Classrm Organizatin and Management Planning Guide Step One: Develp a Statement f Purpse What? A purpse statement is ne that makes clear the majr gals r missin f the classrm. Why? It lays the fundatin fr the rest f the management plan; it makes essential the elements f the reasn fr the teacher t be teaching and the students t be learning. When? It shuld be cmpleted befre implementing ther cmpnents f the behavir management plan. Hw? It shuld be written t meet three criteria: fcused direct/ clearly understd jargn-free Example: Our classrm will prvide a safe, psitive learning envirnment, which prmtes cperatin, creativity and academic success. All students will be active participants in the educatinal prcess in rder t achieve their full ptential. Step Tw: Develp a Set f 3 t 5 Classrm Rules "Althugh the rules and prcedures used by effective classrm managers vary frm teacher t teacher, we d nt find effectively managed classrms perating withut them." Surce: Emmer, Evertsn, Sanfrd, Clements, & Wrsham. 1982 in Organizing and Managing the Junir High Schl Classrm. Classrm rules set the behaviral expectatin and allw cmmn grund between the teacher and the student. Teachers specify the rules and students knw what they need t d in rder t meet the behaviral expectatins f the teacher. Gd classrm rules explicit, clear and succinct. There shuld be 3 t 5 rules that are specific, bservable and measurable, stated in psitive terms, and cnvey the expected behavir. Guidelines fr Writing Rules Rules gvern relatinships with thers, time, space and materials. They are cnsistent acrss situatins and few in number. The eight guidelines belw can help yu develp effective rules fr yur classrm. 1. Cnsistent with schl rules. Classrm rules shuld nt cnflict with schl rules; schl rules shuld be in effect in the classrm. 2. Understandable. Rules must be stated s that students clearly understand what is meant. Vcabulary shuld be cnsistent with students grade and r ability level. 3. Dable. Rules must be such that students are capable f fllwing them. They must be within students maturatin level and mental and physical abilities. 4. Manageable. Rules shuld be easily mnitred and nt require excessive classrm time t hld students accuntable. 5. Always applicable. Rules shuld be cnsistent acrss situatins; they shuld nt vary r change. 6. Stated psitively. Stating rules psitively encurages the desired behavir. Althugh it is smetimes difficult t state all rules psitively, mst dn ts can be transfrmed t d s. (Even N gum can be stated as Leave all gum at hme. ) 7. Stated behavirally. Rules are easily understd and mnitred when defined with actin statements beginning with a verb statements that describe what students are t d such as Leave all gum at hme r Bring needed materials t class. 1
Gd Rule Examples (specific, bservable, measurable, psitive and cnvey expected behavir) Keep hands and feet t yurself Turn in cmpleted assignments n time Walk in the hallways Cme t class n time, prepared, with all supplies and assignments. Sit in yur seat unless yu have permissin t leave it. Wrk when yu are suppsed t. Unless yu have permissin t speak, talk nly abut yur wrk. Fllw directins immediately Inapprpriate Rules Respect thers Think befre respnding. Dn't run. Be a gd student. Be respnsible Be ready t learn D yur best Respect authrity Test yur rules: My rules are bservable and measurable. My rules are psitively stated. I have nly 3 t 5 rules. My rules cnvey the expected behavir. I have a cmpliance rule Step Three: Identify and Develp Prcedures Classrm prcedures are patterns fr accmplishing classrm tasks. Prcedures frm rutines that help the students help the students meet the expectatins stated in the rules. Bth rules and rutines must be taught, practiced and cnsistently enfrced t be effective in the classrm. It is imprtant that prcedures be written in succinct terminlgy, psitively stated, in age-apprpriate terms. When develping prcedures, keep "Wh, what, when, where, why, and hw" in mind WHY is this prcedure needed? WHERE is this prcedure needed? WHAT is the prcedure? WHAT are the steps fr successful cmpletin f the prcedure? WHO needs t be taught this prcedure? WHO will teach this prcedure WHEN is this prcedure needed? WHEN will the prcedure be taught? WHEN will the prcedure be practiced? HOW will yu recgnize prcedure cmpliance? Cmplete a prcedural plan sheet fr each f the fllwing: Attentin signal Gain teacher assistance r attentin Start f class Wrking in grups Wrking independently 2
