Coaching Classroom Management
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Introduction to the CHAMPs Approach
I. Our model for classroom and behavior management is the CHAMPs approach.
II. What is the CHAMPs approach?
1. The CHAMPs approach is not a canned discipline plan.
2. CHAMPs is a decision-making template.
3. Any time student behavior is a problem, experiment with one or more aspects of your CHAMPs
classroom management plan.
4. As you build or revise your management plan, take into account the following factors:
a) Personal style
b) Students’ need for structure (high, medium, or low)
c) The school and teacher effectiveness literature (CHAMPs has done this for you—everything
in CHAMPs is based on the research literature).
III. The CHAMPs approach encourages you to experiment with five major categories of procedures,
variables that can be easily remembered with the acronym STOIC.
▶ Structure for success
▶ Teach expectations—clarify expectations and communicate them to students
▶ Observe student behavior
▶ Interact positively
▶ Correct fluently (respond to misbehavior calmly, consistently, immediately, and briefly)
IV. The only absolute rule within the CHAMPs approach is this: All people should be treated with
dignity and respect. By definition, then, techniques such as humiliation or belittlement of students
should never be part of any educator’s repertoire.
V. All teachers are expected to read CHAMPs: A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom
Management (high school staff—Discipline in the Secondary Classroom) and to participate in professional development activities to learn the CHAMPs approach. A schedule of training opportunities
will be provided.
© 2006 Pacific Northwest Publishing
Exhibit 2.1
Coaching Classroom Management
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Introduction to STOIC Intervention Planning
Stoic: Someone admired for patience and endurance in the face of adversity.
These are the types of variables that can be modified in the CHAMPs approach.
Structure for success
Identify any changes in physical arrangements, scheduling, procedures, supervision patterns, and so on
that may have a positive effect on behavior.
Teach expectations
Identify a plan to teach students to function successfully in the structure you have created. This can be
as simple as a goal discussion or as involved as daily modeling and rehearsal of responsible behavior. The
intervention plan must address when, where, and how positive expectations will be taught to the student.
Observe student behavior
Short term—monitor students by continuously circulating and scanning visually.
Long term—collect data to determine progress (or lack of) across time.
Interact positively
▶ Provide noncontingent attention by greeting and showing an interest in the student.
▶ Provide contingent attention in the form of frequent positive feedback on behavioral and
academic effort. When students are meeting your expectations, following your procedures, and
engaging appropriately in academic tasks, provide age-appropriate positive feedback. This can
be verbal, written, or (to a limited extent) nonverbal. Your positive feedback should be specific,
contingent, and non-embarrassing. In particular, look for opportunities to praise students for
exhibiting the expectations that have been taught.
▶ Maintain at least a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions. Be sure that, on average, students
are getting at least three times more attention when exhibiting the expected behaviors than when
violating expectations.
Correct misbehavior fluently
React to misbehavior calmly, consistently, briefly, and immediately. Always correct respectfully. Determine how you will react to each type of misbehavior that may be related to this problem. Your goal is to be
on “automatic pilot” when correcting any chronic misbehavior, so you can keep your focus on instruction
and on building positive relationships with targeted and non-targeted students.
© 2006 Pacific Northwest Publishing
Exhibit 2.2
Coaching Classroom Management
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CHAMPs Implementation Requirements (grades K–8)
What you need to do ◀▶ What I hope to see
1. Structure your classroom for success (CHAMPs Modules 1 and 2).
▶ Every teacher will complete a classroom management plan (Module 2, Task 7).
2. Teach expectations—clarify expectations and communicate them to students (Modules 3 and 4).
▶ Every teacher will have student expectations for all major instructional activities posted during
the activity. These will include teacher-directed instruction, independent seatwork, tests, and
cooperative groups.
▶ Teachers will clarify their expectations in a variety of ways:
▶ Posters on permanent display
▶ CHAMPs worksheet on overhead
▶ CHAMPs wall chart filled out and posted
▶ Flip chart
▶ Other
3. Observe student behavior (Module 4).
a) Physically circulate
b) Visually scan
c) Collect and analyze data (Module 6)
4. Interact positively by providing frequent praise and noncontingent attention (Modules 5 and 8).
a) All teachers will strive to create a positive classroom climate and to create positive relationships with students.
b) This includes noncontingent interactions, positive feedback, intermittent celebrations of
success, and (as needed) structured reward systems.
c) Strive to maintain at least a 3:1 ratio of attention to positive behavior versus negative behavior.
(Note that this is an average; there is nothing inherently wrong with a short interval in which
the ratio is skewed to the negative side.)
5. Correct misbehavior fluently (Module 7).
a) Get back to instruction as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
b) Be calm, consistent, immediate, and brief.
Note: The goal is positive student behavior. As long as students are respectful and actively engaged
in your instructional activities, you are implementing the CHAMPs approach successfully.
© 2006 Pacific Northwest Publishing
Exhibit 2.3
Coaching Classroom Management
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CHAMPs Implementation Requirements (grades 9–12)
What you need to do ◀▶ What I hope to see
1. Structure your classroom for success (Discipline in the Secondary Classroom, Chapters 1–3 and 7).
a) Every teacher will complete a Behavior Syllabus (Chapter 7, Task 1).
2. Teach expectations—clarify expectations and communicate them to students (Chapter 4).
▶ Every teacher will have expectations for all major instructional activities posted. These will
include teacher-directed instruction, independent seatwork, tests, and cooperative groups. This
can be done in a variety of ways:
▶ Posters on permanent display
▶ CHAMPs worksheet on overhead
▶ CHAMPs wall chart filled out and posted
▶ Flip chart
▶ Other
3. Observe student behavior (Chapter 8 and appendixes).
a) Physically circulate
b) Visually scan
c) Collect and analyze data (appendixes—self-assessments)
4. Interact positively by providing frequent praise and noncontingent attention (Chapter 6).
a) All teachers will strive to create a positive classroom climate and to create positive relationships with students.
b) This includes noncontingent interactions, positive feedback, intermittent celebrations of
success, and (as needed) structured reward systems.
c) Strive to maintain at least a 3:1 ratio of attention to positive behavior versus negative behavior.
(Note that this is an average; there is nothing inherently wrong with a short interval in which
the ratio is skewed to the negative side.)
5. Correct misbehavior fluently (Chapters 5 and 9).
a) Get back to instruction as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
b) Be calm, consistent, immediate, and brief.
Note: The goal is positive student behavior. As long as students are respectful and actively engaged in
your instructional activities, you are implementing the CHAMPs approach successfully.
© 2006 Pacific Northwest Publishing
Exhibit 2.4