classroom management resource guide
DESCRIPTION
Classroom Management Resource GuideTRANSCRIPT
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
RESOURCE GUIDE
By Eric Bran
2
Table of Contents
II. Introduction: Let‟s Focus on the Students! …… 3
II. Meeting the Student‟s Needs …………………… 4
III. The Blueprint: Classroom Floor Plan ………… 5
IV. Classroom Rules …………………………………... 7
V. Teambuilding Activities ………………………….. 9
VI. Managing Time and Materials …………………. 13
VII. Proactive Classroom Management …………… 15
VIII. Preventions for Disruptive Behavior ……… 17
VIII. Interventions for Disruptive Behavior …….. 18
IX. Anti-Bullying Guide ………………………………. 19
X. Sources and Work Cited …………………………. 21
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens
can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
- Margaret Mead
3
LET’S FOCUS ON
THE STUDENTS! There are many factors that influence the behavior
of our students and thus sometimes teachers
become unsatisfied with how their classroom is
functioning. I am a strong believer that great
teachers are those who focus on the needs of each
student but this undertaking is often difficult. To
be successful, teachers need to create and practice
classroom management techniques that have clear
goals and meaningful purposes.
They need to be planned with deliberation and
creativity. The success of the teacher should be
measured by the success of the students. When
students feel that they have ownership of their
education, they become invested in the learning.
By focusing on the students, teachers have a better
chance to create a classroom where the students
are motivated and engaged. This resource guide is
intended to serve teachers who wish to pursue the
true meaning of education which puts the students
at its focus.
pro·ac·tive [proh-ak-tiv] adjective (of a person, policy, or action) Creating or controlling a
situation by causing something to happen rather than
responding to it after it has happened
It is important to create a proactive classroom
management plan because it will help teachers and
students achieve success. As humans it is
impossible to predict the future. On the same
token we cannot predict how our classroom will
behave to certain scenarios. The best way to avoid
a situation is to plan ahead.
When teachers create a proactive management
plan they are taking into account many different
scenarios or behaviors which they may encounter.
By simply thinking ahead of the „what ifs‟ a
teacher is making a conscious effort to avoid a
sticky situation. The students may feel much more
comfortable in their classroom if they see that
their teacher is prepared and ready to handle
unexpected situations in the classroom.
A great teacher is one that plans ahead and
prepares for multiple situations. Preparation is
key when creating a proactive approach to
classroom management. Having all the materials
ready, knowing the lesson well, and staying alert,
are all part of the preparation that proactive
teachers go through. Preparation is essential to
show students that the teacher is responsible and
credibly. At the same time, the teacher who
prepares and plans ahead will teach his/her
lessons with confidence.
“By failing to prepare you
are preparing to fail.”
- Benjamin Franklin
4
MEETING THE
STUDENT’S NEEDS
Creating a student-centered classroom is not an
easy task. This requires a teacher who is invested
in the students and who is willing to put the time
to get to know the needs of each individual
learner. Every classroom needs a teacher who
creates an environment that is safe for the
students where their voice is valued. The teacher
needs to create lessons that are fun and full of
choices for the students. Finally, the teacher needs
to care and make the students feel that they
belong in their classroom.
By getting to know the students, the teacher
demonstrates love and care for them. Students feel
more motivated to do well when they know their
teacher cares for their success as much they do
themselves. Caring is not just for the success of
the classroom but also for the success of students
who may not have a caring influence at home. By
caring for the students, the teacher is also
allowing students to feel comfortable in the
classroom. If the student feels as if their survival
is threatened at home, the classroom should be the
perfect place for students to feel like they belong.
A study done by Cynthia E. Mader demonstrated
that most of the participants had a higher interest
in pursuing course topics on their own when they
graded themselves (Mader, 2009). When students
are given the power and freedom to control some
aspects of their learning they tend to be more
motivated. We put so much emphasis on grades
when we really should be focusing on the actual
learning. Student‟s sense of survival may be
threatened by a low test score and/or a failing
grades. Think about it, if you were to fail a class
and had to re-take it, you may be label as stupid or
inept; this directly threatens your sense of
security in the classroom. You may no longer be
m o t i v a t e d t o t r y h a r d e r .
5
Power in the classrooms is a bit more subtle than
the other needs of the students. In college some
professors will let students have some input in the
rubrics which they are graded on. The students
feel as if they have a voice that matters in their
classroom and in their learning. By co-
constructing rubrics the teacher allows the
students to gauge whether the teacher is being
fair or not. Student need to have some power in
the classrooms so the class becomes more
meaningful for them (Erwin 2003). Students
should have value in their learning and a voice
t h a t i s a c t u a l l y h e a r d .
Sometimes students are engaged in difficult topics
but the teacher moves through them so quickly
that the students lose interest along the way.
