Post on 16-Oct-2020
Lion Taming 101
Classroom Management
Part 2
Presented By:
Debbie Silver, Ed. D.
<www.debbiesilver.com>
The Teacher
“Concerning a teacher’s influence, I have come to the
frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element
in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that
creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes
the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous
power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I
can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all
situations, it is my response that decides whether a
crisis will be escalated or deescalated, and a child
humanized or dehumanized.” --Haim Ginott
Killer Statements and Gestures
Conduct a class discussion around the following questions:
Have you ever worked really hard at something or been very excited
about something and someone "killed" your good feeling by something
they said or did? What was said or done?
Have you ever witnessed someone's pride or other feelings be "killed" by
something that someone else said or did? What was said or done? How
do you think the other person felt?
Introduce the concept of "killer statements and gestures" as anything that
is said or done to "kill" someone's good feelings about themselves.
These things can be negative comments, body language, or gestures.
List together some of the things that are often said in and around the
classroom that fit these categories (even those said and done by staff
members).
I A L A C
a. Model high expectations.
b. Use eye contact and simple gestures.
c. Practice active listening skills.
d. Build connections.
V. Tips for Communicating with Students
e. Do not begin instruction until all students are
focused and attentive.
f. Be sure your voice and body language are
consistent with your words.
g. Use direct eye contact and simple hand
gestures to redirect off-task or inappropriate
behavior.
h. Use close proximity and a quiet voice to make reminders and censures personal and private.
i. Be warm and friendly, and be firm.
j. Talk to upset students away from other students.
k. Practice active listening skills.
l. Write e-mails, notes, or letters to students occasionally just to tell them why you are glad that you are their teacher.
Hallway Conversations I
• Invite a student who’s “losing it” into the hall.
• Remain facing the student while addressing the class.
• (If the student refuses to go, send a student to the office for help.)
• Give yourself a moment to calm down.
• Give the class something to do.
Hallway Conversations I
• Stand next to the student rather than backing him/her into a corner.
• Wait, and say nothing.
• Say: “I can see by your body language that you’re upset.”
• Give choices: a moment to collect him/herself, pass to see the counselor, or return to the classroom.
• Revisit the issue later.
Hallway Conversations II
• Greet students as they enter the room.
• Ask student who’s upset to step aside and wait for you.
• Say: “I can see by your body language that you’re upset.”
• Give choices: a moment to collect him/herself, pass to see the counselor, or calm down and enter to the classroom.
Tips for Writing Letters to Students
Tips for Writing Letters to Students
• Write things that are positive and specific to the individual student. (Some students will compare their messages from you to see if you say the same things to everyone.)
• Make sure everyone gets at least one note or letter from you during the year.
Tips for Writing Letters to Students
• Be truthful and be sincere. You can even be
funny if that’s how you interact with students,
but be very careful that your words cannot be
misinterpreted as sarcastic or negative
(humor is tricky without the facial expressions
and vocal tone to indicate that you are joking).
Tips for Writing Letters to Students
• Make sure your positive comments have “no strings attached.”
• Don’t make a big deal of presenting the note. Be as private as possible (you can even leave it in a locker or mail it).
Tips for Writing Letters to Students
• Don’t ask them if they read it; give it
freely, and let it go.
• Don’t ask for or expect anything in return.
What I Value In You
romantic investing serene prudent
busy strong-will organizer confident
kind motivated tactful tireless
artistic understanding committed industrious
careful disciplined spontaneous thoughtful
convincing self-reliant commanding expressive
friendly persistent tolerant settled
gentle neat goal-directed persuasive
loyal caring progressive affectionate
distinctive thinker sharp graceful
perfectionist clever capable reliable
exact self-determined certain leader
tenacious well-informed looked up to growing
resolute creative dedicated eager
ambitious orderly courageous active
outgoing individualistic consistent influential
Strength Words
(emotional, mental, physical, spiritual)
steadfast searching honorable giving
poised appreciative productive original
strong fair-minded determined thrifty
considerate respected planner unselfish
fulfilled flexible efficient self-aware
manager likes new ideas cooperative self-directed
open-minded forceful dependable adjusted
talented predictable comforting inquiring
witty intelligent sociable practical
systematic encouraging serious unique
trustworthy imaginative adaptable precise
foresight pursuing forgiving listener
empathetic compassionate visionary humorous
cheerful motivating artistic athletic
energetic disciplined sharing caring
daring risk taker courageous patient
coordinated loyal fun loving perceptive
Strength Words-Continued
(emotional, mental, physical, spiritual)
Laughter is NOT chaos.
