CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

The Basics•Classroom organization has a huge

impact onstudent behavior; therefore, structure the environment and the instruction for success

•You must TEACH wanted (expected) behaviors explicitly and in everyday situations

•Acknowledge wanted behaviors more than misbehaviors

The Basics

• Pre-plan responses to misbehavior and then respond in a calm, direct manner

• Many schools depend too much on punitive consequences

• The goal of classroom management is students engaged in meaningful tasks (good teaching and learning)

REALITIES OF BEHAVIOR SUPPORT

• No quick fix--no magical solutions

• Newest, latest, flashiest behavior program you can buy—NOT!!!

Encouraging Responsible Behavior

• Consider basic human needs• Recognition• Acknowledgement• Attention• Competence• Purpose• Belonging• Stimulation/Change

CLASSROOMS AND DISCIPLINE

• Discipline is used for the prevention and remediation of problem behavior.

• Its definition, however, is punishment intended to correct, train, control.

• It is used to enforce obedience

1. People adapt to punishment-needs to be more severe each time to be effective (can become neutral “So what?”or even reinforcing).

2. Punishment can lead to lying, sneaking, aggression toward others, avoidance or escape behavior, or the substitution of other behaviors.

3. Punishment often works only while punisher is present or during those exact conditions, and for a limited amount of time.

4. Inconsistency, variability, and delay between behavior and punishment decreases effectiveness.

Alternative: teach & strengthen acceptable behavior rather than attempting to punish unacceptable behavior.

Disadvantages of Punishment

Classrooms and Discipline

• Effective educators have been found to be much more skilled than ineffective teachers at preventing disruptions from occurring

The best way to address undesirable behavior…

…is to

prevent it from happening in the first place!

Structure and organize the classroom

behaviorally and instructionally using research validated

practices.

Research on Effective Classroom Management

Validated Practices:

•Establishing and explicitly teachingclassroom rules and procedures

•Enforcing classroom rules promptly, consistently, and equitably

•Monitoring classroom activities andproviding frequent reinforcing

feedback for student behavior

Research on Effective Classroom Management

Validated Practices (cont.):

•Specifying consequences and their connection to student behavior

•Maintaining a brisk pace for instruction with high levels of student

engagement and making smooth transitions between activities

•Communicating high expectations for student learning and behavior

Research on Effective Classroom Management

Validated Practices (cont.):

•Providing students with opportunities to experience academic and social success

•Providing students with instruction in self-monitoring and self-evaluating

•Implementing validated practices from the first day of school

Research on Effective Classroom Management

Ineffective Practices:

•Vague or unenforceable rules(i.e., ‘be in the right place at the right

time’)

•Ambiguous or inconsistent teacher responses

to misbehavior

•Punishment that is excessive or which is delivered in the absence of

instruction in acceptable behavior (public, corporal, out-of-school suspension)

The Behavior-Instruction Connection

The BEST classroom management strategy is

effective instruction.

Steps to Structure Classrooms1. Organize classroom space

2. Use teacher attention to manage student behavior

3. Establish and implement classroom rules

4. Manage time effectively

5. Manage classroom materials effectively

6. Manage paperwork effectively

7. Dealing with behavior problems

Steps to Structure Classrooms

1. Organize classroom space

• To decrease student noise and disruption• To improve the quality and level of

student interactions (increase desirable interactions)

• To increase the percentage of time students spend on academic tasks

Research: As students’ physical space decreases in a classroom, negative interactions between students increase, teachers use increased numbers of reprimands, and students spend less time on task.

CLASSROOM ARRANGEMENT AND SCHEDULING

1. Arrange the room for visual scanning and immediate physical access.

2. For teacher-directed instruction, students should

be facing the instructor, separated in rows, not clustered in groups.

3. Separating disruptive children is a good antecedent (prevention) strategy.

4. A good strategy is to teach regular routines and procedures in addition to rules.

TEACH Regular Routines EXAMPLES:

•Attendance/tardiness procedures•heading papers•assigning and collecting work•homework•procedures for when there are classroom visitors•transitioning individual to group work•lining up•attention signal•sharpening pencils•organizing desks/workspace•bathroom breaks•preparing for and returning from recess/assembly•requesting assistance

Steps to Structure Classrooms2. Use teacher attention to manage student

behaviorComponent skills: •Moving•Scanning•Praising•Proximity praise with follow-up

Characteristics of Effective Attention

•Make it contingent•Use student name•Make it descriptive•Make it convincing•Vary the statements

Steps to Structure Classrooms

3. Establish and implement classroom rules• Limit the number of rules to 3-5 (most important)

• Specify concrete behavior in simple language

• The rules should state what you want the student to do, not what you do not want them to do

• Operationalize the rules for each student setting

• Teach the behaviors necessary to follow the rules

• Reinforce (provide consequences) for rule observation

• Post rules in prominent places and refer to them regularly

Research: Allowing students to participate in rule development is equally effective as teacher developed rules (a matter of personal style)

EXAMPLE:The RulesThe Three B’s

BE RESPECTFUL

BE RESPONSIBLE

BE SAFE

Operationalized Rules•

CODE OF CONDUCT CLASSROOM HALLWAY • BE RESPECTFUL Raise hand Use appropriate language

Use appropriate language Keep hallways neat and clean Listen politely Use conversation tones