Because of the different learning styles of each
individual student it is difficult to engage them
with one activity. Students should be given choices
on how they want to learn and how the wish to
represent what they have learned. By creating
multiple options students are given freedom to
choose within the parameters of the subject and
autonomy to express themselves how they wish.
The different choices can actually make learning
fun.
In an article that talks about bringing fun back to
the classrooms Jonathan C. Erwin writes, “The
focus in education for the last several years has
been on raising standards and increasing the
number and difficulty of student test” (Erwin
2005). The article describes something we already
know, with all different legislations and pressure
from administrators and public office officials,
there is barely any time to create fun lessons.
Schools are focused on the grades and how they
may rank among schools but they forgotten the
most important part of schools, the student. A
great teacher will find ways to create lessons that
meet the needs of the majority of the students.
THE BLUEPRINT
6
CLASSROOM
FLOOR PLAN
Classroom set-up is not just about decorations and
desk arrangements; there are many things that
teachers have to take into consideration. A large
space for the classroom can be very beneficial
since it allows for more hands on activities as well
as more equipment. Small class sizes are also good
because it makes it easier for the teacher to create
a close community in the classroom.
In the blueprint from the last page, you can see
that it is set for a class of 24 students. The
students are seated in groups of 4 around a main
table. This main table would serve as the materials
table. All the supplies needed for the particular
lesson would be in this central location. By
assigning a central location for all the materials,
the teacher is encouraging students to be
responsible for their own learning. In this set up,
the students would be responsible to grab their
materials prior to the lesson. At the front of the
room closer to the door, two seats have been
reserved or designated for students who may
require to be close to the board or may have to use
a wheelchair. By doing so, the teacher is prepared
for the first day of classes when students are still
rearranging themselves.
On the walls, the teacher can post inspirational
quotes and other posters that are modern and
„hip‟. The purpose of these posters is to send a
message while relating to the students.
In an article titled “Does where a student sits
really matter?” the authors describe the idea that
teacher-student relationships are affected by the
location of where the students sit (Fernandes &
Jinyan & Rinaldo, 2011). This might be true in
some cases depending on the sitting
arrangements. To engage the students in this
particular set-up, the teacher can walk around
while conducting the lesson. On the first day the
seating arrangement would be the same, students
will have the option to sit where they please, and
this will allow the teacher to see where students
feel comfortable sitting. Later in the semester
when the teacher has learned a little more about
the students, he/she can purposely make groups
based on ability or to mix the social interactions
in the classroom.
Seating arrangements are important in classroom
management plans because it is directly connected
to the comfort level of the students, where the
teachers focuses the attention of the lessons, and
where the students might be focusing their
attention. Some students will sit in the front,
others will sit in the back. Sometimes even by just
sitting in the front students may receive a higher
grade (Parker & Hoopes & Eggett, 2011), this is
an opportunity for teachers to find a way to create
lessons where everyone is in the front seat. A
suggestion would be to have class circle
discussions because in this seating arrangement
everyone is in the front seat. It would be great to
have seating arrangements for these kinds of
discussions as well.
“My report card always said, 'Jim finishes first
and then disrupts the other students'.”
-Jim Carrey
7
CLASSROOM RULES
RULE 1:
Respect one
another.
Rule 2: Give 100% of what you‟ve got! (Hopkins, 2011)
Rule 3: Raise your hand for attention (attention will be devoted to you).
Rule 4:
Always shoot
for the sky.
8
CLASSROOM RULES: EXPLAINED
A good foundation at the beginning of the
year is vital for the success of the students
and the teacher. Classroom rules are very
important and need to be clear and consistent
throughout the year. By involving students in
the conversation of classroom rules the
teacher allows students to self-regulate their
behavior. It is much easier for students to
follow rules that they themselves have created
than to follow the rules that the teacher is
imposing on them.
At the beginning of the year on the first day of
classes, the teacher can have the conversation
about rules and procedure in the classroom. A
simple activity such as having the class be
broken into groups and have the students
come up with a few rules for the year can be
extremely helpful. The question then becomes: how do we make sure that students
create rules that are necessary? This is when the teacher can guide the conversation by
challenging the students about their rules. The teacher can question whether the rules
are fair for both the students and the teacher. At the end of the first week the teacher
can start the conversation about the rules again; this time with the intent to see if the
rules are working or if they need to be changed, added, or even removed. When the
rules have been revised, the teacher can have students create posters of the rules so
they are involved in the entire process of rule making, this is said to keep social justice
principles in the classroom (Frazier & Sterling, 2005, p. 32).
Rule 5: Stop
and smell
the flowers.
