Michelle Birks' input on Classroom Management

1. Ideally we would like our classrooms to run smoothly all the time but each year we are faced with at least one disruptive student.
2. Prevention is better than cure: The following strategies have worked quite well in my FP classroom and seem to minimise disruptive behaviour:

·         Classroom organisation

-Seating in groups, boy/girl seated together

-On day 1, I show the students where to put their books when entering the room (without me asking them to)

-Collectors are chosen who hand out worksheets and books

-I write the agenda on the board every morning – this prevents uncertainty and gives the students a sense of security. They know what to expect during their morning with me.

-I greet each child as they enter my class. This gives me a sense of how each child is feeling that day.

·         Essential agreement and routines

-Rules (essential agreement) are established together with the students on the first day of school. Rules are signed by each student and stuck in their books and displayed on the wall.

-They all know what is expected of them

-Routines such as lining up and transitions are explained in the first few days of the new year. This takes a bit of time to practise and get right but saves much valuable time the rest of the year.

·         Being prepared

-Being well- prepared makes you feel confident

-You can focus on instruction and monitor your students. Your full attention and focus is then on the students and they don’t have to wait for you to get the lesson ready. This minimises disruptive behaviour too.

·         Preventing discipline problems

-REMIND the student that his/her behaviour is out of line

-WARNING – I write the students name on the board and then they know that they have to spend a portion of their break inside. If they behave for the remainder of the lesson though, I rub their name off (the ball is in their court).

-CONSEQUENCES- Follow through with the consequence that you gave them!! Otherwise they won’t believe you next time! Obviously the consequence must be appropriate for the age of the student as well as the misdemeanour.

* I always think about how I would want the child to be treated if he/she was my child.

**Some children need more ‘vanilla’ and less ‘rocky road’. They might work better alone instead of in a group and may need more direction/assistance during the day. Once you know your students and how they react in certain situations, it’s easier to anticipate their behaviour and prevent bad behaviour.

***Not every approach works well with every child.

       Be consistent in expectations and consequences. If you ignore  

       misbehaviours one day and the next day jump on a student for the 

       smallest infraction, your students will lose respect for you. You will then

       lose their attention during  future lessons.

       Be firm but fair – never belittle or label a student. It’s their behaviour   

       that is wrong / unacceptable. If a student continuously misbehaves, I 

       arrange a parent-teacher conference to deal with the situation.

APP that you might find useful: Classroom management essentials (R119)