“Is it better to out-monster the monster or to be quietly devoured?” I’ve Created a Monster! “Is it better to out-monster the monster or to be quietly devoured?” Frederich Nietzsche elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Truths… Over 150,000 children in the U.S. are homeless on any given night. Every day over 7,900 children are reported as abused or neglected to public advocacy agencies. One out of 8 children are born to teenaged mothers. One out of 5 children is born into poverty. One out of 5 male students took a weapon to school in 2000. 48% of teenaged students have tried illegal drugs and more than 50% of 17 year-olds personally know a drug dealer. 70% of the U. S. adult population consider the children of today to be rude, out-of-control, and irresponsible. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Your attitude can make a difference! The average child receives 12 minutes of attention each day from his parent. By age 18, students have spent more time in front of a TV or computer than he has with family and friends. The average adolescent spends more than 3 hours alone each day. 90% of teachers say they lack parental support at their school. 100% describe their students as emotionally needy and starved for attention and affection. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

The first days are critical What you do on the first days of school will determine your success or failure for the rest of the school year. The most important thing to establish the first week of school is CONSISTENCY. Safe Predictable Nurturing The most effective teachers establish good control of the class in the first week of school. What you are doing Your classroom procedures Your professional responsibilities It’s never too late to implement these concepts. It may be a good idea to begin your plan on a Monday though. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

“We can achieve if we work together!” The first day Have a statement of positive expectation ready on the first day of school. Make it your class mantra. Dress for respect on that first day. Greet your students at the door. “We can achieve if we work together!” elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Positive expectations There is absolutely no research correlation between success and family background, race, national origin, financial status, or even educational accomplishments. There is only one correlation with success and that is ATTITUDE! Your expectations will be reflected and influence your students’ achievement in your classroom. Do you choose high or low expectations? Teachers who demonstrate high expectations will help their students reach high standards. “This will be an exciting class, and you are going to have the most memorable year you have ever had; as a result, you will do very well.” elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Effective teachers must: Have positive expectations The teacher believes that all learners can succeed. Have classroom management skills Discipline skills are not management skills. Class management is maintaining a well-ordered environment in which instruction and learning can occur. Demonstrate lesson mastery Design well-planned lessons from which a student will learn a concept or skill. Properly evaluate the mastery of the concept or skill. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

nitty-gritty of classroom management! Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of classroom management! “Classroom management skills are of primary importance in determining teaching success.” Edmund Emmer elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Teachers must organize students, space, time, activities and materials Effective teachers manage their classrooms. Ineffective teachers discipline their students. Students want a well-managed classroom because it provides security. There is no yelling, surprises, and everyone knows what is happening. The most important thing a teacher can provide in the classroom is CONSISTENCY. Consistency comes from having procedures and routines. Nothing sends kids into orbit faster than a teacher who is disorganized. Remember you are not hired to teach French. You are hired to take a group of students and turn them into effective learners. Students must know how to handle situations on a day to day basis. What do they do if their pencil point breaks? How are papers passed out? How do you ask to go to the restroom? How do they move from one classroom activity to another? elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Characteristics of a well-managed classroom Students are deeply involved in their work, especially with teacher-led instruction. Students know what is expected of them because the instructional objectives are clear. Tests and quizzes are based on these objectives. Thus, students are generally successful. There is little wasted time, confusion, or disruption. Class starts immediately, the teacher has assignments for the day posted, and has procedures and routines in place. The climate of the classroom is relaxed and pleasant, but task oriented. Ineffective: You will be tested on everything in chapter 3. Teacher makes up discipline rules according to her mood that day. Teacher dilly-dallies before even beginning to call roll. Students ask for assignments to be repeated again and again. Teacher uses general praise or no praise at all. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

The work is ready, the room is ready and the teacher is ready Desks Books Papers Assignments Materials You may not have a room! How would you prepare each day for this? On the first day have your class information posted on the board. Name, grade level and subject, period, room #, an appropriate greeting elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