“Surprisingly, student-created rules are often
much the same as -- or even tougher than -- rules
a teacher might create” (Hopkins, 2011, para. 2)
9
ACTIVITIES! The Math Curse
Time Required 10-15 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description "Read the book The Math Curse by Jon Scieszka aloud to the class. This is a
book about a boy who sees numbers wherever he goes. The character realiz-
es that the world is one giant math problem. After your read the book, get
the students to explore their new classroom and find things that can be
turned into math problems. Have them think about things in their life that
relate to math or that could be turned into a math problem. Have the stu-
dents write down these discovered math problems and present them to the
class." (Katteringham, 2008, para. 5) As a class discuss the findings and dis-
cuss possible math themes associated with their topic.
Why use this activity In this activity students can explore their everyday world in terms of mathe-
matics. The students are given the power and freedom to be creative and be
open to a new kind of mathematics class. Hopefully these activities will ig-
nite curiosity and prevent boredom in the classroom. This activity would al-
so help them see how others connect the world to math which can bring a
very interesting perspective. By discussing their findings students begin to
share ideas together and can begin to express themselves freely.
Two Truths and a Lie Time Required 10-15 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description Each student and teacher as well thinks of two truths about themselves and one lie, writing it down may help them remember if they are the last to go. One by one students share the facts they've chosen and as a class we think and try to weed out the lie. [Source: ERIN HARE, Moodle: Week 2 - Activity Description - June 24, 12:00 p.m.]
Why use this activity This activity is a fun activity for the students to get to know each other. Us-ing this activity can lead to a conversation about honesty and integrity in the classroom. The activity can also help students work together to try and figure out a „homemade‟ riddle which can tie into mathematics and problem solving.
10
The Artist Game Time Required 10-15 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description Give everyone a piece of paper and a pencil. In 5 minutes they must draw a picture that conveys who they are without writing any words or numbers. At the end of 5 minutes the host collects the pictures. Show the pictures to the group one at a time and have them try to guess who drew it. After this allow each of the artists to introduce themselves and explain how their work clear-ly conveys who they are. (Training-Games, 2012)
Why use this activity This activity is a fun way for students to express themselves in the class-room. The drawing part of the activity can be a way for teachers to see who really enjoy doing drawings and who struggle. In the future teachers can give students choices to draw homework assignments to gain interest from visual learners.
Paper Airplane Game Time Required 10-15 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description Everyone makes a paper airplane and writes their name, something they like and dislike on it (You may also want to add additional questions). On cue, everyone throws their airplane around the room. If you find an air-plane, pick it and keep throwing it for 1-2 minutes. At the end of that time, everyone must have one paper airplane. This is the person they must find and introduce to the group. (Training-Games, 2012)
Why use this activity This activity can be used to show students that fun in the classroom is ac-ceptable as long as it doesn't disrupt the classroom. After the activity the teacher can have a conversation about diversity using the different ways the students constructed their airplanes. This is also a great icebreaker for stu-dents to get to know each other in an explorative way.
Toilet Paper Game Time Required 10-15 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description Pass around a roll of toilet paper to the group and ask them to take what they need. No further explanation. When done. Tell the group that as they go around the room, each person must tell a fact or something about them-selves for each square of TP they took. (Training-Games, 2012)
Why use this activity This is a great way to get students to talk about themselves while learning about each other. The fun part of this exercise is when the teacher doesn‟t give directions until after the student has taken the toilet paper. Some stu-dents will take a lot of toilet paper and others will take a sheet or two. This activity can lead into a conversation of time management and managing work at a healthy pace.
11
Positive Reinforcement Card Game Time Required Throughout the Lesson
Group Size 25-30 students
Description Whenever a participant arrives to class on time from breaks, lunch, etc. give them one playing card. You can also hand out cards to people who volun-teer for activities, are helpful, answers a difficult question, etc. At the end of the day, play one hand of poker. Give a small prize to the best hand (you can also pick the top two or three hands if you want to give away more priz-es). Note that the more cards a person has, the better the chance of win-ning. (Training-Games, 2012)
Why use this activity This is a great way for students to stay motivated throughout the lesson. It demonstrates that if you do the right thing and you work hard you have the opportunity to be rewarded. This activity is also a form of positive narration that can be used for classroom management.
Polaroid Game Time Required 20-30 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description As participants arrive, take their picture with a Polaroid type camera. Hand out the pictures to the group with each participant getting a picture of an-other member of the group. Give them 15 minutes to find and talk to the people matching their picture. When the group reassembles, have each member introduce their new picture pal to the group and talk about what they learned about them.
Why use this activity This is a nice explorative activity with a great prop. Using a polaroid cam-era can really get the students excited about the activity. While they go around looking for their pal students are getting familiar with each other. The pictures can be used as a display in the classroom to add more of a cozy feeling.
