I used to work at a group home/school and they used a similar point system. There were also different levels. There were 3 levels and #3 was the lowest and had to earn the most points during the day. However, the system was set up so that they could earn their points easily. Level #2 was less points to earn but more specific. Once a student was at Level #1, they had a series of guidelines to follow to remain at that level. And of course, the higher your level, the more privileges you were allowed.
If the student misbehaved or didn't follow through with their requirements, they could be dropped down a level. At that point, depending on what level they had dropped to, it varied as to what criteria they would need to work on to go back up to their previous level.
Whether it was something right or something wrong, they knew and learned that it was completely on them whether they earned a positive or a negative. To correct the negatives, as staff, we helped teach them what logical and natural consequences were for their behaviors and how to balance things back out.
At times, some students had a surplus of points that would be added on to the following day. On the other hand, it was also entirely possible to wind up with a negative amount of points to be carried over. Whenever that happened, it was a matter of the student just continuously not following instructions and literally running out of time during the day before they went to bed to balance out their day.
A lot of people had seen this movie and thought that it was highly exaggerated regarding the children's behavior. When you tell them that it's about on par for some and a bit light in others; they generally stare at you like you have two heads for working with these kids.
For some of these kids, you're the only stable adults they've ever seen in their young lives. And for some staff it was difficult to separate yourself from the kids emotionally. When they tell you that their own parents never took the time to talk to them the way you did, and they put you in the role of a surrogate parent and start calling you Dad & Mom, (I was called both. One of my female students told me that I was more kind-hearted and supportive in the first month I worked with her than her Mom had been her entire life; and I was a 6'2", 275 lbs. guy with long hair and tattoos.) it's hard to distance yourself.
Currently there are a few who still keep in contact with me. Couple of them have kids of their own now. They still call me Dad & Mom and their kids call me Pepere, (French word for grandfather.)
Pardon my excessively long reply. These kids have a way of getting under your skin sometimes.
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