Re: First day strategies please!

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Fourth Grade Teachers Chatboard

First day strategies please!

by New to 4th grade!

Aug 23, 2013

Hello all!!! I really need some help! I'm getting NO sleep and school starts Monday! Please, veteran an all those great teachers with flawless classroom management! Please tell me your tricks! I have so many things I want to bring up about all the different procedures for the different things fling on in my class and at school but what would you say are the most important things to teach procedurally during the first days?? Example: how to come in and get busy with morning work, how to behave in small/whole/individual groups, transitions, etc...you tell me! I want this to be the best year yet! Thanks!!!

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Vet Teacher On 8/23/13, New to 4th grade! wrote:

Different teachers would tell you different things and every teacher has to find what works for them - what works for one teacher by no means works for every teacher. I'd say it's not possible in the first few days to teach children how to behave flawlessly through the school year - if that were possib...See MoreOn 8/23/13, New to 4th grade! wrote:

Different teachers would tell you different things and every teacher has to find what works for them - what works for one teacher by no means works for every teacher. I'd say it's not possible in the first few days to teach children how to behave flawlessly through the school year - if that were possible we'd put them in the work force rather than have them in school. Children are after all children. They forget things, they get distracted, they get worried about things that would never occur to us to worry about, they have impulses and they're still learning self-control and what's right to do and what's best to do.

I work first on how to enter the room and sit and signals for quiet. But I want children to have a positive attitude and good feelings about the coming school year - I don't want to instill a sense of dread and have them leave desperately wishing it were still summer. I find children to be far more responsive when they feel hopeful rather than when they've lost hope that the next time life will be pleasant is as far away as the next summer.

How to behave in small/whole/individual groups is something I find most adults to still be working on... I have one rule for the classroom and I find that rule to be so much better than 'procedures'. "What we do in here needs to be safe and well" - "Keep each other safe and well" - I reword it from time to time. And safe means physically safe and emotionally safe and well.

With that, I can say to any child at any time - is that safe? Is that safe for you and safe for your classmates? Jumping, running, throwing etc. all not safe. I find children do Much Better when they understand why something should be done in a certain way rather than just telling them how to do it.

With the safe and well rule/guideline, they can consider their own behavior and assess whether it fosters safety and wellness.

And that includes me and I tell them that - what I do should also foster everyone's safety and wellness. It's not one rule for them and a different rule for me - we're a community and the same rule/guideline applies to me.

> Hello all!!! I really need some help! I'm getting NO sleep > and school starts Monday! Please, veteran an all those > great teachers with flawless classroom management! Please > tell me your tricks! I have so many things I want to bring > up about all the different procedures for the different > things fling on in my class and at school but what would > you say are the most important things to teach procedurally > during the first days?? Example: how to come in and get > busy with morning work, how to behave in > small/whole/individual groups, transitions, etc...you tell > me! I want this to be the best year yet! Thanks!!!

Aug 24, 2013

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VetTexTeach You sound overwhelmed, which we all are feeling right now. First and foremost, present the very important rules straight away. How to ask to go to the bathroom. Your policies on the same. Get these types of necessities out of the way first. Kids won't be flawlessly trained in a day. I go over classroom rules every day for two weeks. If they're doin...See More

Aug 24, 2013

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Newbie to 4th Grade! Great points. Safety first. Got it. I will base my procedures around that. Thank you for your response!

On 8/24/13, Vet Teacher wrote: > On 8/23/13, New to 4th grade! wrote: > > Different teachers would tell you different things and every > teacher has to find what works for them - what works for one > teacher by no means ...See MoreGreat points. Safety first. Got it. I will base my procedures around that. Thank you for your response!

