CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Peggy C. Hawse, Coordinator RESA VIII

Positive Discipline: Meaning Business Being Consistent –You are either consistent or you are not Consistency and Action –Never make a rule that you are not willing to enforce EVERY time Discipline before Instruction –Instruction might be dearer to you, but it is second on your list of priorities

Meaning Business: Part 1 Calm is Strength, Upset is Weakness Little disruptions are the eternal enemies of time-on-task Understanding stress –Fight-flight reflex; calm is the opposite of fight-flight –When you are calm, you think; when you are upset, you react –Breathe; take a relaxing breath Play your hand one card at a time –Time is on your side –They fold or they raise the stakes

Remember… Discipline management in the classroom is first and foremost emotional. You can not manage another person’s behavior until you manage your own.

Meaning Business: Part 2 The Body Language of Commitment Relax and slow down Show you are serious –Move slowly, “the turn” –Point your toes –Make eye contact –Relax your hands and shoulders –Relax your jaw –Take another relaxing breath

Body Language Continued… Body language as conversation What if they don’t go back to work?

Meaning Business: Part 3 Follow Through and Pseudo-compliance Noncompliance and pseudo-compliance –Move the body, not the mouth Silly talk Take a couple steps –The body language poker game Walk Visual prompt Verbal prompt Monitor with praise Follow through –High Stakes Poker

Meaning Business: Part 4 Dealing with Backtalk T: Joe, I would like you to turn around and get some work done. J: I wasn’t doing anything. T: You have been talking this whole period, and I want it to stop. J: No, I wasn’t. T: Every time I look up, I see you talking to Serena. J: She was just asking me a question. T: I don’t care who was asking who what. When I look up, I expect to see you doing your own work. J: Yeah, but…

Dealing with Backtalk continued… The first rule of backtalk –It takes one fool to backtalk. –It takes two fools to make a conversation out of it. The second rule of backtalk –Open your mouth and slit your throat.

Dealing with Backtalk continued… T: Joe, I would like you to bring your chair around and get some work done. J: I wasn’t doing anything. T: (silence) J: Well, I wasn’t. T: (silence) J: Well… T: (silence) J: (silence)

Dealing with Backtalk continued… A comedy routine –Student is the clown; teacher is the straight man –If students want to backtalk, at least make them do all the work. Don’t do half of it for them! –Opening your mouth is like throwing gasoline on a fire.

Dealing with Backtalk continued… Nasty backtalk –Student is risking it all. Responding to backtalk –Short term response –Long term response –Hard for the student to blame someone else when he is the only one out of line.

Meaning Business: Part 5 Exceptions to the Rule Emotional: calm is strength Mental: clarity, commitment, and consistency Physical: the body language of Meaning Business HOWEVER the opposite of what we expect happens…

Exceptions to the Rule continued… Strange Responses: Needy Students Was it me, or was it them? –Any reinforcement will be reinforcing –You must be very guarded Explosive students –All with a history of physical abuse –Parry reflex is a response to ward off a blow to the head

Exceptions to the Rule continued… Regulating intensity Calm in the eye of the storm –When in doubt, do nothing –If you are calm, you will have a calming effect –Gently motion toward the seat When meaning business fails

What rules do you need? If there are no rules displayed in the classroom OR If the rules do not fit your situation/needs; then have two only 1.Do not talk when I am talking. 2.Do not be disrespectful.

Dr. Fred Jones’s Tools for Teaching