Technology Tools for Effective Classroom and Behavior Management

This allows students to visually see the rate of activity in the classroom. It can be used as a noise level monitor.

The Traffic Light Resource allows teachers to click on the sections of the traffic light, green for an appropriate noise level, yellow for when the noise level is rising, and red when the noise is reaching an inappropriate level. The teachers will indicate when noise levels are within the appropriate and inappropriate range.

The Quiet Classroom app is perfect for teachers who have too much classroom chatter and are tired of telling their class to quiet down. It allows teachers to select their own noise level and microphone sensitivity. It will be stored in the memory for the teacher's convenience and 'start listening' once the noise rises above the chosen level. An alarm of your choice will sound, signaling to the students that they need to reduce their sound. This app does not have a visual indicator and is great for students who may become distracted by the visual.

This website allows teachers to create a visual representation of noise level in the classroom. The site allows you to make different kinds of bouncy balls react to sounds by using your microphone. It is a great noise monitor for kids, especially in the elementary levels. Teachers can challenge their class to see if they can keep the noise-induced Bouncy Balls from bouncing. The bouncing balls can even be changed to Emoji's, bubbles, and eyeballs depending upon your classes preference.

ClassBadges is a free online tool where teachers can award badges to students for different accomplishments or mastering academic concepts or tasks. Teachers can award badges that are customized for their classroom or school. Badges can be aligned with academic goals or with existing school awards.

Netop Vision Mobile gives you all the functions of your desktop computer into your iPad. Teachers can freely walk the classroom, stand side by side with students, and be anyplace they're needed while still able to access all the functions of their computer. Teachers will get the power of a desktop in their hand. For example, you can run a presentation from anywhere in the room. Also, if your class is meeting in the library and you need a file, you don't have to go back to your classroom to get it. It can simply be retrieved from your ipad.

This features a timer in the form of a traffic light. Teachers can set whether they want it to run red-yellow-green or green-yellow-red. Also teachers can set the times in minutes and seconds. A bell chimes as each light changes. Stop Go! was designed to be used as a behavioral aid for children. Each light can be set from 5 seconds up to 99 minutes and 55 seconds, in 5 second increments.

Instant Classroom provides a free and easy way to manage your classroom online. Teachers can create unlimited number of classes with up to 100 students each. The features include a seating chart maker, random name generator, and a classroom group maker.

Nearpod allows teachers to use their iPads to manage content on students' iPads, iPhones or iPods. "It combines presentation, collaboration, and real-time assessment tools into one integrated solution." Nearpod is a great application for teachers and schools that have access to a set of iPads, iPods or iPhones for their classrooms as well as internet connection.

This app allows teachers to make electronic seating charts. You can keep track of attendance and even select random students. PDF versions of your seating chart can be created for backup or even for substitute teachers.

Screen Time is an app that allows you to set limits on the amount of time your students use an iPhone or iPad. Set a time length, press start, and pass it to your students. After the time expires, a series of notifications will prevent your students from using the device until you enter the correct passcode. This is a great tool in controlling free time, use during instruction and activities, or even assessments.

This technology will run of the iPad, iPhone, or iPod. It is also Mac and Windows accessible. LanSchool allows teachers to monitor their students' activities on the computer during instruction. Also, teachers can reduce student distractions by blanking screens, limiting applications, and limiting web browsing on student computers. This helps direct student attention from their computer to the teacher and keeps students on task.Teachers can monitor student activity, assess student understanding, help individual students (can silently request help without others knowing besides the teacher), and also allow for teacher/student control features.

The Great Behavior Game is a fun and easy game to implement in classrooms with students ranging from grades K-5. It is similar to ClassDojo but students are managed in teams and compete for points. It is a great way to combine a game with behavior management. Teachers start the game and project the scoreboard, teach their lesson as usual, referee the game by awarding bonus points and penalties, and then reward high scoring students throughout the day. It does not require any special software or plug ins. It runs completely in your web browser.

Move To Learn features fitness videos that are broken down from grades K-3 and grades 4-6. Not only do these videos help promote student health and fitness, but it can also be a way to give students a break to clear their minds and help improve academic performance. If students seem tired, aren't participating to their potentials, or are simply frustrated and need a break, teachers can play these videos to wake students up for an "exercise break." This also can be an effective way teachers can manage their classroom and help take control when things get out of order. Several studies have suggested that the more exercise a student gets, the better his/her grades are likely to be. Also, other studies have suggested higher levels of fitness are associated with better behavior and less absenteeism.

This app allows teachers to pick a student at random just by giving your device a shake or tapping the screen. Stick Pick also suggests question starters for learners at different levels and also records how well students respond during classroom discussions. If a student is consistently scoring near the top or bottom, the teacher may simply change the level so students aren't bored or frustrated. This app is great for ELL students or students with significant disabilities. Depending on students' levels of English proficiency, they might be asked simple yes-or-no questions or to elaborate in longer sentences.

The Random Student app allows teachers to enter up to 20 different class lists of up to 99 students per class. The teacher can then click on the dice button to select a student randomly from the list. It also allows allows the teacher to create groups of students from sizes of 2 - 6. Other features include recording student absence (so their names are not called), keeping track of number of times the student is called on, keeping track of correct and incorrect responses, calling student at random and having the device speak the name aloud, generating random student groups of 2-6 students (and then select a student randomly in each group if needed), customizing groups individually by moving students who cannot work together, as well as backing up/importing data from Dropbox.

TeacherKit is a personal organizer for teachers. It enables teachers to organize classes as well as students. Its simple and intuitive interface enables teachers to track the attendance, grades and behavior of students.

Too Noisy is a free app that has a Noise Level Meter built to help control the noise level of groups of children or students. As the noise level increases beyond an "acceptable level" the noise level meter dynamically indicates the level of noise and the background graphics within the app change to reflect the noise levels. This is a great classroom visual to show which noise levels are appropriate and which ones are not during different types of activities within the classroom setting.

This app record behaviors all around the world, but was designed for teachers. Teacher's Class BEHAVIOR helps you record behaviors/actions throughout the day. It allows you to create a list of students to be monitored, organize your students into individual classes, use the default behaviors/actions or edit them to your needs, differentiate between good and bad behaviors, record behaviors by simply tapping a button next to a name, review recorded behaviors in a daily log (each daily log will contain the name, behavior, and time), review saved logs for weeks, and email yourself saved logs.

ClassDojo is a free classroom tool that helps teachers improve behavior in their classrooms quickly and easily. It also captures and generates data on behavior that teachers can share with parents and administrators. Teachers can even reinforce good behavior using "feedback points" in real time, thus improving good behavior. ClassDojo is accessible via smartphone, laptop, or tablet.