strategies for student success beyond classroom...
TRANSCRIPT
Randi Weingarten PRESIDENT Lorretta Johnson SECRETARY-TREASURER Mary Cathryn Ricker EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
OUR MISSION The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do. Copyright © American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (AFT 2016). Permission is hereby granted to AFT state and local affiliates to reproduce and distribute copies of the work for nonprofit education purposes, provided that copies are distributed at or below cost, and that the author, source, and copyright notice are included on each copy. Any distribution of such materials to third parties who are outside of the AFT or its affiliates is prohibited without first receiving the express written permission of the AFT.
Acknowledgments
The AFT recognizes the importance of utilizing research-based, proven practices in schools and classrooms to improve the quality of instruction and raise achievement levels of all students in our nation’s schools. The Strategies for Student Success modules contain proven research-based concepts to assist with scaffolding student learning. These sessions can be given within three hours.
The AFT gratefully acknowledges the contributions made by the following educators in the development of the Strategies for Student Success series of workshops for the practitioner.
AFT Series Developer: Rosalind LaRocque
SSS Editors/National Trainers: David Banks Matt Burns Susie Chow Shanisse Conway Lois Doniver
Karen Gant
Jerelle Hendon Sandy Joseph Rosalind LaRocque Darcy Michener Vanessa Parnell
Nicole Phillips
Patricia Randall Tina Steele Catherine Tabor Deanna Woods
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Agenda
Beyond Classroom Management
Agenda
Introductory Activities Set Norms Introduce Topic
Handbook Session Focus/Objectives Sharing Expectations Introductions
Part A: Classroom Management Through a Different Lens Activity One: What Comes to Mind Debrief―Activity One Reading: Classroom Management-an Unusual Look Activity Two: Concepts and Terms
Part B: Instructional Considerations Reading: Effective Instructional Practices Activity Three: Complete the Stem Debrief―Activity Three Mini-lecture/Reading: Growth Mindset Video: Defining Grit Implementing Grit Video: Teaching Grit - Know Your Students Activity Four: Implementing Grit
Part C: Managerial Considerations Reading: Effective Managerial Considerations Activity Five: Imagine Group Work: Which Ones Belong to… Activity Six: Your Theatrical Side Reading: Ineffective Managerial Considerations Reading and Discussion: Educator Behaviors Activity Seven: Let’s Consult
Part D: Rules, Procedures & Consequences Reading: Research Findings Activity Eight: A Look at Rules and Consequences Activity Nine: Procedures and Routines Reading and Discussion: Educator Behaviors
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Agenda
Part E: Physical Considerations Activity Ten: Physical Considerations Questionnaire Activity Eleven: Rearview Mirror
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 1
Beyond Classroom Management
Session Focus Beyond Classroom Management places educators at the center of the debate over compliance, motivation, autonomy and how traditional structures are being used. Rewards, sanctions and punishments traditionally have been used to keep order. Now, let’s learn ways that classroom operations can support student learning and personal growth, creating a learning-responsive environment rather than a sterile one that stymies creativity and autonomy. These experiences force educators to reflect on how their instructional and managerial procedures as well as their own behaviors and policies can derail the intended outcome of a well-run class. Simply put, classroom management is about motivation rather than compliance.
Concepts Compliance Motivation Rules Procedures
Consequences Managerial Considerations Instructional Considerations Growth Mindset
True Grit Educator Behaviors Peacekeeping Peacemaking Peacebuilding
Objectives By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Connect classroom management with student achievement;
Demonstrate how managerial and instructional considerations affect the learning
environment;
Engage educators in reflecting on how their response to situational triggers affect
the classroom environment; and
Use the layout of the classroom and efficient use of rules, procedures and
consequences to positively affect the learning environment, relationship building
and student growth.
Researchers L. Anderson A. Azzam H. Chang M. Csikszentmihaly A. Duckworth C. Dweck E. Emmer
C. Evertson T. Hoerr R. Jackson J. Kounin V. McDermott M. Middleton K. Perks
D. Pink W. Purkey P. Stanley C. Ann Tomlinson Lev Vygotsky A. Zmuder
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 2
Part A
Classroom Management Through a Different Lens
Activity One: What Comes to Mind Directions: With your tablemates, respond to the question your group is assigned. Place
your response on chart paper and select a reporter.
