A Great Online Classroom Management Resource
February 3, 2010 by admin
Filed under Classroom Management and Organization
Smartclassroommanagement.com has checklists, tips and resources on how to create an effective classroom management plan to teach successfully.
Michael Linsin, author of Dream Class and the creator of the site, has years of experience in successfully managing a classroom and writes in a clear and very practical way that is often hard to find especially in the area of classroom management.
I especially liked his last post, “Your Daily Checklist for Effective Classroom Management.” Since teaching is a process of ups and downs, we constantly need to be reminded of how we can be more mentally prepared to tackle the day.
Check it out!
27 Classroom Management Tips on Using Time Out Effectively
November 13, 2009 by admin
Filed under Classroom Management and Organization
Teachers all across the country use TIME-OUT to modify disruptive behavior. However, through no fault of their own, some actually use TIME-OUT unconstructively. Do not feel badly about this. Many educators make mistakes here. We all tend to teach the way we were taught and parented; and some of us did not have perfect J teachers/parents.
Below are suggestions for classroom teachers that will not only improve this method, but decrease greatly the referrals that are sent to the out-of-class TIME-OUT, or to in-house suspensions, and greatly cut the “referrals to the office.”
Also, the less you refer students outside your class for TIME-OUT, the less discipline problems you will have in your class. Often, getting rid of the student only side-steps the problem short-term, but actually increases many behavior problems long-term.
Why?
* To refer students outside your class less gives you more “control” in class;
* To refer students outside your class sends the message to your students: “She is out of power”.
* Some students may “like” going out of the class as negative attention. So, inadvertently, for some, you are actually not discouraging their disruptive behavior.
* By handling the problem with better TIME-OUT in-class you will motivate them to behave more in class.
* Such also does not send the message to your administration: “She cannot handle these behaviors in her class very well.”
* Finally, if you can do more TIME-OUT in class, when you finally have to resort to referring a student out of your class, this last-resort step will be more effective.
My suggestions:
1.Do not use any suggestion unless you feel congruent with it. However, it may not be your style at first until you try it and practice it for a while. Do not persist in your old style just because it is comfortable. It is worth re-training yourself for an addition to your style – which can then make you more effective.
2. Since TIME-OUT is a punishment, and since rewards always work better than punishments, before you resort to TIME-OUT make sure your classroom has enough adequate reward systems that can often better stem misbehavior.* [For suggestions for many reward-systems, see my book: Preventing Classroom Discipline Problems starting on p. 306 at: http://www.panix.com/~pro-ed/]
3.Also, before you resort to TIME-OUT, you should be using as many lesson plan engagement methods in your lessons as possible.* The more you can give them ways to act into the lesson, the less they will “act-out”. [See my book, Chapter Fourteen: 89 Engagement Methods at:]
Then, if you still need to resort to TIME-OUT, keep these in mind:
4. Work on designing and using TIME-OUT better in your class to not refer students out of your class. Here’s how:
5. TIME-OUT is not for the student’s feelings. It is a reprimand about the student’s behavior. If John is upset and throws something, reprimand this behavior and put him in TIME-OUT for the behavior. Do not, at this time, help him with his upset feelings. Give him the message, in your congruent way:“ John, I warned you two times that if you…you will get TIME-OUT.” If he says, “But Jeff was…” Ignore this, and focus only on John’s behavior. “John, I won’t discuss this now; for throwing, you go in TIME-OUT for 6 minutes; no discussion!”
6. Resist, at this time, the feeling you have to solve these feelings the student is having about the upset. Sorry, do not try to resolve hurt or angry feelings, nor nurture a student, sympathize, or show caring now. Nurturing is not always growth producing.
7. We must teach students that regardless of the feelings involved, you cannot behave this way. Teach them to make this separation between feelings and behavior. And train yourself to separate these.
8. At another more appropriate time, you can, if you wish, help with the feelings.
9.Create “warning steps” that lead to putting a student in TIME-OUT.
10.Do not put a student into TIME-OUT at the first or even the second infraction. Using TIME-OUT too much weakens its effectiveness.
11.Instead, have at least 3 warnings/steps before the student must go in TIME-OUT.
