Student behavior problems may be the single biggest reason
teachers get stressed and leave the teaching profession. Too often, teacher preparatory programs send smart, qualified teachers into classrooms with little or no skills for handling behavior disasters. Student teaching may prepare teachers for real-life teaching, but more often than not, the student teaching environment may not represent the actual teaching placement.
As the editor of TheApple, I get more questions from frustrated teachers asking for class management help. I’ve compiled a wealth of resources for teachers of all ages and stages here, but for additional issues, feel free to send me or Dear Julia our behavior columnist, a question.
Every student is unique, and that means every class is its own dynamic. Throughout the year, students have experiences with you or their peers that may trigger behaviors and make conducting class seem impossible. If you feel overwhelmed, it’s time to step back and take a hard look at your approach to behavior.
Two Key Strategies
There are two main strategies teachers need to maintain order in class. One is a proactive approach to discipline. These are things you can do before an issue flares up in your class.
The second strategy is reactive. These are appropriate responses and plans teachers use after a bad behavior has emerged in class.
Be Proactive: Plan Sponge Activities & Transitions
“The key to engaging students in learning from the moment the bell rings is excellent and comprehensive preparation for the class by the teacher. Over-plan the day and leave no time for distraction. It’s not impossible to start off right and stay on-task for the entire class period or school day even with the most difficult populations of students.
Students walking into the classroom should find the sponge activity written on a whiteboard or clearly and consistently visible somewhere obvious in the classroom. The activity should be self-directed by an individual or small group. It should also be timed somewhere around 10 minutes or less. While the students are working the teacher can check attendance and complete any of that oh-so-important preparation for class.
An example of a sponge activity that I have used for years is called “6-facts.” I teach in a computer classroom, but this activity could be modified to use a textbook instead of the Internet. I use this with my entry-level students to get them involved and active in the class work. I write a subject on the whiteboard. It’s usually a person, place, or thing. The students walk in to class, find the topic, and get to work searching the Web. My classroom is arranged with six “pods” of six students. Each pod must find six different facts from six unique web addresses. The group shares a single piece of notebook paper where they write down their findings. One student from each group then goes to the white board and writes a fact and a website from their group. The group paper is submitted for scoring. Once a fact and a website are posted, they may not be repeated. After time has elapsed (or six facts appear on the white board) I go to the board and review what the class has learned about the topic today. From there I transition into the day’s lesson. It’s a beautiful thing."
Continue reading the full article by Kevin Bibo here: Taking Control of Your Class.
Be Proactive: Don’t Give Empty Threats
“If I tell a student that something will happen, I have to be sure that it will. The exception is listed below. If you tell a student they will lose X privilege, they will lose it. On the rare occasion that I make this exception, I will talk with the student privately and explain to them that they totally do not deserve to do X because of their misbehavior. I then introduce the concept of grace — getting something we do not deserve. I will then go on to explain how my allowing them to do X is an example of grace given to them. I make sure they know I respect them and know they will not let me down again.”
Be Proactive: 8 Steps to Setting the Scene
“I am convinced that classroom management is the key to success in teaching. It is something about which I have become passionate. Why? Because poorly managed classrooms waste the time and the lives of everyone involved. As a teacher, I hate it when I allow my students to be out of control. As a student, I don’t learn as much as I should. Either way, it is a no-win situation.”
1. Accept responsibility
Everything that goes on in my classroom is my fault. Good things happen because I set up the expectations. Bad things that happen are because I allowed them to happen. While this is not entirely true — sometimes kids do dumb things and act like kids because they ARE kids — accepting responsibility will revolutionize everything that you do. Our culture likes to deny responsibility much of the time. Do not allow students to deny responsibility, and do not allow yourself to do so either.
2. Establish procedures
These must begin to be set up from the very beginning. How do you want the students to enter the classroom? How do you want them to ask to use the restroom? When is is acceptable to leave the seat? What happens when the fire alarm goes off? Does the bell dismiss the class? When do we sharpen pencils? How is homework to be turned in? When do we get our instruments out and begin playing? How do we go about asking a question?
