Surviving the classroom

Preview Discussion Write down a list of bad behaviours that student do in the classroom (try to get at least ten).

List all the strategies teachers use (or have used) to control behaviour in the classroom.

What are some of the things you say to students that misbehave in the classroom (write them down)

What phrases are most effective?

Which strategy is least effective?

Why do you think that the teachers behaviour planning is important aspect in managing classroom behaviour?

Proactive Strategy #1: Identify acceptable behaviour

What are some of the reasons that a behaviour poster is a good idea?

What are some of the reasons that a behaviour poster will NOT work?

What do you say when students break the rules?

Exercise: Identify rules with the class In classroom there should be a poster with three or four rules of conduct. Teachers must teach students the rule expectations and CONSISTENTLY use them during and after class. Work with a partner and design and present your own rule expectation poster to the class. Classroom Rules Poster

How will you teach students the behaviour expectations from the poster above?

STRATEGY 2: Model, explain, execute and reward.

Teacher must be prepared to TEACH the rules, tell, and praise students for doing what is expected. Teachers talk and behaviour is a decisive factor; you must know what you will say and do to deal with behaviour BEFORE class. This is called proactive rather than reactive behaviour management approach.

Teaching Behaviour in Class General behaviour 1. Make request or command in a polite specific manner, NOT in the form of a question

2. Give students enough time (3-5 seconds) to comply with the command

3. PRAISE students for complying with request

NON-COMPLAINCE 4. Repeat the request or command emphasizing the word need (you need to sit down)

5. Allow 5 seconds for compliance

6. Follow through with the class consequence and immediately reissue the request or command.

7. Praise if the student complies with request or REPEAT the sequence again.

Teacher Request & Commands Exercise: The box below includes a series of 6 teacher commands and requests. For each example, note any flaws or problems in the teacher response. Use Teaching Behaviour box above to determine elements of effective teacher commands. NEXT analyze the teacher statements and rewrite the teacher verbal response (or describe an alternative way the teacher could have acted to head off or handle the situation more effectively).

Situation 1 Mark, I know that you finished the quiz early, but it is important that you not distract the other students while they are trying to work. You wouldnt want them to do poorly on the quiz, would you? Analysis of teacher response: The teacher has done well to describe the situation saying: I know you finished the quiz early and describes the negative behaviour (distracting others and the teacher, the offending behaviour). However, the ending sentence is too polite and needs to be shortened.

Rewrite of teacher language:

Situation 2 Maria, how many times do I have to tell you to stop being so disruptive! Every time that I have to talk to you, you take my attention away from the other students! Please try to be more considerate!

Analysis of response The teacher is too emotionally and negatively involved, shouting (!!!) and lashed out at the student with: how many times do I have to tell you! This is not helpful or proactive but a reactive moment to be avoided in the classroom. These comments are NOT effective because the student does not know what they did or what they are suppost to do. A much better example of language and modelling was the teacher response in situation 1.

Rewrite of teacher language:

Situation 3 OK, class. Pull out the writing assignment that you had for homework last night. Pair off with a neighbour. Each one of you should read the others assignment. Then you should edit your partners work, using our peer-editing worksheet. Finally, review your editing comments with your partner. You have 20 minutes. Begin!

Analysis of teacher response:

Rewrite of teacher language:

Situation 4 Jason, could you please put away that newspaper and get started on your homework assignment?

Analysis of teacher response:

Rewrite of teacher language:

Situation 5 Carl, why dont you speak up so that you can distract the entire class with your talking?

Analysis of teacher response:

Rewrite of teacher language:

Look at the following behaviour challenges below and use the behaviour chart and the brief behaviour language you know to resolve these problems in the classroom.

Behaviour Challenges & Role plays 1. Student stands up from his/her desk and comes to the front of the classroom to discuss something with the teacher.

