Coaching Classroom Management

Presented by Randy Sprick, Ph.D. NorthWest PBIS Conference Eugene, OR March 1, 2011

Objectives: Participants will: Evaluate the applicability of a generic model for coaching classroom management. Identify strengths and weaknesses of current levels of training and support for classroom teachers regarding classroom management/discipline. Introduction: One role of a PBIS leadership team should be to develop a model that supports classroom teachers regarding classroom management/discipline. Components of one such model: Training on a specific approach (e.g., CHAMPS) Clear expectations from administrators on the outcomes of good classroom management Non-evaluative personnel who can provide coaching and support to teachers to achieve those outcomes. Training on a specific approach Staff development training workshops, classes, seminars Faculty study Voluntary study group Presentation within staff for new teachers Other ways to organize training: A sample: Page 2 Clear expectations from administrators on the outcomes of good classroom management Pages 3-9 Non-evaluative personnel who can provide coaching and support to teachers to achieve those outcomes. Pages 10 15 The following pages are reprinted from Coaching Classroom Management, by Sprick, Knight, et. al. published by Pacific Northwest Publishing. Safe & Civil Schools 1

Introduction to the CHAMPS Approach I. Our model for classroom and behavior management is the CHAMPS approach. II. What is the CHAMPS approach? A. B. C. D. The CHAMPS approach is not a canned discipline plan. CHAMPS is a decision-making template. Any time student behavior is a problem, experiment with one or more aspects of your CHAMPS classroom management plan. As you build or revise your management plan, take into account the following factors: 1. Your personal style 2. Your students need for structure (high, medium, or low) 3. 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. Observe and monitor. Interact positively. Correct fluently respond to misbehavior calmly, consistently, briefly, and immediately. IV. The only absolute rule within the CHAMPS approach is this: All people should be treated with dignity and respect. 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 (2nd ed.) or, for high school staff, Discipline in the Secondary Classroom (2nd ed.). Teachers are also expected to participate in professional development activities to learn the CHAMPS approach. A schedule of training opportunities will be provided. 2

Memo to Staff in Preparation for Walk-Through Visits Date: Memo to staff: My goal is to visit all classrooms as frequently as possible. When I drop in unannounced, I will stay for about 3 to 5 minutes. I have no specific agenda and will be looking at quality of instruction and classroom management. Plan to carry on as if I were not in the room. Let your students know in advance that when I (or any other visitor) visit the classroom, they should simply stay focused on the lesson or task. Following is a list of classroom management variables I will be looking at. 1. Student behavior. Are students... Actively engaged in the lesson? Behaving respectfully toward one another and toward you? Complying with your posted expectations? 2. Students connection with instruction. I will be looking at... Opportunities to respond (OTRs). Percentage of correct academic responses (PCR). Other instructional variables that have been a focus of staff development. 3. Teacher behavior. Are you... Actively observing (circulating and scanning)? Using praise effectively (at least a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions)? Correcting misbehavior fluently (calmly, consistently, briefly, and immediately)? I will obviously not be able to observe all these things at each visit, but I will attempt to notice several strengths and one or two areas to suggest possible improvement. If at any point you disagree with feedback I provide, please discuss it with me the walk-throughs are mainly a way for us to create a dialogue about how best to approach and implement effective classroom management practices. 3

CHAMPS Game Plan for Walk-Through Visits CHAMPS game plan for walk-through visits 1. Observe student behavior. Are students... a) Actively engaged in the lesson (at least 90%)? b) Behaving respectfully toward one another and toward the teacher (at least 95%)? c) Complying with the teacher s posted expectations (at least 95%)? If the answer to all of these questions is yes, focus the rest of the observation on students connection with instruction (Step 2). If the answer to any of the questions is no, divide the remainder of your time between Steps 2 and 3. 2. Observe student engagement. Look at... a) Opportunities to respond (estimate OTRs per minute). b) Percentage of correct responses (PCR). c) Any other instructional variables that have been a focus of staff development. 3. Observe teacher behavior. Is the teacher... a) Actively observing (circulating and scanning)? b) Using praise effectively (at least a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions)? c) Correcting misbehavior fluently (calmly, consistently, briefly, and immediately)? 4

Drop-In Observation (General) This form is open-ended and can be used to provide positive or corrective feedback, to make notes of observations for further discussion with the teacher, and for other general purposes. Teacher: Date/Time: Lesson/Activity: Notes: Observer: 5