1. What comes to mind when you hear the term “classroom management”?
2. What are some attributes of a well-run classroom?
3. What classroom management indicators on the educator evaluation do educators
struggle with most?
Classroom Management: An Unusual Look
The quality of the operating procedures of any environment can make or break how well
the environment is managed. In education, however, a more appropriate word is
“facilitated.” Nevertheless, there are a few existing practices in today’s educational systems
that have a negative impact on the learning environment which more often than not results
in the display of unacceptable behavior by students.
These policies and procedures can stifle creativity and limit the opportunities to learn from
mistakes and end up with students who are not motivated to learn and who, unlike adults,
release their “feelings of suppression” on themselves or their classmates. For example,
most systems require students to comply with school policies (Pink, 2012), with no room
for choice or creativity. The result is two types of students: those who succeed but have
learned nothing (Dweck, 2006) or those who will shut down and do nothing.
Dweck claims that students who succeed and learn nothing will have met the performance
goal, but not necessarily the learning goal. She explains the difference this way: The student
who wants to make an A+ on a test is aiming for the performance goal; the student who
wants to master the concepts on the test content is aiming for the learning goal. Most of us
agree that the latter is more desirable, but educational systems today are about
performance the way Dweck describes it. Some advanced systems define performance as
the students’ ability to create new things, to problem-solve using the newly acquired
information.
Daniel Pink (2009, 2012) clearly delineates between “compliant behavior,” where
individuals do something because someone tells them to, and “engaged behavior” where
individuals do something because they really want to. Many researchers are beginning to
propose that classroom management is less about management and more about instruction
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 3
and engagement (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). He uses the word “flow” to describe a state in
which students get so lost in the learning that they are oblivious to everything around
them, including time being spent on the task. However, the degree of compliance and
sterility in the world of education needs serious attention. These compliant-type policies
and practices indirectly affect what happens to the learning environment. Sometimes we
are stunned as to why the best of lessons go awry.
Azzam (2014) maintains, “If schools truly want to engage students, they need to
downgrade control and compliance—and upgrade autonomy.” This is a profound message
to a system that continues to use strategies such as the sticks-and-carrots approach to
motivate students. These are controlling techniques, which are based on a system of
bribery: if one does what is required, there will be a reward. Motivation is an intrinsic
phenomenon, but extrinsic factors make the experience short-lived.
The learning environment is stymied by over-standardization of classroom management
coupled with rigor, which allows very little room for play, customization and autonomy.
Punishment does not work; try getting students to take ownership of their actions.
Humiliation, shame, expulsions, suspensions and zero-tolerance policies seem to break
students instead of uplift them. Awarding prizes and tokens needs to be done sensibly, and
students must see a direct link between earning the reward and their personal growth, to
the point where the reward is no longer needed. In this one-size- fits-all environment,
students will get restless, and a learning environment will evolve where students cannot
learn, do not want to learn and simply shut down.
Activity Two: Concepts and Terms Directions: In the paragraph above, underline any terms and concepts that resonate with
you. Then in your term groups, discuss the following:
1. How is your assigned term used in the current system of education?
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 4
Part B
Instructional Considerations Effective Instructional Practices
In 1980, Evertson and fellow researchers defined classroom management as a matter of
control. By 1994, it was described as “actions educators take to create, implement, and
maintain a classroom that supports learning.” So far, we have been looking at how policies
influence classroom instruction and practices in a way that negatively affects the learner
and the learning environment. Let’s take a closer look at instruction and its effect on
classroom management. How the educator instructs the class can also derail or positively
impact the management and learning systems of the classroom.
We will now talk about effective ways to support instruction. To have an engaged
classroom, educators should keep the following in mind when designing and planning
lessons.
Group Focus: According to the research of Jacob Kounin (1970), keeping students actively
involved and accountable for their work is accomplished three ways:
Group format is the degree to which the organization or formal setup of a learning
activity has been designed to actively involve the non-performers as well as the
performers.
Group alerting is what an educator does to grab the attention of all students in a group
and keep them continuously focused on the learning activity.
