Courtney Boetsma

EDF 310
October 25th, 2015
Capturing Kids Hearts
At first glance, this may not look or sound like a classroom management plan,
however, this is a classroom management plan that combines other plans together that
focuses on one idea: the students. Because thats what it is all about, right? Benefiting
the students. The method Capturing Kids Hearts does just that.
In the program created by Flip Flippen, Capturing Kids Hearts is a program where
a class, together, creates a social contract for the class (Williams, 2015). The social
contract focuses on behaviors in the classroom, not procedures or consequences.
Contracts must not have putdowns, students need to give their full effort each day, and
there needs to be confidentiality.
Part of Capturing Kids Hearts is using the EXCEL Teaching Model. Capturing
Kids Hearts (CKH) assists teachers in carrying out teaching responsibilities more
effectively with less stress as they implement the skills taught in the EXCEL Teaching
Model (Flippen, 2006). The EXCEL Teaching Model stands for Engage (includes
things such as a handshake or welcome), X-plore (includes things such as being a safe
environment and having listening skills), Communicate (includes connecting to the real
world and dialogue), Empower (includes encouragement and development of skills), and
Launch (includes things such as end and send and summary) (Flippen, 2006; Williams,
2015).

Another step in Capturing Kids Hearts is self-reflection (Williams, 2015). The

students know the expectations that they set with their class, and they have to reflect on if
they are following and meeting these expectations or if they are not. If they are not, they
need to think about what they can do to change and meet the expectations. There is a set
of four questions that students can use to help them think about these things.
Capturing Kids Hearts is about building positive relationships within the school
(Holtzapple et al., 2001, Williams, 2015). This is true whether it is teacher to teacher,
student to student, or student to teacher. Creating these relationships helps build a great
classroom community, which allows for students to feel safe, take more risks in the
classroom, and will likely create a decline in behavior issues in the classroom. Capturing
Kids Heart model addresses things such as using positive classroom management skills
that create a good learning environment for students, helping aid teachers by providing
them with professional development on this topic, students gaining social skills, and
creating positive relationships (Holtzapple et al., 2001).
Capturing Kids Hearts goes far beyond an average management plan; it also helps
build students character and relationships. Capturing Kids Hearts Campus by Design
model is considered to be both a character education and violence prevention intervention
because it is designed to strengthen students connectedness to (Holtzapple et al., 2001,
p. 72). One of the ways that this happens is because teacher and student work at
communicating and connecting with each other (Holtzapple et al., 2001). Both teachers
and students focus on learning and how it can be strengthen, while the poor behaviors and
lessened (Holtzapple et al., 2001). Also, throughout the reflection on the social contract

and answering of the questions, students gain problem-solving skills (Holtzapple et al.,
2001).
Overall, Flippen created a model that focuses on the students and helping them
grow and develop into good citizen. It uses many different approaches and models to do
so. The class comes up with social contracts, they use the EXCEL Teaching Model,
teachers help students self reflect on their behaviors, building positive relationships
between teachers and students, and helps build students character. These are all important
things that can help, not only strengthen a classroom, but prepare students for the real
world day.

Bibliography:

Flippen Group. (2006). Report to the Texas Education Agency. Retrieved from
http://www.flippengroup.com/pdf/funding/TEA8CaseStudies.pdf

Holtzapple, C. K., Griswold, J. S., Cirillo, K., Rosebrock, J., Nouza, N., & Berry, C.
(2011). IMPLEMENTATION OF A SCHOOL-WIDE ADOLESCENT
CHARACTER EDUCATION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM. Journal Of
Research In Character Education, 9(1), 71-90.

Williams, S. (2015). Session 11: Chapter 11. Positive Behavior Support and Capturing
Kids Hearts. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from
https://mybb.gvsu.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_2
36704_1&content_id=_3238229_1