"Are you a bucket filler?" While that might ring a bell for some, many of you may have absolutely no clue where I'm going with this {and that's okay}! :) Rachelle, first grade teacher and creator of the blog What the Teacher Wants!, designed this fantastic positive behavior management bulletin board display {as well as some nifty FREE printables!} based on Carol McCloud's Have You Filled A Bucket Today?

McCloud's Message

In the book, students are shown how rewarding it is to show others {daily!} kindness, respect, and appreciation. The metaphor of "fillers" and "dippers" provides children with a visual of how our behavior and words - good and bad - affect the people around us as well as ourselves. As McCloud says, "Bucket fillng is easy. It doesn't cost any money. It doesn't take much time. It doesn't matter how young or old you are. Bucket filing makes everyone feel good". And, in a classroom where kindness, other-centeredness, responsibility, respect, generosity, and fairness are seen, your students are sure to grow as students and individuals. Rachelle's bulletin board provides a "bucket" for each student as well as positive message forms that classmates can use to "fill" them throughout the week. In addition to these messages, student behavior and actions are monitored in class for "filling" or "dipping" qualities. Along with positive message forms, you might consider creating teacher awards to be filled out when a kind act is witness. In this way, students will know that you are noticing their positive behavior.

Bucket Filler Bulletin Board

• Background: Vanilla background paper.
• Title: "Have You Filled A Bucket Today?" - Rachelle provides a free printable that can be downloaded and mounted onto brightly patterned scrapbook or wrapping paper as a heading for the board.
• Border: Brightly colored trimmer.
• Decoration: 1) The Class Bucket. Purchase an inexpensive pail, decorating the outside with a second printed title that has been mounted on scrapbook or wrapping paper. Place Rachelle's free printable bucket forms inside the pail for students to access during the school day. These form provide a place for students to write whose bucket they'd like to fill, add a message, and sign their name.  2) The Student Buckets. Cover library pockets with scrapbook or wrapping paper, attach Rachelle's free bucket clip art, and script each student's name onto a pocket. Mount the pockets directly to the board. When a bucket filling form has been completed {or a kind act has been witness by the teacher and a special award is filled out}, these can be placed directly into the student's "bucket" to be collected each Friday. Be sure to visit Rachelle's site for more detailed pictures and the form download!

Supplies for this bulletin board...

• Vanilla background paper
• Colorful bulletin board border
• Printable title, clip art, and forms
• Colorful scrapbook or wrapping paper
• Bucket

We think this is a SPECTACULAR idea {be sure to follow Rachelle's links to find out more about this positive behavior management tool}, but would love to know what you think, so leave us a comment below!