Group accountability is simply holding students accountable for doing their work
whether it is completing the assignment or participating in class.
Avoiding Satiation prevents students from becoming bored by paying attention to
progress; valence and challenge arousal; and variety
Progress: Students improve over time and therefore don’t become satiated or take
considerably longer to become satiated
Valence and challenge arousal refers to specific techniques educators use to get
students “psyched up” for the next academic activity—get them to become more
involved, curious or enthusiastic.
Variety An example: designing a day or week with sufficiently different learning
activities so as to limit the amount of time students spend working on the same type of
activity.
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 5
Activity Three: Complete the Stem Directions: Complete the following stem, using one indicator from either Group Focus
practices or Avoiding Satiation techniques.
I am implementing ____________________ when I __________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Growth Mindsets and Grit
Instruction cannot be effective if educators don’t provide feedback to students. Carol
Dweck (2006) identified two types of responses to feedback. Her research discovered that
young children have a malleable reaction to feedback. This means that they will not equate
the feedback with their ability to succeed. In fact, they use feedback to try harder, to
persevere. For example, if we were to tell a small child a few times that they cannot do
something, they will persist and even experience success, that child is demonstrating a
growth mindset.
In contrast, many adolescents have a set mindset. If given negative feedback, they are more
likely to believe, after several similar comments, that there is something wrong with them.
At that point they may well shut down and stop trying.
More recent research by Duckworth (2013) purports that growth mindset alone will not
guarantee success. According to Duckworth, students must be taught “grit”. Briefly, this
means that one will persevere no matter the setbacks. However, grit has to be intentionally
taught; deliberately having students struggle, be frustrated, become tenacious, and
persevere to accomplish the toughest identified goals.
Proponents of grit have identified six steps to intentionally teach grit.
Step 1 – Educators must establish an environment where it is safe to try, fail, and take risks.
In short an environment that emphasizes, not what happens to you but how you deal with
it.
Step 2 – Educators must set expectations that struggling and frustration are normal every
day occurrences in life.
Step 3 – The concept of grit has to be intentionally taught, by teaching the vocabulary of
grit. An example of using grit vocabulary is when a student is told that the quality of their
work indicates how diligently they applied themselves. The word diligently is a grit word
signifying perseverance, sticking-with-it approach to completing the assignment.
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 6
Step 4 – Create a sense of frustration slightly above the students’ Zone of proximal
development, with the caveat that they will be able to revise the assignment until the work
is acceptable.
Step 5 – Monitor the student’s frustration level to help them avoid shutting down.
Step 6 – Encourage students to reflect on what they have learned; Hoerr (2013) suggests
that students should keep track of the tasks they find to be challenging.
Activity Four: Implementing Grit Directions: Respond to the following question. How would you use the six steps to teach
“grit” to students?
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 7
Part C
Managerial Considerations Effective Managerial Considerations
Now we’ll begin to examine educator behaviors that may support engaging and well-run
classrooms. These behaviors support instruction, but by and large they focus solely on
educator behaviors; whereas in growth mindset and grit, students also have a part to play
even though the educator is responsible for teaching the skills.
Kounin (1970) identified four behaviors that contribute to the effective management of the
class.
With-it-ness is defined as an educator’s ability to communicate to students that the
educator knows what they are doing in the classroom at all times, even when not looking
directly at them.
Overlapping is the educator’s ability to effectively handle two classroom events at the
same time as opposed to becoming so totally immersed in handling one event that the
other one is neglected.
Smoothness is the educator’s ability to manage smooth transitions between learning
activities and to maintain momentum throughout the lesson (and the day); it is one of the
most important management techniques for keeping students involved in their work and
sustaining the educator’s control of the classroom.
Momentum is maintaining a steady sense of movement throughout lessons and
throughout the day. Effective classroom managers conduct their lessons at a brisk pace,
providing a continuous academic signal for students to focus upon.
Activity Five: Imagine Directions: Respond to the following question. What would an educator have to do to
display Kounin’s four managerial considerations in the classroom?
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 8
Task: Which One Belongs to… Managerial Procedures or Instructional Procedures? Place
an M or an I alongside the procedure.
