Katie’s blog

I am very strict with children in and out of the classroom setting, but I am nervous about classroom management for next year.  I am currently working on my Classroom Management class for my elementary teaching certification.  Based on jobs I have applied to for next year, I will be teaching anywhere from first to seventh grade.  Very different!  I am looking at public schools, public schools in critical needs areas, charter schools, and private schools.  I have read, heard, and discussed differing opinions about whether classroom management techniques differ across these environments.  

This blog states some of my observations and questions as I explore this topic.  I would LOVE any comments about the readings or my questions based on others’ experiences.  I just finished reading the Reluctant Disciplinarian by Gary Rubinstein; I am in the middle of The First Days of School by Harry and Rosemary Wong, and I have interviewed Dr. Monroe about classroom management.  

I originally sensed a disconnect from the advice in the Reluctant Disciplinarian that suggests being a formal teacher that does not get to know the students, at least not during class time, and the commonly given advice to create a strong classroom culture of teamwork, high expectations and work ethics, and respect.  How do I make students feel welcomed and respected, while simultaneously maintaining order in the classroom?  In my experience, building community often involves team-building activities that occur outside of the traditional classroom environment.  Last year I taught art, so my classes naturally incorporated group work and non-traditional school activities.   Dr. Monroe answered some of my questions from her experience:

1.    Classroom procedures, routines, and rules DO create a sense of community and respect because children understand what is expected of them and when to do what.  They then take more responsibility for their learning.  
2.    However, classroom procedures require an incredible amount of time to plan and implement.  A teacher must be extremely organized to effectively run the classroom.
3.    All procedures must be practiced, regardless of the age of the students.  It is very hard to “waste time” rehearsing procedures too much, especially with younger students.  

I am still wondering about this suggestion in the Reluctant Disciplinarian, who explains that handing out textbooks is a “must.”  Does the handing out of text-books really matter, or is it the message that you are a serious teacher with serious work that has clear objectives and is leading somewhere that matters more?  

Dr. Monroe explained that classroom management is the same in all schools.  However, the more chaotic the school environment, the longer it might take students to adjust to the particular organized routines and procedures of your classroom.  I do not have any first-hand experience to back that statement up.  Does anyone else have experiences that confirm or refute her idea?

Finally, below are notes from my discussion with Dr. Monroe.  Again, I would be interested in experiences that confirm or refute these classroom management suggestions.

•    Have 3-5 class rules, and state them in the positive so students picture what you want them to do, rather than what you don’t want them to do.  For example, say, “Walk in the building” instead of “Don’t run.”
•    Classroom structure provides choice and freedom, encourages participation, and student responsibility.
•    It’s okay to smile, just make sure you:
•    Be fair
•    Be confident
•    Be prepared and “on your game”
•    Be consistent, students should be able to count on your reaction to situations
•    Rewards should be fostered more than punishments.  For example, in a transition, praise the student that is doing what you want them to do, rather than the student that is fooling around.  Often the student who was fooling around will correct his/her behavior (this especially works for elementary students)
•    Make the consequences clear so that the students choose the consequences.  Always provide choice.  An example is to issue a warning (something the Reluctant Disciplinarian disagrees with), and then take away something, in an elementary classroom it might be choice time, then send a note home, then to the principal.  She said it was important to have a hierarchical structure of how kids get in trouble, though she is not advocating her particular one.
•    Make positive calls home as well as negative calls.
•    Send home (for elementary) weekly reports with academic work and behavior of the week.  The behavior is another “graded” system.  
•    Build a system into your classroom for student recognition.  
•    Control much of your classroom with PEP: Proximity, eye contact, and privacy.  
•    Use humor, but not sarcasm (in any grade)
•    Have procedures for EVERYTHING, including bathroom, what to do when you come into the room, how to sharpen a pencil, how to leave at the end of the day, how to pass in papers, etc.  
•    On the first day of school, rehearse the procedures you will need first, and only do 3-5 procedures.  
•    When you practice procedures model, have them model, then you model doing it wrong and have them correct you.  
•    You are paid to never give up on a child.  
•    Make sure your grade book is very organized.  
•    Reflect on your own practices.
•    Meet with individual students when necessary.