Let us take a look at one example of how a teacher handled a classroom issue and take a look at what was done poorly and what could be improved upon for next time:
Mrs. D* teaches fifth grade. Her students were having a bad day and were not listening or staying in their chairs. Her method of handling the situation was to pull out the Barney song (I love you, you love me…) and play it for the class. The class was instructed that they must sit still and quiet through one whole playing of the song in order for the students to move onto another activity. Twenty minutes later the class period ended and they moved to specials with the song still playing.
The first problem with this scenario is that the song and task are both demeaning to the age of the student. A fifth grader does not like Barney and does not like that song. Having students sit through this song over and over again, having to sit still and quiet, was in essence the teacher telling them that she had no respect for them.
A student put in a position of belittling will revolt, whereas a student put in a position of being held to a high standard, will likely rise to the occasion. Next time, the teacher could have the students write a letter of apology to the teacher, or write a letter home to their parents explaining their behavior and signed by the teacher.
*Name changed
There are two basic categories of teachers: those who have good classroom management and those who don’t. Those who have it either worked hard to get it, or it just came naturally. Those who don’t have it, well, it’s not because of a lack of trying.
In fact, in speaking to some teachers who struggle with classroom management, it is doubly frustrating for teachers to struggle day in and day out to control a class of students with another teacher never struggles at all. Usually teachers lay blame. In fact, all teachers I have spoken to lay blame:
- Bad group of kids
- Awkward age for kids
- Bad mix of kids
- Bad home life
- and so on
The list goes on but in the end it’s lying blame when in fact the only person who can change the situation is the teacher. And all teachers are able to change the situation if they only put their mind to it. It takes a lot of reflection, patience, trial and error and asking for help.
If you can’t seem to figure out how to get a particular group of kids under control, ask someone who has a great class – observe, ask “what if” questions, invite criticism, ask for suggestions, and be open to change.
Stop blaming the kids, start asking for answers.
Many teachers are able to identify the fact that there is a problem in their classroom. Some are even able to specify what the problem is:
“John is my biggest classroom management problem”
“There are a couple of boys that just don’t get along”
“My students have respect issues”
These teachers often are also able to list various strategies they have tried in order to solve the problem.
“I’ve tried everything – taking away recess, threats, calling parents, notes home, sending them to the Principal’s office, ignoring the behavior, yelling, rewards, punishments, new seating arrangements, nothing helps!”
It may in fact seem to be the impossible class – often it is a group of students who have been impossible each grade level, developing a pattern of issues.
Solving a problem like this may not be simple but it is possible with some reflection. It is important for the teacher to take a good long look at what circumstances surround the issues involved in the classroom and attempt to think back to a trigger. It may be problems at home, it may be the style of teaching or it may be the lack of a social skill.
With some intense reflection on what works and what doesn’t work in each situation, the teacher may be able to start to address the heart of the matter and begin to see small changes in the behaviors. Addressing the behavior may not solve the problem, so through this reflection the teacher will hopefully begin to see beyond the outward behavior to the root cause.
Every teacher faces at least one discipline problem each day. Handling these issues properly is the difference between a well managed classroom and a chaotic one.
Here are your five basic steps to handling any discipline problem effectively:
- Take a breath – this will give you a moment to collect your thoughts and remain under control
- Address the misbehavior – this is important to do appropriately, do not embarrass any student, but be sure that the student knows what he or she did wrong
- Follow through with classroom consequences
- Do not engage in excess conversation. Informing the student of the infraction and the consequence is enough, excess conversation only invites argument
- Forgive and forget – leave the misbehavior behind as the lesson continues, giving all students the chance to learn both from the prepared lesson and from the example set
Read more tips here: Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers
Sure, you make it through each day, and you feel your students are pretty good most of the time, but have you ever sat down and reevaluated whether or not your management style is good enough? It’s time to find out if things can be better than they are, even if you think they’re ok as they are.
Evaluating your Management Style:
Smile
Be positive
Greet each student by name
Hold your head high
Make eye contact
Be gracious
Be patient
Be firm
Be consistent
Have students
Help each other
Demonstrate important behaviors
State clear rules
Predetermine consequences
Make learning fun
Know your student’s names
Over plan lessons
Involve parents
Genuinely care
Ask questions
Know which questions to not ask
Demand respect
Open lines of communication
Hold classroom meetings
Take time to be silly
Encourage sharing
Diversify lesson activities
Be aware of culture
Be there when students need to talk
Post rules where students can see them
Read to students
Be genuine
Be committed
Collaborate with other teachers
View each day as a new day
Give second chances
Apologize when you make a mistake
Praise student effort
Be specific in praise
State intentions clearly
Re-teach rules and consequences as necessary
Be strong
Do not show fear
Leave troubles at home
Be present
Explain expectations
Never give up
Eat lunch with students
Create individual behavior plans when necessary
Allow students some say in positive rewards
Allow students to earn rewards
Set goals
Ask students to set goals
Encourage students to help each other
Take time to have fun
Share jokes
Laugh
Expect more from students
Ask for advice
Learn from other teachers
Take time for your own family
Believe in your students
Make lessons obtainable for all students
Provide visual aspects to all lessons
Provide auditory aspects to all lessons
Provide kinesthetic aspects to all lessons
Try a new seating arrangement
Rewrite class rules
Have students decide on class rules
Have students decide on class consequences
Never raise your voice
Avoid showing frustration
Do not show anger
Listen when students talk to you
Provide uplifting activities for students
Discourage tattle tails
Teach students not to bully
Teach students to treat each other properly
Do not repeat warnings
Make consequences fit the crime
Make the classroom a safe place
Be a trustworthy confidant
Send positive notes home
Encourage students to share with the class
Look for the reason behind a behavior
Find ways to encourage every student each day
Prevention is the best method
Have a plan in place
Keep a June box for confiscated objects in class
Relax!
