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Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe:
Principles for Organization of a Successful Classroom
Kris Keen
021442
Dr. Jacqueline Kirk
Classroom Management
December 13th, 2012
Table of Contents
IntroductionPage 3
Core Beliefs about Classroom ManagementPage 5
Preventative Discipline
First Day of SchoolPage 5
Classroom ConfigurationPage 6
Corrective DisciplinePage 9
Procedures and RoutinesPage 10
Beginning of the DayPage 11
Getting Ready for Recess/Lunchhour/HometimePage 12
Bathroom/Water FountainPage 13
Classroom MeetingsPage 14
Field Trips/Outside the ClassPage 15
RulesPage 16
Be RespectfulPage 18
Be ResponsiblePage 19
Be SafePage 20
Examples
Going to the Bathroom every 10 MinutesPage 21
Fight in the SchoolyardPage 23
Disruption at the MuseumPage 27
Developing Relationships with ParentsPage 30
Dealing with Diversity in the ClassroomPage 34
ConclusionPage 37
AppendicesPage 38
NotesPage 43
SourcesPage 66
Introduction:
At the heart of any successful classroom is a well-planned and executed classroom management plan, one that provides a dynamic balance between student autonomy and educator authority. While there are a great many specifics and details that go into this classroom management plan, ultimately, I am concerned with principles. Instead of a detailed list of rules, I offer three principles that would govern classroom behaviour- be respectful, be responsible, be safe. These principles will of course be explicated and elaborated on in the classroom, but the idea is to get young people to organize themselves by values because they are the right thing to do, rather than by rules solely out of the fear of being punished. The other principle that I regard as especially important is the creation of an atmosphere where learning is celebrated every day. Though I do not get into the specifics of lesson planning in this document, dynamic, engaging instruction that serves student interests as well as their needs is a key part of successful classroom management.
I think it would be enlightening to discuss my general education philosophy briefly, as a window into the beliefs that I hold about classroom management. Of the six major philosophical alignments- behaviourism, essentialism, existentialism, perennialism, progressivism and reconstructivism, I identify the most strongly with three of them, essentialism, progressivism and reconstructivism. Essentialism is the belief that there is a core of central knowledge that needs to be imparted to students in a systematic fashion. I doubt that anyone would disagree that basic literacy and numeracy skills are essential to all, but I would also argue that learning to be self-governing individuals is essential and my management plan reflects that. Progressivism dictates that instruction reflect the interests and desires of the students, that students be active, engaged participants in their own learning. Therefore, I believe they should be active participants in their own classroom management. The last of these orientations that I closely identify with, reconstructivism, states that schools and education should take the lead in creating a better world for all of the people who live in it.
When I was in Grade Seven, my classroom teacher described three basic types of classroom management. One could be a “sponge” and completely abrogate one’s standing as an authority figure, letting the students run the classroom entirely. The second of these types of classroom management was what she called “brick wall” management, where the teacher is not only an authority figure, but is blatantly authoritarian and allows students no room for autonomy. What she pointed out about the “brick wall”, however, was that if it was broken, it could not be easily repaired. She described her own method as a “backbone”, firm but with flexibility capable of bending if necessary but not simply squishing in on itself. It is my hope to reflect that “backbone” model of classroom management in my own classroom.
Ultimately, though, the aim of any successful classroom management plan is to reduce the amount of time used in instituting discipline and active management procedures in the classroom. While learning to be self-governing is an important part of the educational experience, our primary function is as educators, not disciplinarians. That being said, however, it is often true that using a little time in the present can yield significant savings of time in the future. If a classroom meeting successfully establishes the values which the classroom will run itself on, then the need for corrective discipline in the future will be greatly reduced.
Ten Core Beliefs about Classroom Management:
1.)Students are capable of learning self-regulation, and should be encouraged to do so.
2.)Preventative discipline is better than corrective discipline.
3.)Extrinsic rewards for good behaviour can be useful, but should not be allowed to fatally undermine developing intrinsic motivation.
4.)Creating and modelling a culture of respect is one of the most important things that can be done in a classroom.
5.)Teachers are authority figures, but they should respect and honour student initiatives and input into classroom rules and procedures as far as is possible.
6.)Students misbehave out of a desire to fulfill needs. They should be directed towards legitimate means to satisfy those needs.