The Autograph Hunt Time Required 10-15 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description Prepare a sheet listing traits or facts about people with a line for them to sign their name next to the trait if it applies to them (i.e.: someone who wears contacts, someone who has been to Europe, etc.). People then mingle around the room with their sheets seeking to find people who are eligible to sign their sheets. A person can only sign once on any sheet. (Training-Games, 2012)
Why use this activity This is a simple activity that can get students to interact with one another. It is a great way to learn interesting facts about the students. The teacher can gear the autograph hunt to gauge interest in certain topics for the les-son. The teacher can also participate to make the class feel like they are all a team.
12
Rule Making Time Required 25-35 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description As a group the students would make rules for the classroom. Overall, these rules should not get in the way of their learning, should decrease the amount of interruptions during class, and (above all) should keep both stu-dents and teacher(s) safe and happy (both physically and emotionally). Each group is allowed to write as many rules as they think are necessary; the teacher would then compile every groups list of rules on the board and make one list of rules for the class to follow. [Source: Meghan Powers, Moo-dle: TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITY, 6/22/12, 5:16 pm]
Why use this activity This activity is a great way for students to take ownership of the classroom policies. The teacher can serve as a guide but overall the students are creat-ing the rules. The students can create rationales for each rule and be able to defend their group work. When the rules are broken, the teacher can re-mind them that they them selves came up with the rules and continue to have a conversation about integrity.
Rock Paper Scissors Posse Time Required 5-10 minutes
Group Size 25-30 students
Description To play, first review the standard rules of rock, paper, scissors. Ask players to spread out and find a partner. Each pair plays a best of three round of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The losing player then stands behind the winning player and enthusiastically cheers for that player. This new team then finds another team to play a new round of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Each time a team wins, it collects the other team's players, and they line up behind the unbeaten leader. At the end, there will be two large teams, led by the unbeat-en leader in front. After the final match, the celebration begins! (Ultimatecampresrouce, 2012)
Why use this activity This is a great game to play because it reinforces how important peer sup-port is. The students love this simple game but it becomes much more excit-ing when there is an audience. This is a great energizer for students, it can be used when energy is low or in the middle of the semester when students are struggling to stay motivated.
“People rarely succeed unless they
have fun in what they are doing.”
-Dale Carnegie
13
1. Starting class (middle/high school) or the day
(elementary). To start the class the teacher can
greet the students at the door. If it‟s the
beginning of day the teacher can give students
5 minutes to socialize at a decent volume. If it‟s
the beginning of a class later in the day, the
students will be expected to work on their “Do
Now”. These activities will sometimes involve
chatting with one another.
2. Ending class or the day (middle/high school
students love to pack up their belongings
before the bell rings). Students will be asked
to pack up 5 minutes before class ends. Once
they are all packed up we would have a small
feedback discussion asking questions such as:
What was challenging about today? What was
easy? What are you still confused about? This
information could be used for the following
day‟s “Do Now” activity.
3. Taking attendance. One of the values that
teachers can promote in their classroom is
responsibility. Students can have the
responsibility to sign in for attendance at the
beginning of each class. In this case the sign in
sheet would be in same location throughout
the year. The students would be instructed of
this routine on the first day of classes. The
teacher should take a secondary attendance for
accurate records. This activity would promote
responsibility and personal accountability.
4. Distributing and collecting papers and
student work. Each student would have a
folder that would stay in the classroom. All
their graded work would be in these folders.
Students would have the responsibility to pick
up their graded papers. The teacher can use
the same method to collect student work. It
would be like a mailbox, which would only be
used at the first 5 minutes of the class. This
would give more time for in-class activities.
5. Changing activities or transitioning to a new
activity. To transition to a new activity
teachers can look for a small traffic light that
would sit in the middle of the room. They can
also make their own out of paper. When the
light is green it means the students are
starting the activity. When it turns yellow, the
students should begin to wrap up, and when it
is red, the activity will be done and a new one
will be introduced. Another way to transition
using a traffic light is using each color and
giving it a specific meaning. For example if
you have a “Do Now”, a group work activity, or
individual work, you can give each of those
three things a corresponding color. The
students will be taught the meaning of the
colors at the beginning of the year.
6. Organizing, distributing, and collecting
materials for centers, activities, and/or labs.
Along the same idea of responsibility, all the
materials would be in a central location for
students to grab at the beginning of class.
They would know to stop by the materials table
and collect all the stuff they would need for the
lesson.
7. Lining up (elementary), entering/exiting the
room (middle/high school). Students will be
instructed to walk in/walk out without running
or pushing. They will be allowed to talk but
will have the “Do Now” on the board for them
to get started on it. Usually the “Do Now” will
involve some sort of prompt such as picture/
video/or passage.
Managing Instructional
Time and Materials
14
8. Student questions. The teacher can have a
question box in the middle of the classroom
where students can drop unanswered
questions before leaving the class. To ask
questions during class, students will be asked
to raise their hand and wait to be called on.
The teacher must explain that this is because
the size of class it is imperative to have an
organized way to answer questions.
9. Redirecting students’ attention (more
elementary but also middle school). To get
the student‟s attention the teacher can use
some sort of musical instrument such as bells,
maracas, or finger cymbals.
10. Incomplete, late, or missing work. Any late
assignments will not receive a grade unless the
student has a legitimate excuse. Incomplete
work will receive partial credit. If a student is
missing work they will have to find some time
during the school when the teacher is free to
come and make it up. Students will only be
able to make up a maximum of two pieces of
work.
11. Not prepared for class. Students will be asked
to keep extra paper in their folder that doesn‟t
leave the classroom. If they are missing a
pencil or pen the teacher can trade them for
something they value. They would then feel
more obligated to give back the materials they
borrow.
12. Use of the restroom and/ water fountain
(locker pass?-some schools prohibit during
instructional time). Students would be
allowed to go to the bathroom whenever they
wanted, they won‟t even have to ask. The
teacher would have a hall pass for them to use
and a check-in/check-out sheet to monitor how
often students are using the hall pass. At the
end of the week the teacher would assess if the
privilege was being abused. If this was the
case, changes can be made to the policy and
limit the amount of times the pass can be used
in a period. The students can give their input
to gage the fairness level; this would then
become a mutual agreement.
13. Using the pencil sharpener (Believe it or
not…huge disruptions can occur.) The teacher
can purchase a silent sharpener to avoid
disruptions. The sharpener can sit in the back
of the room so it won‟t take the attention from
the lesson. (Friendly Supplies, 2012)
14. Emergencies. Emergency procedures will
require students to be a quiet as possible and
wait for instructions from me or emergency
personnel. To get their attention the teacher
would use the assigned attention grabber they
have established with the class.
15. Getting students’ attention and/or other
silent signals. To grab the student‟s attention
using silent signals the teacher would go
towards the center of the classroom and hold
their five fingers up. The students have until
the last finger goes down to be paying
attention.
16. Getting into groups, returning to individual
seats. When assigning groups each student
will get a card. The teacher can use this
method accordingly with the class. The teacher
can group by suit or by number. Once they are
in a group they will remain in those new seats
until the next class.
“Insanity: doing
the same thing
over and over
again and
expecting
different results.”
-Albert Einstein
15
Jacob Kounin identifies a few principles which
highlight the influences in good classroom
management in terms of discipline. “He [Kounin]
summarized that good classroom management is
based on the behavior of the teacher, not the
behavior of the students.” (Wong, Wong, Rogers &
Brooks, 2012, p.61). This quote clearly illustrates
the philosophy of Jacob Kounin and puts the
responsibility of classroom management on the
teacher not the students. Here are a few of his
principles explained.
Withitness: This is the idea that teacher knows
what goes on in every aspect of their classroom
(Wiseman & Hunt, 2008). The best way to
demonstrate this principle in the classroom is to
be organized. If the teacher can model an
organized classroom the students can see that the
teacher knows what is going on at all times. This
would influence behavior because when teachers
are organized students know that the teacher is on
top of the work that needs to be handed in
therefore students may be more motivated to stay
on task and finish on time.
Overlapping: According to Wiseman and Hunt,
overlapping is doing multiple things at once in a
classroom. It is the ability to monitor the
classroom while making sure that students are
staying on task. All while making sure the lesson
is going along smoothly. Overlapping also is a
technique that can be used when multiple students
are doing different things, it is a way to bring
those ideas together. This takes careful planning.
Smoothness & Momentum: Momentum in the
lesson begins early in the class with something
like the “Do Now” while smoothness keeps the
students engaged throughout the lesson (Ganly,
2012). The transitions between activities are
important because they tie concepts together. By
creating momentum and smoothness during the
lesson planning, teachers are making a conscious
decision to keep their students engaged while
making their lessons build upon each other in an
interesting way. It is important to spend some
time planning for transitions that build upon each
other and engage the curiosity of the students.
Keep the whole class involved: this principle is
about engaging the attention of the class when
individuals are responding (Learn Portal). Think
about when a student answers a question, what is
everyone else doing? This principle is about using
these opportunities to keep students engaged by
asking others to clarify or explain what their
peers are describing. This way the whole class is
engaged and attentive to their classmates.
Introduce Variety and be Enthusiastic: This
principle is related to how the teacher presents the
lesson. When teachers do the same thing every
day, it becomes a routine. Routines can be good
for classroom management but doing the same
activities and assessments can cause boredom and
disinterest. A great teacher is also one that
includes enthusiasm in the classroom. It‟s a very
contagious energy that can trickle from the
teacher to the student.
“... good classroom management
is based on the behavior of the
teacher, not the behavior of the
students.” (Wong, Wong, Rogers
& Brooks, 2012, p.61).
Proactive Classroom
Management
16
SIMPLE PLANNING
STRATEGIES
Create an objective that is specific, skill-oriented, and
measureable.
This is an important strategy for lesson planning. By creating objectives that are specific,
teachers give purpose to their lessons with the opportunity to really measure the student‟s
learning. In a study conducted to figure out the top pitfalls of novice teachers found that
without a clear goal teachers tried to teach everything about the topic often leading to
teachers becoming frustrated (Jones, Jones, & Vermette, 2011, p.847). In order to create clear
objectives for my high school math students teachers can use Bloom‟s taxonomy as a guide.
Create a “Do Now” that sparks interest in the lesson.
A successful lesson needs to gain the student‟s attention and engage them in the different
activities. After creating clear objectives the teacher needs an attractive introduction to the
lesson. By doing this the students can look forward to the lesson and be curious about the
content they are about to learn. Sometimes students need something to wake them up as well,
the “do now” can serve as an energizer. A strategy would be to have “Do Now” activities that
involved socializing with a partner or a group about the previous lesson. This would serve as
a review and can help students prepare for the lesson in terms of knowing their material..
Take time to reflect on the lesson after it has been taught.
Reflection on the lessons is as important as creating objectives for the lessons. In the video
New Teacher Survival Guide: Planning, it was mentioned that the hardest part of lesson plan-
ning is pacing and finding the correct amount of time a certain activity will take (Fink,
2011). Teachers can become more aware of how they teach and how they improve by reflect-
ing on their lesson plans. By carefully re-planning their lessons, teachers can save time
(“Colorado State,” 2012). Filing your lessons for future use is a great way to stay organized
but it is important to reflect on them and prepare for each specific class. What works for one
group does not necessarily work for every group.
17
1. Create a consistent
classroom routine Creating routines in the classroom is an essential
technique to create a well-managed classroom
(Education Oasis, 2011). By creating a consistent
routine the teacher gives students the
responsibility to keep up with their own learning.
For example, using a “Do Now” is a great way to
have students come into class ready to start
learning. By establishing routines the teacher
provides the student with clear expectations
(Fink, 2011). Knowing the expectations of the
teacher also gives the student ideas how to behave
in the classroom.
2. Break down lesson plans
into smaller parts By breaking down the lesson into smaller parts,
the lesson creates stepping stones to the
overarching objectives. A good foundation
especially in mathematics is crucial for the
success of the student. Using this smaller
compartment technique allows teachers to focus
on more specific themes making it easier for
students to understand the material. Often when
lesson plans are broken into 3 parts (introduction,
instruction, and conclusion) the introduction and
conclusion usually are at their simplest form. If
teachers can break down the concepts in the
instruction part of their lesson, they are helping
students focus on smaller parts of the lesson to
further understanding in a stepping stones
manner.
3. Use group strategies like
positive narration
Sometimes it is a good strategy to use
individualized management techniques in the
classroom. When teachers try to individualize
their classroom management to every student, it
becomes really hard to accomplish the multiple
tasks of the lesson. By using strategies such as
positive narration the teacher can address
negative behavior in a more positive way. A
great way to incorporate this technique is during
group work where some groups are finishing up
really early and other groups are not focused on
the task.
4. Keep students busy at all
times
[Source: Katherine Riegal, Moodle: Discussion
Post 1, 7/5/12, 11:19 am ]
Sometimes it is hard to keep the students focused
on the lesson. When students finish their work
early they want to find something else to do or
else they get bored. This is usually when a student
will act out. To avoid this, the teacher can plan
ahead for those students that will finish ahead of
time. It is important that these activities are not
punishment for finishing early. Instead, by
creating an agenda that the students are aware of,
they will remain busy. For example, If the
students are working on a week long project
students who finish the lesson early can work on
their project.
5. Games and competition
Middle school students are high energy and like
competition. Making an educational activity into
a competition or using a game to review helps to
increase student interest and let them use their
energy in a positive way. When students are
interested in an activity and are given an outlet
for their energy, they are less likely to
PREVENTIONS FOR
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
18
misbehave [Source: Elizabeth Emblidge, Moodle:
Post 1: Behavior, 7/4/12, 7:30 a.m. ]. By turning a
lesson into a competition or challenge, the
students focus better and support each other
through positive reinforcement.
INTERVENTIONS FOR
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
1. Keep calm and use a soft
voice
This technique can be really useful when dealing
with students who are misbehaving. By lowering
the voice of the conversation the teacher is setting
the acceptable standard for the encounter. Some
students might get really aggravated that the
teacher is not responding as they had hoped. In
the long run the students might understand that
the teacher was treating them with respect. If this
is done in front of the class it also models how
adults should handle difficult situations.
2. Using non-verbal cues to
redirect student’s attention
Students don‟t like to be called out in front of
their peers therefore if a student is getting out of
hand it is good to have non-verbal cues. By simply
giving students a look they can understand that
they need to re-focus on the lesson. The students
may not be trying to be malicious they might just
be easily distracted and they might need that cue
to re-focus. If the teacher is able to stay focused
on the class, the student will feel that teacher is
engaged in the lesson with the students. It might
help the student re-focus and feel responsible to
pay attention and learn.
3. Deal with disagreements
in private (remove the crowd)
Again, students do not like to be called out in
front of their classmates. Taking the student away
from the crow can be very useful for teachers.
Often the student who is acting up tends to get
even more agitated as the attention is focused on
them. It is much more effective to ask a student to
speak about their issues privately than in a crowd.
This technique can be used depending on the
situation. High school students will appreciate the
individual attention they get when they have the
opportunity to chat with the teacher after an
incident. By having a one-on-one conversation
with the student, the teacher can ask questions
demonstrating concern. The other thing about
this private conversation that is important is the
listening. Teachers should plan to listen carefully
and use questions to clarify what the student is
trying to say (Doyle, 2009). This might help me
understand why the student was acting up.
4. Remembering student
achievement
Remembering everything a student does is tough,
especially when you have a lot of them, but trying
to focus on the good things that they have done is
very important [Source: Katherine Riegal,
Moodle: Discussion Post 1, 7/5/12, 11:19 am ].
Some students need the constant feedback to
know that they are doing well in the class.
Teachers can remember positive things that
student has done and use it to motivate the
student. If a student is apathetic to the lesson the
teacher can encourage them by saying how well
they did the other day and hoping that they would
be respond in a positive way.
Positively Positive @PosPositive
FOLLOW THEM ON TWITTER!
19
5. Whispering
Whispering is a good choice as a reactive strategy
because it is more private. It allows for a
correction of the behavior without drawing
attention to the student. Whispering is also useful
to help calm students down. They will have to be
quieter to hear you, which will allow them to calm
themselves. This can prevent situations from
getting out of hand. [Source: Ismael Cerezo,
Moodle: Post 1: Behavior, 7/6/12, 11:41 p.m. ]. By
having a more private conversation with a soft
tone is also a way to show students that you
respect them. Going over to the student‟s desk and
asking how they are doing might trigger a lot of
emotions, teachers must be careful how they
approach the situation.
BULLY PREVENTION GUIDE
Incorporate anti-bullying
conversations in the
lessons.
A lot of people think that teaching math is all
about numbers and formulas. In fact, mathematics
is the process of having a conversation in a
universal language. To help students understand
the material, math teachers have to create relevant
information so the students can relate. By creating
lesson plans that are intended to address a specific
issue relating to bullying, students can feel
connected to the lesson and be invested in the
learning.
Create classroom rules that
can help prevent bullying in
the classroom.
When students create their own rules because
it becomes easier for them to buy into them.
According to Cooper and Company, students
regulate their own behavior when they create
their own classroom rules. With some
guidance I believe that teachers can help
students create rules that promote respect
and tolerance. To prevent bullying in the
classroom.
Find indirect ways to
address bully prevention.
Indirect techniques can be helpful in the
classroom with those students who may not feel so
comfortable talking about bullying in a direct way.
Something as simple as having posters with anti-
bullying messages around the room can be helpful.
It is much more effective when these posters are
referenced throughout the year.
If the teacher had a math lesson where the
students need to take out numbers, the teacher
can ask students how this “lonely number” feels.
Although it is not a real person, the number can
serve as an outlet for students to talk about
bullying in the classroom while still learning the
content.
Another indirect way of addressing bullying in the
What Is Bullying?
Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior
that is intentional, hurtful, (physical
and psychological), and/or threatening
and persistent (repeated). There is an
imbalance of strength (power and
dominance).
20
classroom can be to choose textbooks that
incorporate different cultures and personalities.
This is a way to teach tolerance in the classroom.
Class meetings
At the beginning of the Creating Rules and
Rubrics to Prevent Bullying video it showed a
teacher talking openly with her class. They were
discussing bullying, how it made them feel, how
they might react and some implications of
bullying (Teaching Channel, 2012). The video later
discussed that every class had a meeting
regarding bullying, every single week. [Source:
Kaitlyn Huestis, Moodle: Post 1: Bullying ]. This
idea brings the conversation about bullying right
to the classroom. The teacher can have an open
forum to discuss any issues that the students may
be having related to bullying. This is a healthy
outlet for students to vent as well as to be
educated on how to prevent bullying.
Monitor and inform other
teachers
During the video Creating Rules and Rubrics to
Prevent Bullying, it was stated that a large
amount of bullying goes on in the classroom with
the teacher present (Teaching Channel, 2012). It
is important to be aware of what is going on in
your own classroom at all times. In middle school
it‟s also important to monitor the hallway in
between classes. [Source: Elizabeth Emblidge,
Moodle: Post 1: Bullying, 7/6/12, 1:50 p.m. ]. It is
important for teachers to communicate with one
another about bullying in the classrooms. The
more they communicate the better they can work
together to try and stop bullying. It wouldn‟t be a
bad idea to have a conversation with other
teachers discussing any type of bullying.
1 in 4 teachers see nothing wrong with
bullying and will only intervene 4% per-
cent of the time. (Dosomething.org, 2012)
“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also
change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the
world change towards him. … We need not wait to see what others do.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
21
Works Cited
Andrius , J. (2011). Teacher matters. Retrieved from http://www.teachermatters.com/classroom-discipline/models-of-discipline/the-kounin-model.html
Battle, J. (2011). Five classroom rules. Retrieved from http://www.powerteachers.net/Whole-Brain-
Teching/First-Steps/Five-Classroom-Rules.html Colorado State University. (2012). Reflecting on lessons. Retrieved on June 29, 2012, from http://
writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/planning/reflect.cfm. Cooper and Company (2007). Setting Classroom Rules. Retrieved July 6, 2012, from http://
getagriponbullying.blogspot.com/2007/09/when-students-set-their-own-rules-they.html
Dosomething.org. (2012). 11 facts about bullying. Retrieved from http://www.dosomething.org/
tipsandtools/11-facts-about-school-bullying
Doyle, T (2009, February 25). Effective ways of dealing with disruptive students [Web log message]. Re-
trieved on July 5,2012, from http://learnercenteredteaching.wordpress.com/?
s=effective+ways&x=0&y=0
Education Oasis (2011). Routines and procedures for managaing your classroom. Retrieved on July 5,
2012, from http://www.educationoasis.com/instruction/cm/routines.htm
Erwin, J. (2005). Put back the fun in classrooms. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed For
Quick Review, 70(5), 14-19.
Erwin, J. (2003). Giving students what they need. Educational Leadership, 61(1), 19-23.
Fernandes, A., Jinyan, H., & Rinaldo, V. (2011). Does where a student sits really matter? - the impact of
seating locations on student classroom learning. International Journal Of Applied Educational
Studies, 10(1), 66-77.
Fink, M. (Producer). (2011). New Teacher Survival Guide: Classroom Management [Video file]. Teaching
Channel. Retrieved July 5, 2012, from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/new-teacher-
classroom-management
Fink, M. (Producer). (2011). New Teacher Survival Guide: Planning [Video file]. Teaching Channel. Re-
trieved June 28, 2012, from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/lesson-planning.
Frazier, W. M., & Sterling, D. R. (2005). What should my science classroom rules be and how can I get my
students to follow them? Clearing House, 79(1), 31-35.
Hopkins, G. (2011, July 11). Educationworld.com. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/
a_lesson/lesson/lesson274.shtml
Jones, K., Jones, J., & Vermette, P. J. (2011). Six common lesson planning pitfalls – recommendations for
novice educators. Education, 131(4), 845-864. Retrieved from Education Research Complete
Ketteringham, K. (2008). Ten back to school math activities and lesson plan ideas for the first day of
class: A back to school guide for math teachers. Yahoo! Voices. Retrieved from http://
voices.yahoo.com/ten-back-school-math-activities-lesson-plan-1797623.html
Mader, C. E. (2009). I will never teach the old way again: classroom management and external incentives.
Theory Into Practice, 48(2), 147-155.
22
Parker, T., Hoopes, O., & Eggett, D. (2011). The Effect of Seat Location and Movement or Permanence on
Student-Initiated Participation. College Teaching, 59(2), 79-84.
doi:10.1080/87567555.2010.53876z
Proactive. (2012) Google.com. Retrieved July 7,2012, from https://www.google.com/search?
sugexp=chrome,mod=0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-
8&q=definition+proactive#hl=en&q=proactive&tbs=dfn:1&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=skL7T6LyDPCo0AG
gwqTyBg&ved=0CGQQkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=2176d1af1be1f17d&biw
=1600&bih=775
Training-games. (2012). 40 ice breakers. Retrieved on July 12, 2012, from http://www.training-
games.com/pdf/40FreeIceBreakers.pdf
Ultimatecampresource. (2012). Rock, paper, scissors posse. Retrieved on July 12, 2012, from http://
www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activity/rock-paper-scissors-posse.html
Veeris, C. (2011, July 18). How to Use the Traffic Light Colors for Controlling a Classroom [Web log mes-
sage]. Retrieved on June 29, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/how_2145282_traffic-light-colors-
controlling-classroom.html#ixzz1zEf4Z7bU
Wiseman, D., & Hunt, G. H. (2008). Best practice in motivation and management in the classroom. Spring-field, IL: Charles C Thomas Publishing.
Wong, H., Wong, R., Rogers, K., & Brooks, A. (2012). Managing your classroom for success. Science &
Children, 49(9), 60-64.
Eric Bran SUNY Plattsburgh [email protected]
23