CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Sunset Elementary

Good Teaching n Instructional goals are clear n Knowledgeable of content and strategies for teaching it n Student expectations are clearly described n Provide practice that enrich and clarify content

Good Teaching n Knowledgeable about student’s abilities, adapt instruction according to their needs n Monitor student progress n Provide feedback n Accept responsibility for student outcomes n Are thoughtful and reflective about their practice

Teacher Behaviors n Provide frequent positive praise and reinforcement n Ignore minor misbehaviors n Reward positive behaviors n Avoid power struggles with students n Do students like being in the classroom? n Students are achieving academic and social gain n Provide clear expectations

ABC’s to Behavior Management n Antecedent n Behavior n Consequences

Defining Behavior n Describe behavior objectively and precisely (not: “he irritates me”) n Can you observe the behavior when it begins and when it stops –can you count the number of occurrences each day –can you measure the duration of the behavior n Can you observe what happens just before and just after it occurs

Identifying Antecedents n What are the events or conditions that immediately precede the problem behavior? n Can you manipulate the antecedents to avoid the behavior? (e.g. providing choices for activities)

Reading Antecedents n Facial Expressions: tight thin lips, clenched teeth, widened eyes with nostrils flared n Body Posture: head down, slumped shoulders, clenched hands, sucking or chewing n Incidental Behavior: rapid shallow breathing, sighing, kicking, mumbling, tearing paper, breaking pencils

Identifying Consequences n What does the student “get” out of the behavior? n Are students getting attention, avoiding work, receiving stimulus, or enjoy seeing adults upset?

Changing Behavior n Provide instruction with simple and clear directions n Gain student’s full attention before giving instructions n Provide one instruction at a time - do not provide too many different instructions n Monitor compliance - provide time limits n Provide appropriate consequences for compliance

Behavior Management Techniques n Positive Reinforcement n Negative Reinforcement n Extinction n Response Cost Punishment n Proximity Control n Decontamination

Positive Reinforcement n The positive reinforcement must be rewarding to the student n The reinforcers must be contingent on the behavior you want to increase n The reinforcers should be delivered immediately n Provide appropriate units of rewards for the expected unit of behavior

Negative Reinforcement n Definition: reinforcing a behavior by removing or preventing something unpleasant - allows the individual to escape or avoid a negative consequence n Not recommended as a prominent part of classroom management –negative reinforcement relies on the presence or threat of negative consequences –deliberate negative reinforcement sets the stage for coercion/intimidation

Proximity Control n Visual - visually monitor student activity from any position in the classroom n Physical - teacher positions her/himself close to each student to inhibit antecedent

Informal Interventions n Attention for compliance - verbal praise –Use social praise consistently –Provide praise only to students who earn it n Ignoring: only appropriate when: –the target behavior is temporarily tolerable –the target behavior is under the influence of a reinforcer that you can control

Self Management n Behavioral Definition: help the student choose a behavior to monitor n Teach the student to record behavior –Event recording –Permanent Product recording n Teach the student how to plot the data n Teach the student how to apply self- reinforcement n Use contracts to provide structure

Questions