On 8/24/13, Vet Teacher wrote: > On 8/23/13, New to 4th grade! wrote: > > Different teachers would tell you different things and every > teacher has to find what works for them - what works for one > teacher by no means works for every teacher. I'd say it's not > possible in the first few days to teach children how to behave > flawlessly through the school year - if that were possible > we'd put them in the work force rather than have them in > school. Children are after all children. They forget things, > they get distracted, they get worried about things that would > never occur to us to worry about, they have impulses and > they're still learning self-control and what's right to do and > what's best to do. > > I work first on how to enter the room and sit and signals for > quiet. But I want children to have a positive attitude and > good feelings about the coming school year - I don't want to > instill a sense of dread and have them leave desperately > wishing it were still summer. I find children to be far more > responsive when they feel hopeful rather than when they've > lost hope that the next time life will be pleasant is as far > away as the next summer. > > How to behave in small/whole/individual groups is something I > find most adults to still be working on... I have one rule for > the classroom and I find that rule to be so much better > than 'procedures'. "What we do in here needs to be safe and > well" - "Keep each other safe and well" - I reword it from > time to time. And safe means physically safe and emotionally > safe and well. > > With that, I can say to any child at any time - is that safe? > Is that safe for you and safe for your classmates? Jumping, > running, throwing etc. all not safe. I find children do Much > Better when they understand why something should be done in a > certain way rather than just telling them how to do it. > > With the safe and well rule/guideline, they can consider their > own behavior and assess whether it fosters safety and wellness. > > And that includes me and I tell them that - what I do should > also foster everyone's safety and wellness. It's not one rule > for them and a different rule for me - we're a community and > the same rule/guideline applies to me. > > >> Hello all!!! I really need some help! I'm getting NO sleep >> and school starts Monday! Please, veteran an all those >> great teachers with flawless classroom management! Please >> tell me your tricks! I have so many things I want to bring >> up about all the different procedures for the different >> things fling on in my class and at school but what would >> you say are the most important things to teach procedurally >> during the first days?? Example: how to come in and get >> busy with morning work, how to behave in >> small/whole/individual groups, transitions, etc...you tell >> me! I want this to be the best year yet! Thanks!!!

Aug 24, 2013

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Newbie to 4th grade! Thank you. I've heard that 13 rule somewhere before but didn't remember it until you mentioned it. That's a very important point. I will have that in the back of my mind as I begin my new journey on Monday! Thank you!

On 8/24/13, VetTexTeach wrote: > You sound overwhelmed, which we all are feeling right now. > First and foremost, p...See More

Aug 24, 2013

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Andrea Knope On 8/23/13, New to 4th grade! wrote: > Hello all!!! I really need some help! I'm getting NO sleep > and school starts Monday! Please, veteran an all those > great teachers with flawless classroom management! Please > tell me your tricks! I have so many things I want to bring > up about all the different procedures for the different &...See MoreOn 8/23/13, New to 4th grade! wrote: > Hello all!!! I really need some help! I'm getting NO sleep > and school starts Monday! Please, veteran an all those > great teachers with flawless classroom management! Please > tell me your tricks! I have so many things I want to bring > up about all the different procedures for the different > things fling on in my class and at school but what would > you say are the most important things to teach procedurally > during the first days?? Example: how to come in and get > busy with morning work, how to behave in > small/whole/individual groups, transitions, etc...you tell > me! I want this to be the best year yet! Thanks!!!

This is a booklet I wrote on classroom management. Here's a summary:

Mastering Classroom Management Booklet By Andrea Knope (June 7, 2009) This guide to becoming a master in classroom management, which incorporates the research-based and experience-based facets of classroom organization, management, and discipline, provides valuable information to help improve elementary school teachers’ own classroom management systems. Moreover, once an educator formulates an especially effective classroom management system, it should be evaluated and then modified regularly to best fit the needs of the students at the time.

Classroom Management Goals and Guidelines Teachers who venture towards mastering successful classroom management learn to use effective problem-solving and communication skills. Also, there are two essential goals for a successful classroom management plan-prevent and promote. The first goal of prevention is reflecting on everyday classroom situations, procedures, and activities that can possibly bring about misbehavior and thus, making preventative measures to avoid them. The teacher also plans instruction around this goal. Classroom rules and procedures are also carefully put into place to prevent any potential undesired behaviors. The second important goal is to promote a learning environment with positive interactions, active learning, and student’ self-motivation. It will take hands-on experience and a good knowledge of the psychological and developmental levels of the students in the classroom to finally master these skills. Furthermore, an effective teacher learns how to manage the myriad of tasks and situations that occur in the classroom each day. Also consistency, "common sense," and fairness are most crucial for effective classroom management. The Classroom Environment It is important for teachers to create and maintain a safe and organized environment that is advantageous to learning, and because of this, students need to feel “safe”. This is not just safety against harm; it is also “safe” from rigidity and lack of respect. Students who feel “safe” in their learning environment are at ease to be themselves and make mistakes and are respected as individuals. The “safe” learning atmosphere is supportive, encouraging, consistent, fair, and motivating. Also, for the emotional and cerebral environment, teachers should identify expectations for student behavior and communicate those expectations to students periodically. For the physical classroom environment, a few elements are important. A checklist similar to the one below would be beneficial. • Is the teacher able to observe all students at all times and to monitor work and behavior? • Is the teacher should also be able to see the door from the desk. • Are frequently-used areas of the room and traffic lanes unobstructed and easily accessible? • Are the students able to see the teacher and presentation area without having to move from his/her seats? • Are classroom materials readily available? • Is the classroom aesthetic, inviting, and motivating?