1. Beginning of the day/period activity
2. Using the restroom, drinking fountain, lockers, etc.
3. Makeup work
4. Storing personal belongings
5. Posting assignments
6. Distributing and collecting materials and assignments
7. Getting the teacher’s attention
8. Managing transitions between activities
9. Moving within the classroom or to other school areas
10. Checking papers, providing feedback, and grading
11. Recording attendance and tardiness
Activity Six: Your Theatrical Side Directions: Read the description of the ineffective managerial considerations. Develop a
skit that portrays your group’s assigned behavior. Class will guess the behavior being
portrayed.
Ineffective Managerial Considerations
Kounin identified six behaviors that contributed to ineffective management of the class.
A thrust occurs when the educator suddenly bursts in on the students’ activities with a
new statement or direction, and the students are not ready to receive the educator’s
message.
A dangle is when the educator leaves one activity dangling in midair to start another
and never returns to the first activity.
A truncation is a variation of a dangle except that the educator never returns to the
first activity or returns to it considerably later. A civics educator asks the class to get
out the homework assignment but does nothing with it for the balance of the class time
or returns to it at a point in the lesson but forgets why the request was made.
A flip-flop (another variation of a dangle) happens when the educator terminates an
activity, starts another and then does something to return to the first activity.
A stimulus-bound event is a situation in which the educator interrupts the flow of an
instructional activity to respond to an irrelevant event or one that could have been
handled just as effectively after the learning activity is over.
Overdwelling is spending more time on an issue, such as student behavior or task
performance, than is necessary for the student’s understanding.
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 9
Educator Behaviors Research shows us that even more crucial than instructional considerations are educator
behaviors. This is because students deal with the affective approach to learning. In a survey
on what students want most from their educators, students said they want educators who
know their names, are pleasant, know their interests, even visit their homes, participate in
their extracurricular activities, render meaningful instruction, assess their work and offer
suggestions for improvement, and slowly give them autonomy over their learning, as well
as provide opportunities for collaborative learning.
A well-run class gives students avenues to ask for assistance, become self-confident, be able
to manage emotions that may interfere with learning, be able to accept a different point of
view and become responsible decision-makers. Relationships in this class are built on trust,
mutual respect, a belief that all can succeed and actions that make this belief come true.
Educators who can command such classrooms by their own behavior are noted as being
“intentionally inviting” (Purkey and Stanley, 1991). Educators who use inviting behaviors
are positive, possess a growth mindset (use feedback as an opportunity to improve) as
opposed to a set mindset (nothing will improve no matter how hard I try); are very
purposeful in their actions and have the ability to be sensitive to students’ needs. Skills
such as lesson planning, knowing group processes, being able to interpret data, promote
community and parent outreach, and be aware of education policies are all important, but
the inviting nature of an educator tops all.
Activity Seven: Let’s Consult Directions: At your tables discuss possible “inviting,” responses an educator could offer
students when they:
Elevate their voices
Have a poor attitude
Consistently do not complete homework
Have outbursts
Do not follow rules
Wear a shirt with a controversial message
Slap another student
Are constantly tardy
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 10
Part D
Rules, Procedures, Consequences
Research Findings
Well-managed classrooms don’t just happen, they are designed, with clear-cut
expectations, rules, procedures and consequences, designed with the group they serve in
mind, shared on the first day and reinforced during the first three weeks of school and
beyond; thereby influencing student behavior throughout the school year.
As a result of their studies in 1980, Emmer, Evertson and Anderson identified common
behaviors of how effective educators organize and manage their classes from the first day
of a new school year and maintain their management effectiveness for the remainder of the
year.
The effectiveness of the rules, procedures and consequences begins with planning before
school starts and anticipating how these plans will be implemented and maintained. To
sustain the effectiveness of the rules, research suggests that educators present, review,
reinforce and reteach the rules diligently, at least within the first three weeks of school. It is
projected that doing so will ensure 33 weeks of teaching and learning with minimal
interruption.
There are distinct differences between rules, procedures and consequences, however.