3. Identify authority
Every group of people will have a leader. Is it going to be you or is it going to be a twelve year old? Figure out who the leader is. What if you’re not there? Who is the leader? I personally like the idea of finding out who the oldest three students are, and making sure that everyone knows that when I am not there, the oldest person in the room is in charge. Usually, that is a substitute. Occasionally, I may need to go into my office to get something. In that case, the oldest student is the one who is in charge. Even if it’s the kids who has failed two times, the responsibility will usually make them step up.
4. Avoid arguing at all costs
This applies to life. Arguments never win friends. Arguments never prove your point. Arguments are what make Jerry Springer fun to watch. Don’t have them in your class, and especially not with a child.
5. Over Explain
While I do not like the idea of talking too much, I also like the idea of giving complete information. I plan to spend this year economizing my words and yet increasing their effectiveness. Over explain expectations, but at the same time don’t say too much. “That’s not good enough” is usually good enough to get better results!
6. Over Prepare
Do not get to class without a plan. Know where you are aiming to be by the end of the year. Know where you are aiming to be by the end of the six weeks. Know where you are aiming to be by the end of the week. Know where you will be by the end of the class. Do not let anything keep you from accomplishing your most important task for the day.
7. Raise Expectations
People will give you the results you expect them to give you. Low expectations are bad. High expectations are good. Good enough simply isn’t good enough.
8. Communicate
It’s amazing how one parent phone call can make a student work much better. This policy works wonders. if a child shows an inability to function correctly with the rest of the group, perhaps their parents want to know. It’s not always the case, but often is.
Be Proactive: Teach Self-Discipline
“If things have been going well, our classes are headed towards self-discipline. Although it would seem that this is something that should happen at the second class meeting when we explain our policies, rules, and procedures, but experienced teachers know for certain that it takes endless patience and plenty of reteaching before we can declare that a student is self-disciplined—if even only for a day.
It is worth all the thought and effort on our part to continue to push our students to be self-disciplined learners no matter what their age or gender or ability level or ethnicity. When a classroom is filled with students who make good decisions for themselves on a regular basis, then learning is paramount."
Student behavior problems may be the single biggest reason teachers get stressed and leave the teaching profession. Too often, teacher preparatory programs send smart, qualified teachers into classrooms with little or no skills for handling behavior disasters. Student teaching may prepare teachers for real-life teaching, but more often than not, the student teaching environment may not represent the actual teaching placement.
As the editor of TheApple, I get more questions from frustrated teachers asking for class management help. I’ve compiled a wealth of resources for teachers of all ages and stages here, but for additional issues, feel free to send me or Dear Julia our behavior columnist, a question.
Every student is unique, and that means every class is its own dynamic. Throughout the year, students have experiences with you or their peers that may trigger behaviors and make conducting class seem impossible. If you feel overwhelmed, it’s time to step back and take a hard look at your approach to behavior.
Two Key Strategies
There are two main strategies teachers need to maintain order in class. One is a proactive approach to discipline. These are things you can do before an issue flares up in your class.
The second strategy is reactive. These are appropriate responses and plans teachers use after a bad behavior has emerged in class.
Be Proactive: Plan Sponge Activities & Transitions
“The key to engaging students in learning from the moment the bell rings is excellent and comprehensive preparation for the class by the teacher. Over-plan the day and leave no time for distraction. It’s not impossible to start off right and stay on-task for the entire class period or school day even with the most difficult populations of students.
Students walking into the classroom should find the sponge activity written on a whiteboard or clearly and consistently visible somewhere obvious in the classroom. The activity should be self-directed by an individual or small group. It should also be timed somewhere around 10 minutes or less. While the students are working the teacher can check attendance and complete any of that oh-so-important preparation for class.
An example of a sponge activity that I have used for years is called “6-facts.” I teach in a computer classroom, but this activity could be modified to use a textbook instead of the Internet. I use this with my entry-level students to get them involved and active in the class work. I write a subject on the whiteboard. It’s usually a person, place, or thing. The students walk in to class, find the topic, and get to work searching the Web. My classroom is arranged with six “pods” of six students. Each pod must find six different facts from six unique web addresses. The group shares a single piece of notebook paper where they write down their findings. One student from each group then goes to the white board and writes a fact and a website from their group. The group paper is submitted for scoring. Once a fact and a website are posted, they may not be repeated. After time has elapsed (or six facts appear on the white board) I go to the board and review what the class has learned about the topic today. From there I transition into the day’s lesson. It’s a beautiful thing."
