TECHNIQUES OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
GETTING AND KEEPING KIDS ON TASK
"Bell work" is the work students are doing when the opening bell rings. It's the work that separates the world of the classroom from the world of play. It's the work that lets students know they have crossed the line from the hallway into the learning environment. Bell work is one of the most effective tools for starting your classroom out on the right foot. Teachers who have a short, five-minute assignment on the board waiting for students when they enter the room reduce the risk of students entering the room engaging in talking, misbehavior, or other actions that are counterproductive. This activity can also be used as a focus activity for the day's lesson. A good bell or warm-up activity should be designed so that students who enter the room early will have enough time to finish it. The activity should be long enough, requiring students to get on task quickly in order to finish. Be sure the bell activity is not just busywork. Creating busy work for the sake of busywork will lead to frustration and will result in misbehavior. Place a value on the work by collecting and grading it, even if only on a weekly basis. Bell activities are not limited to the start of class. Many expert teachers use bell activities when transitioning between subjects and at the end of the day. When students do not have work to do, they will find something to do. Start out correctly. Engage your students and don't allow them time to misbehave.
RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING FRAMEWORK
Although your relationship-building framework is unique, several strategies can help you jump-start the process. When students arrive in your class, meet them at the front door. Greet each child as he or she walks into your classroom. A simple "Good morning! I'm really glad you are here! Will you please take your seat and begin the warm-up for me?" establishes who you are, what your demeanor will be, and what you expect from your students. You have started the relationship-building process, and the foundation is positive. As students become comfortable with you, expand the greeting to be more personal. Take time to learn about each student and what is important to him or her. Know what your students watch on television, what music they like, and who their family members are. Greetings will naturally move from "Good morning" to "Good morning, Jimmy. I'm glad you're here today. How is your sister doing? Is college going well for her?"
EMPATHY
As an administrator, I mastered using empathy very quickly to preserve my energy for the other parts of my job. Depending on the situation, I use the following 'one-liners': That is so sad. I know. Below is a list of one-liners that Love and Logic suggests. Remember, these are effective only if truly used with care and compassion. "Probably so." "I know." "Nice try." "I bet it feels that way." "What do you think you're going to do?" "I don't know. What do you think?" "Bummer. How sad." "Thanks for sharing that." "Don't worry about it now." "That's an option." "I bet that's true." "What do you think I think about that?" "I'm not sure how to react to that. I'll have to get back to you on it." "I'll let you know what will work for me."
DISPLAY INFORMATION THAT SUPPORTS INSTRUCTION
Class rules and consequences should be displayed prominently so they can be referred to often and seen easily by students. In elementary classrooms that use rewards, the rewards should be easily seen. Daily timetables are beneficial. These ensure that students are prepared for the change of lessons. Positive behaviors occur when school is predictable and safe. In addition to behavior charts and calendars, student work should be posted. When posting student work, post the grading rubric next to the work so students can see why the work was deemed outstanding. This will help struggling students identify what is important for future assignments. Perhaps most important is a word wall. Effective teachers designate a large portion of their wall space for interactive word walls. Word walls should not be static—they should be designed to be constantly changing and interactive.
SETTING EXPECTATIONS
General rules are rules that support the general expectations of the teacher, such as how students should act and perform, and they tend to be positive and often very broad. One example commonly found on classroom rule charts is, "Treat your fellow classmates with respect." While general rules communicate an expectation, they are often too broad. Students know what is expected of them, but they do not know the standard to which they must demonstrate the rule. For example, consider the rule "Treat your fellow classmates with respect;" the word respect can have a very different connotation to different people. What one might consider respectful, others may find disrespectful. Specific procedures are more exacting. They inform students as to exactly how to do something, such as how to put their name on a paper. By describing exactly how to do something, procedures form the foundation—the nuts and bolts—of the classroom management framework, and in order to be effective, procedures must be taught as thoroughly as any other lesson. Students can read rules and understand their basic meaning, but because procedures can be multistep, they must be taught. Let's equate rules and procedures for building a model airplane.
