Under Construction: Building a Positive Classroom Environment The Chatter Box A Teacher Support Network Facilitator: Fanita L. McNeal, NBCT

chatter Box Mission Statement The mission of the Chatter Box is to provide a support system for educators that offers effective and practical professional development opportunities, mentoring services and resources essential for being a successful teacher.

Earn In-Service Points  Attend monthly meetings.  Complete monthly reflections, readings or other assigned activities.  Sign in and include ID information.  Complete evaluation in May.

Group Norms  Relax and have fun  Share your thoughts and suggestions.  Agree to disagree respectfully.  Make this your meeting. Norman Fell a.k.a Mr. Roper

Goal To reduce the number of out of school suspensions of our economically disadvantaged students by 5 %.  Data: 80.8% of these students received suspensions.  30% were for kindergarteners.

A Child’s perspective A little girl had just finished her first week of school. “ I’m just wasting my time,” she said to her mother.“ I can’t read, I can’t write, and they won’t let me talk!”

What does a positive classroom environment look like ?  Students are actively engaged  Rules being followed  Mutual respect being demonstrated  Organized and clutter free…

WANTED  What does your ideal student look like?  Design a want ad describing the student’s characteristics.

Clear Expectations What makes you edgy? Teach, observe and correct fluently Be sure of what you need to happen for every lesson. (Teacher directed, seat work, cooperative group work)

Classroom Layout  Does the layout of your classroom influence behavior?  Use your blueprints to draw your classroom design and think about the pros and cons of your design.

Behavior Management  Rules  Consequences/Rewards  Consistency

Behavior Counts

Hidden Rules of Poverty  Punishment is about penance and forgiveness, not change.  Live in the moment-does not consider future ramifications.  Lack of order/organization  Sense of humor is highly valued  Conversation is participatory

Three Voices  The Child Voice- defensive, victimized, emotional, whining, strongly negative non-verbal. Can also be playful. Ex: You make me sick!  The Parent Voice- Authoritative, directive, judgmental, evaluative, punitive and sometimes threatening. Can also be very loving and supportive. Ex: Life’s not fair. Get busy.  The Adult Voice- Non-judgmental, free of negative non-verbal, factual, often in a question format, attitude of win-win. Ex. What are the choices in this situation?

Behavior Scenarios  Work in groups to address behavior issues.  Identify the behavior that needs to be taught.  State various ways to handle the disruption.

“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.” Haim Ginott

Resources A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne, Ph. D. CHAMPS, a positive proactive approach to Classroom Management by Dr. Randall Sprick Power Teaching by Chris Biffle Teaching on Your Feet & Rita’s Stories by Dr. Rita Pierson