Rules must be short and well defined. They govern student behavior in a general sense:
Be Prompt or Be Prepared, for example. Procedures govern activities. They may be
numerous at times, depending on the complexity of the activity, and will be likely to change
during the school year as instruction changes. Successful classroom managers are clear on
how these procedures will be handled and make sure that students have the same
understanding. As noted earlier, there are two types of procedures: managerial and
instructional. Managerial procedures deal with activities like using the restroom, storing
personal belongings, collecting and distributing assignments or seeking attention.
Instructional procedures address classroom activities, responding to questions, checking
papers and makeup work or activities during the class period, for example. A creative way
to denote procedures for students is to categorize them as: Take care of yourself; take care
of each other; take care of this place—the classroom.
There are consequences when the procedures or rules are not adhered to. Consequences
can be nonverbal (just a look), verbal (a conference) or formal (a visit to the principal’s
office). Research suggests a hierarchy of consequences—minor, moderate and serious; but
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 11
personal growth, rather than be punitive, yielding no change in the behavior it is
attempting to address. Consequences are relationship-building in nature when they
influence students to reflect and change their behavior, develop pro-social skills, fend off
peer pressure and be able to regulate their reactions. A classroom management system that
yields such an outcome supports the development of strong children. Remember, as
Frederick Douglass said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
No one says students should not be held accountable for their actions. In fact, this is exactly
what is being said. Students cannot reflect on their actions if they do not take ownership of
them. Research describes this as peacemaking and peacebuilding rather than peacekeeping
(Bickmore, 2011). According to Bickmore, peacekeeping refers simply to restrictive rules
that require compliance, but peacemaking practices conversation about values and
restitution, in a way that engenders further dialogue, and conflict resolution that leads
students to a greater understanding of themselves and others. Peacebuilding on the other
hand uses investments in pro-social means to avert disputes.
Activity Eight: A Look at Rules and Consequences Directions: With your grade level (elementary, middle, high) partners, address the
following:
Rewrite two rules used in your classroom in a way that does not reflect an approach
form the deficit model.
List three infractions and the consequences now mandated in the district.
Respond to this question: Do these consequences fulfill the research requirement of
peacemaking and peacebuilding? If yes, explain how; if no, suggest consequences that
could be considered peacemaking and peacebuilding approaches.
Activity Nine: Procedures and Routines Directions: Pull a card from the set. Read the prompt and develop a time-efficient
procedure or routine.
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 12
Part E
Coping with Physical Considerations
Activity Ten: Physical Considerations Questionnaire Directions: Review the following questionnaire. Think of your own classroom space and
indicate True or False with the letters (T) or (F).
Then discuss with shoulder partners the implications that the statements you marked as
“F” have on learning in your classroom and suggest ways to address this.
Questionnaire
1. [ ] My classroom arrangement eliminates potential distractions for students and
opportunities for inappropriate behavior, by allowing easy monitoring of students at all
times.
2. [ ] My classroom furniture is arranged to avoid congestion and permit an easy flow of
traffic.
3. [ ] Desks and learning centers are grouped based upon students’ instructional and
behavioral needs.
4. The following areas in my classroom are free of congestion:
[ ] group work areas and learning centers
[ ] classroom entrance and exit
[ ] pencil sharpener and trash can
[ ] lavatory, sink and water fountain
[ ] bookshelves, storage and supply stations
[ ] special displays
[ ] educator’s desk
[ ] computer stations
5. [ ] Nothing obstructs the blackboard, Smart Board, from the view of all students.
6. [ ] There is adequate, conveniently located space for students’ belongings.
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 13
7. [ ] My classroom has easily accessible bookcases to store books and materials not kept in students’ desks.
Activity Eleven: Rearview Mirror Directions: Respond to the following:
“No learning has occurred unless behavior has changed.” Share in a Round Robin format, what will change because of the information shared in this session.
