Objectives of this session: 1.Identify and write age appropriate classroom rules. 2.How to establish rules, routines, and procedures. 3.How to effectively manage transitions. 4.Motivate your students with positive discipline strategies. 5.How to organize your classroom for student success.

Only those who have never taught are those who think teaching is easy.

Student achievement at the end of the year is directly related to the degree to which the teacher establishes good control of the classroom procedures. Wong, H.K. & Wong, R.T (1998)

Classroom management consists of many different components: 1.Holding children accountable for their own behavior 2.Establishing rules, routines, and procedures 3.Teaching students to be independent 4.Organization 5.High expectations for all students 6.Consequences that are clear to both teacher and students 7.Taking responsibility for your student's behavior

Children learn best in an organized environment with clear, consistent rules and procedures.

Young children are better behaved in places where they feel safe. Aggressive behavior can often be traced to feelings of not belonging - when children feel safe they thrive! When they do not feel safe they adopt survival behavior- "misbehavior"

From the TEA Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines: v. The Learning Environment Teachers play a critical role in helping children learn classroom routines, through modeling, thinking out loud and, initially, sharing the responsibility. The initial time put into this effort pays off in the long run with children being much more independent, allowing the teacher to spend time teaching and interacting with children.

Characteristics of a well managed classroom: Children are engaged and attentive during large group activities. Children know how to use materials in the classroom properly. Children are not touching each other or fighting. Children can listen and follow simple directions. Children can move around the room independently with minimal teacher supervision.

Characteristics of a poorly managed classroom: Students are not engaged or attentive during large group activities. Students are fighting and touching each other. Children can not move around the room independently without excessive adult supervision. Children do not know how to use materials in the classroom properly. Children do not listen and are not able to follow simple directions.

Teacher's Job= Teach the child Parent's Job = Love the child The methods used to achieve each of these goals are very different, if the lines are blurred chaos will reign.

The teacher is the "bus driver“. He or she is responsible for getting students safely from point A to point B. As a responsible school bus driver you would NEVER let students drive the bus.

A teacher with good classroom management: Addresses problems head on as they arise. Starts each day fresh- doesn’t dwell on yesterday’s behavior. Sets high expectations for ALL students.

The #1 secret to classroom management success: The teacher is responsible for student behavior!

Two biggest mistakes teachers make when disciplining children are: Too much talking Too much emotion Wah, wah, Wah, wah

In Ineffective Classrooms: The rules and the teacher are the focal points. The teacher takes it personally when students misbehave. There are more behavior problems. Students resist teacher authority; they are always "in trouble".

In Effective Classrooms: The teacher recognizes that children are in the process of learning acceptable behavior. The teacher sees inappropriate behavior as an opportunity to teach instead of a personal attack. Students understand and can articulate why they need to behave.

Age Appropriate Rules: Helping Hands Listening Ears Eyes Looking Quiet Voices Walking Feet Inappropriate Rules: I will not interfere with the learning of others. I will accept responsibility for my actions.

Early Childhood Rules: Use kid-friendly language Use simple phrases Always use pictures to illustrate meaning Post at child eye-level in large print Post in more than one area of the classroom

How to teach students the rules: MODEL, MODEL, MODEL! Teacher models examples and non-examples Students model examples Review on a regular basis TELLING is never enough Always use pictures with Pre-K or Kinder students NEVER assume your students understand the rules completely.

The most successful transitions between lessons or activities are rapid ones that have clear ends and beginnings (Arlin, 1979; Burden, 2003; Cangelosi, 2000; Rosenberg et al., 1997) and that reduce the amount of “down time” between the activities (Sainato, 1990, Vartuli, & Phelps, 1980).