Engaging Teaching Strategies and Classroom Management WWU School Counseling Program

Objectives Students will: Gain knowledge of teaching behaviors that are helpful in managing classroom behavior. Understand how school-wide and classroom behavior management are connected in effective schools. Learn about the latest research on effective instructional strategies (Marzano). Reflect on how you can use this information in your teaching and collaboration efforts in the schools.

Imagine Your Ideal Learning Environment… What is the teacher doing to support student learning in this classroom? How are the students behaving in this classroom? What makes this a great setting for learning?

Research is clear: a person must be engaged to learn. People learn by actively participating in observing, speaking, writing, listening, thinking, drawing, and doing. Learning is enhanced when a person sees potential implications, applications, and benefits to others. Learning builds on current understanding (including misconceptions!). For more on learning theory see:

Behavior Management is both a… Classroom Issue: How does the teacher instruct? How does he/she manage behavior in class? How is the classroom set up for optimal learning? and a School-Wide Issue: How is student behavior managed in the building? Do students know the expectations/rules? Are these consistently taught and reinforced?

Let’s Start in the Classroom…

Classroom Factors That Support Good Behavior Classroom rules— clearly taught and reinforced Classroom arrangement facilitates attention and monitoring; minimizes disruption: High traffic areas are free from congestion Students can easily be seen (accessed) by teacher Easy access and storage of well-used items Students can easily see instruction and presentation

Teaching Factors that Lead to Student Learning Teaching management: teachers cue, model and reinforce positive behavior. Examples here: Powerful instructional strategies lead to increased student achievement. Examples here: Strategies/Strategies.html Strategies/Strategies.html

Managing Behaviors 1) Focusing Be sure you have the attention of everyone in class before you start your lesson. (e.g. silent waiting, quiet voice.) 2) Direct Instruction Begin each class by telling the students exactly what will be happening. Offer free choice option if work is done. 3) Monitoring Move around the room to check progress, offer personalized support, keep kids on task. Reflect: How often do you do these in your lessons or presentations?

Managing Behaviors 4) Modeling Be courteous, enthusiastic, in control and organized. Use a quiet voice as you help students. 5) Use non-verbal cues Simple things can capture attention: the “look,” a hand to the ear, a blink of the lights. Explain what you want students to do when you use your cues. 6) Low profile interventions Anticipate and head off problems. Don’t distract the class and reward a student with more attention. Reflect: What happens when teachers get loud or mishandle misbehavior?

Managing Behaviors 7) Assertive and Positive Messages Teachers focuses on the behavior he/she wants (“I expect” or “I need you to…”) and uses “I messages” (When you talk, when I talk, I have to stop my teaching…and that frustrates me). 8) Positive Discipline Rules describe the behaviors that you want (“move slowly in the halls” instead of “stop running!”); Acknowledge good behavior, aka “Catch Them Being Good.” Reflect: How can the School Counselor use positive discipline?

Can you spot some of these behaviors in the upcoming video? Watch the teacher’s and students’ behavior in the “Catch Them Being Good” video. Which management strategies do you recognize? How does this classroom compare to your “ideal” learning environment? Could “learning” be improved?

Powerful Instructional Strategies “… If we follow the guidance offered from 35 years of research, we can enter an era of unprecedented effectiveness for the public practice of education…” ---Robert Marzano Review the handout on Marzano’s Nine “Powerful Instructional Strategies.” How can these strategies be applied? /Strategies/Strategies.html /Strategies/Strategies.html

Now what about school-wide management?

"Students would rather be praised than punished, but they'd rather be punished than ignored." (McIntyre, 2007)

School-Wide Guidelines: Creating Rules and Consequences Establish rules and consequences ahead of time. Students will know what your expectations are and what will happen if they choose to behave differently. Clearly post all rules not only in the classroom, but in the bathrooms, hallways, cafeteria, gym, office, etc. Source: Jenson, Rhode & Reavis (1996)

School-Wide Guidelines Keep rules and consequences short and to the point. These are easier for students to remember. When developing consequences, create a hierarchy so that continuing behavior leads to more aversive consequences. BUT beware that the steps between the consequences are reasonable!!

School-Wide Guidelines Rules and consequences will be most effective if they are established and supported school-wide. This produces a more positive school climate and promotes self-discipline. Get buy-in from all staff members as well as parents! Examples of school-wide plans: Birchwood and Northern Heights Elementary

PBIS: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports A systems-wide approach to improving behavior Sustained (reinforced throughout the year) Includes rewards and consequences Uses data to track discipline trends Multiple tiers (think RTI) Requires buy-in of principal and 80%+ staff To learn more:

Summary and Sharing What did you learn today that will help you in your practice as a school counselor? What do you need to learn next in your quest to support student behavior and learning?

Great Teaching Resources Tons of Teaching Tips, Worksheets, Prof Devltp Behavior Management—lessons and interventions School-wide point system Discipline tips, teaching tools, lesson plans Tons of ideas to support Marzano’s powerful instruction egies.html egies.html School-wide Positive Behavior Support: What, Why, How. Rob Horner, University of Oregon.