Personal Behaviors that Directly Affect the Behavior of Your Students Self-Assessment

Transcription

1 Personal Behaviors that Directly Affect the Behavior of Your Students Self-Assessment Rank your own behaviors on the following scale: 4 I always do this 3 I do this most of the time 2 I seldom remember to do this 1 I never do this I provision my classroom so that all materials, furniture, and equipment are ready to go BEFORE the students enter. The transition points in my lessons (at the start, at the end, between activities) are consciously planned so that they are smooth, efficient, and purposeful. I consciously plan the length of the segments within my lessons so that students do not become bored, fatigued, or hyperactive. I see that furniture placement and space are planned to fit the particular needs of lesson activities and minimize distractions. I have established routines for every day tasks (passing out and collecting materials, warm-ups, etc.) to which students adhere. I build strong relationships with my students by showing interest in them, listening to them, being genuine. I use a variety of attention moves, matching the moves to particular situations. My lessons are well prepared and interesting. I allow my students to move physically after sedentary parts of lessons (every minutes). I tell students what the goal of each lesson is before it begins. At the end of each lesson, students have a chance to think about what they learned in the lesson that day and assess their achievement. I tell the students why they are doing a particular activity and why they are learning something. I vary the format of my instruction to maintain interest.

2 I frequently check for student understanding, clarifying any confusions, and clearing up questions. I convey my enthusiasm for the subject I teach and for the students I teach. I use humor wisely to heighten attention, relieve tension, boost morale. I let my students know that I believe they can accomplish anything if they expend effort. I maintain eye contact with every student. When feasible, I maintain physical proximity with students. TOTAL SCORE Excellent behavior management skills Good behavior management which can improve with acquisition of new skills through reading and classroom practice. Need to determine areas of weaknesses in classroom practice and remediate. Request peer or supervisory help in determining weak points. Need to observe master teachers, read up on management, ask for peer or supervisory observations and feedback.

3 Classroom Management Strategies for when $#!* Happens Ten Steps to Discipline - Carefully examine your own current behavior management practices Assess whether or not they are working -- change it if not working Give a difficult student the time of day (pleasant greeting using name) Ask student What are you doing? when s/he misbehaves Ask student Is that against the rules? Work it out -- make a plan (privately, after a cool down ) Isolate from class within the classroom -- time out Out of classroom (in-school suspension) Send student home (involvement of administration) Get professional help Provide Students with Logical Consequences - Discipline Without Tears. Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs and Pearl Cassel Dutton. ISBN Alert the Student to the behavior in question. USE A CALM, FIRM, ADULT VOICE. Transfer responsibility for proper behavior to the student -- pose a choice forewarn about a logical consequence if behavior continues Administer consequence with no anger but express regret that an undesirable choice was made. State confidence that a better choice will be made next time Initial Intervention Strategies Proximity Eye Contact Privacy get close to student, but not too close look in eyes quietly, calmly deliver a logical consequence Hierarchy of Energy -- Gradually Escalate Turn full face toward the misbehavior. Continue teaching, but LOOK at the misbehaver. Give a non-verbal cue: wave, hand signal, finger snap Give a verbal cue: Stan! Mika, what are you doing! Slow movement toward the misbehaver while still teaching invade personal space, eye contact, and give firm direct command -- Do not touch John!

4 Classroom Management Strategies for when $#!* Happens Use of a TABOO Move very rarely used and HUGE -- eradicates a major negative behavior for good teacher expresses controlled yet I mean business! anger about an act which completely betrays or threatens the integrity or safety of the class know that lesson momentum will be sacrificed to eradicate the behavior and make all students (guilty and innocent) feel the magnitude Breaking Up a Fight - Drs. Curwen and Allen Mendler, Discipline With Dignity ISBN DO NOT GET PHYSICALLY ENGAGED YOURSELF! Send a student bystander to get the principal, security guard, or other official Ask the names of the combatants from bystanders Disperse the crowd of bystanders using the names of the combatants, order them forcefully to stop o Order the kid who is losing the fight to go to the office (helps save face) Using extreme discretion and when no weapons are involved; ADDITIONAL STARTLE MOVES for fight-stopping o Throw a chair, waste basket, etc. NEAR the fight, not at it, to make a distraction o Make a very loud startling noise, blow a coach s whistle, slam a door If there is a weapon involved, get all bystanders away fast. Do not engage with combatants except to shout a desist order. Alert appropriate security personnel

5 Classroom Management DON Ts! Don t use slang or kid lingo to seem cool -- you frequently only look foolish to the students Don t use harsh, put-down sarcasm -- it murders relationships. Don t tolerate even playful scuffling or put down s among students -- these escalate Don t scream or yell at students -- USE A FAT, LOW, FORCEFUL voice, not a strident high-pitched tone. Get your voice out of the range of the children s voices. Don t make threats in anger that you won t or can t carry out. Don t argue with students - TAKE YOUR SAIL OUT OF THEIR WIND. Don t touch students or get physically close in tense situations. Don t favor certain students over others. Don t pit boys against girls or weak against strong. Don t let students talk you out of well-planned lessons. Don t get played! Don t use bribes or make deals regarding behavior issues. Don t teach over classroom buzz. Don t allow a minor discipline problem to disrupt your lesson momentum. Don t humiliate. Don t dump your problems in the hall or office. Don t forget about a kid if you really must send him/her out of the room or even to TIME OUT inside the room. Follow up is needed ASAP. Rebuild the relationship and make a plan. Don t allow eating or gum chewing or drinking anything but water. Don t overlook behaviors from some students and discipline others for the same thing. Don t use arbitrary punishments that you pull out of the air in anger. Don t punish an entire class for the behaviors of a few. Don t tempt fate by leaving valuables lying around. Don t say or do anything that can be interpreted as flirtatious, seductive, or provocative. Don t touch students. Don t be alone with a student when you are in a very serious disciplinary mode. Have a witness present. Don t communicate with students via social media. This blurs lines.

6 Classroom Management DOs! Learn students names ASAP. Use names whenever possible. No anonymous kids! Establish a few logical classroom rules and make sure kids understand their logic through discussion not just teacher lecture. Make relationship building with students a major goal. Be genuine. Keep it real. Make personal contact with kids as they enter the classroom -- notice them as individuals and greet them by name. Have some music playing for entry. Plan spectacular lessons that are interesting, well-paced, interactive -- Boredom breeds BIG trouble. Share the goals of lessons with students -- set an agenda for every class and tell them what they are going to learn and why this learning is important. Provide specific and immediate feedback. Generic praise is weak and often not true. Model behaviors that you want kids to embrace. They watch you. Infuse some humor and joy into every lesson -- LAUGHTER LUBRICATES LEARNING, diffusing tension and fatigue. Allow some opportunity for students to move and to talk to one another every minutes -- it s impossible for them to stay still and quiet for really long stretches, no matter how old they are. Provision each lesson BEFORE the students arrive so you can give THEM all of your attention. Honor error. Dignify mistakes. NO one ever feels stupid in here! Start class immediately -- mean business about this. Deliberately plan transitions between lesson activities. Scan the class, making eye contact with every individual every seconds. Cruise around the room while teaching and use proximity. Be clear about directions and check for understanding. Catch students being good. Give specific praise to students exhibiting on-task behaviors. Be fair and consistent in your dealings with kids -- they keep score! Cultivate the use of your evil eye. Practice in front of a mirror. Rebuild your relationship soon after you ve disciplines a student. Express disapproval of the behavior, but optimism that the student can make a better choice next time. Hang on to optimism. Never give up on a student. You may be the only one.