Continue reading the full article by Kevin Bibo here: Taking Control of Your Class.
Be Proactive: Don’t Give Empty Threats
“If I tell a student that something will happen, I have to be sure that it will. The exception is listed below. If you tell a student they will lose X privilege, they will lose it. On the rare occasion that I make this exception, I will talk with the student privately and explain to them that they totally do not deserve to do X because of their misbehavior. I then introduce the concept of grace — getting something we do not deserve. I will then go on to explain how my allowing them to do X is an example of grace given to them. I make sure they know I respect them and know they will not let me down again.”
Be Proactive: 8 Steps to Setting the Scene
“I am convinced that classroom management is the key to success in teaching. It is something about which I have become passionate. Why? Because poorly managed classrooms waste the time and the lives of everyone involved. As a teacher, I hate it when I allow my students to be out of control. As a student, I don’t learn as much as I should. Either way, it is a no-win situation.”
1. Accept responsibility
Everything that goes on in my classroom is my fault. Good things happen because I set up the expectations. Bad things that happen are because I allowed them to happen. While this is not entirely true — sometimes kids do dumb things and act like kids because they ARE kids — accepting responsibility will revolutionize everything that you do. Our culture likes to deny responsibility much of the time. Do not allow students to deny responsibility, and do not allow yourself to do so either.
2. Establish procedures
These must begin to be set up from the very beginning. How do you want the students to enter the classroom? How do you want them to ask to use the restroom? When is is acceptable to leave the seat? What happens when the fire alarm goes off? Does the bell dismiss the class? When do we sharpen pencils? How is homework to be turned in? When do we get our instruments out and begin playing? How do we go about asking a question?
3. Identify authority
Every group of people will have a leader. Is it going to be you or is it going to be a twelve year old? Figure out who the leader is. What if you’re not there? Who is the leader? I personally like the idea of finding out who the oldest three students are, and making sure that everyone knows that when I am not there, the oldest person in the room is in charge. Usually, that is a substitute. Occasionally, I may need to go into my office to get something. In that case, the oldest student is the one who is in charge. Even if it’s the kids who has failed two times, the responsibility will usually make them step up.
4. Avoid arguing at all costs
This applies to life. Arguments never win friends. Arguments never prove your point. Arguments are what make Jerry Springer fun to watch. Don’t have them in your class, and especially not with a child.
5. Over Explain
While I do not like the idea of talking too much, I also like the idea of giving complete information. I plan to spend this year economizing my words and yet increasing their effectiveness. Over explain expectations, but at the same time don’t say too much. “That’s not good enough” is usually good enough to get better results!
6. Over Prepare
Do not get to class without a plan. Know where you are aiming to be by the end of the year. Know where you are aiming to be by the end of the six weeks. Know where you are aiming to be by the end of the week. Know where you will be by the end of the class. Do not let anything keep you from accomplishing your most important task for the day.
7. Raise Expectations
People will give you the results you expect them to give you. Low expectations are bad. High expectations are good. Good enough simply isn’t good enough.
8. Communicate
It’s amazing how one parent phone call can make a student work much better. This policy works wonders. if a child shows an inability to function correctly with the rest of the group, perhaps their parents want to know. It’s not always the case, but often is.
Be Proactive: Teach Self-Discipline
“If things have been going well, our classes are headed towards self-discipline. Although it would seem that this is something that should happen at the second class meeting when we explain our policies, rules, and procedures, but experienced teachers know for certain that it takes endless patience and plenty of reteaching before we can declare that a student is self-disciplined—if even only for a day.
It is worth all the thought and effort on our part to continue to push our students to be self-disciplined learners no matter what their age or gender or ability level or ethnicity. When a classroom is filled with students who make good decisions for themselves on a regular basis, then learning is paramount."
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