Our Erasmus+ Experience: Learning, Sharing, Growing.

Our Experience with the Traffic Light System – Exchange in Frankfurt

During our exchange with a high school in Frankfurt, we learned about a really interesting system they use to improve classroom behavior and communication – the traffic light system. I’ve attached an image that clearly shows how it works: it’s divided into three colors – green, yellow, and red – just like a real traffic light.

Green means everything is going well – students are participating, respecting each other, and the classroom environment is positive.
Yellow is a warning – it shows that something is not going quite right, maybe someone is talking out of turn or not paying attention. It’s a sign to stop and think.
Red means that the behavior has not improved, and there will be a consequence, like a talk with the teacher or a note to the family.

I think this system is very visual and easy to understand for everyone, including younger students. We talked about how we could apply this at our own school. We will put up similar posters in our classrooms and start using the traffic light chart to monitor behavior. Each student will have a clothespin with their name, and they can move up or down depending on their actions during the day.

I believe it will help us be more aware of our behavior and create a more respectful and calm learning environment. It was great to see how it worked in Frankfurt, and we’re excited to try it at our school!

Another interesting learning tool we discovered in Frankfurt is the "Goal Setting Folder" (Zielmappe). At the beginning of the school year, each student writes down their personal and academic goals in this folder. These goals can be about improving in a subject, being more organized, or participating more in class.

Throughout the year, students review their goals regularly with their teachers during short one-on-one talks. This helps them reflect on their progress and stay motivated. At the end of the year, they look back at their goals to see what they’ve achieved and where they can still grow.

We really liked this idea because it encourages responsibility and helps students take ownership of their learning. We’re planning to create our own version of the Goal Setting Folder at our school too!