Harry and Rosemary Wong

Who are Harry and Rosemary Wong?• Harry Wong

– Previously taught science at middle school and high school levels.– One of Instructor magazine’s top 20 most admired people in education– Is now an educational speaker and consultant

• Rosemary Wong– Previously taught grades 1-8– Served as media coordinator and student activity director– Numerous awards for contributions to the profession

• Authors of The First Days Of School. Best-selling education book of all time.

• The Effective Teacher video series.– Award winner for best educational staff development video.

Who are Harry and Rosemary Wong?

• Main problem in classrooms is not poor discipline, but poor classroom management

• Responsibilities are key

• As a teacher, the first day of school determines your success for the rest of the year.

• First two weeks of school is teaching students to follow classroom procedures.

• If you do not plan, your students will plan for you.

• My Responsibilities as Your Teacher:– To treat you with respect and

care as an individual– To provide you an orderly

classroom environment– To provide the necessary

guidance for success– To provide the appropriate

motivation– To teach you the required

content.

Students need help to understand your responsibilities and their responsibilities.

• Your Responsibilities as My Students:• To treat me with respect

and care as an individual• To attend classes regularly• To be cooperative and not

disruptive• To study and do your work

well• To learn and master the

required content

The Wongs’ Principal Suggestions• Effective Teachers spend the first

two weeks teaching students how to follow the classroom procedures to help them become responsible learners.• Ineffective Teachers begin trying

to teach a subject, and the rest of the year running after students.

• School should be challenging, exciting, engrossing, and thought-provoking, but must have structure to ensure success.

• When students arrive, start class immediately.

• Shorter assignments produces higher student achievement.

• Ask questions throughout the lesson; not just at the end.

The First Day of School

• Classroom ready for instruction and make it inviting.

• Plan for more than you can get around to. No dead time where students’ involvement is lost.

• Stand at door and greet students as they enter.

• Each student gets a seating assignment and a seating chart.

• Assignment posted so students can begin when they enter the room.

• Have rules posted (5 max) and go over them in detail. Give rationale to rules while going over them.

• Provide personalized instruction within a warm, relaxed, refined learning environment.

Procedures and What They Entail• 3 step process in

establishing good procedures.1. Decide what routines are

necessary in what activities are being conducted.

2. List steps students must follow in order to participate and benefit from the activities

3. Teach students through explanation, demonstration, and practice in how to follow the procedures.

• Teachers should have a very large number of procedures to follow.

• Expect students to follow procedures exactly how they are stated.

• Students accept and appreciate procedures that provide security and minimize confusion.

Examples of Procedures• Morning Entry Procedures

– Enter classroom in a quiet and orderly manner.

– Greet teacher as you enter and say “hi” to your classmates.

– Turn in homework or keep at desk if it is to be graded in class.

– Begin on your seat work.

• Desk Procedures– Only notebook, assignment book,

textbook, and pencil should belong at your desk.

– Keep hands, feet, and supplies to yourself.

– Push in chair every time you get up.

– Clean area around desk before you leave.

• Lunch Procedures

• End-of-Day Procedures

• Restroom Procedures

• Drinking Fountain Procedures

• Computer Procedures

• When you have a Substitute Teacher

• Group Work

• Etc.

Cooperative Work Groups• The Wongs state most students do better in school when

working in cooperative learning groups.

• Call them support groups.– Each team member is known as a support buddy.

• Each student in the group has a specific job to do.

• Effective teachers teach the group procedures and social skills needed for functioning in a group.– Be responsible for your own work and behavior– Ask a support buddy for help if you have a question– Help any support buddy who asks for help– Ask for help from the teacher only when support buddies cannot

supply it.

Conclusion about the Wongs viewpoints• High expectations need to be set from day one

• First 5 minutes with your students set a lasting tone for your class.

• Write out exactly what you intend to say, do and accomplish during the first few days of class. Plan to the minute.

• Provide a security of consistency

• Schedules, rules, procedures and a preview of what is to come should be posted in the classroom.

• Establish work habits in students before teaching content.

Case 2 Sara Will Not Stop Talking• Sara is a pleasant girl who

participates in class activities and does most, though not all, of her assigned work. She cannot seem to refrain from talking to classmates, however. Her teacher, Mr. Gonzales, has to speak to her repeatedly during lessons, to the point that he often becomes exasperates and loses his temper.

• The first suggestion would be to first have Mr. Gonzales calm down and be level headed about the situation. He should remind Sara of the responsibilities that were covered the first weeks of school; the ones that are still posted in the classroom. After class, he should have a conversation with Sara about how she is a good student who understands that they both have responsibilities in the classroom. Mr. Gonzales should let her know that by not refraining to speak to her classmates, she is compromising both of their responsibilities in making the classroom an effective learning environment. He should let her know he will provide her plenty of opportunities to work in the support groups where she will be able to speak to her classmates when the time is appropriate.