Dr. Cynthia Gage, ABD, NBCT Classroom Management Dr. Cynthia Gage, ABD, NBCT

What is Classroom Management? Being Prepared for class Motivating your students Providing a safe, comfortable learning environment Building your students’ self esteem One of the most important elements of having a successful experience this year is being prepared for each class period before you enter the building. Being prepared for learning is very important. You would expect a doctor or a cook in a large institution such as s school to be prepared before they report to work the next day, right? In all situations, you as instructors, have to think ahead to make plans or preparations for what will happen. The time to think about being prepared for class is NOT when that class begins. The time to prepare for class is the NIGHT BEFORE school the next day. Motivation is a tool every instructor must display to ensure engagement by all students in the classroom. Set high, yet realistic expectations. Make sure to voice those expectations. Set short terms goals and celebrate when they are achieved. Show your enthusiasm in the subject and use appropriate, concrete and understandable examples to help students grasp it. Providing a safe learning environment is vital to maintaining a successful classroom culture. It’s a classic concept and the basis for differentiated instruction, but it needs to be said: using a variety of teaching methods caters to all types of learners. By doing this in an orderly way, you can also maintain order in your classroom.. One of the most important goals is striving for all students to increase their self esteem. Value each child as an individual with unique strengths, needs, interests and skills.Focus on the child's strengths. Reject the child's behavior, but never reject the child. Remember that sincere interest can be more effective and meaningful than praise.

Principles for Effective Classroom Management? Deal with disruptive behaviors but also manage to minimize off-task, non-disruptive behaviors. Teach students to manage their own behavior. Students learn to be on-task and engaged in the learning activities you have planned for them. Deal with disruptive behaviors but also manage to minimize off-task, non-disruptive behaviors. For the first redirection to the class or an individual student, I usually keep it light. I might say, “Stay with us” with an encouraging smile that communicates: This is going to be good–do not miss out! For the second redirection, I might say, “I need you to follow along” with wide eyes, raised eyebrows, and nodding to communicate: Come on, you can do this! It is important not to show anger, as that often escalates or feeds disruptive behavior and will immediately get the attention of students who were engaged but now want to watch the drama unfold. Do not match the intensity of students’ behavior: tone yourself down, which encourages them to tone down. Showing quiet disappointment or disapproval in your facial expression and tone is enough to communicate a strong message without distracting the students who are on-task. Teach students to manage their own behavior. If a kid does not get the hint, rest your hand on the edge of his or her desk while you continue to teach. When the student gets quiet again, walk away without ever making eye contact or acknowledging the misbehavior. This works very well with about 90% of students, in my experience. If needed, lean down and whisper a short instruction ( “I need you to ___”) and then walk away. Do not wait for the child to stop acting out, because that can turn into a power struggle. Say it with confidence, and then walk away so the child has a few moments to self-correct. Students learn to be on-task and engaged in the learning activities you have planned for them. Often students goof off because they just don’t know what else to do. You can start strong every day by establishing a clear routine and expectations for starting off: that they come to attention, be in their seats, and ready to work. Hold to this routine to establish order in the class. Having a clear plan for the day also gets student’s attention.

Techniques for Better Classroom Control Focus attention on entire class Do not talk over student chatter Silence can be very effective Direct your instruction so that students know what is going to happen Move around the room so students will pay more attention Use non verbal clues - examples Techniques for Better Classroom Control Focus attention on entire class. If you speak to one section of the room, the other students will lose interest and become disengaged. Do not talk over student chatter. The louder you get in many cases, the louder they will get. Silence can be very effective. Have a demanding presence that expects respect in the classroom from your students. Direct your instruction so that students know what is going to happen. Students are more likely to pay attention, when they know what is expected of them. Move around the room so students will pay more attention. Never stay in one place. Keep them on their toes by being all around the classroom and walk towards areas when you suspect some non-attentive students. Use non verbal clues to redirect their behavior.

Classroom Norms and Expectations Talk to the teachers up front Brainstorm Norms and put them on Board Ensure that Respect is included Clarify what each norm looks like Norms need to be relevant to learning Understand the limits of confidentiality and be sure to explain those limits to your students Talk to the teachers up front to know about their expectations for you in the classroom. For example: would they mind you rearranging their classroom for an activity. If not, where would they suggest you have students gather for group activity. Brainstorm Norms and put them on Board. This is so important. Always refer to the norms each week, especially if some of the norms are not being followed. Ensure that Respect is included. Clarify what each norm looks like. Give examples, and let students give examples of what each of the norms look like when they are being followed and not followed. Norms need to be relevant to learning. Do not allow students to make class norms that have nothing to do with learning. For example, If we all do our work, we get a piece of candy. Understand the limits of confidentiality and be sure to explain those limits to your students.

Be sure to show your “Withitness” It is a state of mind that is actually super important for classroom teachers to develop. Withitness is the uncanny ability to know exactly what is going on in your classroom, even though you may not have your eyes on every student at every moment. Withitness is knowing what your students are going to do or try before they do it. Part of this comes with experience, and part of it is your natural personality. Students will quickly know if you have withitness or if you do not have withitness.

With-it-ness is a pedagogical term that describes a teacher’s continual awareness of all that is going on in the classroom at all times. We’ve always said, “Teachers have eyes in the back of their heads!” and withitness is the chance to prove it. Teacher withitness is about making sure students follow rules and procedures; it requires the teacher to be quickly aware—or proactive—when students don’t meet those expectations. It is about curtailing misbehavior, of being aware of hot spots, of monitoring combinations of students that might spell trouble, and noticing any undercurrents that might boil over. Proximity, giving the “look”, cues, or quiet reminders, can all head off potential misbehavior. In order to be using this strategy at the “Applying” level, a teacher must monitor to make sure these strategies are having the desired effect on most of the students. A teacher should ask himself: “Are the students following the rules and procedures because of my withitness?” Walking around the room can answer this question Marzono, 2007

A good way to help define a strategy is have a notion of what it DOESN’T look like. The absence of teacher withitness is evidenced in these non-examples: • The teacher stays in front and center of the classroom for long periods: at the board, at the ELMO, at the lab demonstration table. If the teacher is not out and about the classroom every ten to fifteen minutes, behavioral issues can develop. • The teacher notices minor misbehavior, but decides to let it go for a while, hopes it will go away, says nothing, and takes no action. • The teacher sees certain students complaining about their group assignment, and has a feeling that things might go astray. She hopes the students’ emotions, actions, and words won’t escalate. She avoids that group. • The teacher puts out new materials for students to use that are intriguing and enticing (i.e. math manipulatives, lab or PE equipment, art supplies) but has neglected to say anything or establish procedures for using the materials safely and appropriately. • The teacher sends a small group of students to a separate location (hallway, practice room, stage, etc.) to work on a project but does not check on them periodically, and “hopes for the best.”