Management Tool Box
Management Basics
Structuring Classroom Experiences for Success
Proactive Management Strategies
Communicating expectations to students Understanding the A Key to the Solution problem Being proactive means that you implement A number of problems management strategies before behaviors can occur when the become a problem. Essential to being expectations for student proactive is determining the expectations for behavior are not clearly students’ behavior during an instructional communicated. For activity. A proactive approach is important for example, students and preventing problem behaviors. teachers begin to make assumptions about one In order to take proactive action, teacher another and chaos is self-questioning is necessary. Only often the end result. after the teacher has determined how Students engage in a students are to behave can that be clearly guessing game of communicated to students. After the teacher sorts and teachers are has differentiated and conveyed these left wondering why kids essential behaviors to students, it is important have such difficulty to check for students' understanding in settling in and concrete ways. This process begins to proceeding with the establish a positive learning climate that is instructional activity. based on mutual trust and respect. Students The unfortunate less frequently engage in acting-out behaviors outcome is that teachers and teachers’ experience an increased and students become level of effectiveness. frustrated and confused by each another’s behavior-- and most importantly the integrity of the learning process is compromised.
© 2001 Masterminds, llc
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Many teachers post their rules on the classroom wall at the beginning of the school year and assume that they have been clearly communicated to students. They are bewildered by the fact that students know the rules, but fail to follow them. Watch out for this “once and done” trap!
In order to enhance the effective implementation of this strategy, teachers need to provide opportunities for repeated review and practice. This means that throughout the school day, behavioral expectations need to be clearly communicated to students in a positive manner. Teachers also need to check for students’ understanding of these expectations in concrete ways on a frequent basis. This reciprocal format for sending and receiving important information ensures open communication between teachers and students. In turn the foundation of establishing a positive learning climate that is based on mutual understanding and respect begins to occur.
Management Tips Step 1 Consider what you want students to DO instead of what you want them NOT TO DO. In other words, state expectations in positive terms. The stated rules should reflect positive behaviors that are directly incompatible with the undesirable behavior.
One proactive strategy to encourage desired student behavior is to create and communicate positive expectations via rules. We prefer to use the term “expectations”, rather than “rules”,
Questioning is an effective tool for facilitating this process. For example, if students were not talking what would they be doing? The answer is, quietly and actively listening. What would they be doing if they were not distracting other students? The answer is, focusing on the instructional activity. What would they be doing if they were not demonstrating a lack of interest? The answer is, participating both verbally and nonverbally. AVOID “NO” RULES
STATE RULES IN POSITIVE TERMS
NO TALKING DO NOT BE DISRUPTIVE NO DAYDREAMING
SPEAK ONLY WHEN CALLED ON LISTEN CAREFULLY STAY FOCUSED
© 2001 Masterminds, llc
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Step 2 Generate a list of all the student behaviors that drive you crazy. For example, talking while the teacher is talking; being out of seat; lack of interest (e.g., staring out the window); drawing or doodling; working on another assignment or project; laughing, distracting other students; etc. These should be behaviors that “bug” you the most -- NOT behaviors that bug other teachers, but not you. For example, if talking during class is one of those behaviors that doesn't particularly bother you, then don’t list it although the behavior may really bother other teachers. Step 3 Review the list and prioritize. Select the top three “crazy-making” behaviors and highlight them on your list. These should be the three behaviors that “bug” you the most (e.g., the old “fingernails on the chalkboard” test!). For example, you may select talking; distracting other students; and lack of interest. Step 4 Brainstorm the rewards and consequences that occur naturally as a result of meeting and failing to meet the behavioral expectations. For example, when students listen, focus, and participate …their self-esteem will improve, their social status will increase, and they will learn more. Whereas, if students do not listen, focus, and participate, they are in danger of experiencing decreased levels of self-esteem, depressed social status, and thwarted academic achievement. Step 5 Identify methods for communicating these important expectations, rewards, and consequences to students. For example, students may be told how to behave at the beginning of the lesson. However, some students experience difficulties with auditory processing. Therefore, it is important to display the expectations visually as well. Creative and colorful displays utilizing simple graphics offer an effective format for visual presentation. Step 6 Determine how you will know that the students understand what is expected. This means generating a plan for checking student understanding. For example, after the expectations are clearly stated and displayed, you may employ a question-and-answer format (i.e., What do we need to do and why during the lesson?). Asking students to restate the expectations, rewards, and/or consequences is another option. Response cards can also be used for students to demonstrate their perceptions concerning the behavioral expectations, rewards, and/or consequences.
© 2001 Masterminds, llc
graphicorganizers.com
Jazzing It Up 1. Involve students in generating ideas for appropriate behaviors (e.g., expectations) during instructional activities. Conduct an exercise in which they identify “crazy-making” and “incompatible” behaviors. Stimulate their thinking by asking them to brainstorm regarding the natural rewards and consequences they will experience by meeting or failing to meet the appropriate behaviors and then have students design the creative and colorful signs to display the expectations. This helps students to experience a sense of ownership and investment, which in turn maximizes their success. The expectations/ rewards/consequences paradigm should include 3-5 statements per category. They should be positively stated and visual cues should correspond to the print. For example… For grades 6-8: EXPECTATION
REWARD
CONSEQUENCE
Ready! = Actively Listen!
Get a clue! = You will know what to do!
Duh ! = You are clueless and not ready!
Aim! = Focus on Instruction!
Be cool! = You are cooperative & respectful and will have more friends!
Uncool ! = You are disrupting others and will have few friends!
Fire! = Participate in Activities!
All over that! = You are learning and achieving success!
Slacker! = You are falling further & further behind and failing!
2. Ask yourself if your expectations pass the “RRA” test. That is, are they reasonable, Realistic, and Age-appropriate? Talking with colleagues can be helpful in creating and maintaining a balanced perspective regarding your teacher expectations. 3. Be prepared to be consistent and maintain a sense of humor! Remember to be cautious of the aforementioned “once and done” trap. The key to success is
© 2001 Masterminds, llc
graphicorganizers.com
consistent and continual revisiting of the behavioral expectations. This helps create a positive classroom climate and more importantly, is maintained over time!
What’s Next? Developing and communicating teacher expectations is one of several proactive tactics that can be employed to make the positive or desired student behavior(s) happen. Additional strategies can be used to assist in this effort including … •
Ensuring smooth-sailing transitions
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Engaging students actively
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Using social and other natural rewards
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Using classwide management systems
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Making decisions based on a least-to-most intrusive rule
Management Tool Box
© 2001 Masterminds, llc
graphicorganizers.com
Management Basics