Obtaining materials and supplied Managing persnal belngings (e.g. hat, cat, backpack, etc.) Entering/exiting the classrm Step Fur: Develp a cntinuum f psitive cnsequences t encurage apprpriate behavir. Cnsequences fllw student behavir, and serve t either increase r decrease student behavir. Effective cnsequences preserve the student's dignity, increase their internal lcus f cntrl (i.e., students see the link between what they d and what happens), and increase the student's mtivatin. Cnsequences wrk best when they are: (1) clear and specific, (2) directly related t rules and prcedures (3) arranged in a hierarchy and (4) natural and lgical. It s imprtant t have a cntinuum f psitive cnsequences, ranging frm frequent t lng term, t encurage and maintain apprpriate behavir. Examples: Level 1 - free and frequent = used everyday in the classrm invlving praise, perhaps stickers... easy things the teachers nrmally deliver. Level 2 intermittent = mre pwerful and can be awarded as perhaps a student f the week, student f the mnth, ccasinal free time Level 3 - strng and lng term = year-lng, r mnth-lng types f recgnitin that students can wrk fr, perhaps a special trip, wrking in the ffice, serving as a peer assistant. Free & Frequent Intermittent Strng & Lng Term Verbal Praise Smile Stickers Rubber Stamps Thumbs up Hme ntes Phne calls Special Privileges Extra Cmputer Time Special Seat Field trips Special Prjects Recgnitin t the Principal Student f the Week Hnr Rll be educative and nt vindictive. Yur jb is nt t get back at the kids but t decrease prblem behavir. In develping negative cnsequences, it is best t develp a negative cnsequence hierarchy in the classrm, ranging frm least intrusive (e.g., rule reminder) t mst intrusive (e.g., requiring an ffice referral). Cnsequences fr "repeat ffenders" shuld start at the tp f the hierarchy and mve t mre intrusive cnsequences. Majr rule vilatins shuld receive mre severe cnsequences than minr rule vilatins. When develping negative cnsequences, make sure that they are: lgical natural t the classrm envirnment cnnected t the classrm rules educative, nt vindictive Step Five: Develp a cntinuum f negative cnsequences t discurage inapprpriate behavir. Negative cnsequences must be educative and nt vindictive. In develping negative cnsequences, it is best t develp a negative cnsequence hierarchy in the classrm, ranging frm least intrusive (e.g., rule reminder) t mst intrusive (e.g., requiring an ffice referral). 3
Cnsequences fr "repeat ffenders" shuld start at the tp f the hierarchy and mve t mre intrusive cnsequences. Majr rule vilatins shuld receive mre severe cnsequences than minr rule vilatins. When develping negative cnsequences, make sure that they are (1) lgical, (2) natural t the classrm envirnment, (3) cnnected t classrm rules and (4) educative, nt vindictive. Example: Level 1: Class rule reminder Level 2: Individual rule reminder Level 3: Envirnmental mdificatin (e.g. change seat) Level 4: Parent cntact Level 5: After schl detentin Level 6: Office referral Step Six: Develp a Crisis Plan Fr a classrm teacher, the key cmpnents f a crisis plan ften include getting immediate assistance fr either behaviral r medical situatins. Behaviral situatins might include scenaris when a student's behavir is ut f cntrl, ptentially self-injurius, r ptentially harmful t thers in the envirnment. A medical emergency might include situatins where a student is having a "sickling crisis" due t sickle cell disease, a seizure, r an asthma attack. By develping preplanned and well thught-ut strategies fr dealing with a crisis, a teacher can subsequently (a) reduce the uncertainty f what actins he r she may take; (b) increase their cntrl f a situatin; and (c)decrease their wn anxiety, fear r frustratin abut handling a crisis. When develping yur plan, it is imprtant t include the fllwing: Wh will seek assistance (e.g., the teacher, anther student) Wh will be ntified (e.g., the ffice, the nurse) What yu want the rest f the students t d during the crisis (e.g., get help, cntinue wrking, give the student in crisis sme space by backing away) What yu will d after the crisis is ver (e.g., talk t the student, cntact parents) Example Behavir Crisis Plan 1. Send designated student t the ffice with Behavir Crisis Card 2. Send rest f class t Miss Burke s rm. 3. Help crisis student re-establish self cntrl. 