7.)Consequences for poor behaviour should be logical, rather than arbitrary.
8.)No two classrooms are the same and diversity in the classroom should be appreciated and celebrated.
9.)The development of working relationships between students, teachers, parents and administrators needs to be encouraged. Parents, teachers and support staff should develop a team approach and working relationship with difficult students.
10.) All essential classroom behaviours and values must be modelled by the teacher.
Preventative Discipline:
First Day of School:
On the first day of school, I might not teach a single academic lesson in the whole morning at least, but the first priority is in getting to know the students, having the students get to know me and having the students get to know each other. I would start the first day of the school year with fun games that would encourage students to get to know each other’s names, with the activity varying by the age group. Early Years students may play circle games, Middle Years students may engage in an activity where they have to fill out a sheet, finding out different things about fellow students.
After students have had a chance to engage in these activities with each other, I would hold a classroom meeting, in which the Three Principles, procedures and routines of the classroom would be established. I believe the procedures and routines would be essentially an instructor initiative, but the rules can be made by agreement with students. Quite often in my experience, students have a pretty good sense of what needs to happen or not happen in the classroom and teacher input often revolves around ensuring that students are not being redundant- e.g., one explication of the Three Principles to establish that hands and feet should be kept to themselves, as opposed to having several different rules saying “no punching”, “no kicking”. The classroom rules that were established together, as well as the description procedures and routines will be written up on large piece of chart paper, which all of the students will sign. These papers will remain in the classroom for the entire year for ease of reference. Any new students to the classroom will have to review the rules and procedures and add their signature to it.
I also think it is important for the teacher to be an active participant in “getting to know you” games in the classroom and that students get a good sense of who you are not only as a teacher, but as an individual. While it is important to establish that a classroom is first and foremost a place of learning, it is important that teachers not take themselves too seriously. Personally, I have a fairly goofy sense of humour and I see no problem with sharing that with students and sharing a laugh with them, possibly at my own expense. I think that excessive self-importance in teachers actually contributes to a loss of respect towards them from students.
Classroom Configuration:
It is vitally important that the classroom be set up in a manner in which students feel comfortable, but still emphasizes that the classroom is a space for learning first and foremost. Below are some of the considerations that I consider important in establishing a positive physical environment for the classroom.
Seating Plan:
I want to encourage students to interact with each other positively and I think that a small-group configuration is generally better than individual desks. Groups should be composed of about four to six individuals. For Early and Middle Years students, I would generally make seating plans which would rotate approximately monthly, or be changed as needed, if interpersonal conflicts became problematic in the classroom. Senior Years students would generally be allowed to choose their own seats, with the understanding that movement may occur if groups are proving disruptive to class order. I would occasionally encourage group activities to take place amongst other groups, so that students have the experience of mixing with each other as much as possible and do not simply interact with the same small group of friends.
Table Configuration:
I would want to arrange the tables so that it is easy for the instructor to access any student as needed, and for students to have a clear view of the front, in case I needed to address them while they were at their tables. Giving adequate space between the tables is sometimes difficult in a small classroom with a large number of children, but an effort needs to be made. In theory, the spaces should be large enough that further space should not need to be made for a student using a wheelchair to get around the classroom. If possible, the arrangement of tables should minimize placement of groups at the “front” or the “back” of the classroom, but in any case, regular rotation should ensure that all students spend some time at different parts of the classroom.
Decoration/Environmental Stimuli:
I believe that classrooms should reflect the interests and activities of the students currently occupying it- that is, that student work should be displayed within the classroom as far as is possible and that posters and other items should be changed regularly depending on what students are actually studying at a given time. I also think that it is important for a classroom to look balanced and not be overstimulating- a lot of classrooms are a riot of colour and posters, which tend to subtract from creating the impression of an orderly learning space. The classroom space should be made interesting, but it should also be a planned space.
Teacher Placement and Movement:
I think it is very important for teachers not to be static in the classroom but to move from place to place, establishing that they are comfortable in the whole space of the classroom. Teachers should not spend too much time at their desks, but should be engaged in actively moving about the classroom, assisting students as needed and always monitoring the classroom. If students know that the teacher is paying attention, they are significantly less likely to misbehave than if they do not believe the teacher is noticing what they are doing.
Corrective Discipline:
The procedures regarding corrective discipline depend on the nature of the problem, but there are some basic guidelines that I intend to follow in the classroom.
