Creating the
Learning
Environment
and
Classroom
Management
at the Middle
Level
William Bialecki
And
Nichole Hoffman
Starting Note
First Day of Class
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It is important to get started off on the right
foot with your class
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Start building a quality classroom atmosphere
as quickly as possible
•
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Ice breakers are sometimes a good thing
Outline your daily routine
•
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Personally and professionally
Maybe even something as simple as Parks’ 5-1015-20 rule
Set the classroom tone early, which can be
outlined by your syllabus
Social Contract
Agreement of classroom
guidelines and rules made
between teacher and
students
Benefits of creating a social
contract
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This type of activity gives each student a
voice
Teaches students decision making and
responsibility
Provides a sense of autonomy and value
Gives studentsa feeling of power and enstills
confidence
Helps prevent arguments over rules later on,
“we agreed…”
Builds a collaborative environment with
compromise
Guidelines for Creating
Contracts
 Focus
on ideal behaviors rather than
undesirable actions
 Keep rules broad to allow application to
many situations
 Keep it simple and easy to remember
 Majority rules, but remember you are the
final authority and have veto power
 Don’t allow students to determine
punishments
Steps to Create Contract
 Brainstorm
in small groups
 Come together as a class and offer ideas
to large group
 Class decides which rules to keep
 Set clearly worded rules
 Clarify any questions
 Create a document and have it ratified
Syllabus
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Your syllabus is a key part of organizing and
managing your class
Use this to tell students what is expected of both
them and you in the class
Provide an outline for due dates, readings and
exams for students
Explain the grade scale and your grading style
Include school policies and rules that must be
followed. These are the non-negotiable items.

Remember it is easier to be stern and strict to
begin a school year and ease up later on than the
reverse
Response to Intervention (RtI)
The Wisconsin Model
Culturally Responsive
Practices
“Culturally responsive practices account for and
adapt to the broad diversity of race, language and
culture in Wisconsin schools and prepare all students
for a multicultural world.”
-Wisconsin DPI
High Quality
Instruction
“High quality instruction (curriculum, instruction,
and assessment) is engaging, standards-based,
data-driven, and research-based and is
grounded in culturally responsive practices.”
-Wisconsin DPI
Balance Assessment
“Continuous review of student progress within a RtI system
involves a balanced, systematic process of constant inquiry that
uses multiple measures to determine the current skill level of a
student or group of students, how students are responding to
core curriculum and instruction, and how students are
responding to interventions or additional challenges.”
-Wisconsin DPI
Collaboration
“Collaboration as part of a RtI system includes educators,
families, and communities working together both formally and
informally. This partnership builds and implements a model that
identifies and provides supports to students to increase their
academic and behavioral success through data-based decision
making.”
-Wisconsin DPI
Multi-level System of
Support
“A multi-level system of support is the practice of
systematically providing differing levels of intensity of
supports based upon student responsiveness to
instruction and intervention.”
-Wisconsin DPI
Take A Break
The Wisconsin Model
Resources for RtI
 Wisconsin
DPI:
http://rti.dpi.wi.gov/
 Intervention
Central:
http://www.interventioncentral.org/
Take A Break
What is Classroom
Management?
What is Classroom
Management?
History
of “Classroom Control”
1800’s:
Classroom Discipline
1930’s: Permissive Classes
Today: Effective Classroom
Management
Approach to Classroom
Management
B.F. Skinner – Behavior Modification
Four Steps
Token
1) Identify
2) Record
3) Reinforce Desired Behavior
4) Chose a Reinforcer
Includes: Privilege, Social,
Graphic, Tangible, and
Reinforcers
Approach to Classroom
Management
Lee and Marlene Canter- Assertive Discipline
-Teacher and Students
have rights in the classroom
-Expectations should be clearly
stated
-Positive Consequences for
appropriate behavior and
negative consequences for
inappropriate behavior
Approach to Classroom
Management
Rudolf Dreikurs- Logical Consequences
Six Points
possitive
encourage
1) Involve students
2) Clear understanding
3) Student responsibility
4) Classroom respect
5) Recognize and encourage
goals
6) Recognize but do not
negative goals
Strategies to use in the
Classroom
 Assertive
Discipline
 Discipline
 Behavior
with Dignity
Contracting
Classroom Set Up
Your Dream Classroom
Arts and Crafts!
What is your dream classroom? Be creative,
think out of the box and be prepared to
share!
Connecting With
Parents/Guardians
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A huge part of managing your classroom begins
with students’ home life
Get parents involved early and often
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Don’t be afraid to send things home for signatures,
possibly even your syllabus
Be willing to call or meet with parents for good
and bad reasons
Building connections between home and
classroom shows you are invested in your students
Parents can be your biggest ally or greatest
obstacle, so be proactive
The Shared Classroom
*Activity*
Meet Upstairs in 228