SLO 2.2 - Communicate clear social and behavioral expectations to students

Stop and Think - A well-known viral video that you may have seen illuminates some issues that might exist in classrooms.  

You can never completely eradicate negative behaviors. Conflicts and problems are going to happen in any prolonged social interaction and relationship. But, in reality, difficult feelings can be managed without negative behaviors or problematic conflicts when relationships are strong, authority is clear, and procedures and routines are in place.  Having a clear way of dealing with issues when they occur is the best way to handle these somewhat stressful situations. Maintaining students behavior begins with relationships and authority. 

Notice how I did not say, "friendship!" It is a relationship and, as we have read, it is up to you to define how that relationship works and the values that it is founded on. 

All of these very successful people are suggesting that problems can be worked out, whether prior to or when problems arise, because we can be certain that problems will arise.  It is best if you go into problems fully prepared, cooperatively, and in the right mindset. Problems are an opportunity to take action in the best interest of everyone. Check out these common Classroom Management mistakes (*optional enrichment) and some research to support what you SHOULD do instead! 

It's important to remember that, while authority is important, there is no absolute reason to be dominant and assertive about rule and order in your classroom. Yes, some things need to be a certain way in the best interest of everyone and, yes, you can insist on non-negotiables, but that should never be done with threats or fear.  Schedules and activities need to be structured so that students feel comfortable and competent. Students need to feel engaged and connected to their classroom. Students want to have some control over how things are decided. Students do not need to feel threatened for those things to happen.

This can be done with students and centering their needs so they know that someone is in control who also cares about their needs.

There are, however, times when rules are enforced to exert control. As humans, it can feel safer if we believe we have complete control and authority simply because we are "in charge." If we seek this, we may gain some semblance of control, but we will never gain respect or a positive and motivating relationship with our students.

Most people think discipline and management are about taking care of all the bad behaviors in the classroom. The reality is management is about designing a space, routines, and activities so that people can feel engaged and productive, so that bad behaviors don't manifest. More importantly, though, it is about CREATING RELATIONSHIPS. You can have fantastic and clear procedures, but if your students don't trust or respect you, it will be much harder to actually engage them in those routines. Check out some information from the experts here. 

Remember, 90% of the time we are creatures of habit. Most of the time students and people are just “behaving,” not misbehaving.  Just do these simple things and you will cut down on most if not all of the problems:

1.  Remember what it is like to be a learner in a school.   

2.  Create solid values and a culture that are important to you and the students.  

3.  Organize the physical space in the classroom to maximize efficiency, productivity, and engagement. 

4.  Possess a strong sense of confidence and authority in your mission and actions. 

5.  Aim for high expectations for student behavior and productivity.

6.  Incorporate meaningful and simple procedures and routines.

7. Develop communication systems with parents and other professionals.

8.  Create meaningful, accountable, and diverse lessons for all learners.

9.  Understand that all students have their own needs in relation to their context.

10. Make accommodations for engagement and success for all learners.

Most "misbehaviors" are just normal behaviors for human beings, especially children. Depending on their age, it's normal for kids to want to run around during a quiet time, push back when asked to do something, or yell when they are excited. These may not always be the most productive behaviors and ones that we as teachers can help them manage, but students performing these behaviors aren't "bad." Instead, make it clear what behaviors promote or support success in your classroom, and what can disrupt learning for everyone.

Notice what I did not say: “Put up with.” Remember, look at things in the positive whenever possible. Make sure you expect and encourage positive behaviors in your classroom space. You must be a model and also teach the behaviors you wish to encourage. Do not expect students to already know how you want them to behave prior to explaining to them. Everyone comes from different cultures and experiences, so it is essential you work with your students to norm how everyone should treat each other, the space, and themselves. 

Reasons our students may be acting in ways that do not support each other:

• • • Attention seeking

    • Avoiding failure; not wanting to fail

    • Anger from previous experiences (from today, yesterday, or last week)

    • Student wants control

    • Student boredom

    • Young energy

    • Lack of proper information

    • Lack of structure and routine

    • Lack of trust

    • Lack of respect

    • Lack of fairness and justice

Consider these two counter-examples of what not to do. Even though this video seems old school, and it was meant to train teachers in the 60 how NOT to speak with students, do you think these things still occur? Do you think these teacher behaviors encourage or discourage negative feelings in the classroom? What does this teacher do to encourage or discourage his students from behaving how he wants them to?

On control and discipline - “When I first started teaching years ago I thought that discipline meant that I had control but now I know otherwise. It was actually a previous student who taught me that I need to change my “old folk ways” as he called them. He told me that he was tired of being told what to do and just wanted to know what he was going to be doing. Instead of having a lot of rules I just set a daily list and the students never had time to get out of control.”

On the difficult student - “You’re always going to have a difficult student. The only thing that you can make sure they don’t do is know they’re getting to you. As long as you look calm and collected in your classroom a student is going to find it difficult to egg you on. Now that’s not saying there hasn’t been many times where I go home and feel like screaming into my pillow at night.”

On being a teacher - “Not in a million years. Teaching has always been a career goal of mine and for me to finally achieve that goal in life is very rewarding. Coming to school seeing the same bright handsome and beautiful faces of children I can call MY students, makes it all that more rewarding for me as a teacher. This is my dream and I choose to live it out because being an educator is an important part in every child’s life.”

On stress - “Music. Music always relaxes the mind, body, and soul. From the great sounds of Chopin and Beethoven to the modern-day sounds of Michael Buble and Carrie Underwood it just ends the day off on a good note I must say. Also just going home to my husband makes it that much more rewarding to deal with the stressful days.”

On being a first-year teacher - “The advice I would give to a first-year teacher is don’t be afraid to try new things. What you enjoy doing now is what you will enjoy doing 10-20 years from now. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your peers for help because that’s what we’re here for. We’re all in this together and without the teachers being on the same page the school would be a complete disaster.”

On student language - I said, "please make sure we don’t put too much glue or else it will get all over the place." They looked so confused. I overheard the teacher's aide and she said, “Ok boys and girls, remember what we learned. Dot dot not a lot!” The children would slowly put small globs of glue as they repeat the saying to themselves. It really helped them to grasp the point of not putting a lot of glue. It’s the simple things that we as adults take for granted knowing, that can make a huge difference in a child’s understanding of a situation.

It probably won't surprise you that classroom control/discipline is rated among the top four challenges teachers face in public schools today.In fact, almost half the teachers polled said that discipline was a serious problem in their schools. Not surprisingly, when the public was polled on the same issues, they ranked classroom control/discipline as the number one challenge. Unfortunately, teachers face not only the challenge of managing their students' behavior while teaching the curriculum. They also face many conflicting theories about how to manage it: logical consequences, behavior management and assertive discipline, to name just a few.

Classroom behavior is one of the trickiest issues teachers face today. Disruptive behavior results in lost curriculum time and creates a classroom environment that is not always conducive to learning. One key to  behavioral problems  is to promote positive behavior before problems arise. This takes some planning, but the following tips will help you lay a foundation for positive classroom behavior. Of course, there is no one "correct" way to encourage positive classroom behavior. But if you begin with a good foundation, it is possible. 

Here are a few time-tested suggestions that can help you build that foundation: 

• Think About Your Approach - Take some time to think about the strategies you plan to use to encourage positive classroom behavior. Clarifying your strategies will make it easier for you to lead the class confidently and effectively.

• Visualize Possible Challenges - Imagine possible classroom challenges and review your strategies for dealing with them. Having clear-cut strategies will help keep you grounded when these challenges do arise.

• Make Your Expectations Clear from the Beginning - Make sure that students know what you expect of them. The classroom rules you present should be positive, specific and concise. You may wish to post them in the classroom or distribute them for students to sign. You should also spell out what will happen if students do not meet expectations.

• Model Positive Behavior - Occasionally, you may have to remind yourself to follow your own rules. For example, if you ask students not to drink beverages in class, refrain from keeping a cup of coffee on your desk, even if you do not drink it during class.

• Encourage, Encourage, Encourage - When you praise students who are excelling, don't forget to encourage those who are trying, but struggling. These students often lack confidence and need more positive reinforcement.

• Show Respect - Showing respect for your students includes listening to their needs and preserving their dignity. It also means living up to their expectations of you, such as greeting them at the beginning of class or returning corrected homework in a timely fashion.

• Be Consistent - Be sure to address student behavior in a consistent manner. Be wary of shifting strategies when misbehavior occurs. To students, this may show a lack of decisiveness. Find a strategy you like and stick with it.

• Keep Students Busy and Challenged - Busy students are far less likely to exhibit disruptive behavior. Be sure that students are working at appropriate levels; boredom and frustration often lead to students' acting out.

• Listen to Students' Suggestions - When building your foundation, you may be able to draw from students' and other teachers' past classroom experiences. Ask students to make suggestions about what should be expected of them and how misbehavior should be addressed. Students are often more responsive to rules they helped create.

