1. Communication Skills for Teaching Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers Chapter 8 Evertson, Emmer and Worsham © Allyn and Bacon, 2006

2. No strategy works all the time!  Possible approaches  Ignore the problem  Refer to the principal  Call student’s parents / ask for help  Apply a consequence

3. Communication Skills  Constructive assertiveness  A clear statement of the problem  Identifies behavior / describes its effects  Focus is on behavior, not student  Avoid asking questions

4.  Unambiguous body language  Eye contact  Alert posture and body orientation toward student  Match facial expressions with content and tone of statements

5.  Insistence on appropriate behavior and resolution of the problem  No excuses for misbehavior  Use broken-record technique  Student must accept responsibility for his or her behavior  Don’t have to lose sense of humor or be impolite

6. Communication Skills, contd.  Empathetic responding  Affirms the student’s viewpoint but does imply that students can “do their thing” without regard for others  Listening skills  Processing skills  Repeat or summarize what student says  Ask student clarifying / probing questions  Choose right time and place

7. Communication Skills, contd.  Problem solving  Individual  Conflict with others  Identify problem  Select a solution  Obtain a commitment  Contract