4. Bring students back t class nce cntrl is re-established. 5. Fllw up with phne call hme and Crisis-Fllw-up Sheet Example Medical Crisis Plan 1. Send designated student t ffice/nurse with Medical Crisis Card. 2. If needed, have rest f students help with furniture (e.g. mve if student is having seizure) 3. Mnitr student 4. Reassure student after episde is ver. 5. Fill ut crisis fllw-up sheet and ntify parents 4
Step Seven: Develp an Actin Plan Actin plans can cntain several key items. 1. A tlkit. These are the psters, frms, and materials that a teacher will need in rder t implement a behavir management plan. Fr example, a tlkit might include psters fr each prcedure that the students will learn, behavir and medical crisis frms, and pst cards t send hme when students have successfully fllwed the behavir management plan. 2. Lessns fr teaching the plan t students. Teachers will need t take the time t teach the specific rules and prcedures that they expect the students t fllw. An actin plan can include the lessns, a timeline fr when these lessns will ccur, and the rder in which they will be taught. 3. A methd fr teaching the plan t parents. The behavir management plan will be mre successful if parents are aware and supprtive f classrm expectatins. Including infrmatin in the actin plan abut hw t include parents in this prcess is very imprtant. 4. Recgnitin activities fr students. Students wh demnstrate success in the plan deserve t be recgnized. A behavir management plan will be mre successful if students are rewarded fr fllwing it (remember all thse psitive cnsequences!). Building recgnitin activities int an actin plan is just ne mre reminder fr teachers t reinfrce that psitive behavir. 5. Bster sessins fr students. A gd actin plan will include planned lessns thrughut the year where the cmpnents f the cmprehensive behavir management plan are reviewed with the students. Peridic review helps t remind everyne f expected behavir and keeps the plan running smthly. Sample Tl Kit Area What is t be accmplished Hw will it be accmplished Tlkit Prviding a substitute Create a flder with all teacher flder necessary infrmatin t implement behavir plan. Making psters fr rules and prcedures Enlarge rules sheet t pster size. Date accmplished Select key prcedures fr first day f schl, enlarge them, and pst them. Creating pstcards fr psitive parent cntacts Print ut r cpy pstcards s that nly student names and psitive behavirs need be added. Preparing a "Student f the Week" prgram Design certificate. Set up "Student f the Week" Desk. 5
Teaching the plan t students Generating a brchure t present the key cmpnents f the plan Use wrd prcessing r publishing sftware. Teaching relevant aspects f plan Develp and implement a lessn plan. First week f schl Devising rle play Using cperative learning, have grups f students select a rule and mdel what it lks like. Secnd week f schl Develping practice activities fr rules Create practice activities that use strybks, sngs, and creative arts. Secnd week f schl and, as needed, thrughut schl year Bster sessin Scheduling bster sessins In lessn plan bk, at predetermined intervals, nte need t review essential cmpnents. Prir t start t schl Delivering bster sessins Prir t scheduled bster sessin, select cmpnent f management system t be highlighted. Thrughut schl year Disseminate plan Disseminating t parents Present plan at back-tschl night. Third week f schl Duplicate extra brchures. Have parents sign student hmewrk n plan. Disseminating t administratrs Call parents wh weren't able t attend back-tschl night. Meet with administratrs t review plan. Prir t the start f schl, and befre printing brchures 6