12. You can use color/cards, e.g., yellow, orange, red; demerits, lost points… or any other system, as long as the students know when they get to warning, e.g., 3 or color red, they get TIME-OUT.
13.You can use: pp. 285 – 293 in my book at:http://www.panix.com/~pro-ed/ for Twenty One Guidelines to help you best create your own warning steps.
14. Create a space in your classroom where you can put a student into TIME-OUT. This space needs to be a place where the student gets no attention from you or the other students. The student can be in a corner, behind a room divider [worth the money!], her back to you and the class, certainly not in front of the room, etc. This space also needs to be a safe place for the student, e.g. seeable by you, not near scissors, or an open window, etc.
15. This TIME-OUT space in your classroom is even more effective if your seating arrangement in your class is usually in some kind of circle, or horseshoe, so that students generally can see each other – instead rows that just face you. Why? Because then they go from getting attention and being part of the class, e.g. in the circle, to the isolated TIME-OUT space. They then feel the deprivation of attention even more.
16. Again, this student in TIME-OUT gets no attention from you or others for as long as s/he is in TIME-OUT.
17. She needs to be in TIME-OUT with the ability to see a timer or clock. You should be able to say: “When it is 2:10pm, you can come out of TIME-OUT; or when the big hand is on the 10; or when the cooking timer bell rings….
18. Generally, you can estimate that a student should be in TIME-OUT for minutes = to ½ his age. If he is 8, giving him 4 minutes in TIME-OUT is generally “appropriately uncomfortable” for that age. Whereas, a 6 year old should only get 3 minutes. However, if you feel the child is “fragile”, you can reduce the time. Or if you feel the child is a repeat-offender that day, you can increase the time.
19. Notice: I say: “repeat-offender that day”. Always wipe the slate clean at each new day.
20.When you put the student in TIME-OUT, tell him: “John, for doing… you get 4 minutes in TIME-OUT.” Tell him the exact time he must stay in TIME-OUT.
21.You may also tell him that if he refuses to go in TIME-OUT, there will be a next more severe consequence [plan one!]. Or if he comes out of TIME-OUT before the 4 minutes, you will, e.g., double the amount of time in TIME-OUT.
22.When the child goes into TIME-OUT remind him of the behavior that gave him TIME-OUT. “John, this is for throwing….”
23.And when he comes out of TIME-OUT, ask him to repeat: “Why did you get TIME-OUT?” Again, this is not the time to discuss feelings. Keep the focus on what behavior is not allowed in your class.
24. You can then have a system where, e.g., if the student gets two? TIME-OUTS in one day they must do, e.g., an extra worksheet, or one for homework, or have it signed by a parent, or you will call the parent. Whatever system you decide. Notice: you need to plan your system of warnings. [See my book: http://www.panix.com/~pro-ed/ pp. 285 – 293 for to help you with guidelines for warning steps.]
25. However, notice on p. 291: Call in a third party as late in your warning steps as possible; for example: a parent, or referring the student to the out-of-class TIME-OUT. You should thus have given at least 3 warnings for each TIME-OUT, the student should have had at least 2 TIME-OUTS with longer and longer times, given a worksheet he must do…before you call in a third party or refer the student to out-of-class TIME-OUT. [Remember: for some students going to out-of-class TIME-OUT becomes attractive negative attention and thus defeats your ability to curtail disruptive behavior in your class in general.]
26. I suggest that the out-of-class TIME-OUT teacher request from the referring teacher:
* A clear statement of the behavior that warranted this out-of-class TIME-OUT.
* The list of the warning steps and in-class TIME-OUTS that previewed this referral.
* [The out-of-class TIME-OUT teacher may want to create a standard form that all teachers have to fill in and require this filled-in form of referring teachers; and keep a record of which teachers tend to resort to out-of-class TIME-OUT often, too often?]
27. In the out-of-class TIME-OUT, the same guidelines I suggested above should apply: separate feelings/behavior, specify the time to be served, and no attention. For example: talking to the student about what he did or nurturing his/her feelings is giving attention to that student. Do not fall into this. You can talk to the student after s/he serves TIME-OUT. Going to out-of-class TIME-OUT should not be pleasant or a place to get negative attention.
