Leonardtown High School

Christopher Adams, Carla Bacon, Pat Carr,

Jessica Garner, Stephanie Gonzalez,

Greg Robison, Katharine Sheehan

Justification for Proximity Strategies Classroom ManagementClassroom Management

St. Mary’s County Public Schools Master St. Mary’s County Public Schools Master Plan Goal 4: All students will be educated in Plan Goal 4: All students will be educated in learning environment that are safe, drug learning environment that are safe, drug free, and conductive to learning.free, and conductive to learning.

Keep track of how often students are Keep track of how often students are performing in a disruptive behavior using a performing in a disruptive behavior using a tally mark for every five minutes.tally mark for every five minutes.

Students disruptive behavior ranges from Students disruptive behavior ranges from side conversations to sleeping during class side conversations to sleeping during class time.time.

Proximity Strategy

Stand next to off task students without Stand next to off task students without using verbal cues, in order for them to using verbal cues, in order for them to stop unwanted disruptive behaviors. stop unwanted disruptive behaviors.

Evidence/reasoning that this strategy Evidence/reasoning that this strategy will address the problem you laid outwill address the problem you laid out

Evidence/reasoning that the strategy is Evidence/reasoning that the strategy is appropriate for the populationappropriate for the population

Research Question

We are studying how using proximity We are studying how using proximity strategies aids in improving classroom strategies aids in improving classroom management, because we want to management, because we want to discover if non-verbal cues reduces off discover if non-verbal cues reduces off task behavior through multiple grade task behavior through multiple grade level and content areas. In order to aid level and content areas. In order to aid students to stay on task in class, students to stay on task in class, engaged, and be active learned engaged, and be active learned throughout the class period.throughout the class period.

Data Collection

First Week Observations

Observe two classes through the Observe two classes through the duration of one week and write down the duration of one week and write down the disruptive behaviors the students are disruptive behaviors the students are exhibiting.exhibiting.

Observation Guidelines

Create a data collection chart in the form of Create a data collection chart in the form of a seating chart.a seating chart.

Every five minutes check the students’ Every five minutes check the students’ behaviors and mark in the correct box on behaviors and mark in the correct box on the students chart the acronym of the off the students chart the acronym of the off task behavior.task behavior.

Every five minutes place a tally next to the Every five minutes place a tally next to the acronym if the behavior persists.acronym if the behavior persists.

Observation Guidelines

Off task behavior being observed: SL (sleeping) SC ( side conversations) GI (spacing out, day dreaming, General

Inattentiveness) TX (using cellular devices) PN (passing/exchanging notes) TS (students who are talking, singing

dancing)

Week 2 Intervention

Implement Proximity Strategy Implement Proximity Strategy Collection of data:Collection of data:

A fellow intern or mentor will fill in a A fellow intern or mentor will fill in a behavioral chart on Monday to see how behavioral chart on Monday to see how students first react to proximity strategy.students first react to proximity strategy.

○ Tally with a star the area where the intern Tally with a star the area where the intern stood during the non-verbal proximity strategy.stood during the non-verbal proximity strategy.

Week 2 Intervention cont’

At the end of each class interns will write in At the end of each class interns will write in a reflective journal about how he/she felt a reflective journal about how he/she felt about the how the proximity strategy went.about the how the proximity strategy went.

Friday, a intern or mentor will observe the Friday, a intern or mentor will observe the class once again and fill in a behavioral class once again and fill in a behavioral chart and see if proximity strategy effective.chart and see if proximity strategy effective.

○ Tally with a star an area where the intern Tally with a star an area where the intern stood during the non-verbal intervention.stood during the non-verbal intervention.

Quantitative Findings

Qualitative Findings

Hard to complete the strategy due to classroom environment.

Spirit week and class time period affected class behavior.

Less disruptive manner to stop students’ disruptive behaviors.

Findings from checklists/scales

You will learn to do this on Week five, You will learn to do this on Week five, day oneday one

Any other findings

Week five, day oneWeek five, day one

Answers to research questions

You may want a slide for each questionYou may want a slide for each question You can’t answer the research You can’t answer the research

questions till you’ve filled in the findings questions till you’ve filled in the findings slides and figured out what you actually slides and figured out what you actually found!!!found!!!

We’ll go over this on Week five, day twoWe’ll go over this on Week five, day two

Next steps? Would you recommend future applications of this Would you recommend future applications of this

strategy?strategy? Under what conditions?Under what conditions? For what kinds of students?For what kinds of students? What would you change? Keep?What would you change? Keep?

Would you recommend future action research Would you recommend future action research directions?directions?

Week Five, day twoWeek Five, day two

Back to the big picture

Given the problem you laid out originally Given the problem you laid out originally and the results of this action research and the results of this action research project, what is your big final take-home project, what is your big final take-home message?message?

Week five, day twoWeek five, day two