1. Where Are We Going, and How Do We Get There?
Jonathan Nycz
Hughes Elementary
Marshall Public Schools

2. Why investigate a classroom routine?
Question: How do I get all 21 fourth graders in the class to line up more quickly and quietly when transitioning from our classroom to another area?
School is a socializing force, instilling new behaviors and reinforcing existing behaviors
How do students learn these behaviors?
Is it important to learn these behaviors?
Have I identified a problem, or have I defined a set of behaviors so as to create a problem?

3. The students

4. Round 1
I recorded the length of time for students to line up (straight, facing forward, not talking) before stepping out of room
Calculated the daily means and created a line graph of mean by day
Data collection, analysis, and reflection/theorizing occurred in three rounds
The analysis of the data, and my thinking about the analyses, provided new objectives and methods for each successive round

5. Round 1
I was expecting it to take a similar amount of time every time but I was surprised to see much more variation across five days

6. Round 2
I continued to record the length of time for students to line up
What was happening (i.e. behavior, choices, actions) to explain the times?
Video
+calculated daily mean
+noted students not meeting criteria and coded for similarities and differences of students and behavior over time
I didn’t want to come up with an intervention; I needed to know more
I began to realize more layers/complexity to whether we are meeting the criteria or not

7. Round 2

8. Round 3 Conversations with students: “It takes us forever.”
“We end up talking a lot.”
“We get too loud and we can’t follow directions.”
“We get to talk to people who aren’t friends.”
“Sometimes things are in the way.”
Round 3
#conversations with the class re: thoughts about lining
#reviewed video and then conversation again
#took notes re: what they suggested and coded differences in desire to watch video
#compared similarity of responses after video and responses before
#compared similarity of students’ observations to my observations
I see the significance of talking to students b/c they have insights and observations that I don’t have.
Involving them in the conversations invests them in what we are doing.

9. Conclusions
My perceptions of the situation were as much a part of the problem as student behavior
Progress is not necessarily a linear process
Even without an explicit intervention, standardization effected a change- consistency is key!
Next steps:
Record, review, and discuss
State descriptions of our goals using more explicit language
Allow time for talk about the classroom culture and routines

10. References
Allen, J. D. (1986). Classroom Management: Students' Perspectives, Goals, and Strategies. American Educational Research Journal, 23,
Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., & Sawyer, B. E. (2004). Primary-Grade Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Attitudes toward Teaching, and Discipline and Teaching Practice Priorities in Relation to the "Responsive Classroom" Approach. The Elementary School Journal, 104,
Wong, H.K., & Wong, R. T. The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Singapore: 2009.

11. Acknowledgments Mrs. Marie Dennis Dr. Kyle Shanton
And especially the students!

12. Questions/Comments ?