Classroom Managment Strategies

This is one of those topics that dangles like a carrot, just outside of reach. Just when I think I have mastered classroom management, I have a student that defies all logic, a lesson that spirals out of control, a group funk that leaves me scratching my head. Hard as it may be to create the “perfect” classroom, here are some tactics that I have come across, and others that I have tried over the years, that help pave the way.

Respect, Respect, Respect:

No matter what happens in the classroom, let students know that respect is GOLDEN. I have a zero tolerance for disrespect: towards myself, towards other students, towards the self.

It is simple. This is a POSITIVE space and anything negative has to be left at the door. That means arguments that might have happened at lunch, negative feelings towards a classmate, or otherwise. I often tell students that in the real world, lots of people come to work with problems on their minds, but the most important thing is to realize that once your at work, all that matters is work! It is almost liberating to think you can leave everything behind in the classroom, have a fresh start.

No name calling, no hands-on others persons or self, and NO losing your cool.

Students who put themselves down: I write sticky notes for students who beat themselves up and stick it on their desk. It says: “start by getting on the bicycle.” This is the metaphor we use for trying something new. How can you learn to ride unless you get on, and yes, maybe fall off once or twice! There is no such thing as “I can’t” or “I don’t know”, only “I am learning, I will get there.” Students quickly learn that this negative language doesn’t get them anywhere.

Students who disrespect the teacher or others: be clear that you do not tolerate disrespect. Name it: I do not like name calling or shouting. Give students time to “cool off” with a trip to the water fountain or, if that won’t work, meet the student in the hall. It might take time away from the other students, but chances are, the other students will be happy for the reprieve.

I have often found that when a student is being completely irrational, and my choices aren’t working for them, there is something else going on entirely. Recently a student yelled at me and started crying when I asked her to stop drawing and work on the task at hand. I explained to her that yelling at me was not okay. I asked her to get a drink of water and meet me in the hall. When I finally met her (I took a moment to cool down too!), I asked how everything was going and finally got down to the real problem, which had nothing to do with me or the lesson. “Okay, it is important for you to remember the golden rule: this classroom is a positive space. Do you think that your anger about this other issue is affecting other people?” Yes “Do you think that is fair to the people who came here to work today?” No. “What would you like to do next?” Leave the problem outside and get some work done. “I think that is an excellent choice.” The student went to far as to apologize to the class (and me) and got down to work.

And yes… when things are just not going well, a trip to the principal might be in order!

In short, respect yourself, respect others and always always be model positive behavior.

“Managing” Ground Rules:

This is the most basic tactic for managing students. After all, when we are talking about “managing” we are not talking about a power struggle. Instead, we are trying to establish one person as the group leader who is capable of “getting the job done.” A manager’s job is to bring out the best in his coworkers, which means a) knowing their talents, b) knowing their boundaries and c) communicating clearly.

Effective managers build personal relationships with their team. This comes naturally in a classroom environment; but for substitute teachers, it can be more difficult. One of the ways I create report right off the bat is by laying down by ground rules. My system is easy: if you work hard, help others, show respect, etc, students earn a check mark next to their name. Three or more check marks at the end of the day earns that student a starburst. The student with the most check marks wins a prize (something silly and small, like a yoyo). The system also has a flip side. If you don’t listen, distract others, show disrespect, you will earn a circle. Three or more circles and time will come out of your [break/lunch/ other.].

Be specific, write your expectations on the board or on a poster. Better yet, have students come up with the system themselves. How would they like to be rewarded? What will the class deem a “no go”?

Finally, follow through ALWAYS. But fairness is key! Students often ask, once they have incurred a circle, if they have any chance of getting a check mark. “Of course!” I say. “You can cancel out that circle without a problem. By the end of the day I am sure we can forget it was even there.”

Know thy Students:

Whatever it takes, get to know your students by name ASAP, (and not just the “naughty ones.”) They will be so impressed that you remembered them and reptor will be built between you.

I am a visual learner so I remember students  by drawing a desk plan or, better yet, having students create name tags.

Use their names often! “Thank you ___” “what to you think _____” “That was an interesting answer, could you tell me your name again.”

Be sure to ask students, as you are doing attendance, if you have pronounced their name correctly, and if they prefer “Mike or Michael” etc.

Counting down:

The good ol’ 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Rule. This one works like a charm with younger students, who, like Pavlov predicts, hear that menacing “five” and jump to attention.

But will it work on older students? what do you do when you get to zero?

I found myself at zero not too long ago; and so, I kept counting… “negative 1, negative 2.” The students stopped in their tracks. “Every minute in the negative is time out of your day… it might be PE, it might be time out of your break.” I drew two tick marks up on the board. “Can we earn that time back?” a student asked. “Of course! If you work hard, listen well and help others around the room, I am sure we can come up with a plan.”

By the end of the day I was practically floating, I couldn’t believe how well the students worked together. What this tactic taught me was that students really just need to know boundaries are in place. If you give an inch… well, you know.

