Creating a successful and safe learning environment Supplemental resources and workbook

1. Creating a successful and safe learning environmentSupplemental resourcesand workbook NC Teacher Corps Summer Institute 2013

2. Part One: Management

3. What is Effective Classroom Management? Classroom management refers to all of the things that an educator does to organize students, space, time, and materials, so that instruction in content and student learning can take place.

4. Part Two: Routines and Procedures

5. Routines and Procedures: Definition • Routines are a habitual performance of an established procedure. • Procedures are a series of steps followed in a regular definite order.

6. Routines and Procedures: Physical Space • The physical environment can hinder or promote successful behavior. • Maximize positive behavior: • Arrange seats in a way that allows easy access to all students • Utilize seating arrangements that match the level of structure students need • Ensure areas with high traffic have ample room for students to give each other space • Include a quiet area for students to take a break when needed

7. Routines and Procedures: Schedule • A daily or class period schedule increases predictability and reduces transition time. • Schedules: • Meet student needs as much as possible • Are flexible, but not loose • Posted in areas visible to entire room • Have a balance of various types of instruction

8. Routines and Procedures: AttentionSignal • An attention signal is a visual or verbal cue used to gain the attention of students so that learning and teaching take place. • All teachers, regardless of student age, should use an attention signal. • Effective attention signals: • Used across all settings • Students can respond quickly • Taught and practiced regularly

9. Routines and Procedures: Attention Signal Process Attention signal practice: • Make sure students are attending before moving on. • Be willing to wait. • Reinforce students who attend immediately. • Provide specific verbal praise when students comply. • Be consistent. • Remain calm.

10. Routines and Procedures: Opening Routines • The beginning of the day is an important time to have efficient routines. • Entrance routines set the tone for the entire class. • Students need to feel welcome and immediately start a productive task.

11. Routines and Procedures: Opening Routines Opening classroom procedures to teach: • Entering class and getting started • Arriving after instruction has started • Handing in work • Obtaining needed materials • Returning after an absence

12. Routines and Procedures: During Class Routines • Because content and instructional methods change, a variety of routines are needed throughout the day or class period. • Classroom procedures to teach: • Getting assignments and turning in work • Managing independent work times • Managing cooperative work times • Getting assistance • Transitioning

13. Routines and Procedures: Ending Routines • Ending class in a calm and predictable manner can facilitate a better start to the next day or class. • Teach students how to clean up, organize materials and prepare for the next transition. • Methods for giving and receiving feedback about the class should also be included.

14. Routines and Procedures: Summary • Routines and procedures should be taught and practiced with students. • Physical space and schedule can be manipulated to maximize positive behavior. • An attention signal is a useful tool for all teachers. • Have and teach specific routines for the beginning, middle and end of the day or class.

15. Activity: Classroom Plan, Section 1 • With your tablemates, discuss one key routine that you plan to teach your students. • Develop steps to teach that routine and complete Section 1 of the Classroom Plan. • Continue work on Section 1 of your Classroom Plan for homework. • Be prepared to share.

16. Part Three: Developing and Teaching Expectations

17. Developing Expectations • Expectations should be created with input from stakeholders. • Base expectations on common classroom problems. • State the expectations in the positive, using specific and observable terms. • Develop expectations for different types of instruction.

18. Classroom Expectations Example

19. Teaching Expectations • Behavioral expectations must be overtly taught and practiced. • Establish methods for teaching expected behaviors that meet learning needs. • Teach regularly throughout the year, especially when students… • transition in or out of school. • return from breaks. • demonstrate they have not mastered the expectations.

20. Teaching Expectations: Lesson Components • Rationale: Rule for when to use the skill • Teach: Describe the skills needed to meet expectations • Model: Demonstrate the skills • Role play: Students practice the skills • Performance feedback: Give praise and correction

21. Developing and Teaching Expectations: Summary • Clearly define classroom expectations. • Utilize all lesson components when teaching expectations. • Teach expectations to mastery. • Incorporate behavioral instruction throughout your day.

22. Activity: Classroom Plan, Section 2 • Develop classroom expectations that are aligned with your school-wide expectations, or follow the example provided. • Continue work on Section 2 of your Classroom Plan. • With your tablemates, discuss how to best teach expectations and rules. Consider various grade levels and settings. • Be prepared to share. 

23. Part 4: Encouraging Positive Behavior

24. Encouraging Positive Behaviors:Apply Pre-correction Strategies • Pre-corrects function as prompts for expected behavior. • Opportunities for practice are provided in close proximity to context. • Especially helpful when teacher anticipates behavior errors. • Only effective after behavior is taught and learned.

25. Encouraging Positive Behaviors: Motivation • Motivation is crucial to getting students to follow your expectations. • If a person thinks she will succeed at a task, and she values what she will get as a result of succeeding, then her motivation will be high. • Students will be more motivated to complete a task when they… • understand why it is useful to them. • see the big picture of what they will be able to accomplish. • connect it to other skills and tasks they already know.

26. Encouraging Positive Behaviors: Enthusiasm • Teacher enthusiasm communicates value and increases student motivation. • Enthusiasm is the degree to which teachers project the belief that teaching is interesting, meaningful and important . • Communicating enthusiasm is done through presentation of content, not through pep talks or theatrics.

27. Encouraging Positive Behaviors: Relationships • Students are more likely to respond to directions and instructions when they have already established relationships with adults. • Demonstrating personal regard for all students is an important way to create genuine and positive relationships. • Your level of regard for students is communicated in brief, often subtle, and frequent daily interactions of which you may not be aware.

28. Encouraging Positive Behaviors: Reinforcement • Behavior needs to be reinforced in order for it to be repeated. • Teacher attention should focus on positive behavior at least four times more often than on negative behavior. • Commit to making a conscious effort to practice reinforcement prior to correcting problems.