A New Beginning Greet each student at the door with a smile and a handshake or line up the students outside the door against the wall. Greet them as you allow them to enter one by one. Look them in the eye as they enter. Assign each student a seat. Have an INTERESTING assignment (on the student desk/board) for each to start as soon as he sits in his desk. This first time, have a script ready with your expectations, class rules and procedures. Send home letter to parents introducing yourself and your class. Change the greeting as students enter: Hello. Come on in! Glad to see! Your first priority is not to take role. It’s to get the students working. Welcome! elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Send a letter home to the parents Introduce yourself. Tell the parents that you are looking forward to having their child in your class. Explain importance of learning a foreign language. Tell them your expectations. Give them information on what materials will be needed. Tell the parents how they can help their child and you. Tell them about open house dates. Thank them for their support and cooperation. Invite them to call you if they have any questions. Ask someone to check for typing and language errors. Send to FL Supervisor who will look over it for you. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

How to speak in class Stand up in front of the class while addressing them. Speak in short concise sentences. Speak slowly. You do not need to speak loudly. Emphasize with your tone, not with volume. Be gentle, inviting, yet firm. Use non-verbal language. Use the same gestures regularly to impart meaning. (TPR +) Do not let any action that results in misbehavior go unchallenged. State the correct behavior, & why the behavior demonstrated is incorrect. Having the student correct the behavior is necessary. Encourage the student when he does it correctly. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Taking roll in class Start the class with an assignment, not roll. Do not involve the students in the roll-taking process. This will only allow the students to give “cute” answers and call attention away from the learning process. Do administrative work while the students are occupied. This includes taking roll. A seating chart will make this process easier. As soon as the tardy bell rings, scan for students who are not doing their work. Use a smile and hand-gestures indicating you want them to begin. Point to the assignment. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Creating a discipline plan Many principals/school districts will require a discipline plan. The most effective schools have school-wide discipline plans. Your plan may change as you progress through the year and experience the responses of your students. During the first few days, introducing rules, procedures, and routines takes precedence over lessons. These can be incorporated into the lessons. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Two kinds or rules GENERAL RULES SPECIFIC RULES Respect others. Take care of your school. Be polite and helpful. Keep the room clean. Come to class prepared to learn. . Be in class on time. Keep your hands, feet and objects to yourself. Listen to instructions the first time they are given. Do not use vulgar or offensive language. Use the finger system to request leaving your desk. General Rules offer flexibility, but they must be explained so students will know what behaviors are acceptable and not acceptable. “Respecting others means: no hitting, insulting, name-calling, etc.” Good for veteran teachers. Specific Rules clearly state the expected student behaviors. The teacher needs to know what behaviors are important to them in their classroom. May be better for new teachers or those looking for a stronger discipline plan. What are other examples of general and specific rules? Try to make positive statements when creating your rules. Rules should be posted along with consequences and awards. You should keep to 5 rules or less. (easier to remember) Rules can be replaced by new rules. The others have already been learned and are unwritten rules. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Script for first day “We are all here for YOU – for you to succeed and to enjoy this class. We will be working together this year. We need to have a class where you can come and feel safe and secure. Because I care about all of you, I will not allow you to do anything that will interfere with someone else who is trying to learn. I am your teacher, Mr. -------- and I have an exciting year of learning planned for you.. So you can learn, so that we can all learn, I have a set of rules to ensure that we will have a safe and orderly classroom.” Don’t let the students be involved in the rule-making process. Instead ask them “Why do we have rules?” Why a particular rule will help you succeed. Go over rules and ask them what each means and what good behaviors are associated with it. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Consequences All rules must have consequences: Positive consequences have REWARDS. Negative consequences have PENALTIES. The consequences must be PREDICTABLE. Consequences must by POSTED. Students will test the rules to find the limits of their behaviors. Students will quickly violate the rules if they see the consequences are not enforced. Students will look for fairness and to see if teachers mean what they say. Discuss with students how all actions result in consequences. Walking in the rain results in wet clothing and shoes. Consequences are not punishments. A consequence is the result of a person’s chosen action. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Example of consequences IF YOU CHOOSE TO BREAK A RULE FIRST TIME: Name on board. Warning SECOND TIME: One check. 15 minutes after school on Thursday THIRD TIME: Two checks. 30 minutes after school on Thursday FOURTH TIME: Three checks. 45 minutes after school on Thursday. Parent called. FIFTH TIME: 4 checks. 60 minutes after school on Thursday. Referral written and student sent to the office. SEVERE DISRUPTION: Student sent to office immediately If you cannot hold detention, what are some other consequences allowed by your school? Remember your school or district may have a procedure for you to follow. Do not stop instruction when giving out a consequence. Have a designated place on the chalkboard to record the students’ names and consequences. The first few times you may need to meet with the students at the end of class to talk about consequences. Whenever a student asks what did I do, why me, everyone is doing it! Respond, “because you chose to break the rule.” Have the student fill out his action plan during his detention time with you. Work with the student using and modifying the action plan until the behavior is eliminated. Use this plan when talking with parents. Hand out copy. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