CREATING A CLASSROOM CULTURE
How can a teacher establish a culture that promotes learning and makes teaching a pleasure instead of a battle? Shared control in the classroom is a must; specifically, students should have a say in the learning process and in the curriculum, within reason. The teacher relinquishes some of the power to the students. Why? Students of all ages want to feel independent and as though they have a say in what they are learning and doing. Such empowerment motivates them, gives them feelings of competence, and helps them buy into the program. The teacher must work both as a facilitator and a teacher. In facilitating learning, the teacher helps students reach their educational goals but does not do the work for them. The teacher must establish an atmosphere of trust and respect for students as valued members of the school and the classroom. Students should not be criticized for their interests or their attire. For example, when working with students regarding dress code violations, do so privately and without criticism. Open the conversation by saying something like, "Matt, you could be on the cover of a magazine. Let's do something to keep you..." The teacher must believe in the student's ability to achieve. Few people use even 50% of their brain capacity according to biological research. Most students don't know how to use their brains and others are simply too lazy. Given the right motivation and stimulation, almost any student can achieve especially if there is a teacher who is encouraging. The curriculum must be relevant to real life and the students must be able to see the connection. Authentic learning experiences are the best, but if that is not possible, then the teacher should make the connections to real-life visible to the students. The teacher should model the behavior that he/she expects from the students. Students will live up to the expectations of the teacher; if the teacher expects excellence, then the students work up to the level expected. The teacher should exhibit a passion for the subject or passion for teaching or both. Passion makes the students interested in and excited about the subject. Who wants to learn from a deadbeat? Instruction needs to be individualized and in an effective learning community, it should be. Each member is doing something different and each member relies on the next member for support. Students individualize instruction with each other and the teacher works individually with students who are working on separate projects large group instruction should also be tailored to the needs of the group and the group should buy into the need for this type of instruction. Feelings of community are fostered by students having a common goal, similar classroom experience, after school activities occasionally, field trips occasionally, meals together, group t-shirt. The teacher must be seen by students as fair, knowledgeable, unbiased, willing to help, and easily approached.
WALKING THE CLASSROOM
How do you signal disruptive students that you mean business? How do you maintain an environment that promotes learning rather than disruption? Simple. You position yourself so students are always moving in and out of behavior zones (red, yellow, and green) and so students feel your physical presence. By moving about the classroom and physically re-positioning yourself, you are changing the environment without ever having to move a desk. When students start to talk, you move next to them. You take them out of the green zone and move them to the red zone. When talking continues, you decrease your physical distance to the student. The disruptive student must know without a doubt that he or she has just placed him- or herself on the front burner (the red zone), and everything else in the classroom has suddenly moved to the back burner. Stop what you are doing, take a relaxing breath, turn slowly toward the student, and slowly but deliberately reposition yourself next to him or her as you continue to teach.
INCENTIVES
Humans have a natural tendency to work harder when they know a reward is involved. Therefore, a reward system, whether emotional (authentic words of praise) or material (a pencil), is important. For a veteran teacher, that reward may be simple praise or time for a sing-along. For a novice teacher, the reward or incentive may need to be concrete and material in nature—such as a toy from a grab bag. Utilizing rewards can be a challenge, however, and, if not implemented correctly, can lead to additional misbehaviors. Students must want to behave because it's important to you and to them, not just to get a reward. Reward systems need to be clearly described. The expectations for behaviors that lead to rewards need to be spelled out, repeated back to you by students, and carried out consistently. Rewards should not disrupt the class or any other classes in school, and they should not distract from the learning environment. Rewards should be important to students but not so important that they become the focus of the classroom. Singing a short, one-verse song is probably fine, but singing a three-verse rock song is not. Letting a student pick a ten-cent toy from a treasure chest at the end of the day may encourage appropriate behavior and create instant gratification that the student will want to replicate. However, giving kids a pack of gum could get you in trouble. Take time. Think through your reward program. Make sure it will be effective, easy to administer, cost-effective, and grade-level appropriate.
MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE
Management Is Different from Discipline Classroom management, often mistakenly referred to by teachers as "classroom discipline," is the leading cause of fear, frustration, and anxiety for first-year teachers. For many novice teachers, managing the classroom is an uncomfortable and sometimes unnatural experience that is often very different from what they have experienced personally in other situations. Effective management of the classroom requires the teacher to know and understand his or her students and how rules, procedures, and policies affect the students and the learning environment. Just as important as developing procedures, effective classroom management also requires creating an environment that supports learning rather than becoming a distraction from learning. Through effective class design and efficient and purposeful transitions, a novice teacher can reduce the amount of off-task behavior and maximize learning opportunities. Successful time management and organization are critical to a highly effective classroom.
A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING MANAGEMENT
One of the most effective approaches to classroom management reliable plan that you implement every time you enter the classroom. Effective classroom management skills are essential for success as a teacher, and an effective framework is a big part of that success. A conceptual framework provides you with a set of rules and procedures that deter misbehavior. It also provides you with a method for dealing with students and situations when misbehavior does occur. An effective classroom management framework also provides a foundation of accountability. To help you better understand how a framework looks and works, we have developed a classroom management framework you can use as a template. This framework addresses three key components: prevention consistency expectations for learning First, the framework addresses prevention through developing appropriate relationships with your students and establishing rules, procedures, and behavioral expectations. Second, the framework provides you with clear and easy standards to follow that will ensure consistency in discipline. The third component of the framework helps to foster a positive and interactive classroom that will enable you to meet your classroom expectations.
Zones of Proximity
One overlooked method for building a positive classroom environment is to arrange the room effectively. As teachers, we each have a comfort zone. We find a place in the room where we can both see the students and have easy access to the board. We position ourselves near the overhead, or we stand to one side of the room. While this is effective for some students, others see this behavior as a green light to misbehave. Classroom management expert Fred Jones identifies "three zones of proximity" within a classroom: a red zone, a yellow zone, and a green zone.
Consistency for a Positive Learning Environment
RULES AND PROCEDURES Rules and procedures carry a price. As a novice teacher, you will learn that you must respond when a student breaks a rule or does not follow a procedure. How you respond—your body language, your tone of voice, and the words you use—will have a direct impact on the student and will determine whether he or she complies with you or challenges you. In fact, the way you carry yourself and how you interact with students on a daily basis, not just when challenged, will influence your students and how they behave. Classroom management is a function of rules, procedures, and classroom environment, the feeling the teacher creates, how the teacher reacts to situations, the effectiveness of the teacher's relationships with students and parents, the integrity of the teacher, and the physical layout of the classroom.
TEACHING PROCEDURES
Research and practical observation have repeatedly shown that teachers with the best-run classrooms have taken the time, not only post classroom rules and procedures but also to teach students rules and procedures. It may at first seem silly since in some cases, students have been students for twelve years. One might assume they should be able to read, understand, and follow posted rules and procedures. They should know how to behave, and they should know they are expected to raise their hand when they have a question. In fact, some teachers feel very strongly that "they should know." You will quickly discover, however, that this way of thinking is counterproductive. When a student enters the classroom for the first time, he may have forgotten it is appropriate to raise his hand to ask a question. He may also forget that chewing gum, talking out of turn, and pushing other students is inappropriate. Therefore, it goes without saying that if students do not know the rules and procedures, you must teach them just as you would teach them to add, subtract, or use verbs. To add interest and engagement, consider using skits or demonstrations that illustrate the procedures. In one junior high, teachers demonstrated appropriate and inappropriate behaviors and procedures in the cafeteria. Students pointed out acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Students also enjoyed laughing and watching their teachers acting silly, which enhanced the effectiveness of the lesson. Dress code fashion shows, in which students model acceptable dress code, follow the same principle. Two of the most common complaints heard from first-year teachers concerning student behavior are: 1) talking while the teacher is talking, and 2) interrupting other students when they are talking. These two procedures should have been taught in the first year of school, and, most likely were, but as a new teacher, your students want to know if your expectations will be enforced. They want to know what happens if they deviate from the procedure and will gauge your tolerance for how far they can push. This is called "testing the boundaries," and it happens to every teacher, both new and experienced. Teaching students your procedures, acceptable and unacceptable behavior, and the tolerance you have for failure to follow rules and procedures will give students the information they need to know how to behave. Once you have taught and demonstrated your level of tolerance and what you feel is acceptable, students will continue to "creep up" to the border, but few will cross it. They will also test you on a regular basis just to see if your level of tolerance has changed. Remember, the standards in any classroom are defined by what students can get away with. If you do not take the time to carefully teach your rules, routines, and standards, you will most likely regret it, since training students to do what you want them to do, when you ask them to do it, is critical to your success.
