Classroom Management Strategies Teacher Institute September 2, 2015 Grades

Do Now Directions: Answer the following question as soon as you enter the room. DO NOW:  What does an effective teacher’s classroom look like?

What Does an Effective Teacher’s Classroom Look Like?  The classroom looked organized. There was a place for everything, and everything was in place.  Lessons were filled with enthusiasm and excitement on the part of the teacher, and consequently, among the students.  The students did most of the talking and the doing, prompted by the teacher’s questioning and guidance.  Routines and procedures were evident. Students knew exactly what was expected of them.  There were no teacher warnings. If a rule was broken, there was a consistent consequence.  There were almost no interruptions of the lesson for the purpose of reestablishing control.  The teacher was proactive.  The objective of the lesson was clearly established for the students. They knew what they were learning and why they were learning it.  There was constant teacher movement around the room.  The teacher almost never openly showed frustration. In the rare case of misbehavior, the problem was handled seriously, but calmly.  The lessons’ activities were varied to meet the needs of all learners.  There was constant positive reinforcement.  The teacher often smiled and always appeared to actually love teaching.

The Difference Between Rules and Procedures  Rule: something that regulates a serious student misbehavior  If it is broken, there must be a consequence, every time  Procedure: a way that you expect something to be done  The same way, every time it is done  The most effective teachers have very few rules and lots of procedures  Procedures can be put in place for practically everything – ex. Walking into the classroom, passing in papers, talking, throwing away trash, etc.  Students know exactly what is expected of them  The procedure is taught and practiced, then practiced some more!

The Difference Between Rules and Procedures  Examples:  Rule: We agree that we will never hit another student.  Procedure: We agree that we will raise our hands before speaking. *Both the rules and procedures are stated in positive terms. To say “We agree…” is much more optimistic and encouraging than saying “You will not…” and can make a big difference.

How to Establish Rules  The most effective teachers have very few rules – anywhere from three to five  Steps to establish them:  Step 1 – Decide what the rules will be (school wide rules and/or classroom)  Ex: We agree that we will enter the classroom before the tardy bell.  Step 2 – Determine what the consequence will be in a student chooses to break a rule.  Ex: If a student does not arrive to class before the tardy bell, he or she must report to the office for a tardy slip.  Step 3 – Hold a discussion with the students about the rules and their purposes. Use guiding questions to facilitate the discussion and have students share their understanding of the importance of the rule.  Step 4 – Have the students help with the wording of the rule. Use clear language and state in a positive way.  Step 5 – Post the rules, along with the consequences for not following them.  Step 6 – Send parents a copy of the rules and consequences.  Step 7 – Be consistent with enforcing the rules.

How to Establish Procedures  Stop and Jot  What are the types of things that require procedures?

How to Establish Procedures  What are the types of things that require procedures?  How to walk into the room  What to do when you enter the room  How to pass in papers  What to do when you need a pencil sharpened  How to ask for permission to speak  How to get into groups  How to walk to lunch  How to exit the classroom  What to do in case of a fire drill  What to do when you have to throw paper away  What to do when you’re taking a test  What to do when you need a tissue

How to Establish Procedures  Step 1 – State the procedure and the importance of following it.  Step 2 – Model the procedure for the students. Show them exactly how you want it done.  Step 3 – Practice the procedure with the students.  Step 4 – Remind the students about the procedure right before they are expected to follow it. Then praise them often, throughout the year, when they follow it.  Step 5 – If a student does not follow the procedure, provide more practice. If the student still does not follow the procedure, have a private conversation with the student and remind them of the expectations.  Step 6 – Remain consistent with the procedures.  Ex: If your procedure is that you raise your hand when you need the students’ attention, don’t resort to asking them to get quiet, begging them to listen, reminding them that they’re not listening, flicking the lights on and off, and so forth.

What to Do If Your Students “Don’t”  If a student is not following a rule:  Announce to the student that because he or she chose to break the rule, he or she must now suffer the consequence.  Be consistent with your rules and consequences.  Ensure that the rules are always posted, along with the consequences, and that these rules and consequences were discussed before any student had the chance to break the rules.  If a student is not following a procedure:  Notice everything immediately, and deal with it promptly!  Remind the student, or have the student remind you, of the procedure  Practice the procedure with the student  Hold private discussions/sessions, if necessary (can include a private practice session)  Make the procedure a rule for that particular student, if the problem is chronic  Ex. If the student is a chronic talker, and everything above has been tried and failed, then that procedure becomes a rule for that student. From that point forward, if the student speaks out of turn, there is a consequence (just for that student).

Bell to Bell Teaching  Don’t ever give your students nothing to do!  The busier the students are, the less time they have to misbehave. The busier the student remains, the better their achievement.  Actively engage the students in meaningful activities from bell to bell.  When the students do not see the work as meaningful, they switch into that idle mode and opt for misbehaving!  Tools for Bell to Bell teaching:  Do Now/Bell Ringer activities – students complete as soon as they enter class  Exit slips – last few minutes, students answer an essential question, write a summary of their learning, or complete an activity aligned to the learning objective for that day  Strategies for Active Learning – engage students throughout the lesson and use as a formative assessment of their learning

How Not to Be a Screamer  Be serious yet soft spoken  By yelling at the students, you are announcing that you have absolutely lost control – control of yourself and control of your classroom environment  Attack the problem without attacking the person  Make a conscious decision that, it is never appropriate or effective to yell or scream at a student  Make a conscious decision that, no matter how aggravated you become, you will never lose your professionalism

How to Discipline Proactively  Less effective teachers run around putting out fires, whereas the most effective teachers practice fire prevention.  What sets the best teachers apart from the rest is the fact that they don’t “wait” for the misbehavior to happen.  When a child does misbehave, there is a structured plan in place for dealing with it. Dealing with problems swiftly, professionally, and consistently become a proactive measure for preventing future discipline problems.  Activity – Classroom Scenario  Read the classroom scenario and how Mr. Michael Scott and Mr. Ron Swanson address the student misbehaviors in the classroom. Which teacher was proactive in his approach and which was reactive? What actions did the proactive teacher take to minimize misbehaviors?

Reflection  How can I take a proactive approach to classroom management in my classroom beginning day one? *Materials in this presentation are excerpts from the following book: Seven Simple Secrets: What the BEST Teachers Know and Do. Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker. Eye on Education: New York