How to Use Ways to be Helpful in the Cafeteria

The first step in helping children be successful is for adults to focus on the behaviors we want to see, and then convey that information to children clearly (with visual aids whenever possible). The more clearly we state the expectation, the more likely children are to fulfill it! Remind yourself to focus on the behaviors you want to see more of, and help children see exactly how to be successful by creating a Ways To Be Helpful Board. Individual classrooms will each have a Ways To Be Helpful Board and/or Book that develops from a class-wide discussion, however, your Ways To Be Helpful Board in the cafeteria will have predetermined behaviors that are specific to the environment.

Take a moment to focus on how you want the cafeteria to run. Involve cafeteria staff in this discussion. Write out a list of the behaviors necessary to fulfill your mental image of what you want cafeteria behavior to look like. Use clear language, positive terms and specific behaviors. If “throwing your garbage in the trash can,” “making room for friends” and “standing in your own space in line with hands at your sides” are behaviors you want to see more of, then you would include them in your list. Illustrate or take photos of the behaviors and place them on the Ways To Be Helpful Board. Additional information about Ways To Be Helpful can be found in the Creating the School Family and The NEW Conscious Discipline Expanded & Updated books.