Setting and Maintaining High Behavioral Expectations

1. Setting and Maintaining High Behavioral Expectations

2. PROCEDURES • DO NOW: make a list of all of the classroom procedures you have seen in your field placement classroom • To what extend will you want students to question policies, rules, and procedures?

3. HELPFUL ADVICE? OR IMPOSSIBLE? • Be consistent • Teach routines & procedures • Establish clear rules &consequences • Give positive reinforcement • Enact well planned, engaging lessons • Focus on respect & responsibility

4. Scenario: You want to address your class once the bell rings to begin class. You raise your hand in the practiced signal for silence: students are expected to quietly raise their hands as well. Three-quarters of your class do so,with the room becoming quiet. Should you proceed?

5. Your students have four options: • Raise hands and become silent • Not raise hands and become silent • Raise hands and not become silent • Not raise hands and not become silent • There are always competing variables for our commands and more outcomes to attend to

6. Excellence is a habit: what you do, you should do well, and the easiest way to do it well is to do it well every time. • Learning how to do routines and rituals correctly is learning – and it’s part of being attuned to excellence

7. When students fail to successfully complete a basic task that you’ve shown them how to do, doing it again and doing it right, or better is often the best consequence • Focus on excellence (“that’s good, but let’s make it even better…”) • Make consequences logical, not punitive

8. MEETING STUDENTS AT THE DOOR • Utilize “before-bell” time to do housekeeping (pass things back, collect homework, etc) • Consider passing out handouts as soon as students walk through the door • “Housekeeping chores can always wait; grabbing students’ attention cannot”

9. STARTING WITH SILENCE • Consider the uses of “bellringers” or “do now” prompts or “warm ups” • Mental and physical – decompose, calm, focus on tasks at hand • Avoid delving right into a lecture as soon as the bell rings

10. UNPREPARED STUDENTS • Have collateral for supplies? • “Red Lined” paper • Notice Elden says she’s rarely enforces the ten point deduction. Students will figure this out quickly

11. TARDY POLICIES • Some schools will have their own (“sweep”) • If not, have your own • Elden asks students to look apologetic when they come in late – what do you think about that requirement?

12. MAJOR PET PEEVE • “Another teacher correcting your class in front of you is like someone offering to make dinner for your spouse on your anniversary. It is an indirect way of saying, “You’re not handling your own business, so I guess I have to.” (page 96)

13. LIMITING PASSES • Why are students leaving your room? • Need to use restroom facilities • Need to get a drink • Need to move around/socialize/meet up • Avoid being in the presence of you/someone • Deducting grades? Assigning detention? Just letting students go? • Must account for where students are at all times

14. Interventions for Behavior • Nonverbal interventions: gesture to or eye contact with off-task students while doing something else. Teachers often interrupt their lessons more than students do, so don’t get “off the rails” • Positive group correction: Quick verbal reminder to group about what students should be doing and not what they shouldn’t be doing • Anonymous individual correction: “I need two more people.” “Please check yourself to make sure you’ve got your eyes on the board.” • Private individual correction: Quiet, quick, and calm • Quick public correction: Tell student what to do right rather than scold or explain what is wrong. Follow up with a positive

15. Focus on What To Do • Tell students what to do, not what not to do • “Cut it out” - “pay attention” • “Stop fooling around” - “Are you listening?” • Commands are not pleasant, but necessary • Specific - Sequential • Concrete - Observable

16. Be specific! • Consider: • “Quiet, please” • “Look up here” • “Eyes on me and pencils down” • Reinforce expectations with impersonality • “That’s not how we do it here” • “In this classroom we respond respectfully to others” • Praise = always personal • Consequences = never personal

17. Recognize defiance from incompetence: “Gentlemen, please pause your conversation for a moment. I am teaching on the other side of this door. Please pick up your things, walk to the end of the hall, open the doors, and step outside. You may continue your conversation there.”

18. A strong teacher… • Has an economy of language: fewer words are stronger than more • Does not talk over students: never competing for attention demonstrates their decision to listen isn’t situational • Does not engage: Avoid engaging in other topics until you have resolved one topic • Stands strong: Stand up straight, lean in close, make eye contact, use proximity • Uses “quiet power”: When you get loud and talk fast, you show that you are nervous, scared, out of control

19. Your “teacher voice” • Think about your register: a tenor of a conversation, encompassing eye contact, body position, gestures, facial expression, and rhythm of language • DO NOW: Think about the register you use when you converse with people • At work • At home • At the bar/social setting

20. Yes, DO sweat the small stuff! • You must create the perception of order (think of police/municipal graffiti policies) • Clean up clutter, keep desk areas tidy, make sure dress code is followed, backpacks are where they need to be – limit what is allowable • Put masking tape on the floor • Have model work available for name/date/etc • Assemble binders/portfolios together 50 times • Show students how to do something

21. Thresholds • Make a habit of getting things right from the outset of each period • Stand in the physical threshold of the classroom - astride the door • Greet students (considerable variation here) • “Loved your homework, David!” • “Nice game last night, Shayna!” • “Cool t-shirt today, Mr. Williams” • Correct weak handshakes, untidy attire, or lack of eye contact

22. Classroom Mood • DO NOW: Describe the mood and environment of your field placement classroom • Aim for a particular mood: “warm, but industrious” • Think about very low decibel music (classical, piano jazz, ambient, nature sounds, Brian Eno’sMusic for Airports) • Lighting is key (lamps or no lamps?)