Two of the best books that I have read regarding classroom management are Classroom Management That Works by Robert J. Marzano and First Day of School by Harry Wong. I am going to take excerpts from these books that I feel are important for all teachers.
The following are excerpts from Classroom Management That Works by Robert J. Marzano:
1. Probably the most obvious aspect of effective classroom management involves the design and implementation of classroom rules and procedures. Case Study One
2. Research and theory support the intuitive notion that well-articulated rules and procedures that are negotiated with students are a critical aspect of classroom management, affecting not only the behavior of students but also their academic achievement. Case Study Two
3. The guiding principle for disciplinary interventions is that they should include a healthy balance between negative consequences for inappropriate behavior and positive consequences for appropriate behavior. Specific techniques that involve both positive and negative consequences include teacher reaction, tangible recognition, direct cost, group contingency and home contingency. Case Study Three
4. Teacher-student relationships are critical to the success of two of the other aspects of effective classroom management – rules and procedures, and disciplinary interventions. To build good relationships with students, it is important to communicate appropriate levels of dominance and to let students know that you are in control of the class and are willing and able to lead. It’s also important to communicate appropriate levels of cooperation and to convey the message that you are interested in the concerns of students as individual and the class as a whole. Case Study Four
5. Withitness is the ability to identify and quickly act on potential behavioral problems. Emotional objectivity is the ability to interact with students in a businesslike, matter-of-fact manner even though you might be experiencing strong emotions. This is particularly important to do when carrying out negative consequences for inappropriate behavior. Case Study Five
6. Although teachers are the guiding force in classroom management, students also have responsibility in this area. Working with students to develop this sense of responsibility requires an extraordinary effort and commitment on the teacher’s part. Case Study Six
7. The beginning of the school year is the critical time to set the tone for classroom management. Such things as room arrangement and decoration provide a subtle but important communication to students regarding how you will manage the classroom. The first day of class provides an important opportunity to make a good first impression and to introduce rules and procedures that will form the basis for your classroom management routine. Reinforcing students’ understanding of the rules and procedures through various activities during the first few days of the school year will help ensure that your classroom management procedures are well established. Case Study Seven
8. Behavior management is a matter that requires consideration at the school level as well as the individual classroom level. After all, classroom management exists within the larger context of the school, and school wide management policies and practices set the tone for the individual classroom management. Management as the school level should address the need to counteract the possible negative consequences of scheduling practices or environmental factors that might promote student misbehavior, the identification of school wide rules and procedures, and school wide consequences for violations of those rules and procedures and the design of a system that would allow for the violence or extreme behavior. Adoption of a school wide classroom management program sends a powerful message about the importance the school attaches to this aspect of students’ experience in the school. Case Study Eight
The following are excerpts from The First Days of School by Harry K. Wong:
Classroom management refers to all of the things that a teacher does to organize students, space, time, and materials so that instruction in content and student learning can take place.
A teacher’s discipline problems are directly proportional to the distance from the students.
Readiness is the primary determinant of teacher effectiveness.
You greatly increase the probability that school will start successfully for both you and your students when these four points are true:
1. You have your room ready.
2. You are at the door.
3. You have assigned seats.
4. You have the first assignment ready.
Reasons for a seating chart
1. Facilitates roll taking.
2. Aids name memorization
3. Separates potential problem students.
Your very first priority when the class starts is to get the students to work.
The effective teacher starts the class immediately with an assignment, not roll taking.
Students That Have Been Effectively Taught Know ….
1. How to enter the room quickly and courteously.
2. How to go to their seats and take out their materials.
3. Where to look for their assignment.
4. To begin their work immediately.
Prime time in school is the first few moments in a class. If you blow these moments, you blow the impression, the sale, and the success of a class.
Student on-task work is the major activity during academic prime time. The students must immediately get to work when they enter the room.
The three most important student behaviors that must be taught the first days of school are these:
1. Discipline
2. Procedures
3. Routines
Effective teachers present their rules clearly and provide reasonable explanations of the need for them.
Basic Structure for a Discipline Plan
· Rules: What the expected behaviors are.
· Consequences: What the student chooses to accept if a rule is broken.
· Reward: What the student receives for appropriate behavior.
The function of a rule is to prevent or encourage behavior by clearly stating student expectations. The two kinds of rules are general and specific.
It is important to introduce the discipline plan on the first day of school.
Rules are most effective when there are consequences to enforce them and reward them.
The Two Kinds of Consequences:
· Positive consequences with REWARDS
· Negative consequences with PENALTIES
School must be a safe and protected environment, where a student can come to learn without fear.
A smooth-running class is based on the teacher’s ability to teach procedures.
The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines.