Environment
Effective Classroom Management
Classroom management is the process by which teachers and schools create and maintain appropriate behavior of students in classroom settings.
1. Be Firm, Fair, and Consistent
2. Establish and Teach Routines and Procedures
3. Rehearse Transitions
4. Remember that Planning is 90% of Classroom Management (this includes assigning appropriately difficult work)
5. Praise Publicly, Punish Privately
6. Keep Consequences as Minimal as Possible
7. Anticipate Problems and Be Creative
8. Make Positive Phone Calls Home
9. Never Punish an Entire Class
10. Give Students Choices
A well-organized, well-managed classroom that is ready for instruction is created by a pyramid of strategies. The pyramids have been standing strong from 3200 BC until now. Like the pyramids you want your teaching practices to endure the test of time. So you will need a strong base, a powerful middle, and a capstone for constant reflection.
What makes a pyramid so strong? Pyramids are known for their strength and stability because of their solid bases. If you build a strong base in your classroom, everything else will fall into place.
Without a strong foundation, the year will start off rocky and management problems will ensue. How can you build a strong base in your classroom?
BE PROACTIVE
What is the difference between managing a classroom and disciplining a classroom? One is proactive and the other is reactive. Jim Faye and David Funk, co-authors of Teaching with Love and Logic, write that while educators are limited in reactive strategies, the good news is that there are unlimited proactive measures that teachers can take to establish a working learning environment. In this section, you will learn about various proactive strategies that can be used to foster a productive learning environment. The Proactive section has been broken into subsections to include Non-verbal Strategies; Organization and Documentation; and Rules, Routines and Procedures.
Proactive: Non-Verbal Strategies
Non-verbal strategies are beneficial because of a single key factor: they allow teachers to communicate to the students regarding behavior without interrupting instruction! In this section you will learn of several different non-verbal strategies. As you watch and listen to the video, keep in mind that not all of these strategies should be used at the same time. In fact, that would make things more confusing for the students. The idea is to listen to the strategies and find the one that you think will work for you. Once you begin your year, you may find that the strategy you chose isn't working the way you thought it would. Revisit this section as many times as you need to until you find a system that works.
Activating Activity: K-W-L: In the Graphic Organizers section, go to the KWL's section and print out a K-W-L template. Fill out the K and W portions of the graphic organizer. What do you know about non-verbal strategies? What do you want to know about non-verbal strategies?
Work Period: Watch the video Non-Verbal Strategies.
Video NonVerbal Strategies: https://youtu.be/Xg1evj-Msn8
Summarizing Activity: Complete the L portion of your graphic organizer. What have you learned about Non-Verbal Strategies?
Organization and Documentation
Organization and documentation are key components to effective classroom management. The organization of your classroom sets the tone and expectation of who is in charge of the classroom. Your documentation system will aid in fairness and consistency- two things that students look for in a teacher in order to give him/her their respect. As you work through this section, keep in mind the critical components to the start of the year. The tools in this module will help get your year off to a great start!
Activating Activity: Complete the left-handed column of the Anticipation Guide (see attachment below)
Work Period: Watch the video Organization and Documentation. Complete the right-handed column of the Anticipation Guide. Be prepared to discuss with your cohort.
Video Organization and Documentation: https://youtu.be/KK0Lxvk-OGE
Summarizing Activity: 3-2-1: On a sheet of paper list 3 things you learned in this module, 2 questions you still have, and 1 thing you are excited to try. Be prepared to share with your cohort.
Rules, Routines, and Procedures
A great deal of thought and planning should go into deciding what rules, routines and procedures are needed to manage and maintain a well-organized classroom. This section will help define each of these components for you and help you determine how to establish rules and routines for your classroom. Setting up routines and teaching them consistently for the first 21 days of the school year will increase the likelihood of maintaining a well-structured classroom.
Activating Activity: Complete the Behavior Matrix (see attachment below) and think about what you would do if faced with those scenarios.
Work Period: Watch the video Rules, Routines and Procedures. Add to your Behavior Matrix when appropriate. Complete the Creating Routines document (see attachment below). Be prepared to share out with your cohort.
Video Rules, Routines and Procedures: https://youtu.be/qd9a5m97_Pg
Summarizing Activity: Complete the action plans (see attachments below) and be prepared to share with your cohort.
Level 1 Interventions
You've set up your classroom, you've assigned seats and you're ready for the first day of school! The kids arrive and at the beginning everything is going as planned. But then a few weeks pass into the year and the kids are getting comfortable enough to test the boundaries. How do you respond?
Level I Interventions are designed to assert the limit messages that you send through the proactive strategies. While most students will respond well to the proactive strategies, it's important to have a plan in place for any student who wants to test your boundaries. The strategies in this section will enrich your toolbox with appropriate responses to this type of behavior.
Activating Activity: Create a list of some of the behaviors you think students will exhibit to "test your boundaries."
Work Period: View the video called Level I Intervention. Share and discuss your activating activity with your cohort.
Video Level I Interventions: https://youtu.be/pTUfXOrfXIk
Summarizing Activity: Look at the "What Will You Do" scenarios. Be prepared to discuss these scenarios with your cohort.
Level 2 Interventions
If you have successfully implemented Proactive and Level I strategies, you will rarely need to use any Level II strategies. However, it's always a good idea to have a plan in place for any student who wants to continue testing the boundaries of your classroom. Keep in mind that Level II strategies are a little more high maintenance, only because they are not meant to be used with the whole-group.
Activating Activity: Most new teachers have a fear of "what will happen if they don't listen?" What are your fears regarding classroom management? Jot down a list of things you might still feel unsure about.
Work Period: Watch the video Level II Intervention. Be prepared to discuss strategies with your cohort.
Video Level II Interventions: https://youtu.be/yexq-vHHCME
Summarizing Activity: Go back to your action plans that you started earlier in this section. Modify them based on new strategies that you've learned. Be prepared to turn in your action plans to your program director for review and feedback.