• Develop Mindfulness - “Incorporating mindfulness into education has been linked to improving academic and social and emotional learning. Also, mindfulness strengthens some underlying development processes—such as focus, resilience, and self-soothing—that will help kids in the long run.”

Creating an environment in which students know and follow the rules is challenging, but not impossible. With a little patience and perseverance, you can lay a foundation for respect and positive behavior in your classroom that lasts all year.

Start Simple - Educators will not be surprised at the results of a survey conducted by the Association of School and College Leaders  (*optional enrichment), in which 55% of schools reported an increase in stress and anxiety among their students.  Learners with exams frequently display signs of stress, despite often not realizing this is what they’re suffering from.  Aside from a whole host of emotions that young people would rather not be experiencing, stress and anxiety have a significant impact on the brain’s ability to process, learn and retain information. Stressed students don’t make the most effective learners and this creates a negative cycle that we must work to prevent.  We may not be able to solve every problem, but we can help support students to be resilient, face challenges head-on, and harness stress rather than let it overwhelm them.

So, improve your understanding around stress being a part of normal daily life. It is a challenge we all face, and the body’s natural response to a threat or danger.

Learning about its cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms – such as the inability to concentrate, rapid heartbeat, nausea, a sense of loneliness, short-temper, eating too much or not enough – will make it easier for students to recognize the signs in themselves. This, in turn, can help empower them to seek support or advice and remain in control.

Show students that a little bit of stress can be a stimulus and motivator for action by encouraging them to drive this energy into something positive and productive. Help them set realistic, timely, and step–by–step targets for their work or revision. In my class, when pupils saw they could master small challenges it helped build their confidence, allowing them to tackle bigger issues with more gusto.

Consider teaching the science of behavior to students to help normalize what students are experiencing and help diminish the stigma around behaviors, and draw attention to positive behavior. 

Encourage mistakes our brain develops  (*optional enrichment) when we make and think about a mistake. It is an integral part of the learning process, but many students are terrified of slipping up. It’s important we show them that failing isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Explain why mistakes are important, encourage mistakes when giving work, and show students how they can improve by prompting them to ask reflective questions such as: What could I have done better? What could I do differently? What worked well?

Don’t pass the pressure It’s important that we refrain from passing on any of our own stress, and that we encourage a positive mindset in our students.

Remember, you can work with your students to come up with positive-based ways to support behavior, instead of punitive ones. Check out this helpful student plan from Cornelius Minor's We Got This  (*optional enrichment)

Many of us have either used or experienced "token economies" in classrooms— raffle tickets, classroom money, etc.— as a means to support positive student behavior. While these can, sometimes, be done well, it's important to consider the larger issues that may arise from these classroom structures. What are they teaching students about behavior? How might we be recreating problematic systems in our classrooms  (*optional enrichment)?

You may also hear or see resources around PBIS, " Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports."(*optional enrichment) Again, there are aspects to these ideas that can be implemented with success, but it's important to take a deeper look at their use in our classrooms. 

 (*optional enrichment) Jeff Bliss and his mom share their thoughts on the situation that occurred in the classroom. 

Remember, teaching is relational work.

We said at the outset that it wasn't about being a friend, but it is about developing a caring relationship with your students based on kinship.

We must come to our kids with an eye not on only on outcomes but on cultivating kinship with them. When we challenge students to succeed, it has to come with intentionality and purpose: the challenge is not given to measure their worth by our standards but to provide them with the opportunity to see exactly how capable and brilliant we already know they already are. When they don't meet that challenge, it's not a sign of their incompetence but the chance for them to reflect on how they can grow and improve. The work we give our students shouldn't be the measuring stick of their worth, but the mirror in which they can see their growth and future. - Christina Torres .

Practice mindfulness with your students. For example, at this school  (*optional enrichment), detention has been replaced with mindful meditation - and the results have been significant with improved attendance and behavior. The value of mindfulness is backed up by a study on US Marines  (*optional enrichment) preparing for deployment. This found that those who attended mindfulness training and practiced mindfulness exercises such as focused breathing had improved moods and working memory. Hours of meditation isn’t possible in the average school, but when I was teaching I would start the lesson with a one-minute breathing exercise or task students to close their eyes and listen to every sound they could possibly hear for 30 seconds. I found it helped to calm students and bring their focus into the moment, to me and to the lesson.

• SEL Learning  (*optional enrichment)

• Proactive Classroom Management  (*optional enrichment)

Chapter 2.3 - Managing Stakeholder Communication (Link to Google Sites)