• Design classroom layout according to the type of activity taking place:
– Tables for centers
– Separate desk for independent work
– Circle area for group instruction
• Consider teacher versus student access to materials
• Use assigned seats and areas
• Be sure all students can be seen
• Establish routines and procedures for:
– Arrival and dismissal
– Transitions between activities
– Accessing help
– What to do after work is completed
• Example arrival routines:
– Hang up coat and backpack
– Put notes and homework in the “In” basket
– Sharpen two pencils
– Go to desk and begin the warm-up activities listed on the board
– If you finish early, read a book
• Post:
– Prominently in the classroom
– Example: Be safe, Be respectful, Be ready, Be responsible
• Define for each classroom setting or routine:
– Being safe means hands and feet to self during transitions
– Being safe means using all classroom materials correctly
• Teach:
– Develop engaging lessons to teach the expectations
– Regularly refer to expectations when interacting with students (during prompts, specific praise, and error corrections)
• Individual or small group questioning:
– Student names can be on a seating chart, strips of paper, or popsicle sticks in a can or jar; as questions are posed, a student name is drawn
• Choral responding:
– Students read a morning message out loud together
– Students recite letter sounds together
• Nonverbal responses:
– Thumbs up if you agree with the character’s choice in our story
Behavior contracts:
At the beginning of the year, students sign a class constitution; the document specifies: (a) the expected behavior (be safe, respectful, and responsible), (b) supports to be provided (reminders), (c) rewards (earn Friday fun time), and (d) consequences (try again for next week)
Group contingencies:
All students will hand in homework #2 by the due date; if goal is met, next Friday class will play State Bingo instead of having a formal test review
Token economies:
Thank each student who worked quietly on the mathematics task for the past 10 minutes—that’s responsible behavior! Each of you earned a “star buck” to use in the school-wide store
Planned ignoring:
During a whole-group activity, student shouts the teacher’s name to get her attention. The teacher ignores the callouts and proceeds with the activity.
Differential reinforcement:
Teacher ignores student's callouts, models a previously taught attention-getting skill (e.g., hand raise), and immediately gives attention (calls on and praises) to student when he raises his hand: “That’s how we show respect! Nice hand raise.”
Response cost:
When a student talks out, the teacher pulls the student aside, provides a quiet specific error correction, and removes a marble from his or her jar on the teacher’s desk. The student is then reminded how to resume earning, and the teacher is careful to award approximately five marbles for every marble removed.
Time-out from reinforcement:
A group of students begin breaking the crayons they are using on a worksheet. The teacher collects the crayons and provides pencils to complete the task
• Design classroom layout according to the type of activity taking place:
- Use assigned seats
- Circle for discussion
- Forward facing for group discussion
• Use assigned seats
• Be sure all students can be seen
• Consider options for storage of students’ personal items (e.g., backpacks, notebooks for other classes)
• Consider routines and procedures for:
– Turning in work
– Handing out materials
– Making up missed work
– What to do after work is completed
• Example class period routines:
– Warm-up activity for students
– Review of previous content
– Instruction for new material
– Guided or independent practice opportunities
– Wrap-up activities
• Post:
– Prominently in the classroom
– Example: Be respectful, Be responsible, Be a good citizen, Be ready to learn
• Define for each classroom setting or routine:
– Being respectful means using inclusive language
– Being responsible means having all materials ready at the start of class
• Teach:
– Develop engaging lessons to teach the expectations
– Regularly refer to expectations when interacting with students
• Individual or small group questioning
• Choral responding
• Nonverbal responses
Behavior contracts:
At the beginning of each semester, students sign an integrity pledge. It states that students will complete their work independently (expected behavior), with teacher help when needed (supports), to have the potential of earning full points on assignments (rewards). If students do not maintain integrity, they will lose points on that assignment and in the course.
Group contingencies:
As a class, generate five questions that are examples of “Synthesis.” If this goal is met by 2:15, student will be allowed to sit where he would like (keeping class expectations in mind) for the last 20 minutes of the class period.
Token economies:
"______, you were very respectful when your peer came in and asked for space. You’ve earned 10 bonus points toward your behavior goal. Well done!"
Planned ignoring:
During a lecture, student interrupts the teacher and loudly asks her question; the teacher ignores student until she quietly raises her hand.
Differential reinforcement:
The teacher privately conferences with a student and says, “I really value your contributions, but we need your peers to also have a chance to participate in the group. If you can reduce your contributions to five or fewer, I’d love to meet with you over lunch to talk about the rest of your ideas.”
Response cost:
When a student engages in disrespectful language, the teacher privately provides feedback and removes a point from the student’s point card. The teacher is careful to provide at least five points (and specific praise) for every point removed (and error correction delivered).
Time-out from reinforcement:
After a student knocks over a chair in the cafeteria in frustration, the teacher removes the student from her normal lunch table and reviews expectations with the student before allowing her to resume activities.