHAMPS, what it stands for and how you can start using it right away too.

Why I Needed CHAMPS

As the year is coming to an end {13 1/2 days, but who’s counting?} I’ve been very pleased with my class and as the team leader, I’ve been very pleased with our entire 3rd grade.

We had the group ~ you know what I’m talking about!!!

The group that the Kindergarten teachers warned the 1st grade teachers about, the 1st grade team hurries to tell the 2nd grade to watch out… we’ve watched them as 3rd grade teachers and thought, really? the FCAT with these sweethearts??!! Heaven help us NOW!

So, long story short we really had to crack down on this year’s group of boys and girls. We had too many “leaders” ~ you know what I mean, too many bosses, not enough employees.

A perfect example: we would send two children to the bathroom from the playground, after a few minutes, they were not back.

Turns out, one wanted a band aid so they went on their own and without permission to the clinic, in addition to swinging by their old second grade room to say hello to their past teacher and the kindergarten building to wave hello to a younger sibling… we really had to work hard on training them that they “are the student” and we “are getting paid to be the teacher” since most of the group really enjoyed talking back and telling others what to do, right or wrong!!

Champs was wonderful in setting standards for EVERYONE, fair, equal and positive. I teach Math and Science for two hours, lunch and then Math and Science to my next group.

If you have not heard of CHAMPS, the main idea is that you tell the students the classroom expectations in advanced. AND… review these standards before every lesson.

CHAMPS stands for

C = Conversation
H = Help
A = Activity
M = Movement
P – Participation
S= Success!

Here’s How to Quick Start Using CHAMPS

When you first read the book or go to training, there are a lot of different things for each category, and a person can get overwhelmed and just not start it.

But I found that I only need two choices for each.

C = Conversation

0 No Talking {during direct instruction}
2 Inside Voice {during small groups and the students are in centers}

H = Help

Raise Your Hand {during direct instruction}
Ask 3 Then Me

When I am working with small groups and the students are in centers, they need to ask 3 other students first, then interrupt me at small group. Very rarely will they have to interrupt the teacher.

This definitely needs to be role played at the start because you will have some that can’t wait to “ask 3!”

A = Activity

Listen {during direct instruction}
Learning {during small groups and the students are in centers}

M = Movement

None {during direct instruction}
Restroom {during small groups and the students are in centers}

P – Participation

Everyone {This never changes.}

S= Success!

I wrote these on colored sentence strips at the start of the year with the intention of making them on PowerPoint with wonderful graphics, laminate them and having the board look amazing… yep, May 16th and the sentence strips are still there and still working!

The pink sentence strips have writing on each side and are in place with two clear thumb tacks.

When I am ready to transition from direct instruction to center work, I read/review the chart with the students and then flip the card to the other side.

So 0 No Talking turns over to 2 Inside Voice, while I’m reviewing the chart.

Plus you can also read about how I use a “Flip Your Card” to be a POSITIVE behavior chart in my classroom.

Remember, it may be the end of the year for you, but if the kids are getting out of hand and you are EXHAUSTED -it is NEVER too late to introduce a new plan. The students need structure and you need to go home happy!

Continue Reading On My Blog

– Originally posted on Teaching Blog Addict

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Fern Smith

I'm Fern Smith from Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas. I like helping teachers spend more time with their families and friends.