Drop-In Observation (Academic) Use to provide feedback about student engagement within academic activities. At the bottom of the form, make notes on the type of work students are being required to do: Is it relevant? Is it age-appropriate? Does it conform to district and state standards? Teacher: Date/Time: Subject/Lesson/Activity: Active student engagement: TOT: (Time on Task percentage of students engaged and on task) OTR: (Opportunities to Respond) PCR: (Percentage of Correct Responses) Meaningful student work: Observer 6

Drop-In Observation (Classroom Management) This form focuses specifically on essential classroom management behaviors of the teacher. When noting posted expectations, answer basic questions regarding them: Are they understandable? Age-appropriate? Stated positively? Are they used by the teacher in correcting misbehavior? Teacher: Posted expectations: Date/Time: Ratio of Interactions + Fluent corrections: Observer 7

Drop-In Observation (CHAMPS Game Plan) This is the most comprehensive of the drop-in observation forms. It directly parallels the items on the CHAMPS Game Plan for Walk-Through Visits (Reproducible 3.1) and provides space to elaborate on student behavior, connection to instruction, and teacher conduct. Teacher: Class/Activity: Date/Time: 1. Observe student behavior. Are students... a) Actively engaged in the lesson (at least 90%)? % b) Behaving respectfully toward one another and toward the teacher (at least 95%)? % c) Complying with the teacher s posted expectations (at least 95%)? % Notes:c 2. Observe student engagement. a) Opportunities to Respond. Estimated OTR per minute: % b) Percentage of correct academic responses. Estimated PCR % c) Any other instructional variables that have been a focus of staff development: Notes:c 3. Observe teacher behavior. Is the teacher... a) Actively observing (circulating and scanning)? Yes/No: % b) Being positive (at least a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions)? Estimated ROI : c) Correcting misbehavior fluently (calmly, consistently, briefly, immediately)? Yes/No: % Notes:c Observer 8

Record of Walk-Through Visits Date: Teacher MON TUE WED THU FRI MON TUE WED THU FRI MON TUE WED THU FRI MON TUE WED THU FRI 9

Roles in Collaborative Observation If you are the teacher being observed Prepare to discuss with the coach: Goals for the class. What your typical classroom schedule is. What you want the observer to notice. Tell the coach: Where you d like the coach to sit. Where the class meets and when. Whether and how you ll introduce the observer to the students. If deemed appropriate, introduce the coach to the class and provide a brief explanation of the purpose of the observation to the students. ( Jim is here today to see what we do during math period. Wendy is visiting to see what kinds of things third graders do in school. ) Afterward, write down your thoughts and reflections on the class and prepare to discuss them with the coach. If you are the coach observing Clarify the purpose of the observation: To guide collaborative development of a classroom management plan. To monitor progress over time. Meet with the teacher to discuss: What will happen in class that day. What specifically the teacher hopes you ll notice. What you ll be doing during the observation. Schedule a meeting to discuss the information you collect. Record observations: Use a formal observation tool such as the Basic 5 (Reproducible 5.2) or Classroom Check-Up observation form (Reproducible 7.4). Record anecdotal information. Jot down questions you want to discuss with the teacher after the observation. Be sure to enter time intervals of your observations in your notes. Remain as unobtrusive as possible. With the coach, reconstruct what happened in class. Think about goals for the class and the specific class session that was observed. Be prepared to describe: What you thought went well. What you would change. What was typical or atypical about the class. Ask for specific descriptions and constructive suggestions. With the coach, develop a plan of action for improving classroom management. Develop a time frame for monitoring, reviewing, and revising the plan. With the teacher, reconstruct what happened in class. Ask the teacher to describe: What he or she thought went well. What he or she would change. What was typical or atypical about the class. Describe rather than evaluate what you saw. Offer constructive feedback and suggestions. With the teacher, develop a plan of action for improving classroom management. With the teacher, develop a plan and specific time frame for monitoring, reviewing, and revising the plan. 10

The Basic 5 Behavior Benchmarks Dark = Stop (do something different) Medium = Caution (intervention recommended) Light = Keep going (keep doing what you re doing) Benchmark Dark Medium Light Form to use Time on Task (academic engagement) Opportunities to Respond (per 10-minute interval) Less than 80% 81 90% 91 100% Academic Engagement Monitoring Form (5.4) 5-minute recording time Use during teacher-guided instruction Use for classwide monitoring Fewer than 10 10 40 More than 40 Opportunities to Respond Monitoring Form (5.5) 10-minute recording time Use during teacher-guided instruction Use for individual or classwide monitoring Ratio of Interactions (positive to negative) Less than 1:1 or less than 1 interaction per minute At least 1:1 consistently At least 3:1 consistently Ratio of Interactions Monitoring Form (5.6) 20-minute recording time Any activity Use for individual or classwide monitoring Disruptions (per 10-minute interval) More than 10 5 10 Fewer than 5 Misbehavior Monitoring Form (5.7a or 5.7b) Use for duration of one activity or entire period Any activity Use for classwide monitoring Alignment with Expectations Mostly 1s & 2s Mostly 2s & 3s Mostly 4s & 5s Expectations Versus Daily Reality Scale (5.8) Use for duration of one activity or entire period Any activity Use for classwide monitoring 11

Basic 5 Observation Form (15 minutes) Teacher: Date: Time: Observer: Class: Activity: Step 1 (10 minutes) During a 10-minute observation period, record simple tally marks for each of the following behaviors. Benchmark (Positive) Observation period (10 minutes) (Negative) Total Ratio of Interactions Opportunities to Respond Disruptions Ratio of interactions = : (Positive : Negative) Step 2 (5 minutes) For the next 5 minutes, focus on a different student every 5 seconds. Record a + symbol to indicate on-task or engaged behavior and a symbol to indicate off-task behavior. When each student has been observed, begin the progression again. Continue until 5 minutes has elapsed. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Divide the number of on-task (+) marks by the total number of marks (60). Time on Task (percentage of on-task behavior) = %. 12

Sample Menu of Interventions Time on Task Opportunities to Respond Ratio of Interactions Disruptions Alignment with Expectations Use content enhancement routines* to deliver instruction. Apply partnership learning principles to lesson plans. Use at intervals to determine if daily schedule of activities could be revised. A * set of teacherfocused interventions that are part of the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) developed by Dr. Don Deshler and colleagues at the University of Kansas. Be careful not to back students into a corner. Give option to pass. Kids use lifelines (as on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire) to seek help. Have students call on each other. Begin with questions that many students know as a review. Let students know everyone will have to answer at least one question. Monitor using tally marks in a grade book, etc. Create response cards using Yes/No or symbols on each side. Use write on/wipe off boards for every student to respond at the same time. Greet students at door. Discuss how teacher feels when supported by a 3:1 ratio. Model during a lesson. Have kids look for behaviors and engage in positive interactions. Brainstorm a variety of positive responses. Stress that an interaction counts as positive or negative based on when it occurs. Teachers write specific positive statements on sticky notes to hand out during instruction. Paper Clip Trick. Teacher moves paper clip from right to left pocket based on positive interactions. Have teacher tally on board own response to blurt-outs from students; explain to class that the goal is to accept fewer blurt-outs. Use three-step teaching process (teach > monitor > feedback) to explain expectations. Use visual display to cue expectations. Try using precorrections. 13

Ratio of Interactions Monitoring Form (20 minutes) Teacher: Date: Time: Observer: Class: Activity: Coding system (if used) M = Male = F = Female = C = Classwide = I = Individual = Attention to Positive Attention to Negative Actual Ratio of Interactions: : Goal is 3:1 or better. It is the student behavior that is occurring at the time the interaction is initiated, not the tone of the interaction, that determines whether an interaction is positive or negative. When a teacher interacts with a student who is exhibiting appropriate behavior, count the interaction as positive. When a teacher interacts with a student who is exhibiting inappropriate behavior, count the interaction as negative. Responses to negative behavior do not mean the teacher is responding poorly. 14

Reproducible 5.6 R E P R O D U C I B L E Coaching Classroom Management F O R M Coaching Cl 5.6 ratio of interactions Monitoring Form (20 minutes) Teacher: Mr. Jackson Date: 9/28 Time: 9:15 9:30 1st Grade Small Teacher-directed Observer: Mrs. Rogers Class: Group Reading Activity: instruction Coding system (if used) M = Male N = Nick F = Female = C = Classwide = I = Individual = Misbeh Teacher: Observer: Cod N T O H Name Attention to positive Attention to Negative M M M F M F F C F N F M C M M N F M M N M N F F N N C M N M N Name 18 13 Name Actual Ratio of Interactions: : ~ 1.5 1 Goal is 3:1 or better. It is the student behavior that is occurring at the time the interaction is initiated, not the tone of the interaction, that determines whether an interaction is positive or negative. When a teacher interacts with a student who is exhibiting appropriate behavior, count the interaction as positive. When a teacher interacts with a student who is exhibiting inappropriate behavior, count the interaction as negative. Responses to negative behavior do not mean the teacher is responding poorly. Name Name Name 2010 Pacifi c Northwest Publishing 15