* “Using Time-Out Effectively in the Classroom”, Teaching Exceptional Children, March 1, 2007,
Ryan, Joseph B; Sanders, Sharon; Katsiyannis, Antonis; Yell, Mitchell L
Implementing these will take time, and practice, and following through. Tell the students your “new” policy, even print it out, or send it home for parents to know as a “contract”. Using these suggestions will not only improve your class, but your whole school.
For more help with Classroom Management in general go to: http://classroommanagementonline.com/index.html
The next session of this online course/seminar starts on Nov. 30, 09.
Or, you can contact Prof. Seeman at: Hokaja@aol.com
Parent-Teacher Conference Advice and Tips
October 23, 2009 by admin
Filed under Teaching Tips
from Prof. Howard Seeman at:www.ClassroomManagementOnline.com
First: only do these suggestions below only if you feel congruent with them. Generally, we have less constructive impact on our students if we are not authentically ourselves as we teach.
As I say at: www.ClassroomManagementOnline.com : “Don’t try to be the TEACHER. Instead, try to be YOURSELF while you teach.” More tips about classroom management at my site. However, for now, regarding these Parent/Teacher Conferences:
A. In order to get as many parents as possible to attend these conferences, you or your school might try to:
1- ask the parents when they are available and schedule the conferences accordingly;
2- schedule any siblings into back-to-back appointments;
3- have translators available;
4- schedule the appointment and send two reminders;
5- call and re-schedule a no-show as soon as possible.
B. Have a system for how parents see you, e.g., a sign up sheet outside your door: with your name, class, your child is:…, parent’s name, phone no. ?, please print, etc. And a table and some chairs for waiting parents.
C. Since many parents may not speak English well, if you can, try to have someone with you who can translate for you and them, e.g., Spanish. [Do not use another student; such will violate privacy.] Usually non-native language parents can listen much better than they can speak, and also can read better than they can speak. So, speak slowly; they can listen/understand better when you do that. And, try to write out things for them. Then, be very patient about their ability to tell you their side of the story.
D. Have on the walls or black board some helpful information.
E. You may want to have your students write their parents a short letter in the class - just before parents-day. Then, you can start off your conference with: the parent reading this letter. You can ask them to write about, e.g., things they’ve liked, favorite subject, something that is hard, tell their parents they love them and appreciate their coming, etc. Such is often a great start to the conference with the parent.
F. You probably need to open with: “Hi, your son/daughter is:…?”
G. “Thank you for taking the time to come here.” “How can we I best use this time for you?”
H. It is always best to listen to these parents first, before you talk. Parents may be coming in with upsets/angers; if they are allowed to vent first and you show understanding, the meeting goes much better.
I. Do not interrupt, even if you disagree, for now. Say: “I understand how
you feel….” You can make input after they feel more understood.
J. If they do not start first, come prepared with some questions, e.g., “Are you concerned about any particular area for your daughter/son?”
K. You may want to review with them what you have already or recently been teaching in your classes, and what is coming up next, maybe on a hand-out sheet that you can give them, or on the black board.
L. Be prepared and organized to easily access any grades, work, or evaluations about each student; some that you can actually show the parents. You may want to go over these the night before, especially regarding students who are in “trouble”.
M. Always start out with what the student is doing well; the more the parents here these, the more they will be able to take in what s/he needs to work on. Then:
1. Focus your comments on things that can be changed.
2. Limit the number of suggestions so that parents are not overwhelmed.
3. Avoid jargon. *
N. Explain your grading system or reward/punishment system. [Hopefully, this went out in a hand-out early in the marking period. Have it available to review with the parents, if necessary.]
O. If you are meeting because of a student’s academic progress or lack of progress, you can recommend that the student be placed on a behavior sheet/homework tracker, either via your computer. [See: http://classroom-management-tips.suite101.com/article.cfm/class_homework_assignments ]
or a sheet you design. This helps the student [and parent] organize him or herself while holding them accountable for his or her behavior. The sheet goes home to the parents often and they have to sign it and send it back to school with their son or daughter. Explain that this form of communication will make an ongoing communication between the student/teachers and his/her parents.
