Classroom Management: Systems & Practices

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Suports

www.pbis.org

George.sugai@uconn.edu

February 2006

7

Purpose

Review critical features & essential practices of behavior management in classroom settings

Goal: Review of basics & context for self-assessment

Classroom Management Challenges

• Informal & untaught

• Reactive & ineffective

• Disconnected from SW

• Lack of staff fluency

• Lack of durability

• Lack of instructional fluency

Why formalize classroom management?

Arrange environment to maximize opportunities for

– Academic achievement

– Social success

– Effective & efficient teaching

Guiding Principles

• Remember that good teaching one of our best behavior management tools

– Active engagement

– Positive reinforcement

• Apply three tiered prevention logic to classroom setting

– Primary for all

– Secondary for some

– Tertiary for a few

Primary Prevention:School-/Classroom-Wide Systems for

All Students,Staff, & Settings

Secondary Prevention:Specialized Group

Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior

Tertiary Prevention:Specialized

IndividualizedSystems for Students

with High-Risk Behavior

~80% of Students

~15%

~5%

CONTINUUM OFSCHOOL-WIDE

INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

SUPPORT

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•High Intensity

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•Intense, durable procedures

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Universal Interventions•All students•Preventive, proactive

Universal Interventions•All settings, all students•Preventive, proactive

Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success

Organizational Features

Common Vision

Common Language

Common Experience

ORGANIZATION MEMBERS

• Link classroom to school-wide

– School-wide expectations

– Classroom v. office managed rule violations

Nonclass

room

Setting S

ystems

ClassroomSetting Systems

Individual Student

Systems

School-wideSystems

School-wide PositiveBehavior Support

Systems

• Teach academic like social skills

– Tell/model/explain

– Guide practice

– Monitor & assess

– Give positive feedback

– Adjust & enhance

• Build systems to support sustained use of effective practices

– SW leadership team

– Regular data review

– Regular individual & school action planning

SYST

EMS

PRACTICES

DATASupportingStaff Behavior

SupportingDecisionMaking

SupportingStudent Behavior

PositiveBehaviorSupport OUTCOMES

Social Competence &Academic Achievement

LEADERSHIP TEAM

SCHOOL-WIDE

Build DataSystem

Establishmeasurable

outcome

Collect, analyze, &prioritize data

Ensure efficient,accurate, & durable

implementation

Implement

Monitorimplementation &

progress

Selectevidence-based

practice

Enhanced PBS Implementation

Logic

Effective classroom managers

• 7 minutes (pick recorder & spokesperson)

• What do effective classroom managers do daily?

– 2-3 formal & 2-3 informal strategies

• Report 2-3 “big ideas” from your team discussion (1 min. reports)

AttentionPlease

1 Minute

Three Basic CM Elements

1. Instructional/Curricular Management

2. Environmental Management

3. Proactive Behavior Management

Essential Behavior & Classroom Management

Practices

See Classroom Management Self-Checklist (6/17)

1. Increase ratio of positive to negative teacher to student interactions– Maintain at least 4 to 1

– Interact positively once every 5 minutes

– Follow correction for rule violation with positive reinforcer for rule following

Positive acknowledgements

• Take 5 minutes

• Identify 2-3 formal & 2-3 informal strategies to positively acknowledge student behavior in classroom

• Report sample from your team discussion (1 min. reports)

