Classroom Management

Progress Monitoring:

• i-Ready Student Data Trackers, Pledge Sheets, and Learning Reflections

  • Allows you to set goals and lead the students to understand how to track their own data and create a check-in system that is student-driven

• Group Progress Monitoring Form (M. Searle based)

  • This form can be used for either non-academic or academic goals for small groups

• Individual Progress Monitoring Form

  • This form can be used for either non-academic or academic goals for an individual student

• Behavior Frequency Count Data Sheet

  • Use when a goal is to increase the frequency of positive behavior or decrease the frequency of negative behavior (e.g., increasing turning in work, decreasing calling out, etc.)

  • Whole group or individual student

• Duration Recording Data Sheet

  • Use when the goal is to increase or decrease the duration of a behavior (e.g., increase time working, decrease the length of a tantrum, etc.)

  • Whole group or individual student

• Latency Recording Data Sheet

  • Use when the goal is to increase compliance (i.e., how long between teacher request and student compliance- the goal is to decrease the time between)

  • Whole group or individual student

• Repeat Offenders Rule Violation Tracking Sheet

  • Allows you to use your classroom management plan (rules, consequences, rewards) to monitor multiple students who repeatedly break rules

• Free Printable Behavior Charts for Kids and Teens

  • Intervention, Tracking, and Parent Communication in One!

  • Establishes how the student will earn the appropriate check mark or graphic and how many they should earn in a day/week to earn a reward

  • Individual student

• Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence Log

  • Can help to better understand what is causing the behavior and what the student is getting out of the behavior

  • Individual student

  • Tracks time/date, triggers, behaviors, and consequences

  • Best to have completed when deciding to refer to MTSS

Useful Strategies/Accommodations for maintaining appropriate classroom behavior:

1. Have rules stated positively (e.g., rather than “No hitting or kicking,” the rule could be “Keep your hands and feet to yourself”).

2. Post rules in your classroom where everyone can see.

3. Review rules frequently with your students (if students generally follow the rules, this may need to happen at the start of every week; if many students struggle with following rules, this may need to happen twice a day).

4. Listen actively to students, repeating back what they say and asking for clarification to help build positive relationships.

5. To build rapport with a student that you are having a difficult time building a relationship with, consider using a two-by-ten conversation approach: talk with the student for two minutes about topics that interest them for ten days in a row. This can help to build a positive relationship and help the student to trust you.

6. If there is a student who is repeatedly getting in trouble, consider the negative/positive statements being made to him/her. If a student is not receiving positive attention, they may instead seek out negative attention. Try giving at least 3:1 positive to negative statements (for every one negative/corrective statement, the student should receive three positive statements). Try to catch the student doing something positive and immediately offer praise for the desired behavior.

7. Ignore bad behavior when possible and immediately praise when you see the desired behavior.

8. Use proximal praise (e.g., if you want a student to sit on the carpet, say, “I really like how student name is sitting quietly on the carpet criss-cross applesauce with his hands in his lap.”). This helps students to understand the desired behavior without introducing conflict.

9. When you see a student beginning to escalate, try giving them a classroom job to do or an errand to run, or use positive statements about how they are doing so well with effort even though you can see that they are becoming frustrated and offer support/break

10. Consider a calm-down space in your classroom that has some privacy to escape the classroom stimulation with sensory bottles, play dough, fidgets, pipe cleaners, etc.

11. When a student has escalated or when a correction is needed for a student, use a calm, even tone. Do not raise your voice and do not engage in power struggles. Tell them their choices of the desired behavior or the consequence (you can complete this math worksheet or you can receive a negative point) and allow them two minutes to make their choice. After two minutes, give them a reminder to make the choice. If a choice is not made at two minutes past that, give the consequence.

12. Offer the student a face-saving out. If a student is elevated, ask, “Is there anything that we can work out together so that you can stay in the classroom and be successful?” Remember to use a calm, even tone. If they offer a sarcastic or unrealistic response, ignore the response and offer the question again. Give them a dignified way out of the situation so that they do not end up in a power struggle with you and so that the student can get the most out of staying in the classroom.

*Remember, students mirror our emotions. To maintain a calm environment, demonstrate a calm demeanor even when faced with difficulties. Some of our students do not have positive models at home to demonstrate to our kiddos how to deal with frustration and emotions. Let’s be that model for our students.