1. Strategies for Great Classroom Management
Create the classroom culture
Punishment vs. Discipline
Praise or Encouragement

2. Teaching Optimism
Optimism – belief that setbacks are normal and can be overcome by our own actions
Pessimists are more prone to depression
Children can recognize and dispute their negative thinking
Why teach students optimism?

3. Attribution Theory Attribution Statements: Persuasion Statements:
"You seem to know your chemical equation assignments very well."
"You really work hard in science."
"You're trying more, keep at it!"
Persuasion Statements:
"You should be good at science."
"You should be getting better grades in science."
"You should be doing well in science."
Reinforcement Statement:
"I'm proud of your work."
"I'm pleased with your progress."
"Excellent progress."
Attribution theory is concerned with the ways in which people explain (or attribute) the behavior of others. It explores how individuals "attribute" causes to events and how this cognitive perception affects their motivation. Think of "explanation" as a synonym and "why" as the question to be answered.
The following quote explains the attribution theory:
"The foolish deer feels that God saved him from the injured lion, forgetting the swift legs that God gave." Srijit Prabhakaran

4. Four Basic Principles of Discipline with Love and Logic
The student’s self-concept is always a prime consideration.
An equal balance of consequences and empathy replaces punishment whenever possible.
Be aware of the unstated and implied messages that either enhance or reduce self-concept.
Great teachers spend most of their time asking questions and giving choices where reasonable.
Let the consequences do the teaching
Use thinking words rather than fighting words. Great teachers demand responsible behaviors.
The child is always left with a feeling that he/she has some control.
The student is required to do more thinking than the adult. 4

5. Implementing Love and Logic
Take care of yourself by setting limits.
Give choices when reasonable.
Let consequences with empathy do the teaching
Three things to remember when implementing love and logic 5

6. Enforceable Statements
Unenforceable
Please sit down, I am going to start.
Open your books to page 54.
Please stop talking and listen.
Raise your hand if you want to talk.
Enforceable
I’ll begin, as soon as you are seated.
We’ll be working from page 54.
I teach when there are no distractions.
I listen to students with their hand raised.
Enforceable statements:
Give students the opportunity to think when choices are an option
Help teachers to keep from looking foolish when students won’t do what is said
Make students less likely to resist when some control is shared
Help teachers to avoid getting pulled into trying to control something that can’t
Setting limits by using enforceable statements by replacing fighting words with thinking words 6

7. Delayed or “Anticipatory” Consequence
In the real world classrooms, immediate consequences typically create more problems than they solve.
Most of us have great difficulty thinking of one while we are teaching.
We are forced to react while we and the student are upset.
We often end up making threats we can’t back up.
Take care of yourself and give yourself a break! Using delay or anticipatory consequence allows you time to “anticipate” possible support you might need, student reaction, and follow through with the logical consequence. 7

8. Reasons to Delay Consequences
Allows for individualization of consequences.
Student does some thinking
Gives time for everyone to return to a calm state
Helps to establish positive relationships
Story – lipstick on mirrors 8

9. Avoid Power Struggles
NEVER reason with a student – reasoning turns into a power struggle.
Student, “That’s not fair”
Teacher, “Probably so” or “Nice try” without sarcasm
Accommodate student concerns by:
Having designated times for student conferences (always in an open room or in presence of others)
Make a conference sign up calendar
Make appointment cards to give students
Broken Record Technique
Sarcastic teachers do not know when the student is going to get even with them – they just know that they will! 9

10. Ways to avoid power struggles
Use thinking words not fighting words
Never tell a student what to do, tell them what you are going to do
Set limits without telling students what to do
Share control
Avoid power struggles by sharing control. 10

11. Share Control All human beings have a need for control.
Share control by providing choices
Force decision making
Deliver content message (bad news) with a positive relationship message (smile)
use questions
Share control by offering choices 11

12. Reasons Behind the Use of Choices
Choices create situations in which students are forced to think.
Choices provide opportunities for students to make mistakes and learn from the consequences.
Choices help us avoid getting into control battles with students.
Choices provide an opportunity for students to hear that we trust their thinking abilities
builds self-confidence
builds relationships between adults and children
Why give choices?
Give students an opportunity to think helping them work on their critical thinking skills
Helps to avoid power struggles
Provides a chance for students to build self-confidence 12