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | 14
Bibliography Azzam, Amy (2014). “Motivated to Learn: A Conversation with Daniel Pink.” Educational Leadership. 72(1). Alexandria, VA: ASCD Bickmore, K. (2011). “Keeping, Making and Building Peace in School.” Social Education, 75(1), 40–44. Chang, H. (2013). Hedy Chang Explains the Who, What and Why of Chronic Absenteeism....www.attendanceworks.org/hedy-chang-explains-the-who-what-and- why Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York City, New York: Harper & Row. Cothran, D. J., Kulinna, P. H., & Garrahy, D. A. (2003). ‘‘This Is Kind of Giving a Secret
Away...’’: Students’ Perspectives on Effective Class Management”. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 435-444. doi: 10.1016/S0742-051X(03)00027-1
Duckworth, A. What is Grit? (Viewed May, 2014).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkoe1e2KZJs Dweck, C. (2006). Mindsets. New York City, New York: Ballatine Books. Ellis, E. S. (1992). LINCS: A Starter Strategy for Vocabulary Learning. Lawrence, Kansas: Edge Enterprises Inc. Emmer, E. T., Evertson, C. M. & Anderson, L. M. (1980). "Effective Classroom Management at the Beginning of the School Year." The Elementary School
Journal 80 (5): 219–231. Evertson, C. M. (1985). "Training Educators in Classroom Management: An Experiment in Secondary Classrooms." Journal of Educational Research 79:51–58. Evertson, C. M. (1989). "Improving Elementary Classroom Management: A School-
Based Training Program for Beginning the Year." Journal of Educational Research 83: 82–90.
Evertson, C. M., & Randolph, C. (1994). "Classroom Management." In Psychology and Educational Practice, ed. Herbert J. Walberg and Geneva D. Haertel. Berkeley, CA: McCutchan.
Evertson, C. M., & Emmer, E. T. (1982). "Effective Management at the Beginning of the School Year in Junior High Classes.” Journal of Educational Psychology 74 (4): 485–498.
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Hoerr, T. R., (2013). Fostering Grit. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Jackson, R. (2013). Never Underestimate Your Educators: Instructional Leadership for
Excellence in Every Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Kounin, J. (1970). Discipline and Group Management in Classrooms. New York City, New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Lyon, A. Grit Curriculum Lesson. The Perseverance Walk. (Viewed April 2014).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6BZ-boSKts
McDermott, V. (2015). “Student Radio: Magnifying Voices, Preparing a Future.” Alexandria, VA: ASCD Express, 5(22).
Perks. K. & Middleton, M. (2014). Motivation to Learn: Transforming Classroom Culture to Support Student Achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin. Pink, D. (2012). Drive: The Surprising Truth of What Motivates Us. New York City, New York: Riverhead Books. Pink, D. (2009). A Whole New Mind. New York City, New York: Riverhead Books. Purkey, W., & Stanley, P. H. (1991). Invitational Teaching, Learning, and Living. Washington, DC: National Education Association. Tomlinson, C. (2014). “Releasing the Will to Learn”. Educational Leadership. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. pp. 86–87.
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of High Psychological Processes. (translated and edited by M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, and E. Souberman). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Five Great Reasons to Join a Union of Professionals
The American Federation of Teachers:
Supports you in the classroom. Effective learning only takes place
when high-quality teachers, with the support of other competent professionals, have the materials and assistance needed to accomplish the task. Your union is a strong advocate for high-quality classroom materials that are aligned to the standards of achievement we expect our students to meet. We also insist that state and district assessments for measuring student progress are aligned with these standards and that the assessments be used appropriately to support student learning.
Helps you prepare. No matter how well prepared you may have been
before entering the classroom, there is always room for improvement. Ongoing professional development that meets you at your point of need is vital for continued growth as an educator. The AFT and our affiliates deliver some of the finest professional development programs available; and in situations where our programs are not available, we advocate and broker for you to receive the best training possible.
Stands up for you. Whether the discussion is taking place in the White
House, in the halls of Congress, on the floor of your statehouse, in colleges of education or in your local editorial pages, you can be sure that union representatives are weighing in assertively, ensuring that the collective voice of educators comes through clearly and effectively.
Advocates for your profession. No one enters the teaching profession
without a strong desire to help children reach their potential. Yet, at times the realities of life make this calling difficult to stick with. Adequate salaries and benefits are essential in order to keep the best teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff in our public schools. Working conditions such as manageable class sizes, adequate teaching materials, and discipline policies that support teaching and enhance student learning are important factors in ensuring that the best teachers remain in the classroom.