TYPICAL RULES AND PROCEDURES
Respect others in the classroom. Use appropriate language at all times. Follow all procedures. It is not uncommon for effective teachers to provide a significant but not overwhelming number of procedures. An experienced and effective teacher will often include procedures for transition, procedures for regular work activities, and procedures for responding to interruptions. Typical procedures include: arrival, dismissal, and bathroom procedures, procedures for getting supplies or sharpening pencils, group work procedures, procedures for getting assistance, and procedures for contributing to the class discussion or responding to assignments. the foundation for any successful classroom is rooted in the application of an understanding of classroom procedures.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Strong relationships are built on trust. Students do well when they believe they can depend on the teacher and their classmates. Students need to be able to trust that their teacher will not allow them to be harassed, intimidated, or bullied. A classroom should command enough order that all students know what is expected and where students are not allowed to be criticized or intimidated. A teacher can achieve this positive atmosphere by teaching and developing positive social skills. Rules should be sensible and consistently enforced, as students are perceptive to what they may perceive as unequal treatment. Students must be able to trust the teacher to treat everyone equally. Additionally, students have a need to belong, and this need intensifies as students enter their teens.
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS IMPROVE BOTH LEARNING AND DISCIPLINE
Strong teacher-student relationships not only reduce discipline problems, but they also connect behavior and decision making—both in and out of the classroom—to the curriculum (Wolk, 2002). The relationship between students and their teacher, classroom management, and teaching and learning is interwoven and interdependent. All of these elements are essential for creating a caring classroom with a shared purpose for learning.
A CARING ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Today's students need teachers who set their expectations at high levels and do not settle for second best. We must stop making excuses for students who are not sent to us equipped to learn and start finding ways to ensure that every student has a caring and engaging teacher who will not settle for anything less than the best from each of his or her students. In the last chapter, we talked about simple things we can do to help students find success. That is all part of relationship building. Webster's defines relationships as "a way two or more people or groups talk to, behave toward, and deal with each other." Student-teacher relationships are the cornerstone of building a great classroom climate, and students need to feel that their teacher truly cares about them. What types of behaviors are considered "caring"? Based on studies, caring behaviors have been noted as the following: Patience Persistence Facilitation Validation Empowerment Trust Respect
STAYING CALM
When a student irritates us, there is a natural tendency to react. How we react is predictable—we either fight or we flee. In the classroom, teachers are in a position of authority. When a student misbehaves, the novice teacher often chooses to get upset and makes the hasty decision to confront the situation. Rather than using the classroom management framework, many novice teachers open their mouths. "Class! There is too much talking in here. I expect to see people working. I am going to count to three. If you are still talking, I am going to start sending people to the office." Fred Jones calls this the "nag effect." Nagging is natural, and it's comfortable. It's something we probably do at home with those we love and trust. When we get angry at our kids, we nag. When their rooms are not clean, we nag. When the dishes aren't done, we nag. For many of us, nagging has consumed a large chunk of our lives—so much so that we sometimes forget we are nagging or being nagged. While nagging may get the response you are looking for at home (doubtful), it will not achieve the results you are looking for in the classroom. If you get upset and open your mouth, you will nag or become emotional. But as all of us know, nagging does not achieve results. Nag too much and students will ignore you altogether. If nagging does not achieve the results you need and want, perhaps you can use a different strategy—one that students do not expect. Stay calm, speak softly, and in a non-nagging voice direct students to do what you need them to do. Students will react, most often in the way you want them to. Directing students rather than nagging them is not a natural tendency, and it takes practice to get used to. When you stop nagging and start reacting calmly, you build a positive environment.
