Classroom Culture

This category is what many people refer to as Classroom Management, but it goes beyond management because you can have a great classroom management plan and struggle to succeed. Focusing on the overall culture of the classroom, beyond implementing the "Plan" can get you closer to your goal of having successful students.

Procedures

Different authors will use various terms for this category. Some will shy away from the use of the word discipline because most people think of it as punitive. Others will interchange discipline plan and management plan. Rather than focusing on which term is correct, I want to look at the successful techniques in each category. There are a few terms that will help us focus as we navigate this element of classroom culture.

Procedure: Teacher established process for efficient and productive execution of recurring tasks or action the the classroom

System: Combination of related procedures that help teachers accomplish goals

Routine: Procedure or system that has become automatic.

Daily First Impression:

Greet them at the door. Positive greeting establishing the transition from previous class/activity to yours. Position yourself so you can interact with each student entering the room and see the rest of the students inside the classroom.

Strong Start:

Class begins as soon as students walk through the door. There is an established routine for getting students from the door to their Bell Work, from Bell Work to Review and transitioning into the main lesson.

Efficient Procedures

K.I.S.S.-Teach students the simplest way to complete a task. Other methods may be more fun, but ultimately take away from your overall goal. Simplicity allows you to get to the next stage of learning sooner.

Speed-Show students the fastest way to complete a task correctly or to transition to the next task. Doing so may only save seconds at a time, but those seconds add up. Practice procedures with a timer.

Concise Language-Convey your message in as few words as possible. The goal is students internalizing the procedure enough that they don't need you to constantly talk them through the process.

Precise Planning-Plan for every step in the process, including what you will say. Have materials ready ahead of time, don't waste class time passing out books and resources if it can be done ahead of time.

Routine Procedure:

In medicine, no procedure is routine. In education our goal is that all of our procedures become routines. We do that by rehearsing and reinforcing until it becomes habitual. To get to this point the teacher must be clear about her expectations, consistent and patient. Once a procedure is routine, it needs to be properly reinforced on occasion to keep it on track.

Step by Step: When you are laying out your procedures, break it into steps and rehears it step by step.

Show and Tell: Show students how you want them to complete the task as you describe (Tell) how to do it in detail.

Rehearse: Practice the procedure and provide feedback. A coach doesn't let the players continue to run a play incorrectly. A director doesn't let the actors drop lines or miss their cues. In both cases, feedback is provided so the performance is better the next time.

Rent to Own: As students prove they are successful at the procedures it shifts to routine or habit and they begin to take ownership without you needing to oversee the entire process. When you sense they can do it without your guidance or with less guidance, give that autonomy to them in that area and only take it back for limited times to correct or reinforce.

It is never too late to reset or establish procedures and routines. So if you find yourself in a position that you need to do so, here are some ideas for conveying the reason for the change to your students.

Connect the reset to a goal (30 days until semester test)
Reset after a break
Be transparent-explain why you are resetting. It could be as simple as "We have moved away from the way we learned to do this in the beginning and we are going to get back in the habit...."
Have students model the correct way to do it.

Any time you feel like the procedures are not up to expectations, do it again. Give a definite goal when you repeat the process like completely the procedure in less time, with fewer disruptions, etc., with the intention of getting students to strive to do their best to complete the task. Remember the goal is the procedure is internalized.

These procedures and practices may seem more restrictive at first, but the more routines you have established in your classroom the less restrictive it feels. Think of them like traffic laws, if everyone follows the laws traffic flows smoothly. When someone breaks the law it can harm others.

Behavior Expectations

The goal of effective teachers is 100% of students engaged 100% of the time. This may seem like an impossible task, but there are some techniques that can help you get closer to that goal.

Radar: Take the time to develop and improve your radar. This is the habit of consistently scanning the room. Just like a radar, you are scanning the surroundings, sweeping the air, collecting information about what is happening. Be intentional about what you look for, looks of confusion, distraction, frustration, disengagement. Most people stand at the front of the room and scan back and forth, but by moving towards the corner you can actually scan the room with much less effort.

Get caught looking: Students will test the boundaries around them. If they notice weaknesses in those boundaries they will exploit them. They will periodically check to see if you are watching them. When you notice something/someone engaging in behavior outside of what is expected, let them know you saw them. You don't even need to say anything or get upset. Making eye contact and tilting your head, raising an eyebrow or gently shaking your head in disapproval of the action may be all you need to do. Other than that you don't even need to change your expression or get upset. Calling them out may cause more of a disruption.

When you allow students to catch you looking after you give directions, you are adding validity to the information you are sharing. You are letting them know that you think what you say is important and you are checking to see if they are listening and doing what you instructed them to do. If you immediately look down after giving instructions or start to work on something else, it sends a message that what you have asked them to do is not important.

Building Relationships

Interventions

One overlooked way to build relationships is through Interventions. We often think of these as negative, disciplinary and/or corrective actions. If handled correctly, they can strengthen the relationships you have with your students. Here are six intervention techniques to help you strengthen you relationships with students.

Nonverbal Intervention

These are minor corrections to behaviors that are made with a look, hand gesture or position change that don't interrupt instruction. Catch distractions before they become big interruptions. It is critical that this intervention be part of the natural flow of instruction and not take away from the lesson itself. Be consistent with your nonverbal interventions.

Positive Group Correction

These are small verbal cues given to the entire group as a way to refocus the entire group. These should be short words or phrases, and have relatively little impact on the flow of the lesson. Use phrases that describe the expected behavior. Remain positive in tone and immediately return to instruction. Don't call out students by name with this intervention because everyone's focus shifts to that person and you have the opposite of your intended effect.

Anonymous Individual Correction

This could be a followup to the positive group correction, but will narrow the focus. You are not calling out any students, but are defining how many are not performing the expected behavior. "I need two more students to begin writing."

Private Individual Correction (PIC)

If the previous techniques have not worked, it may be time to deal specifically with the individual. To do this, give the class a specific task they can work on while you make this correction, go to the students and privately discuss why the student needs to perform the expected task. Do this in a lowered voice so it is clear you are not wanting to make a spectacle out if the situation and do not make this a power struggle. Focus on the benefits for the student and not on your authority. "Because I said so!" is not an effective interaction.

Private Individual Precise Praise (PIPP)

If the only time you have private conversations with students is when you are correcting behaviors, they are going to dread those interactions. Try to split your time between PICs and PIPPs. This will help build trust with your students. These are not simple "Good jobs!" but need to be precise.

Lightning Quick Public Correction

This is a correction you only want to employ when you absolutely need to. You call out a student by name, describe the correct behavior and praise a group for displaying the correct behavior.

Always keep your composure. When you begin to show how upset you are, the situation quickly escalates and you lose all credibility with your students. You also destroy any positive relationships you established.

You can demand respect from your students, but you will never get it. Respect is earned through trust. Your responses to students should be Firm & Calm. To enable yourself to do this follow these steps.

Catch it early
Value purpose over power
"Thank you" may be your strongest praise statement
Use universal language
Smile
Confirmation Glance
Steady at the helm

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