29. Encouraging Positive Behaviors: Reinforcement • Reinforcement needs to be frequent and consistent. • Positive reinforcement can be: • Verbal • Physical • Social • Tangible • Verbal reinforcement needs to contain specific information about the behavior you want repeated.

30. Encouraging Positive Behaviors: Summary • Expectations will not be consistently demonstrated without motivation and reinforcement. • Building genuine positive relationships is critical to encourage positive behavior. • Positive feedback should be given four times more often than corrective feedback. • Reinforcement can be done in a variety of ways and a system needs to be in place to ensure frequency. Remember: Earned = Kept!

31. Activity: Classroom Plan, Section 3 • With your tablemates, discuss ways that reinforcements or rewards have been useful in “real-world” environments. • Discuss how you would prefer to be acknowledged or recognized for your work or performance. • Complete this section of your Classroom Plan.

32. Part 5: Basics of Behavior

33. Activity: ABCs (alternate) • Read the scenarios on the following page. • Determine the function of the behavior. • What data would you need to collect in order to develop the appropriate interventions?

35. Functions of Behavior Behavior has two major functions: • To get something • preferred task or activity • attention of an adult or peer • a specific item or object • sensory input • To avoid something • a specific task or activity • an adult or child • a specific item or object • sensory overload

36. Function Based Interventions: Function of Avoidance • Student behavior may be overt or subtle. • Usually occurs when a student is facing an undesirable task or class. • Behavior reoccurs in specific situations.

37. Function Based Interventions: Examples of Avoidance Behaviors • Saying “I don’t want to do this!” • Complaining of being sick • Making excuses • Asking unrelated comments • Putting head down • Asking to use the bathroom • Asking to see another teacher • Being tardy • Finding other things to do in class

38. Function Based Interventions: Strategies for Avoidance Behaviors • Modify instruction and give student choices. • Teach students what to do when faced with a situation they are trying to avoid. • Provide attainable goals. • Create appropriate methods for taking a break.

39. Function Based Interventions: Strategies for Avoidance Behaviors, continued • Collect data to help determine what student is avoiding. • Talk privately with student to reveal the reasons for frequent escapes. • Avoid embarrassing student and escalating situation.

40. Function Based Interventions: Function of Gaining • Student behavior may be overt or subtle. • Student could seek to gain attention, tangible item, or an activity. • Attention could be desired from peers and/or teacher.

41. Function Based Interventions: Examples of Gaining Behaviors • Frequently needs feedback from adults • Whines, cries or complains • Focuses on others’ sensitive issues • Enjoys being class clown • Is disrespectful or hostile • Hoarding or stealing items • Spending time on preferred activity instead of assigned task

42. Function Based Interventions: Strategies for Gaining Behaviors • Teach appropriate behaviors to gain attention, items, or activity. • Reinforce desired behavior and use planned ignoring for misbehavior. • If behavior cannot be ignored, rather than acknowledge student individually, remind the class of expectations. • Plan a time to give the student feedback on a regular basis.

43. Activity: Function Based Interventions Practice • Choose one of the scenarios to read. • List antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. • Note possible function(s) of the behavior(s). • Answer the following question: Given the scenario, what is likely to happen the next time the situation occurs? • Describe at least two possible intervention strategies.

44. Function Based Interventions Practice

45. Scenario One: Mark Mrs. Smith’s class is outside preparing to play a game of kickball. The students were told to go behind home plate. “Okay, let’s all take turns kicking the ball,” she says. All of the children except Mark scrambled for a place in line so they could have a turn. Mark is somewhat overweight, has poor motor skills, and wears thick glasses for nearsightedness. When the teacher noticed that he had left the group, she looked around frantically before spotting him kicking a nearby tree. “Mark, if you can’t be a team player, go back inside with Mr. Martinez.” Mark hurries into Mr. Martinez’s class.

46. Scenario Two: Kathleen Kathleen and several other students were told they couldn’t play with the play dough because there wasn’t enough to go around, and they needed to color instead. As the other children were playing with their play dough, Kathleen walked over, took the play dough from another student’s hand, and put it in her desk. Then, using her fist, she bashed the play dough figures of the classmate sitting next to her. When the student protested, the teacher came over and told Kathleen to apologize to the student. She allowed Kathleen to keep the play dough.

47. Scenario Three: Rachel Rachel dresses in black everyday, rarely interacts with teachers or peers, writes and distributes poems and stories about witchcraft and other science fiction topics. When approached or confronted by teachers, she pulls the hood of her black sweatshirt or coat over her head and walks away. Mystified by her behavior, teachers usually shake their heads and just let her walk away. Recently, she has begun talking to her dead grandmother in class. The other students are frightened by her and teachers just ignore her.

48. Part 6: Responding to Problem Behavior

49. Activity: Intro to Consequences • On the chart paper at your table, make a list of all the behavior consequences you’ve seen used (or that have been used “on” you) that are effective. • Be prepared to explain why they are effective. • Choose a person to share with the group.

50. Responding to Problem Behavior: Characteristics of Logical Consequences Respectful • The teacher’s words and tone of voice communicate respect for the student. • The focus is on the behavior rather than on the student’s character. • EX. A child pushes another student and the teacher says, “Stop pushing,” rather than, “Stop being a bully.” Relevant • The consequence is directly related to the problem behavior or actions. • EX. A group of children are working together and spend the time talking about the weekend, rather than working. A logical consequence would be that those students do not work together for the rest of the day. Realistic • The consequence must be something the students can reasonably do and that the teacher can monitor and manage. • EX. A child writes on a desk, he would be asked to clean that desk.