Keeps you informed. American Educator is one of the most highly
respected journals available to keep you informed on current thinking in public education with articles by some of the most capable thinkers and doers in the field. Additionally, there are a host of other publications as well as a comprehensive website that will assist you in addressing the particular needs of your school and classroom.
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AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Handout
Defining Consequences for Behavior Guide*
LEVEL CONSEQUENCE/INTERVENTION DESCRIPTION Minor
Interventions Use nonverbal cues Move closer Change activity/eliminate
downtime Redirect to task Issue brief desist/warning Have student state rule Change seat
For most teachers, in the beginning of the year, establishing eye contact with a student, frowning or point a finger is usually all that is necessary to stop an inappropriate behavior. Other ways a teacher can address misbehavior without interrupting instruction is to question the student, restate the task to be completed (either privately or to the class), or modify the activity to increase participation. If the behavior continues, make a direct statement, using eye contact and an assertive tone, telling the student to stop the behavior. Having the student state the rule that was broken and explain what he or she should have done can also be effective. Having the student change seats may remove the child from a distracting environment, if that is the problem.
Moderate Interventions
Withhold privilege Assign penalty Contact parent Assign after-school detention Write behavior contract
Moderate interventions are more confrontational in nature and more likely to be met with resistance. While recess is a commonly withheld privilege, others that might be withdrawn include working in a group, choosing a partner, quiet talking (if normally allowed), or periods of free time when students can choose an activity. If withholding a privilege is not effective, some teachers assign
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Handout
some kind of penalty —an undesirable classroom task or an extra written task, such as explaining the cause of the misbehavior in an essay. Establishing regular contact with parents, through notes, home email or the telephone may result in the teacher’s expectations being reinforced in the home. Some teachers have the student call home and explain the incident of misbehavior.
Serious Interventions
Send to principal’s office Arrange formal parent
conference Refer to counselor/psychologist Refer to alternate school setting
In some cases, a misbehavior is so serious or prolonged that external interventions become necessary. Through a formal conference with parents, special services for the student may be arranged. A principal’s options include suspending the student from school for a time or, in extreme cases, referring the student to an alternative setting.
*Adapted from AFT’s Foundations 1 Training Program.
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sage
.
B
Da
ng
le
A d
an
gle
is
wh
en t
he
teac
her
leav
es
on
e ac
tiv
ity
“d
angl
ing”
in
mid
air
to s
tart
an
oth
er a
ctiv
ity
an
d n
ever
ret
urn
s to
th
e fi
rst
acti
vit
y.
C
Tru
nca
tio
n
A t
run
cati
on
is
a v
aria
tio
n o
f a
dan
gle
exce
pt
that
th
e te
ach
er r
etu
rns
con
sid
erab
ly la
ter
to t
he
firs
t ac
tiv
ity
.
D
Flip-flop
A
fli
p-f
lop
hap
pen
s w
hen
th
e te
ach
er
term
inat
es o
ne
acti
vit
y, s
tart
s an
oth
er,
and
do
es s
om
eth
ing
to r
etu
rn t
o t
he
firs
t ac
tiv
ity
wit
ho
ut
com
ple
tin
g th
e se
con
d
on
e.
E
Sti
mu
lus-
bo
un
d
A s
tim
ulu
s-b
ou
nd
ev
ent
is a
sit
uat
ion
in
wh
ich
th
e te
ach
er in
terr
up
ts t
he
flo
w
of
an i
nst
ruct
ion
al a
ctiv
ity
to
res
po
nd
to
an
irre
lev
ant
ev
ent
or
on
e th
at c
ou
ld h
ave
bee
n h
and
led
just
as
effe
ctiv
ely
aft
er t
he
lear
nin
g ac
tiv
ity
has
co
ncl
ud
ed.
F
Ov
erd
we
llin
g
Ov
erd
we
llin
g i
s sp
end
ing
mo
re t
ime
on
an
issu
e, s
uch
as
stu
den
t b
ehav
ior
or
task
per
form
ance
, th
an is
nec
essa
ry f
or
the
stu
den
t’s
un
der
stan
din
g.
