Classroom Management refers to all of the steps a teacher takes to organize students, space, time, and materials so that learning can take place effectively is the most important factor that affects student learning must begin as soon as your students walk through the door on the first day of school

You MANAGE a classroom; you don’t discipline a classroom. Managing a class is a much bigger concept than disciplining a class. Part of managing a class is to teach the students how to discipline themselves.

What does a well-managed classroom LOOK like The students are deeply involved with their work Students know what is expected of them and are generally successful There is relatively little wasted time, confusion, or disruption The climate of the classroom is work- oriented, but relaxed and pleasant

Patience is passion tamed. Lyman Abbott

A successful teacher is ready! The work is ready. –The assignments, materials, board work, etc. are ready before students enter. The room is ready. –The desks/tables are straight, room is clean, and things look organized. The teacher is ready. –The teacher is excited about teaching and has positive expectations that everyone will succeed.

First Contact with Parents Helps to Set the Stage Make a phone call to each parent telling them how pleased you are that their child is in your class. Have a letter to send home on the first day of school that further introduces yourself and tell the class and the parents some of the exciting things you will be doing this year.

First Contact with Students Helps to Set the Stage How you introduce yourself that first day goes a long way toward how much respect and success you will have all year long. Stand at the door and welcome each student. Be prepared with materials and assignments.

The most successful classes are those in which the teacher has a clear idea of what is expected of the students and the students have a clear idea of what the teacher expects from them.

Specific Rules for Elementary Listen quietly when the teacher is talking. Eyes always on the teacher during directions or lessons. Change tasks quickly and quietly. Do not play with things when you should be working or paying attention to the lesson.

Your rules or the class’s rules? Studies show that students “buy in” to the rules better when they have a say in creating them. Do you really need to do everything studies show? You’re just going to direct the kids to do the rules you want anyway, so don’t worry about who came up with them as long as they are GOOD rules.

Instead of spending time coming up with rules together, it’s better to let the kids discuss the rules you have already chosen. Why are rules needed? Why is this rule important and necessary? –Discuss each one. Specific examples of any general rules. –What does it mean to “respect others” ? –Model/Role play examples of following and/or breaking classroom rules.

Discipline Plans Have Consequences Rules are used to set limits. Limits tell a student how far they can go. You will always have students pushing the limits or boundary testing. Students need to know that breaking the rules will have consequences.

It's easy to stop making mistakes. Just stop having ideas. proverb

Consequences CAN be Positive Positive consequences (Rewards that result when people abide by the rules.) Extra recess. Extra free time. Game day. Lunch bunch.

Consequences CAN be Negative First offense: student’s name entered in conduct record. Second offense: student’s name entered in conduct record and misses out on 20 minutes recess, free time, or a desirable class activity. Third offense: Conduct record, lunch detention and note or home to parents. Fourth offense: Conduct record and office referral.

Be careful with your Consequences! Explain the consequences ahead of time whenever you introduce a rule. Choose consequences that are uncomfortable for the student. Tell the student that the consequence was the result of his or her CHOICE. When delivering the consequence, encourage the student to use appropriate behavior in the future.

Be careful with your Consequences! Do NOT mix conduct or behavior with academics. –Writing sentences –Giving zeros in grade book –Missing a ‘graded’ group activity

Negative consequences or penalties: Check to see if your entire grade level has the same discipline plan. Consequences must be reasonable and logical. A reasonable consequence is one that follows logically from the behavior instead of one that is arbitrarily imposed.

No student wants to be the “bad” student.

Student Behavior: Turning in Sloppy Work Logical Consequence: –Rewrites the paper. Illogical Consequence: –Teacher gives the student a zero and refuses to allow the child to redo the paper.

Student behavior: Walks in Noisily. Logical Consequence: –Student walks in again. Illogical Consequence: –Student signs name in conduct record, student given lunch detention, etc.

Student behavior: student forgets a pencil. Logical Consequence: –Student completes a form to borrow and return a pencil from the teacher. Illogical Consequence: –Student sits without a pencil, signing a conduct record, lunch detention, etc.

Do NOT Stop the Lesson… if possible. Try and give out smaller consequences on the fly. Ask the child to sign his name in his conduct record and you need to not forget to sign his name in your conduct record. In some grades you can have a helper of the day who can write things down for you on a piece of paper and give it to you later.

If you need to step into the hall to talk, always ask the student these 4 questions: 1- How did you end up in the hallway with me? 2- What is wrong with ______ ? 3- What will you do next time? 4- If you ____________ next time what will happen?

Get Parental Support Write up you behavior plan and it’s consequences and rewards and send it home to the parents. Have an open line of communication (positive as well as negative) Remember: HOW you say something is just as important as WHAT you say

How to Contact the Home If part of your discipline plan involves contacting the parent, have the student fill out a Student Plan of Action first. The Student Plan of Action goes along with what you and the student have already talked about. –What’s the problem? –What’s causing the problem? –What plan will I use to solve the problem?

Activate Your Discipline Plan Post your rules. Post your consequences and rewards. Immediately give a consequence when a rule is broken. Give positive feedback and reinforce good behavior. Make your behavior plan fair, predictable, and consistent.

I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 things that will not work. Thomas Edison on the invention of the light bulb

A procedure is a method or process for how things are to be done in the classroom.

Do not confuse procedures with discipline. There are two major differences: 1- Discipline: Concerns how children behave. Procedures: Concern how things are done. 2- Discipline: Has penalties and rewards. Procedures: Have NO penalties and rewards.

The Problem is Not Discipline The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it’s the lack of procedures and routines. Your attention to procedures and routines will determine whether you have a classroom that is chaotic or one that is smooth running.

The main reasons students do not follow procedures: 1- The teacher has not thought out what happens in the classroom. 2- The students have not been trained to follow the procedures.

Why Procedures are Important Since a procedure is how you want something done, it is the responsibility of the teacher to have procedures clearly stated. A routine is what the student does automatically without prompting or supervision.

Why Procedures are Important Classroom procedures allow activities to take place with a minimum of wasted time and confusion. Classroom procedures increase on-task time and greatly reduce classroom disruptions. They tell a student how things operate in the classroom, thus reducing discipline problems.

Students Accept and Want Procedures Effective teachers manage with procedures. Every time the teacher wants something done there must be a procedure or a set of procedures. You will need procedures for taking roll, checking papers, what to do with finished work, moving from task to task, quieting the class, going to lunch, etc.

Three-Step Approach to Teaching Procedures Explain- tell students what the procedure is and why it is important Rehearse- explicitly model what the procedure looks like and allow students time for practice Reinforce- expect students to perform the procedure EVERY time. Consistency is very important!

Every time a procedure needs to be corrected: REMIND the class of the procedure. Then have the students see, feel, and EXPERIENCE the procedure. REMEMBER: Ineffective teachers only TELL students what to do! Rehearse and continue to reinforce

Procedure for Quickly Getting the Class Quiet: If You Can Hear Me…

Your Turn: Jot a list of as many parts of your school day that you can think of that would need a procedure. You have five minutes…… GO!