CLASSROOM DESIGN
When designing your classroom, consider the following: The age of the students, which affects the nature and size of the seating, materials to be stored, areas needing to be developed for various activities, etc. The number of students, which affects how many seats/desks, backpacks, books, etc., are necessary. The activities to be conducted. Don't think about "math" or "phonics instruction." Students don't do math or phonics—they draw, construct, measure, role-play, write, etc. The placement of electrical outlets, windows, door(s), instructional area, SMART board, computers, etc The classroom environment acts as a symbol to students and others of what a teacher values with regard to behavior and learning (Savage, 1999). A tidy, clean look with lots of open space conveys a sense of pride and sparks an immediate understanding in students—without you saying a word—that excellence is expected (Savage, 1999). It communicates high expectations and an environment in which learning is the focus. Clutter, on the other hand, communicates to all who enter your classroom that mediocrity will suffice. It communicates a hasty, ill-planned room in which excellence is neither expected nor demanded. In addition, it communicates that learning may not be the focus. Arranging the physical environment of the classroom is one way to improve the learning environment and prevent problem behaviors before they occur. Research has shown that the physical arrangement of a classroom can affect the behavior of both students and teachers. The same research also indicates that a well-structured classroom can improve student academic and behavioral outcomes (Walker, Colvin, & Ramsey, 1995). The spatial architecture of the classroom refers to how students are seated, where the students and teacher are in relation to one another, how students move within the environment, and the overall sense of atmosphere and order. It is important that you design your classroom to be conducive to your teaching style and your instructional goals. If your primary content-delivery modality is lecture, a class design that has students facing the front of the room would most likely be more effective than groups of students facing in different directions. If your students spend considerable time moving from station to station or working in cooperative learning groups, a room design featuring pods of students would likely be the most effective design. In addition to the spatial architecture of the classroom, a number of other physical factors should be considered when designing your room. Where you place your desk, where you place students' desks, where the materials are stored and placed when in use, what is placed on the classroom walls and how students interact with the walls, and how students interact within the learning environment are all important and all contribute to success in the classroom.
TEACHER'S DESK
When students are in the classroom, principals want teachers to be actively engaged with the students, walking around and monitoring the learning process. Sitting at a desk hinders these goals. When students are out of the room, principals encourage teachers to collaborate, engage in team planning, provide tutoring services, or participate in professional learning groups. Again, sitting at a desk hinders these activities. If you do have a desk, consider placing it in an area that would otherwise be dead space in order to maximize your instructional space. Even though it is essential for teachers to have their own space, it is vital that they spend most of their time "roaming" the class. This will reduce off-task behavior and will also give you the opportunity to assist struggling students.
STAY IN CONTROL
When students confront you verbally, everything they are doing—the challenge, the body language, and the talk itself—is a calculated attempt to get you to do one thing: to trap you! Students want you to react. They want to see how you will react and whether their actions are going to get you to react in a way that is inconsistent with what they expect. This is called a trap. One of the most common traps a novice teacher will find herself in is the threat trap. "If you do not stop talking, I will call the principal!" Threatening a trip to the principal's office for a minor infraction that should be resolved in the classroom is an idle threat. Making idle threats to students not only results in confusion but also results in students not knowing which threats are real and which ones just represent your loss of control. Threatening students send a message: "I am no longer in control, and I don't know what to do." By simply avoiding a challenge or threat, you keep the classroom atmosphere positive. Challenging even one student will create a domino effect and will lead to a negative atmosphere.
CONSISTENCY
When students know what is expected, how to behave, and that you are going to consistently enforce rules, you build a sense of safety and comfort for many students. A feeling of safety produces a positive feeling of trust and security in students. Think back to brain research and how the brain reacts to different situations. A child who does not feel safe and secure will focus on the environment rather than the learning. By creating a safe environment where students can take chances, you create a state of excitement, a state of anticipation, and a state of security. Only when students enter one of these states can learning take place. Consistency begins with thinking long and hard about which classroom rules you are willing to enforce every time. You might find that some, while they sound good, will not be worth your time when you are faced with enforcing them. There is no such thing as "very consistent." Consistency is all or nothing. You are either consistent, or you are inconsistent. Being consistent lays the foundation for compliance. In order to be consistent, the line between acceptable and unacceptable behavior must be crystal clear. You must know exactly when to act. You must know which behaviors have crossed the line and which ones can be resolved with a look or warning, or simply by relocating yourself.