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Handout
Procedures to Rehearse with Students
Entering the classroom Getting to work immediately When you are tardy End of the period class dismissal Listening to/responding to questions Participating in class discussions When you need a pencil or paper Keeping your desk orderly Checking out classroom materials Indicating whether you understand Coming to attention When you are absent Working cooperatively Changing groups Keeping your notebook Going to the office When you need help or conferencing Knowing the schedule for the day or class Keeping a progress report Finding directions for each assignment
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Handout
Procedures to Rehearse with Students
Passing in paper Exchanging papers Returning student work Getting materials without disturbing others Handing out playground materials Moving about the room Going to the library or career center Headings on papers When you finish early Returning to a task after an interruption Asking a question When a schoolwide announcement is made Walking in the hall during class time Responding to a fire drill Responding to an earthquake Responding to a severe weather alert When visitors are in the classroom If the teacher is out of the classroom If you are suddenly ill Saying “thank you”
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Handout
The First Day of School and the Rest of the Year
Classroom management is not just about rules, procedures and consequences. On the first
day and throughout the year, student-teacher relationship has a critical role to play. A
study by Cothran, Kulinna, and Garrahy (2003) underscores the key role that positive
student-teacher relationships play in classroom management. Interviews with 182
adolescents ( grades 6-12), representing diverse socioeconomic, cultural , and academic
backgrounds revealed students’ high regard for teachers who listen well, treat students
with respect, and exhibit caring. Some ways to exhibit the behaviors students looked for in
teachers includes the following:
Creating a Caring Environment
Be Welcoming/Inclusive
o Have students sit in a circle and greet one another by saying hello, shaking hands or
giving a high-five
o To create an inclusive atmosphere teach students how to greet one another in
different languages
Learn student names and correct pronunciation
Be aware of your own biases and stereotypes about certain groups or individuals
Learn about cultural origins, behaviors, languages and discourse patterns
Be culturally literate
Talk about the room; explain the use of each section
Explain Rules, Procedures and Consequences with the expectation that those will be
revisited like content during the first three weeks.
Learn a few phrases in native languages of ELL students
Be Sensitive to Concerns
Discipline quietly, privately with respect
Observe mood changes
Take concerns seriously if students confide in you
Be aware of anxiety or difficulty with course material
Look for areas of competency
Student Input/Autonomy
Elicit discussion about classroom expectations
Allow for student input in grouping decisions (at times)
Find out how each student learns best by using surveys and inventories
Allow students to create assignments, choose their own topic for research papers or
construct questions during a lesson
Teach students the art of self-reflection
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Handout
Be Fair
Set criteria for grades and expected behavior
Acknowledge individuality and student differences
Teach Tolerance
Model traits you want students to exhibit (respect, kindness, tolerance)
Be Real
Share appropriate personal information (family, childhood memories, hobbies,
vacations)
Celebrate your own cultural background as well as the students’ cultures
Admit when you don’t know something or make a mistake
Understand Adolescent Culture
Gain knowledge of pop music, fashion and current movies
Stay up-to-date on technology
Use technology in lessons (webcasts, blogs, twitter)
Hold Class Meetings
Using class meetings at the beginning of the day or class period reinforces the importance
of dialogue and discussion to solve problems. Students learn valuable social and ethical
lessons as well as analyzing and negotiating skills. Class meetings also foster intellectual
development, trust and communication skills. A few guidelines entail:
Establish clear expectations
Make sure everyone has an opportunity to share
Teach social skills for listening respectfully
Discuss issues not people
Use Scaffolds to support student interaction, if needed
Provide concrete examples for younger students and visual aids for older students to
spark discussion
Generate a list of questions for “focused sharing” to reinforce content material or
behavioral/social objectives
Use group activities to build team spirit and a sense of community
Have students role-play, use storytelling, puppets, puzzles and choral reading of
poems/songs that correlate to the meetings main topic or objective
AFT SSS: Beyond Classroom Management | Handout
Create a Community
Use news and announcements to:
Create and announcement chart that includes class and school events
Present an academic challenge to develop and reinforce language, math and other
academic skills
Research informs us that there are three phases of classroom management:
1. Planning before the year begins
2. Implementing at the beginning of the school year
3. Maintaining throughout the school year