If an activity does not actively disrupt other students, such as a student reading when they should be working, I may choose to ignore it entirely, particularly if I know that student has a confrontational streak. Sometimes it is better to simply leave a relatively minor, non-disruptive problem alone. If I did choose to intervene in such a situation, it would probably be by positioning myself near the student, making their situation increasingly uncomfortable.
Behaviour that is disruptive to the whole class, such as talking while instruction is going on, needs to be addressed. While Skinner would have a teacher ignore this behaviour in order to avoid giving the student further stimulation and attention, I think that this puts too great a burden upon the class as a whole. Intervention that is non-verbal should be attempted before verbal intervention, by moving up close to the student or giving them a look indicating to the student that you are well-aware of what they are doing. If a non-verbal cue like this does not work, it may be time to attempt a simple verbal cue, such as simply staying the students’ name in an assertive but not aggressive tone.
If the behaviour can be resolved through a simple interventive method such as this, then the problem is solved and no further action need be taken. After all, the goal of corrective discipline is to end the problematic behaviour while using up as little valuable class time as possible. This is one reason that I am not particularly fond of Canter’s methodical record keeping, because I think it uses up too much class time that should be spent doing instruction. There will be minor disruptions in even an orderly class, and many times redirection is more useful than applying consequences.
If misbehaviour results in severe class disruption or has other personal or material consequences in the classroom, it may then be necessary to implement consequences. It is vitally important that these consequences follow logically from the action, rather than being arbitrary. If a student makes a large mess and cannot clean it up in class time, they may be obliged to finish the task during recess. As much as is possible, these consequences should be ones that can be applied within the classroom environment. Teachers cannot get into the habit of relying too greatly upon the administration at their schools to do the work of corrective discipline for them.
Documentation is an important issue- when does one document a situation and when does one not document a situation? Generally speaking, I would refrain from documenting any situation that can be easily resolved non-verbally or with a simple verbal warning, mostly in the interests of saving time. If a student shows that they are habitually disrupting the class, then it may be prudent to begin documenting cases of misbehaviour so as to have evidence for parents or administration, should it have to go to them. Needless to say, serious incidents that result in injury or property loss/damage need to be documented with official incident reports. As much as possible, this documentation should not interfere with instructional time.
When should a teacher bring parents or school administration into a behavioural issue? Generally speaking, if there is an incident where valuable property is lost or damaged, or if a student is injured, then both administration and parents should be informed of what has happened and presented with a plan to deal with the situation in accordance to the notion of logical consequences. It is important to always deal with outside figures from a “team” perspective rather than simply assuming they will take care of the problem for you- it is especially important to be careful in dealing with discipline issues with parents of children, as parents will often resent even justified criticism of their children’s behaviour.
Procedures and Routines:
Establishing procedures and routines for the classroom is vitally important, as long as those said procedures and routines work for the classroom one is actually in. The successful establishment of procedures and routines can make the difference between order and chaos in the classroom, especially during periods of transition.
Beginning of the Day
At the beginning of the day, students will come into the classroom and hang up their things before going to their desks to hear morning announcements. It is important that students learn that morning announcements are a time for quiet listening. Students who arrive late should be expected to wait to put away their things until announcements are complete- there is important information conveyed that the whole class needs to hear. I think the mild embarrassment of having to wait with your coat and backpack on for a few minutes while the announcements are happening is a logical enough consequence of not arriving to school on time.
As students are coming in, they should be expected to immediately submit any homework that is due, as well as things like home reading or forms to be signed by parents. I will make sure to remind them after announcements to do so, but I want to inculcate this as a habit, partly in order to help ease the inevitable headache of trying to get materials from children or forgetting to do so. Considerable patience and forgiveness is required in this endeavour, especially with very young children, who often literally do not have the memory to be able to do such things unaided. Making this a procedure from the first few days of school, however, will make it easier for them to do so.
Even for Middle Years students who have more discrete class periods, I think it is better that work be submitted immediately at the beginning of the school day, unless there is some specific purpose for them to hold onto it until later. While it may or may not be possible in a given school day for me to get any marking done in class, if a piece of work or form is not submitted earlier in the day, I have an immediate idea of who has or has not submitted material and thus can immediately deal with the problem, if need be.