The “Bubble”

This is one of my favorites. It works best over the long term. I ask students to imagine a bubble, a really really really big bubble. The classroom sits at the center of the bubble. We can be noisy at the center, have fun, be a little silly. But when we leave the classroom, we move closer to the edge, which means we have to tighten up a bit, be quieter, control ourselves,  etc. What this means is that when we are walking in the hallway, we need to be quiet and orderly. When we go on a field trip we are even closer to the center and need to be as orderly as possible.

I am not sure why this one works so well. I suppose any metaphor would work as well. But when my students line up to go to the library, all I have to say is “bubble” and they quiet down. If we are coming back from assembly, I say “bubble, please” and they get into line and look like the Vantrap Family.

I can’t think of a time where the students “popped” the bubble, but I am sure that the visual of doing so would have stuck in their minds!

What it comes down to, I think, is the expectation that there are different behaviors for different places. As long as students know your expectations around boundaries, they are at their best.

“My job… your job”:

Students love nothing more than to stretch their muscles once and a while. Often, students will say “Johnny is out of his seat!” “Mary isn’t reading!”

Thank them for noticing and politely say, “I have my job and you have your job, okay?”

What this says to students is that you have things under control. While it is nice that students are accountable to one another, it can become frustrating when students distract the classroom with “policing.”

Choices:

This is my favourite. It works like a charm every time. A student continually turns and chats with their neighbor during quiet time, disrupts others who are working, shows disrespect, or is even having trouble concentrating or getting down to work…

I approach the student and provide two choices: “You can move to this seat up here, or the one at the back. The advantage of this one is that you are close to me, so I can help you if you get stuck, the advantage of the other is that have a little more distance between you and the things that distract you. Which would you like to choose?”

There is no good choice, bad choice. Only good and better.    

I recently asked a student to choose a new seat. He moved to the front, which was still close to his friends. Another student pointed this out. “That’s okay. So and so has chosen this spot. He knows my expectations and I think he made an excellent choice.” A few minutes later, the student in question turned and began distracting his friends. “So and so,” I said, “You made a choice to move here. I wonder now which was the better choice, what do you think?” He quickly answered that he thought it was the best choice. I was amazed to see a total transformation in his behavior. He worked well for the rest of the day!

Another time, a student pulled out their iPod and started to listen to it while I was giving instructions. (This happens A LOT, when I am subbing FYI… iPod, iPhone, personal device… out they come!). I finished my instructions and went over to the student.

“I would like you to put that away, please.”

“I heard everything you said.”

“Thank you. That makes me happy. But I have a zero device rule in the classroom. I will give you the choice of putting it away, or giving it to me to hang on to.”

The student flipped. He was outraged. Calmly, I gave him two new choices. “You have the choice to go for a drink to cool down and think about my first request, or you can cool down here and follow through with my request.”

The student chose to get a drink. He came back to the room, handed me the iPod and apologized.

What I like the most about choices is that it puts the power into the hands of the students. It leaves them accountable for their actions. I had a student approach me one day and say, “You made my friend go out in the hallway. Why did you do that?”

I told him, “Your friend made the choice. He had two options and he chose to go in the hallway to get some space.”

“Oh” he says, “I didn’t know. Sorry.”

Choices should be equatable and concrete. Include a rational in the choice: you can move here where it is close to me or there where it is far from distraction. This takes away the punitive side of the choice (move here or move there!) and allows students to feel in control of otherwise frustrating situations. You will find that soon they are making choices without you having to interfere. “Mrs. C, can I move to the back where it is quiet?”

Yes! Yes you can!

The Proximity Rule:

This is a tried and true favorite. Picture the students who keep whispering, the students that are fiddling with their pencils, playing the drums on their desk, and all the other little distractions that take away from your lesson. Our automatic response as teachers is to stop the lesson and say “Hey you, stop it!” Even the dreaded “sssshhhh!” or death glare comes to mind.  The truth is, every time you stop, every time you draw attention to these students, you are actually breaking the sequence of student’s sensory-processing abilities.

Sensory processing is the ability to organize information in the nervous system. Every break, every distraction causes the brain to create a new pathway for the information being relayed. THIS is why distractions are so frustrating. In fact, it is also the reason why psychologists continue to boast the merits of hand-writing. If you do not break the sequence of thought, the information will be retained more productively.

So, every time you stop a lesson to call out a student’s behaviour, you are effectively lifting the pen from the paper and breaking the processing pathway. Instead of calling students out, walk around the classroom and stand next to the students who are causing the distraction. You wont have to say a word! Your proximity to the student will be enough for them to get back on task.

In fact, I find that when I explain this concept to students, that is, about the pathways to the brain, they self-regulate. Win-Win!

Keep it Real:

What ever the age, students respond positively to the truth. They know when we are placating, and they REALLY know when you are not being yourself. Don’t be afraid to tell students you have been in their shoes. Tell them stories, and let them see that you are doing your best to live and learn, just like them.

These are just some of the tools I have come across and used in my own classroom. There are about a million more, I am sure. Please leave your own thoughts and methods in the comment space below!

Happy Managing!