| I often have teachers ask me what is the best | | | | keeping students involved in the lesson is the |
| approach to classroom management? | | | | most effective classroom management plan.) |
| As a veteran teacher I have seen far too many | | | | 1. All-Write: Instead of having students raise their |
| teachers fail because of classroom management | | | | hand to respond to a question aloud, have all the |
| problems. (Remember, classroom management | | | | students write down an answer to the teacher's |
| and student achievement are directly related.) | | | | question. Not only will the teacher get much more |
| And, all too often I see teachers resort to all | | | | class participation, but the quality of student |
| types of crazy classroom management plans | | | | responses will also improve. |
| trying to get a handle on student behavior. | | | | 2. Pair/Share: Have students pair up with a |
| Unfortunately, many of these classroom | | | | partner and share their answers before discussing |
| management plans involve elaborate systems of | | | | it as a class. This gives the students a chance to |
| rewards and punishment. For example, writing | | | | respond without the anxiety of speaking in front |
| students names on the board with check marks | | | | of the entire class and also allows the teacher to |
| added next to the name for each inappropriate | | | | "monitor" the room and talk to various students |
| behavior. Not only is this degrading, but the | | | | about their responses. The "pair/share" is great |
| effectiveness of this classroom management plan | | | | teaching strategy to use right after the "all-write" |
| is short-lived at best. In fact, often times this | | | | strategy. |
| classroom management plan can have the exact | | | | 3. On-the-Clock: Give students specific time limits |
| opposite effect on student behavior. | | | | to complete tasks and make sure you stick to |
| Likewise, rewarding students for behavior that is | | | | those time limits. By putting students |
| expected of them sends the absolutely wrong | | | | "on-the-clock" the teacher helps the students stay |
| message. Teachers should not reward a student | | | | focused. I even use an egg timer to make this |
| for acting appropriately in class. Rewarding | | | | teaching strategy even more effective. |
| appropriate behavior is not effective classroom | | | | 4. Check-for-Understanding: Not understanding the |
| management, it is bribery and the students will | | | | teacher's directions is a major cause of classroom |
| come to expect it. Don't get me wrong, I am not | | | | management issues and student behavior |
| speaking about a pizza party or movie after a | | | | problems. Therefore, no matter what set of |
| week in which the students worked well in class. | | | | directions a teacher gives, the teacher should |
| That type of reward is fine as long as it is | | | | always "check-for-understanding" by simply asking |
| unexpected. The type of rewards that are bad | | | | a couple of students (at random) to repeat the |
| are the ones in which the teacher promises | | | | directions back to the class. |
| upfront that if "you behave today, I will give you | | | | 5. Do Now: Effective classroom management |
| a piece of candy." No, the student should behave | | | | starts from the second students walk into the |
| in class because that is what's expected. Little | | | | classroom. Therefore, the "do now" is a short |
| Johnny will not throw his pencil across the room, | | | | assignment that the students are to complete as |
| because it disrupts the learning of the other | | | | soon as they enter the classroom. Personally, I |
| students and can be dangerous, not because he | | | | put up 1-4 review questions on the board every |
| will get candy! | | | | day as the "do now" assignment. The "do now" |
| So, if teachers do not give rewards or | | | | gives the students something to do right away |
| punishments as a classroom management plan, | | | | and is a great opportunity for review. |
| then how do teachers effectively manage student | | | | Remember, effective classroom management is |
| behavior? | | | | not about rewards and punishments. Effective |
| Easy, the key to classroom management is | | | | classroom management is about the teacher |
| keeping students actively involved in the entire | | | | keeping the students actively involved in the |
| lesson. This is done with just a handful of simple | | | | entire lesson. By practicing the teaching strategies |
| teaching strategies. | | | | above, teachers will greatly reduce classroom |
| Here are five effective classroom management | | | | management problems. |
| tips you can use in any classroom regardless of | | | | Adam Waxler is a middle school social studies |
| subject or content area. These classroom | | | | teacher, teacher mentor, and author of "eTeach: |
| management tips will keep all students actively | | | | A Teacher Resource for Learning the Strategies |
| involved in all classroom lessons. (Remember, | | | | of Master Teachers". |