13. Examples of Choices
“Would you rather have homework due Monday or Tuesday?”
“Would you like to edit your own paper or have a partner do it?”
“Will you be turning in your work on time, for full credit or later, for partial credit?”
“Would you rather listen without interrupting or move to another seat?”
What are some examples of giving choices?
CAUTION! -- It is very easy to turn your choices into threats. (“Would you rather turn in your work or go to the principals office?”) 13

14. Rules for Giving Choices
Always be sure to select choices that you like.
Never give a choice that you do not like (that does not match your value system).
Never give choices when danger is involved.
Never give choices unless you are willing to decide for the student in 10 seconds.
Delivery is important
“You’re welcome to ________ or ________.
“Would you rather ________ or ________.
“What would be best for you, ________ or ________.
Do not provide one choice you like and one you don’t, because the student will usually select the one you don’t like.
You must be willing to allow your student to experience the consequence of any choice offered.
You must be willing to make the choice for the student in the event he/she does not choose.
Deliver your choices with a smile. 14

15. Why Guide Students to Solve their Own Problems?
Teaches students to be responsible
Gives students opportunities to make good decisions.
Students dignity and self-respect remain when they can choose the best solution
Lets the consequences be the bad guy – teachers are viewed as helpers not judges – this improves teacher-student relationship
How do you help students that have a problem?
A student isn’t getting along with a lab partner.
A student is caught cheating. (Your school might have a set of procedures to follow.)
Guiding students to solve their own problems lets students keep their dignity and self-respect. The teacher is not the “bad guy,” but a good guide. 15

16. Steps that Guide Students to Solve their Own Problems
Empathy
Power Message
Choices
Student takes ownership
Give permission / follow-up
Five step method for helping students solve problems.
Who owns the problem? The teacher or the student? 16

17. Steps One and Two (sometimes combined)
Empathy
“How sad.”
“I bet that hurts.”
Power Message
“What do you think you’re going to do?”
“Would you like to hear what other kids have tried?”
Showing empathy tells students that you really care
Sending a power message gives ownership of the problem to the student 17

18. Step Three Offer Choices
“Would you like to hear what other kids have tried?”
Offer a variety of choices that range from bad to good. It is usually best to start out with the poor choices. Each time a choice is offered, go on to step four.
Offering choices gives guidance to the student 18

19. Step Four Have the child state the consequences.
“And how will that work?”
Having students respond makes them take responsibility 19

20. Step Five
Give permission for the child to either solve the problem or not solve the problem.
“Good luck. I hope it works out.”
Have no fear. If the child is fortunate enough to make a poor choice, he/she may have a double learning lesson.
Giving encouragement tells the student that you have faith in them and builds self-confidence 20

21. Classroom Interventions
Useful when
consequences do not apply
dealing with a difficult student
Two Types
One-Sentence Intervention
Disciplinary Interventions
Classroom Interventions can be a quick fix to a classroom situation 21

22. One-Sentence Intervention
For the damaged student with low self concept
A way of building a positive relationship with a difficult student
The goal is to get the student to feel good about you, the teacher
The student will do something for you, but for nobody else including himself.
TEST: when you can say “Would you try that just for me? Thank you” and the student performs the task.
One-sentence interventions often work for very difficult students by satisfying a need for inclusion, affection and recognition. It is an instrument to help you view the student in a more positive way.
Over time (twice a week for three weeks) say to the student “I’ve noticed” while maintaining eye contact and smiling.
This technique can help to establish a positive student-teacher relationship, and the student may begin to behave. 22

23. Disciplinary Interventions
Most appropriate when the teacher:
wants an immediate change of behavior
is instructing
wants to restore order without making a situation a major issue
is circulating the classroom
wishes to enhance her relationship with the student
Classroom interventions work when:
You are instructing and need an immediate change of behavior
Want to restore order without making a scene
Wish to enhance, not damage, a relationship with the student 23

24. Disciplinary Interventions
Do not need to perform in order.
Do not go from one extreme to another or begin with the most severe
Choose the most appropriate interventions 24

25. Most Common Mistakes Stating limits as demands
Choosing unenforceable limits
Forgetting to consider consequences in advance
Neglecting to get support or approval from administration
Remember to use an enforceable statement with a calm voice. “I will accept all papers prepared in the correct form.” 25