It is the softening influence that
promotes emotional intelligence and
learning!
Laughing WITH Others Laughing AT Others
1. Going for the jocular vein 1. Going for the jugular vein
2. Based on caring and empathy 2. Based on contempt and insensitivity
3. Builds confidence 3. Destroys confidence
4. Involves people in the fun 4. Excludes some people
5. A person chooses to be the 5. A person does not have a choice in being
“butt” of a joke made the “butt” of the joke
6. Amusing, invites people to laugh 6. Abusing, offends people
7. Supportive 7. Sarcastic
8. Brings people closer 8. Divides people
9. Leads to a positive repartee 9. Leads to one-downmanship cycle
10. Pokes fun at universal human 10. Reinforces stereotypes
foibles
11. Nourishing 11. Toxic
12. Icebreaker 12. Ice maker
From Laughing Matters magazine published by The Humor Project, Inc. as quoted in Jump Start Your Brain by Doug Hall
a. Modeling
b. Practice
c. Talk with students away from others
d. Give choices when possible
e. Say what you mean, mean what you say.
VI. Be Proactive!
a. To Gain Power
b. To Get Attention
c. To Seek Revenge
d. To Avoid Failure
Adapted from Catherine Neale Watson, Middle Ground, Spring, 1995
VII. Why Students Misbehave
e. Because they are bored!
Debbie Silver, Ed.D.
• Could this be about your own need to win?
• Could you have misinterpreted the situation?
• Have you confronted the one who wasn’t the
primary instigator?
• Is this hostility directed towards you or is it
actually displaced aggression?
• Is the student just trying to get attention (even if
it is negative)?
Things to Consider Before You REact to a Disruptive
Student
• Does the student feel that she/he is not being respected or losing face?
• Is it possible that this student really did misunderstand?
• Could the student have been joking?
• Is this student acting out of a feeling of powerlessness or hopelessness?
Things to Consider Before You
REact to a Disruptive Student (continued)
a. Use written communication when possible.
b. Respect their privacy.
d. Ask student to keep journals.
VIII. Tips for communicating with
Students
a. Meeting with student
b. Meeting with others
c. Individual behavior sheets
IX. Handling ongoing disruptions
Student’s
Name___________________
Class/Period _______ Date _______
Individualized Behavioral Journal Page
Long-Range Goals for Student:
_________________________________
_______________________________
Short-Range Goal for Student:
_________________________________
_______________________________
What Student Will Do to Meet Target Goal:
_________________________________
_______________________________
What Teacher Will Do to Help Student Meet
Target Goal:
_________________________________
_______________________________
What Parent (or Other) Will Do to Help
Student Meet Target Goal:
_________________________________
_______________________________
What will happen if student fails to meet
target goal :
1st Time-
_____________________________________
___________________________________
2nd Time-
_____________________________________
___________________________________
Positive recognition student will receive for
making target goal:
________________________________
________________________________
Positive recognition will make for
sustaining target goal for______ (time
period).
____________________________________
____________________________________
_______________
Date
_________________________________
Student Signature
_________________________________
Teacher Signature
_________________________________
Parent or Other Signature (optional)
• Comments and Dates:
Adapted from Lee Canter and William Glasser by Debbie Silver, 2002
a. Examine your long term goals as well as your
short term goals.
b. Apologize for mistakes, but do not make
excuses.
c. Learn and grow!
d. Remember why you became a teacher in the first
place!
X. Be Reflective