AttentionPlease

1 Minute

• Strategies, e.g.,

– Tear card

– Self-record

– Video taping

– Peer observation

–

2. Actively supervise at all times

– Move continuously

– Scan continuously & overtly

– Interact frequently & positively

– Positively reinforce rule following behaviors

3. Positively interact with most students during lesson

– Vary type of contact• Physical, verbal, visual contact

– Vary by individual & group

– Mix instructional & social interactions

4. Manage minor (low intensity/frequency) problem behaviors positively & quickly– Signal occurrence

– State correct response

– Ask student to restate/show

– Disengage quickly & early

5. Follow school procedures for chronic problem behaviors– Be consistent & business-like

– Precorrect for next occurrence

– Follow SW procedures for major behavioral incidents

– Develop individualized plan for repeated incidents

6. Conduct smooth & efficient transitions between activities

– Teach routine

– Limit to time required for student to be ready

– Engage students immediately

7. Be prepared for activity– Have filler activities

– Know desired outcome

– Have materials

– Shift phases of learning• Acquisition, fluency, maintenance, generalization

– Practice presentation fluency

8. Begin with clear explanations of outcome/objective

– Provide advance organizer

– Create focus or point of reference for assessment

9. Allocate most time to instruction

– Fill day with instructional activities

– Maximize teacher-led engagement

10.Engage students in active responding

– Establish & expect behavioral indicator

• Write, verbalize, manipulate materials

– Enable immediate assessment of learning & instructional impact

11.Give each student multiple ways to actively respond

– Vary response type• Individual v. choral responses

• Written v. gestures

– Use peer-based assistance

12.Regularly check for student understanding

– Vary assessment type• Immediate v. delayed

• Individual v. group

– Review previously mastered content

– Check for existing knowledge

13.End activity with specific feedback

– Review performance on expected outcomes

• Scheduled activities

• Academic v. social

• Individual v. group

14.Provide specific information about what happens next

– Describe follow-up activities• Homework, review, new activity, choices

• Immediate v. delayed

• Following lesson

– Describe features of next lesson

15.Know how many students met learning objective/outcome

– Administer probe• Oral, written, gesture

– Immediately graph/display performance

16. Provide extra time/assistance for unsuccessful students

– Determine phase of learning• Acquisition -> re-teach

• Fluency -> more practice

• Maintenance -> reinforcement/feedback

– Schedule time during/before next lesson

17. Plan activity for next time activity– Consider phase of learning

• New outcome

• Reteaching

• Practice

• Maintenance/generalization

– Modify/select materials

How did I do?

14-17 “yes” = Super

10-13 “yes” = So So

<9 “yes” = Improvement needed

Non-example Action Plan Strategies

- Purchase & distribute classroom management curriculum/book

- Discuss at faculty meeting

- Bring in CM expert for next month’s ½ day in-service

- Observe in effective classroom

- Observe & give feedback

What is likelihood of change in teacher practice?

Example Action Plan Strategies

+ Build on SW System

+ Use school-wide leadership team

+ Use data to justify

+ Adopt evidence based practice

+ Teach/practice to fluency/automaticity

+ Ensure accurate implementation 1st time

+ Regular review & active practice

+ Monitor implementation continuously

+ Acknowledge improvements

Classroom Management

• 15 minutes

• Review “Classroom Management Self-Assessment” & discuss possible practices/systems applications

• Report 2-3 “big ideas” from your team discussion (1 min. reports)

AttentionPlease

1 MinuteSpokesperson

References• Colvin, G., & Lazar, M. (1997). The effective elementary classroom: Managing

for success. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.• Colvin, G., Sugai, G., & Patching, W. (1993). Pre-correction: An instructional

strategy for managing predictable behavior problems. Intervention in School and Clinic, 28, 143-150.

• Darch, C. B., & Kameenui, E. J. (2003). Instructional classroom management: A proactive approach to behavior management. (2nd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.

• Jones, V. F. & Jones, L. S. (2001). Comprehensive classroom management: Creating communities of support and solving problems (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

• Kameenui, E. J., & Carnine, D. W. (2002). Effective teaching strategies that accommodate diverse learners (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

• Latham, G. I. (1997). Behind the schoolhouse door: Eight skills every teacher should have. Utah State University.

• Latham, G. (1992). Interacting with at-risk children: The positive position. Principal, 72(1), 26-30.

• Martella, R. C., Nelson, J. R., & Marchand-Martella, N. E. (2003). Managing disruptive behaviors in the schools: A schoolwide, classroom, and individualized social learning approach. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

• Paine, S. C., Radicchi, J., Rosellini, L. C., Deutchman, L., & Darch, C. B. (1983). Structuring your classroom for academic success. Champaign, IL: Research Press.