Good Behavior Game

Contact
Dyna M. Chambers, Project Coordinator
Phone: (601) 960-2676 • Fax: (601) 960-2509
630 South State Street • Jackson, MS 39201

Overview

The Good Behavior Game is a proven, research-based classroom management model designed for use in grades K–6. Based on a strategy developed by a classroom teacher forty years ago, the Game involves student teams “competing against” each other to earn rewards for refraining from disruptive, inattentive, or aggressive behavior. Approximately twenty published studies have shown that use of this model results in decreased classroom disruptions (by 50–90%), a greater number of students fully engaged in learning (by 20–50%), decreased referrals and suspensions (by 30–60%), shown to reduce the need (10–30%) for some special education services in the classroom and more time for teaching and learning (by 25%). Longitudinal studies have also shown that children who experienced the Game in elementary school were less likely to be involved in violent behaviors later in life and were less likely to use tobacco or other drugs later in life.

Participating Elementary Schools (Grades 1 and 2)

Eighteen (18) elementary schools are participating in the Good Behavior Game grant project which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Schools and classrooms were selected based on total enrollment and required criteria given in the Request for Application (RFA). The elementary schools are:

• Brown
• Clausell
• French
• Isable
• John Hopkins
• Johnson
• Key
• Lake
• Lee
• Lester
• Marshall
• North Jackson
• Smith
• Spann
• Timberlawn
• Van Winkle
• Watkins
• Wilkins