Count to 10 before responding to a child pushing your buttons
Ignore attention seeking behavior
Develop a good relationship with the school counselor
Remember that learning is fun
Create fun and engaging activities
Do not beg students to obey
Expect obedience
Respect students
Don’t be afraid to change
Learn how to say no
Practice transitions
Have fun!
A teacher’s hands are a huge extension of their emotions and can play a large part in classroom management. Oft times excess energy can flow through the hands and create an additional problem while controlling the hands can keep situations calmer. For example:
When a student misbehaves, a teacher who uses her hands to display her frustration (open hands thrown up in frustration or finger pointing to the student or to the place the student should be with large arm movement as well) is emphasizing her point with non-verbal cues. What she is saying is:
I’m so frustrated right now!
Why can’t you follow the rule?!
Would you just do as you are told!!!
In response, the teachers voice often raises, along with her blood pressure, stress level and not too surprising, the student’s response is negative as well.
In contrast, when a student misbehaves, if a teacher were to just control her hands, a lot would change in the exchange. Instead of throwing her hands in emphasis, the teacher clasps her hands together in a calming and controlled manner. Now her stress has an outlet, she can relax her shoulders and keeping her voice quiet direct the student to the appropriate task.
By controlling the hands, the teacher is able to control the tone of voice, the attitude and in turn the student will often respond more respectfully, and the situation diffuses quicker.
When managing a classroom of students, it is important to watch where you are going. If you correct a student, but you are looking ahead to the next thing, the student will realize your full attention is not devoted to the correction. This will often result in an ineffective correction.
Additionally, keeping your eyes open and watching what is going on – being actively involved in every moment in the classroom – will help prevent discipline problems. Proactive classroom management is the best way to prevent frustration and keep students on task.
Next time you discipline a student, pay attention to what you are doing, and notice where you attention (and your eyes) are focused.
Over the next few days we will discuss the various aspects of body language that play such an important role in classroom management. Today, I want to focus on being aware of body language and how this plays an important role in the classroom.
So often what a teacher does is less important than how that teacher did it. This is clearly explained by use of tone of voice. For example:
“I’m sorry”
This phrase can mean a multitude of things depending on how it is said and the body language that accompanies the words.
1. Look of concern on face, head slightly bowed, leaning slightly towards person, looking directly at them or slightly down. This body language says you are truly sorry.
2. Quickly said, looking around the room, body straight up, head up or tilted away from the person. This body language says you don’t care.
3. Frustrated look on face, side to side movement of head, furrowed brow, words clipped and sarcastic. This says you are NOT sorry.
Take time to pay attention to your body language as you deal with even the mundane tasks in the classroom. Finding out what you are really saying to your students with your body may surprise you, and may give you insight into why students are misbehaving.
Writing class rules is a simple procedure that can make a huge impact on classroom management. In fact, class rules are so important that a teacher who realizes that the class rules are a problem should take the effort to change those rules even if it is mid-school year. Use the following check list to ensure your classroom rules are effective.
How many Rules do you Have?
- Be sure to have at least three rules
- Class rules should be kept to five at the very most
- Combine rules to reduce the number and clarify more specifically to have more rules.
Positive Language for Class Rules
- Do the students know what to do after reading a rule?
- Each rule should state what students need to do rather than what they need to avoid doing.
- Reword rules as necessary
Class Rule Clarity
- Be sure there is no question as to what students are to do after reading the rules
- Analyze each rule – can it be stated more clearly?
- Can any rules have additional details added in order to ensure proper student behavior?
Teach and Reinforce Class Rules
- Did you teach students what each rule meant?
- Can students explain to a visitor what the class rules are?
- If faced with a hypothetical situation, could students explain which rule applies and why?
- Did you practice each procedure including lining up, preparing for lunch and recess and cleaning up at the end of the day?
It is never too late to go back and add or correct the classroom rules. In fact, starting fresh in the middle of the school year may make all the difference in the world and turn your problem class into a success story!
