Student Responsibility
Classroom Management
that Works
Quote:
 “Although
teachers are the
guiding force in classroom
management, students also have
a role in how well-managed the
classroom is.”
Contributing Factors
 Most
important to overall
productivity, GPA, and personal
satisfaction:
–
–
Attitude
Practice of taking responsibility for one’s
actions
Volunteers to report to group?

Benefits: Bottom up model- students feel
ownership

Concern of NCLB and teach only
Math/Reading
Research shows:

Although parents and teachers agree this is
important, student responsibility is rarely
taught in the K-12 arena.

Rather, the focus has been on the teacher
and methods of control and discipline.
Teaching Student Responsibility

Takes a commitment that should be
considered thoroughly

Brophy states: Teachers wanting to
appropriately address this issue need to be
willing to do the following:
Brophy’s 5 Suggestions





1. Personal relationships beyond
instructional purposes
2. Spend time outside school hours dealing
with students and families
3. Deal with complex problems
4. Face opposition – from colleagues and
administrators
5. Possibly face opposition from student and
family
Marzano’s 3 Action Steps to
Enhance Student Responsibility
 1.
Classroom Procedures
 2. Self-Monitoring and Control
Strategies
 3. Cognitively Based Strategies
Classroom Procedures to enhance
responsibility:
 Class
meetings
 Language of responsibility
 Written statement of beliefs
(mission)
 Written self-analysis
Class Meetings
Guidelines for effective class meetings:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Determine who can call a class meeting and when it should be held
according to standards of appropriate time and place.
Seat students and teachers so that they can see the faces of all
other members.
Establish the expectation that names will not be used in a class
meeting because the purpose it to address issues, not people.
Establish the ground rule that the meetings will stay on topic.
Establish the ground rule that students have the right not to
participate in meetings.
Encourage or require students to use journals in conjunction with
the class meetings.
A Language of Responsibility



The language we use is a window to our
thoughts.
If students do not have a language to talk
about responsibility, they have few tools to
explore the concept.
Judicious Discipline – rights, freedoms,
equality, responsibilities
Written Statements of Beliefs


Importance about being explicit and precise
about our beliefs.
E.g. Ethos documents contain assertions of
the beliefs that underlie expected behaviors
and are created as a class.
–
–
All students and teachers have a right to be
treated with respect.
Everyone has the right to feel safe in the
classroom.
Written Self-Analyses


Use by students of a prescribed form to
record their analysis of behavioral incidents.
Helps students to articulate their perspective
on an incident in the context of a framework
that requires them to examine their
responsibility.
–
–
I think that I contributed to the incident when I
______.
When I think about what happened, I wish _____.
Marzano’s 3 Action Steps
 1.
Classroom Procedures
 2. Self-Monitoring and Control
Strategies
 3. Cognitively Based Strategies
Self-Monitoring and Control
Strategies


Not to be used with the entire class, just with
those students for whom the general
management techniques are not working.
Require students to observe their own
behavior, record it, compare it with
predetermined criteria, and then
acknowledge and reward their own success
if reached.
Meeting with Student and Parents





Establish that the student’s behavior is a
problem for you, the class, and the student.
Provide documented examples!!!!!
Goal: not to punish, but to help them
succeed.
Provide strategies to be used in a variety of
situations.
Students and parents must accept.
Basic Design of Strategies
1.
Record keeping and contingent rewards
–
–
–
2.
3.
4.
Cue students to periodically monitor themselves.
Form can be provided. (p. 87)
Set targets.
Monitoring without formal record keeping.
No formal record keeping, no reward.
Student autonomy.
Marzano’s 3 Action Steps
 1.
Classroom Procedures
 2. Self-Monitoring and Control
Strategies
 3. Cognitively Based Strategies
Types of Cognitively-Based
Strategies

Social Skills Training
–

Socially inept students
Problem Solving
–
More general.
These strategies generally contain the following
steps:
Cognitively Based Strategies
1.
2.
3.
4.

Know your emotions- Stop!
Different ways to Respond
Think about Consequences
Select Action Best for You and Others
Key: Helps them understand why and
how they react to specific situations so
they can better control their own
behavior.
Reflections

Look at reflection questions and discuss with
a partner your ideas and how you might be
able to implement this in your work.
Turn to someone and discuss:



Why would it be useful to teach students
about personal responsibility? How might it
benefit students later in life?
Name a specific situation where it would help
a student for them to be responsible for
themselves.
What concerns do you have about using
class time for activities such as teaching
responsible behavior?