Respect property Speak respectfully

• BE RESPONSIBLE Arrive on time Walk directly to classFollow all directions Use lockers at designated

timesComplete daily objectives Walk to the rightAccept consequences Follow directions

Accept consequences

•BE SAFE keep hands and feet to self Keeps hands and feet to self

Stay seated Walk directly to class

Follow safety procedures

Consequences (Reinforcers) for

Following the Rules •Must be specific, descriptive, and contingent

•Use the vocabulary of the rules to praise for rule following

•Provide praise feedback more frequently than you think is necessary (3 to 1 ratio of pos to neg)

•Recognize that some students are starved for attention

•Expand reinforcement choices yearly and vary choicesthroughout the year

Consequences for Misbehavior

•Develop consequences for common rule infractions (really effective for borderline children) that are as mild as possible

•Implement consequences calmly and consistently (boring levels of consistency--bore them into submission)

•Implement consequences immediately in the setting in which the infraction occurred.

Steps to Structure Classrooms4.Manage time effectively

Managing Allocated Time:•Minimize time spent on organization, transitions, interruptions•Make activities meaningful (use those with greatest teaching potential)•Teach to curricular priorities

Research: Student achievement in school is closely related to the amount of time spent actively engaged in appropriate academic tasks.

Steps to Structure Classrooms

5. Manage classroom materials effectively

• Enlist student assistance for distribution, but teach them the processes

• Prepare extra materials • Store materials in convenient,

organized place in classroom (reduce distractions)

Research: very little research in this area, little recognition in research that this is an organizational issue that impact upon time and achievement.

Steps to Structure Classrooms

6. Manage paperwork effectively

• Correct as you circulate• Student self-correct• Group self-correct

Research: For self-correcting, student accuracy has been shown to be high. Some studies have shown the usefulness of a checking procedure where student self-scoring was verified publicly to discourage exaggerated accuracies.

Steps to Structure Classrooms

7. Dealing with behavior problems

• Be Positive• Be Proactive• Be Professional• Use Proximity praise• Specific verbal warning (set limits, offer choices)• Continue with preplanned discipline procedures *some behaviors (i.e., hitting) – no warning

Research: Mild punishment: loss of privileges, verbal reprimand (soft vs. loud)Best results: combine procedures to increase appropriate behavior with any designed to decrease problem behavior

•BE POSITIVE

Focus on Positives

• Use Positive behavioral interventions, strategies and supports

• Long-term behavior change only comes from positives

• Positive Behavioral Intervention represents our best strategy for keeping inappropriate behavior from surfacing.

BE PROACTIVE

BE AWARE OF

• Proxemics

• Kinesics

• Paraverbal Communication

Proxemics (Personal Space)

• Personal Space Varies

• 1 ½ to 3 feet

• Factors:– Gender– Size– Personal relationship– Age– Context of situation

Proxemics (Personal Space)

• It is respectful to observe individuals personal space

• Announce when and why you need to invade an individual’s personal space

• Personal space can extend to family, friends and belongings

• Invasion of one’s personal Space can increase anxiety

Kinesics

• Messages we communicate with our body posture and motion

• Our body language should be non-threatening

• Includes:– Stances

– Facial expressions

– Gestures

Paraverbal Communication

• The vocal part of speech excluding the actual words one uses

• How you say what you say

Paraverbal Communication3 Key Components

• Tone– Supportive, understanding and comforting

• Volume– Appropriate to situation and person

• Cadence– Even rate and rhythm

BE PROFESSIONAL

To remain professional use Rational Detachment

• RATIONAL DETACHMENT IS:

• Ability to stay in control of one’s own behavior and not take acting out personally

• A professional and calm approach

Integrated Experience

• The concept that the behaviors and attitudes of staff impact on those in their care and vice-versa

Changing Behavior Successfully

Prioritize and work with only one or two behaviors at a time

Require only gradual improvement in behavior

Use procedures that are easily implemented and inexpensive

Use immediate consequences whenever possible

*Remember long term solutions: skill deficits

Steps for Changing Behavior:

1. Decide on which behavior to change.

2. Define the behavior.

3. Determine the function of the behavior

4. Collect data for a baseline on the behavior.

5. Intervene on the behavior.

6. Graph and evaluate the ongoing progress.

7. Revise the program if necessary.

Changing Behavior Successfully

teach the behaviors you want the students to exhibit

use and then fade prompts to increase the likelihood of appropriate behavior

pair social reinforcers with tangible or activity reinforcers

thoroughly organize and precisely introduce the program to the students

Teachers’ “To Do” List1. Design classroom rules

~limit to 5~specific, observable, and positively

stated ~post rules in prominent places

2. Develop a plan for providing frequent positive feedback for following rules and routines.

3. Develop consequences for common rule infractions –fit the problem, but mild as possible.

4. Develop an attention signal.

5. Design routines for: attendance, heading papers, assigning work, homework, late work, collecting work, etc.

Teachers’ “To Do” List

6. Analyze the physical setting of your classroom-modify if necessary and possible.

7. Prepare lessons on your rules and routines.

8. Design a teaching schedule for rules and routines (beginning of the year and review sessions).

9. Design your teaching schedule to maximize student engagement in meaningful tasks.

10. Set and plan to achieve goals to improve instructional delivery.