If you do not have a school discipline plan… Go to your school administrator with your plan. Present the plan, rules, and consequences (positive and negative). Make sure your plan does not violate any school or system policies and can be supported by the administration. Ask the administrators what their procedure is when a child is sent to the office. See page 158 for a copy of discipline plan sent home to parents. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Creating an action plan to encourage parent support If you need to call a parent, tell the student he’s to take the action plan document home and give it to the parent. Explain that you will be calling his home, not to get him in trouble, but to discuss the action plan. Always deal with the behavior and the action plan, not the student. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Parent phone call script Hello, my name is Ms. _________ and I’m the French teacher at ___________ school. I am very happy to have (student) in my class this year. Ms. _________, I’m calling to see if I can enlist the cooperation of the adults in your home to encourage (student) to follow through with his action plan brought home today. We’ve agreed on ways to remediate the situation and that he will be taking responsibility for himself and his actions.” elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Positive consequences - Rewards “The best reward is the satisfaction of a job well done.” The Logical Reward The Simplest Yet Best Reward Good grades Honor roll Scholarships Good work posted First to go to cafeteria Student of the month Extra credit A smile A high-five A pat or handshake A word of encouragement Praise A note home A phone call home Enough with the stickers and candy! Have a clear plan for awarding personal and class rewards. Be clear with the time factor. For a class reward, use a thermometer to register progress. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

What is an effective classroom? Ineffective Classroom The students are actively involved in meaningful work. The procedures govern what they do and they understand how the class functions. The teacher is moving around the room, at work, helping, correcting, answering, disciplining, encouraging, smiling, and caring. The students are in their seats doing busywork or nothing at all. The only person working is the teacher. The teacher is in control of the class. Teaching is taking place, but is learning taking place? elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Procedures are not the same as discipline Discipline concerns how students BEHAVE. Procedures concern how things are DONE. Discipline HAS penalties and rewards. Procedures HAVE NO penalties or rewards. A rule is a dare to be broken. A procedure is a DO, a step to be learned. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Procedures need to answer these questions… What to do when the bell rings What to do when you enter the classroom What to do when a pencil breaks What to do when you hear an emergency alert What to do when you finish your work early What to do when you have a question What to do in cooperative learning groups What to do when you pass in papers What to do when you need to go to the restroom What to do at dismissal Procedures allow a class to operate smoothly and are the responsibility of the teacher. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Every teacher needs procedures to: Start the class – Bell work Quiet a class – “If you can hear my voice, clap once.” Alert teacher to a student’s need – hold up pencil to sharpen Move students, paper, and materials – hold up 2 fingers for restroom Dismiss students at the end of class – “Have a nice day!” Most discipline problems result from a lack of procedures. Procedures may need to be posted. Remember it may take days (or weeks if you don’t meet often) for students to learn procedures. Learned procedures are ROUTINES. Students leave the class only after hearing, “Have a nice day.” STEPS TO TEACH PROCEDURES Explain – State, explain, model, and demonstrate (step by step) Rehearse – Rehearse and practice under the teacher’s supervision Reinforce – Re-teach, rehearse, practice until it becomes a habit elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Give me 5! Teacher wants quiet in the classroom Eyes on speaker Quiet Be still Hands free (put all materials down) Listen Students begin counting 1,2,3,4,5. All is quiet. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

Student wants teacher’s attention Number of fingers for different needs 1 finger – I wish to speak 2 fingers – I need to leave my seat 3 finders – I need your help Index cards with different requests elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

What to do if a procedure is not followed Do not scold the child. Do not say, “Don’t you understand? Listen to me? What did I say the procedure for that is? Do… Remind the class of the procedure Have the class experience the procedure Thank them for doing it correctly. Say please follow this procedure tomorrow. *Praise the deed not the child. “Myron, you collected the materials from your group quietly and quickly. Good job. I will be happy to have you assist me with this again. elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us

The First Days of School Material from: How to Be an Effective Teacher; The First Days of School By Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong elizabeth.anderson@jppss.k12.la.us