Module 4-B Maintaining Appropriate Student Behavior TED 377 Methods in Sec. Ed.

Module 4-B Students will explain types of motivation and behavior management problems presented by Secondary students, including integrated students with disabilities.

Good Teaching and Communication Classroom Management Good Teaching and Communication

Pacing of Instruction

Be Careful: Don’t Let Little Things Slip! Most students exhibit good behavior initially. Gradually this can change if a teacher does not pay attention to maintaining good student behavior. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security! Warning: Minor inappropriate behaviors left unaddressed can snowball!

Be Careful: Don’t Let Little Things Slip! Communicate expectations clearly. Take action promptly.

Ways to Address Monitor student behavior. Communicate your concern effectively. Be consistent. Manage inappropriate behavior promptly. Create a positive climate. Get to know your students as people. Use teacher praise (public and private) appropriately. Use incentives or rewards.

Monitor Student Behavior Two categories of behavior to monitor: Student involvement in learning activities. Student compliance with classroom rules and procedures. Do this by…

Monitor Student Behavior Walking around allows you to assess student performance, and your presence increases student attention.

Monitor Student Behavior Do not talk to the chalkboard. When using PowerPoint, arrange the PC so that you can face the class without looking at the display.

Monitor Student Behavior Look at the whole room (not just front and center seats). Make sure you can see all faces.

Monitor Student Behavior Check assignments regularly. Check progress on long-term assignments. Get everyone started together (do the first one or two together as a group). Do not just “chase hands.” Monitor progress of all students.

Communicate Your Concern Effectively Clearly identify the behavior. Describe the effects/impact of the behavior. Use appropriate body language: Make eye contact with the student. Use appropriate facial expression and tone. Listen, but do not accept excuses. Use a little drama when needed to convey your concern.

Use a little drama when needed to convey your concern.

Be Consistent Keep same expectations for behavior (and consequences) for the same activities for all students at all times. Students will test the limits, causing teacher to abandon the procedure OR tolerate behavior. Don’t be a hard nose. It is OK to make an exception for students in special circumstances, or for those who have a valid excuse.

Be Consistent 3 sources of inconsistency: Rule/procedure is not reasonable/workable. Teacher does not monitor students closely and misses inappropriate behavior sometimes: seems inconsistent to students. Teacher does not want to enforce the rule. Either re-teach, modify, or abandon the rule/procedure.

Manage Inappropriate Behavior Promptly Detect “off-task” behavior and stop it before it escalates. Do not ignore: Makes it difficult for students to learn. Students will not complete assignments. Situation can snowball!

Manage Inappropriate Behavior Promptly Try to cut off inappropriate behavior quickly and quietly without disruption to the class. Speak in a low tone, using nonverbal signals. Keep the “flow” of instruction going. vs.

Manage Inappropriate Behavior Promptly Ways to manage: Make eye contact, use a signal, and monitor until student complies. Remind. State the correct procedure or not other students who are doing what is expected. Redirect attention to the task. (“Fred, you should be writing now.”) Check progress. Ask/tell student to stop behavior. Monitor until student complies. If you cannot confront a student at that moment, “flag it” and speak to him/her later privately.

Manage Inappropriate Behavior Promptly If the inappropriate behavior continues, “flag” the behavior & continue with class. Then handle the behavior issue privately: Tell the student to wait after class to speak with you, or conference briefly in the hall. Speak with student at your desk.

Manage Inappropriate Behavior Promptly Your goal in discussing the problem is: Determine the reason for the problem. Make clear what unacceptable behavior is and what the student should be doing. Obtain a commitment from the student for acceptable behavior. You can put the commitment in writing as a contract/plan.

Create a Positive Climate The overall climate should be Students should look forward to coming to your class. Do not overreact. Do not only address inappropriate behavior. Reward positive behavior! positive!

Create a Positive Climate Admonish behavior, never persons. Do not display prejudice against any student. Be optimistic and enthusiastic. Encourage students to set high yet realistic goals, and show them how to work in increments to meet goals. Help students develop skills in interactive and cooperative learning.

Get to Know Your Students as People Quickly learn students’ names and use them! Use a seating chart. Have students sit in assigned sits (at least initially). Address students by name. Look at name and face when handing back materials. Helps maintain positive student behavior as well as motivate.

Communicate Positive Expectations Lay the foundation for students to attempt new tasks and reach new goals. My teacher believes I can jump this high. I guess I can do it!

Communicate Positive Expectations Explain instructional goals so expectations are known. Insist students complete work satisfactorily. Refuse to accept excuses for poor work. Convey confidence in students’ ability achieve. Be an encouraging, “can-do” teacher.

Create a Positive Climate Avoid… Comparing one student (class) with another. Giving up on any student (or appearing to). Perception is reality! Telling a student how much better he/she could be. Using qualifying statements (“I like what you did, but…”)

Teacher Praise An important part of a positive climate for learning is created by appropriate teacher praise. Teacher praise can be: Encouraging. Self-esteem and self-confidence boosting. Motivating.

Teacher Praise Teacher praise should include: Informative feedback: Specify what aspect of student performance is worthy of praise. Genuine teacher approval: Demonstrate that you are impressed with the quality of student work. Can include constructive criticism without lessening the positive effect!

Teacher Praise Praise for accomplishment is more effective than praise for effort. Praise should be well-deserved and not too easily obtained. Praise for working hard only suggests the teacher believes the student lacks ability. Praise for an easy task suggests to student and class that the teacher believes the student has little ability.

Teacher Praise Seek to praise privately as well as publicly. Provide written comments on student work. Praise verbally in informally during private, casual conversations. Send a note/e-mail to parents. Praise student during parent conference. Praising a student privately avoids the complications of public praise in front of the class. It also allows more detail to be conveyed.

Use Incentives or Rewards Recognition. Individual and class activities as rewards. Material rewards. Other motivating devices (competitions, extra-credit assignments, student-tracked point system, class honor roll). We already looked at these in Module 4-A Motivation.

Is teaching and learning being disrupted? Scenarios Is teaching and learning being disrupted? Remember: Don’t over-react! Can the behavior be handled quietly? Do you need to flag the behavior and handle it privately? Does the situation require stopping instruction in order to handle?

Scenarios Discussion As students are reading aloud from the textbook, one student tries to engage others around him in conversation. How will you react? What could you do to be proactive?

Scenarios Discussion There are a couple of students in one of your classes who are being disruptive. This is not the first time they have done this. How will you react? What could you do to be proactive?

Scenarios Discussion Ahmed arrives in class wearing a kufi (short round hat). Your district has a “no hats” policy. Because you want to be politically correct, you let it slide. Five minutes later, Salvador dons a do-rag and tops it with an askew baseball cap. Then Sam, Marcos, and Lindel put on red bandanas. How will you react? What could you do to be proactive?

Scenarios Discussion One student is being openly critical of your teaching style and is refusing to complete the seatwork assignment you have given. How will you react? What could you do to be proactive?

Scenarios Discussion Two students are being disruptive in your class. You decide on one of them that has to go to the office. That student argues that the other student was worse and that was the person who should have been sent out. How will you react? What could you do to be proactive?

Review: MODULE 4-B Maintain appropriate student behavior: Monitor student behavior. Communicate your concern effectively. Be consistent. Manage inappropriate behavior promptly. Create a positive climate. Get to know your students as people. Use teacher praise (public and private) appropriately. Use incentives or rewards.