My teacher language:

2. Student throws his pencil/eraser across the room to a friend.

My teacher language:

3. Student continues talking when the teacher is giving instructions to the class.

Teacher language:

4. Student stands up and comes to the front of the classroom to ask to go to the washroom.

Teacher language:

5. Student refuses to comply with teachers instructions

Teacher language:

Compare your answers below Behaviour Challenge Student stands up from his/her desk and comes to the front of the classroom Student misbehaviour Raise your hand before you stand up, disrupts learning for others, lack of respect for teacher and others. Teacher say and do First non-verbally indicate to the student that they should be in their seat. Second, point out (model) the correct behaviour. NAME: You know we put up our hands before we leave our seats. Sit down and put up your hand up thanks (wait for

compliance). -Third we remind about our class rules: Safety and Respect for others. Teacher can also ask the class to remind for class rules. Name: You know throwing objects across the classroom is dangerous because you can hurt a classmate. Because you have already thrown the item your name goes on the board (consequence one). But in the future, put up your hand and ask to give/borrow, receive an item in class. Restate the request and wait for compliance. Then say you need to _________thanks. Still refuses then restate and proceed with consequence one (name on the board).

Student throws his pencil/eraser across the room to a friend.

Extremely dangerous behaviour, lack of respect for others, safety rule and every rule in class. Must be addressed straight away by the teacher. Teacher cannot ignore dangerous behaviour.

Student refuses to comply with teachers instructions

Students have bad days, so please be aware of how the student is doing before you decide for discipline.

Strategy 3: Acknowledge behaviour RIGHT NOW!

Each student has a clothespin and they all start the day in the middle of the chart on "Ready to Learn." The clothespins move throughout the day. Positive choices will move you up one level at a time. Negative choices move you down. There is a buffer zone between "Ready to Learn" and facing any form of consequence so if a child "clips down" he has the opportunity to clip back up. Students can be rewarded for good behaviour and they can "clip up." So when the room gets a little chatty, I don't focus on the chatty ones. I find a few good students, ring my bell and make a nice show of appreciating their role model behavior. They clip up. They beam. The others are quickly redirected without me needing to mention their chatting at all. It keeps things so positive and upbeat. Here's the best part.... There are no prize pails or trinkets or tickets or tokens or tchotchkes to manage or track. Instead of striving for useless junk, the kids strive for acknowledgement of good behavior. When a child reaches outstanding at the end of the day, we add a little star sticker to the clip and I give them a label to take home. When they earn 5 stickers they get a new clip and color it red. We repeat the process in "rainbow order" meaning they then work to earn an orange clip and then a yellow, etc. The ultimate goal is the coveted "glitter clip." They manage this on their own by getting a new clip from the drawer and coloring it with a marker.

You simply pass out the labels and move the clips back to their original spot each morning (or do as I did and train a responsible, tall child to do it). I love that even if a child makes a not-so-good choice, she can rally and move back up. As a helpful hint, I usually try to "clip up" my friends who have a tendency to "clip down" early in the day so that they have a bit of wiggle room.

I really, really love that the focus is on my students that make positive choices. I feel that they often get taken for granted and the attention goes to those who don't. This turns things around and the others learn from their example.

Strategy 4: Take the time to teach proper behaviour in class

We do not expect our students to magically know how to behave. Behaviour management must be taught to students, you cannot expect them to know what to do unless you tell them, teach them and follow through with your rules. Step 1: Identify the expected behaviour and describe it in observable terms. Teacher should say: What do we (students) do when we want to speak or move around in the classroom? Raising hand above head when you have a questions or something to say in class Step 2: Rationale for Teaching the Rule (Why is it important, give examples) 1. So that all students have the opportunity to participate 2. So we are not interrupting others when they are talking 3. So that students and the teacher can be heard when they have something to say Step 3: Identify a Range of Examples Positive Examples of the Expected Behavior (this is what the expected behavior looks like) Negative Teaching Examples (non-examples, what not to do) 1. Raise hand straight over head 2. Sitting upright in chair 3. Hand still and mouths quiet 4. Waiting to talk until you are called on 1. Waving your hand in the air 2. Grunting or saying call on me 3. Hand not raised over head 4. Hand off to side or in someone elses space 5. talking before being called on Acknowledging expected/desired behaviour: Teacher should reward good behaviour with a comment or positive reinforcement.

MICRO TEACHING Work with a partner, develop and create a lesson plan to teach ONE behaviour management strategy to your class. Step 1: Identify the expected behaviour and describe it in observable terms.

Step 2: Rationale for Teaching the Rule (Why is it important, give examples)

Step 3: Identify a Range of Examples

Positive example

Negative example

Acknowledging expected/desired behaviour: