Tracking student behavior and keeping a record of it can be a daunting task – especially if you have a large caseload.
As with all things, the method you use has to work for you and your school. Some may find that paper and pencil behavior data collection is still the way to go. Others may opt for something digital.
There is no right or wrong way to track student behavior.
Here are five ways that you might consider if you are looking for a change with how you collect behavior data on your students.
How to Collect Behavior Data
1 – Checklist
Having a traditional checklist of behaviors and making tally marks for each time a student exhibits them is one way of collecting behavior data. It is low cost, can be used anywhere, and provides you with concrete paper and pencil data when you go to write up the progress notes and IEP.
The downside is that it can be challenging to keep a printed-out checklist with you throughout the day. It might be a bit more cumbersome than you hope and result in fewer behaviors recorded.
These sticky note blank templates are perfect for quick and easy data collection. Get access when you join The Intentional IEP here or by clicking the image above.
2 – Catalyst App
If graphing and analysis are important in your behavior data collection, the Catalyst app might help. It was designed to make it easier for special educators to record, track, and analyze their students’ behavior.
It is available for both iOS and Android-based devices, so you can use it on smartphones or on tablets.
While the concept is great and the reporting makes it easy to analyze data, the app can sometimes be a bit clunky. If technology is not your strong suit, it may be more frustrating than not.
Here is a short snippet from one of the trainings inside of TII membership on behavior data collection:
The membership also provides guidance on Having an Organized IEP Process, which can be challenging for anyone!
You can join The Intentional IEP to gain access to over 150+ different IEP related trainings, and access to our IEP Goal Bank. Click the image above to join!
3 – Google Forms
Google Forms are easy and free to create and make digital behavior tracking easy. Simply set up a Google Form for each child on your caseload whose behavior you need to track and create a QR code that links to it. When behavior needs to be recorded, the QR code can be scanned and the behavior documented.
If a reliable internet connection is not something that is readily available to you at school, it will make using Google Forms more challenging. However, the benefits of using it and being able to quickly generate graphs and spreadsheets about the data make it a must-try.
4 – ClassDojo
ClassDojo is an app that allows you to quickly and easily record behaviors. It can be shared with family members as well so that they can see the student’s behavior throughout the day. While the basic version of ClassDojo is free, there is a paid Plus version that provides teachers with detailed progress reports that can be helpful for more in-depth reporting.
ClassDojo does require some setup and can be cumbersome to use if you are not tech-savvy or do not have immediate access to a tablet or smartphone.
5 – Wrist Bands
When you do not have access to digital data trackers and having a paper and pencil out throughout the day or class period just is not feasible, use wrist bands to keep track of student behaviors. Start by putting loose rubber bands, bracelets, or hair ties on one wrist. Every time that the child displays behavior that is not desired, move a band to the opposite wrist. At the end of the time period, simply jot down or digitally record the number of times the desired behavior was not or was displayed.
This low-tech way of tracking behaviors is subtle and easy to manage. You no longer have to record behavior immediately online or on paper nor do you need to remember how many times the behavior was exhibited. Just move a band and then record it later.
No matter how you track your student’s behavior, make sure that the system you use works for you. Being consistent with one method of data collection can make it easier to ensure that everything you need for writing progress notes and the IEP is there.
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