1. Re-examination of Effective Classroom Management: Middle School The work reported in this symposium is supported by: Office of Special Education Programs Institute of Education Sciences (National Research Center on Rural Education Support)

2. Presenters Tom Farmer – General Issues Theresa Hoover – Managing the Class Douglas Kostewicz – Individualized Intervention Tom Farmer – Managing Social Dynamics

3. Developmental Issues in Middle School Changes in Context Less structure and predictability More adults but fewer personal relationships More individual responsibility and academic press Changes in the social hierarchy (i.e., jockeying for power) Changes in Students Greater need for autonomy and independence Physical maturation and interest in romantic relationships Peer influences and being “cool” become more important Socially vulnerable (bullying, social aggression, victimization)

4. Traditional Approaches to Classroom Management in Middle School Classrooms Assertive Discipline  Singling out problem students  keeping a public record of their problems  Reminding them of the increased severity of the consequences if the problem persists In-School Suspension  Office referral  Removal from classroom  Negative reinforcement for teacher and student

5. Classroom Management Needs for Students with or/at-risk of EBD in Middle School Factors in Creating Effective Classroom Contexts: Teach and reinforce behaviors that students need in the classroom Promote a classroom context where students want to be and feel successful Consistency across teachers and administrators Provides individualized positive behavior support for students who need it Is responsive and aware of classroom social dynamics

6. Classroom Management Strategies for Students with EBD in Middle School Establish a successful classroom environment Explain rules/expectations clearly, explicitly from the beginning Changing of classrooms –  First time most student have multiple teachers  Consistency of rules/expectations Routines

7. Prevention Strategies: Reducing the Likelihood of Problems by Promoting Academic Engagement Positive Classroom Climate  Develop routines  Post day’s events/assignments Adapting Instruction  Monitor progress during lesson  Keep a steady pace  Assignments meet student needs Pre-correction/active supervision

8. Whole Classroom Strategies Greet students as they enter the classroom Review the schedule for the day Use proximity during instruction to off set Use structure to keep students actively involved in the given activity/instruction Be positive – recognize good behavior purposefully/deliberately

9. When a problem arises

10. Doug’s stuff

11. Why Social Dynamics? 1) Students’ relationships with adults is shifting Waning need for adult approval More independence and autonomy 2) The Importance of peers in adolescence Peer rejection and later outcomes Peer affiliations and later outcomes 3) Transitions and social dominance 4) Adolescence and social aggression

12. Social Dynamics Training Aims & Goals 1) To help teachers to become better aware of classroom social dynamics 2) To consider how natural classroom social dynamics can be used to support behavior management strategies

13. What are Classroom Social Dynamics? Think about classes that you’ve taught in the past 1) Can you remember specific peer groups? --Distinct characteristics --Hierarchically structured 2) Do some students take on specific social roles? --Leader --Bully --Victim --Isolate 3)Do students influence each other’s behavior? Do students behave differently depending on the group that they are with? The status of the other person that they are with?

14. Social Dynamics and Intervention: Social Interactions Social Interactions – Behaviors between two individuals tends to become synchronized in ways that support and sustain specific patterns Assessment – Goal is to determine how students impact each other’s behavior Intervention - Focus on the natural daily interactions that sustain behavior

15. Social Dynamics and Interventions: Social Structures Social Structures – Classrooms tend to become hierarchically organized with some groups and individuals having higher status than others Assessment – Goal is to understand how peer groups and the social hierarchy impact students’ behavior and contribute to the overall classroom climate Intervention - Efforts to intervene with a student’s behavior should take into consideration how the peer group and the broader classroom social structure impacts her or his behavior

16. Social Dynamics and Interventions: Social Roles Social roles – Many students develop particular roles (e.g., leader, class clown, bully) and social reputations that become sustained, in part, by the expectations of others. Also, some roles become synchronized with other roles (i.e., teacher – student; follower-leader; victim – bully). Assessment – Goal is to understand how social roles and social synchrony impact a student’s behavior and works to sustains her or his particular patterns of behavior Intervention - Efforts to intervene with a student’s behavior should take into consideration his or her role and the expectations and actions of others that help to sustain it

17. Social Dynamics and Interventions: The Dynamics of Aggression Dynamics of aggression – Students frequently jockey for social status and social power. Some students (particularly boys) may use physically aggressive strategies to assert their dominance. Other students (particularly girls) may use socially aggressive strategies (i.e., use the social network as a means of hurting others) to promote their social status. Assessment – The goal is to identify how aggression is supported by classroom social dynamics and how socially aggressive strategies contributes to conflict that leads to more serious problems Intervention - Efforts to intervene with a student’s behavior should take into consideration the dynamics of influence and social power in the classroom