CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
CREATING A POSITIVE LEARNING CLIMATE
Suzanne Whisler
ESU 4
August 9, 2011

GIVE ONE, GET ONE
 Think about an example of good classroom management that you have observed in the classroom. Jot it down on a note card.
 When the music begins, stand up and find someone at a different table. Share your tip.
 Swap tips with one other partner.
 Jot down your partners tips.

 Classroom Rules
 Classroom Procedures
 Consequences
 Design an overall plan for discipline

Harry & Rosemary Wong
Unit C
Classroom
Management

THE ART & SCIENCE OF TEACHING
 Chapter 6
 What will I do to establish or maintain classroom rules and procedures?
 Chapter 7
 What will I do to recognize and acknowledge adherence and lack of adherence to classroom rules and procedures?

WHAT WILL I DO TO ESTABLISH OR
MAINTAIN CLASSROOM RULES AND
PROCEDURES?

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A WELL-
MANAGED CLASSROOM
 Students are deeply involved with their work, especially with academic, teacher-led instruction.
 Students know what is expected of them and are generally successful.
 There is relatively little wasted time, confusion, or disruption.
 The climate of the classroom is work-oriented but relaxed and pleasant.

HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THESE
BEHAVIORS IN THE CLASSROOM?
 Disruptive and/or off-task behavior
 Evidence of insubordination
 Power struggles
 Demonstration of the need for certain students to take control, draw attention to themselves, and receive negative psychological “pay-offs”

THE FIRST DAYS ARE CRITICAL
 What you do on the first days of school will determine your success or failure for the rest of the school year. You will either win or lose your class on the first days of school.
 Wong & Wong, 1998

THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER…
 Invests time in teaching discipline and procedures, knowing that this will be repaid multifold in the effective use of class time.
 Wong & Wong, 1998

CLASSROOM RULES
 Decided in advance
 3-5
 Clearly communicated
 Minimal student involvement
 If possible, state rules positively

THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL
READ PP. 147-152
 Highlight the important ideas
 Round robin sharing, one idea at a time

PROCESSING TIME
 Reflect on the information that has been shared and what you have read regarding classroom rules.
 Develop a draft of your classroom rules.
 Develop a plan for sharing the rules with your students.
 You can work alone or with a partner(s)
 Art and Science of Teaching pp. 123-129

(WONG & WONG, 1998).

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
DISCIPLINE AND PROCEDURES
 Discipline: Has penalties and rewards.
 Procedures: Have no penalties or rewards.
 Discipline: Concerns how students behave.
 Procedures: Concern how things are done.
Wong and Wong, 1998

IDENTIFY BEHAVIORS, PROCEDURES, &
ROUTINES TO TEACH
 Entering the room
 How to volunteer a response
 Asking to leave the room (restroom, etc.)
 Transitions
 Getting ready to leave & orderly dismissal
 Organizing personal workspace
 Making sure items get home
 Recording assignments in assignment notebook
 Others? Involve students in this brainstorming stage!

FRONT LOAD EXPECTED BEHAVIORS
 “If you want it, teach it.”
 Teach vs. Tell
 Proactive vs. reactive approach
 Student self-control vs. constant teacher control
 Prioritize, teach 2-3 most important per week until all have been taught

TEACH EXPECTED BEHAVIORS:
FIVE STEPS FOR GETTING KIDS READY
1.
Brainstorm the expectations; determine and teach the content.
2.
Model the behavior.
3.
Practice the behavior.
4.
Reinforce the behavior.
5.
Re-teach the behavior.

JIGSAW READING ACTIVITY
 Number off in your groups 1 through 3
 #1s will read pp. 170-172
 #2s will read pp. 173-174
 #3s will read pp. 175-177
 After you have read your section get into your expert groups to discuss main points & key learnings.
 The person with the most pockets is the jigsaw leader.
 Get back with your jigsaw group. Each member presents the main points from their section.

PROCESSING TIME
 What procedures will be necessary to teach in the first few days for the smooth opening of class?
 Make a list of the procedures you want to teach to your students the first few days of school.
 The Art and Science of Teaching pp. 125-127

 No matter what grade level or subject you teach, ALL procedures must be rehearsed.
 Explain
 Rehearse
 Reinforce

 Periodically review you rules and procedures
 Make changes as necessary

INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
QUESTION 7:
WHAT WILL I DO TO RECOGNIZE
AND ACKNOWLEDGE ADHERENCE
AND LACK OF ADHERENCE TO
CLASSROOM RULES AND
PROCEDURES?

7. WHAT WILL I DO TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE
ADHERENCE AND LACK OF ADHERENCE TO CLASSROOM
RULES AND PROCEDURES?
 Action Step 1: Use simple verbal and non-verbal acknowledgment.
 Action Step 2: Use tangible recognition when appropriate.
 Action Step 3: Involve the home in recognition of positive student
 Action Step 4: Be “with it.”
 Action Step 5: Use direct-cost consequences.
 Action Step 6: Use group contingency.
 Action Step 7: Use home contingency.
 Action Step 8: Have a strategy for high-intensity situations.
 Action Step 9: Design an overall plan for disciplinary problems.

THE TWO KINDS OF CONSEQUENCES
 Positive consequences or REWARDS result when people abide by the rules.
 Negative consequences or PENALTIES results when people break the rules.

SCAN PP. 153 - 160 OF
THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL
 In one or two sentences, summarize your plans for consequences in your classroom
Quick-Write

 Be consistent
 Be dispassionate
Confront the behavior not the person.
 Be professional
 approach student privately
 never use sarcasm or ridicule
 Follow up appropriately

THE IMPORTANCE OF . . . WITHITNESS
 “aware of what is happening in all parts of the classroom at all times by continuously scanning the classroom”
 “the disposition of the teacher to quickly and accurately identify…potential problem behavior and to act on it immediately”
Focus
Number of
Studies /
Subjects
Average
Effect Size
Percentile
Decrease in
Disruptions
Withitness 3 / 426 -1.417
42
(Kounin, 1983; Brophy, 1996, in Marzano, 2003, p. 67)

IN OTHER WORDS…
 Management By Walking Around
(MBWA)
 “On your feet, not on your seat.”
 Constant monitoring

WHAT DOES WITHITNESS LOOK LIKE?
 What recognizable, replicable behaviors do “with it” teachers exhibit?
 Think-Pair-Share

MORE INFORMATION
ON THESE ACTION
STEPS CAN BE
FOUND ON PP. 136-
148 OF THE ART AND
SCIENCE OF TEACHING

MOST IMPORTANT WORDS
The three most important words to a painter, pilot, or chef are
Preparation, preparation, preparation
The three most important words to a teacher are
Preparation, preparation, preparation.

PROCESSING TIME
 Begin designing your overall discipline
~Sun Tzu

FOUR-TWO-ONE
 Generate four words that capture the most important aspects of your learning today.
 Share your four words with with your table and compile a list of the words you have in common.
 From the list, determine two words that you agree capture the most important aspects.
 Next, determine the one word or “ big idea ” that best represents the most important learning of the experience.
 Chart your words and share out.

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE