Classroom Management

I've been asked to blog about classroom management, which is one of the biggest disruptions in any classroom. When I say disruption, I mean disruption of learning taking place. I have a belief that behavior issues are not the results of the students, but the results of the management system or teacher's expectations. I have read an article on classroom management which you can read here which gives amazing advice from a veteran teacher.

Honestly, one of my favorite quotes from this article which reminds me exactly of my students is "Students need structure. They need to trust us, and that means we have to keep our promises, even if the promise is that you will call home or assign punishments."

This is so true in any classroom, and I see this every single day! My students lack structure at home. They do not know what it is like to have a consequence or for someone to hold them accountable or responsible for their actions. We focus so much on this is my classroom. We ask ourselves if we were being responsible and my students often have to answer what expectation or rule they were breaking which results in a consequence. Another thing I think is important is that you need to give kids a reason. Why is it not okay to talk? Well, it's not okay because it is loud and others around you are trying to learn. It is so important to give them a reason and make the consequence seem fair and just. When you relate the behavior to others around them, it shows that their actions affect others. Young children are so egocentric (which is developmentally appropriate), and they need to know how they affect others around them.

A countdown in the classroom is important, but it needs to be relevant and consistent. I count backwards so that my students will pick up that skill along the way. During this time, I am constantly narrating the behaviors of other students or pointing out anything that needs to be done before I get to zero. Students know that if they are not in ready position by the time I reach zero, there will be a consequence. Yeah, maybe around 1 it gets hectic with my last minute students getting in ready position, but when I hit 0, every student is looking for anyone who didn't make it and they know it's time to transition.

Other techniques I loved from this article was the hallway conference. This is when you take a student to the door to warn them that they are not off to a good start, but more importantly, give them expectations which can change their behavior around. My kids love when they "change it around" and love letting me know when they do.

The most important aspect of classroom management is find what works for YOU. Every class is different. To be honest, my classroom is full of anger. I have many students who get extremely angry and explode. Part of my management system is making sure students are not frustrated, which means being on my toes. There are many that I need to call on often, and others who I need to make sure that their peers are not too close to them on the carpet so that their knees don't touch. Every student is different. It takes a teacher who knows their students and can anticipate their behaviors. While I have a lot going on in my room, a lot of my behavior management in my room is individualized, but my students accept that and they know what is expected of them throughout the day.

All my love from Arizona,

Jacey