P. Try to form a working-together contract with the parent. “We can work as a team here. This is what I will be doing. Can you support and reinforce some of these at home?” “Perhaps, we can write this out and show him/her, and have him/her even sign it?”
Q. Keep in mind that every parent is worried: “Am I being a good parent?” Try to reassure them here, that parenting is very difficult. [Share with them, if you have been or are a parent]. Reassure them that: I am sure you are doing the best that you can.
R. Your main guideline should be to listen a lot. Your talking often helps less than they feeling that you listen, do not interrupt or judge them and that they walk away feeling understood, and got a chance to vent.
S. Also, watch the time: too much time with one parent, makes all the other waiting parents angry, who may not have been.
T. At the end, again: “Thank them again for coming.”
U. More tips:
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4194
http://www.teachingheart.net/parentteacherconference.html
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Tips/Parent_Teacher_Conferences/
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4195
Unfortunately, the parents that usually show up to these conferences are usually the parents of the students doing well; too often the parents of the students who need the most help – sadly do not show up. This is a tell-tale symptom: a child who has a parent with little time or resources to parent well – is usually a child struggling. And, it is very hard for a teacher to make up for all these deficiencies. [But, some of you do save some students.Then, you deserve great awards! - instead of the insufficient appreciation you often get.]
More at: www.ClassroomManagementOnline.com
The next sharing seminar starts on Nov. 30. Join us?
A Teacher’s Back-to-School Supply List
August 17, 2009 by admin
Filed under Classroom Management and Organization
By Howard Seeman, Ph.D
Each summer, teachers send home to parents a list of school supplies students will need during the upcoming school year. Until now, however, little thought has been given to the school supplies teachers might find useful. Noted educator Howard Seeman corrects that oversight with this back-to-school list for the well-equipped teacher. Included: Twenty-seven must-have items.
1. A piece of chalk -- in case the classroom you're assigned to has none.
2. An eraser or small rag -- in case the classroom you're assigned to has none.
3. A piece of colored chalk -- in case you want to underscore something.
4. A few rubber bands -- in case you need to band some things together.
5. A pad of sticky-notes -- in case you want to stick a note onto something.
6. A mechanical lead pencil -- because they're always sharp, don't require a pencil sharpener, and are fine, clear, and erasable.
7. Press-on white labels (either address label size or one-line width labels) -- so you can white out or label anything.
8. A black ink ballpoint pen -- for making carbon copies or for writing that's more reproducible by a copier than that produced by a blue ink pen.
9. A package of 3 x 5 cards -- for class participation exercises, sort-able notes, hall passes…
10. A yellow highlighter pen -- to highlight points in your lesson plan that you inadvertently omitted, need to review….
11. A colored pen -- to write evaluative notes on students' tests, homework…
12. Loose-leaf reinforcements -- to keep pages from falling out of your binder.
13. Wet-wash pad or wipes -- for quick cleanups.
14. A single-edged razor blade (instead of bulky scissors) -- for cutting out magazine articles, pictures... They usually come with a protective cardboard over the blade.
15. A small tin of aspirin -- in case of a headache.
16. Some large and small paper clips -- to clip together homework or test papers from particular class periods.
17. A piece of carbon paper -- in case you want to keep a copy of notes you write to parents or students.
18. A see-through plastic pencil case -- to carry all the above items.
19. An appointment book -- to keep track of weekly appointments, things to do…
20. A cell phone.
21. A grade book -- for taking attendance, checking homework, giving credit for class participation…
22. A pad of newsprint (rolled up?) -- to make notes on; especially useful when you'll teach the same lesson more than once-- in different rooms.
23. A magic marker or two -- to make notes with.
24. A small stapler -- for securely posting items on a bulletin board or attaching papers.
25. Cardboard -- to place over a door or window to cut down on hallway distractions.
26. A small can of machine oil -- in case a squeaky seat or door distracts students.
27. This list -- to check over a couple of days before school starts.
This is just one of helpful things you will learn at: Pro-Ed Media: Classroom Management Online PREVENTING discipline problems.
The next session starts on Oct. 5 and goes till Nov. 16.