Classroom Policies and Procedures Masters of classroom management have structure in their classrooms (Wong, 2003). This structure is defined by effective classroom procedures and routines, and it is the teacher’s responsibility to properly maintain them. For effective classroom management, the routines and procedures should be diligently prepared and maintained. For example, it will take some amount of reflecting and considerable thought to determine how small and whole group areas are formed, how supplies are to be distributed, on how students enter and exit the classroom, etc. Also, a discipline procedure ought to be introduced, reviewed and revisited on a regular basis, as well as a review of the classroom rules. Furthermore, school-wide regulations should be integrated into the classroom discipline procedure. Desirable student behavior may vary depending on the activity, so explicit expectations should be set. The following procedures are helpful in creating a smoothly functioning classroom: • The proper execution of the administrative tasks • How to transition between lessons and lesson activities. • What needs to be done at the beginning and ending of the day • The proper usage of materials and equipment • How small and whole group areas formed • The usage of effective verbal and nonverbal signals for getting students to quiet down or getting their attention • Having a community circle time for the teacher and the students to discuss classroom issues • And how students are to interact during independent group work There may be other procedures to consider, but the ones listed are the most common. Remember, good discipline is much more likely to occur if the classroom setting and activities are structured or arranged to enhance cooperative behavior. Students need to be taught responsibility (ability to respond to appropriate behavior and procedures). Therefore, in a classroom with clearly defined policies and procedures with high but realistic expectations, students clearly understand what is expected of them and take responsibility for their own actions throughout the year. Potential Influences on Behavior Sometimes certain ways children choose to behave of children do not seem to have any logic behind it. However, when a teacher knows the student’s motive for misbehavior, his/her actions becomes more reasonable. In many situations, a student may be attempting to meet a need. These needs could be to gain attention, gain control, get revenge, or just avoid failure. An effective teacher, who observes undesired behavior, will take a moment to reflect and respond in a more useful way and break the habitual way of reacting to misbehavior more impulsively. When determining the proper forms of discipline, he/she should know that discipline means to teach good behavior-not punishment. In a situation where the student may feel frustrated from not clearly understanding or just simply avoiding failure, the teacher can help by observing the nonverbal cues that he/she displays and give the proper amount of support and encouragement needed. The teacher may also assign partners or student helpers; just reorganize the activity or instruction into smaller pieces; and focus on his/her strengths. Students in this condition should feel that it is “safe” to make mistakes and that mistakes are a part of learning. On the other hand, a student may simply be bored with the activity by displaying disruptive behaviors. The teacher can help the student by providing more motivating and inspiring activities, involving more student activity, and modify instruction for multiple intelligences and create more relevant lessons. There may be cases where students are responding to another student’s misbehavior (to gain attention.) For instance, if a single student is being disruptive by interrupting the teacher, other students may feel that they need to be heard as well-and follow suit. A teacher can manage this situation by reminding the students of how to use their listening skills and that they will not be addressed unless their hands are raised. Also, for overly energetic and disruptive students, teachers should provide ways of channeling the extra energy, along with some calming strategies. There are some cases when some students have specific emotional or personal issues and feel the need to gain control in their lives. It is best for teachers to know their students and their backgrounds. Communication with the parents is also very important. In some instances where more extreme and/or constant misbehavior is displayed, a teacher ought to seek the advice from the school guidance counselor and psychologist. For those students who are attempting to control a situation for other reasons and are displaying negative behaviors, an educator can use tools such as physical proximity, nonverbal cues, giving I-messages instead of “you, and assigning a classroom chore. Also, affirmation and praise to the student for making the correct choice in controlling his/her behavior encourages more positive behavior. Sometimes, students may display anger inappropriately. In this type of situation, he/she is possibly “acting out” from whatever is causing the anger and may not know how to properly display these negative emotions. Teachers can deescalate the situation by calmly asking questions and providing a cool-down time. Later, the teacher can help the student handle the situation by identifying more effective ways of handling anger and teaching self-control. Another common factor for misbehavior from students in the classroom is physical discomforts. They may be hungry, thirsty, hot, or tired, etc. After observing the students’ nonverbal behaviors and even their own physical condition at the time, teachers can easily solve these types of situations by having the students take the necessary “break” or changing the uncomfortable situation. Also, as simple as it may seem, students may act out from simply not feeling well. A teacher can easily pick up on this by observing the student’s verbal and nonverbal cues. Moreover, the teacher’s attitude can greatly affect the students in classroom, which in turn can affect achievement. Children can easily “pick up” on the fact that the teacher is not in the best mood or not feeling well and may act out because of it. Educators that take care of themselves and their own stress levels are in a more optimum condition to effectively teach the students. Research-Based Strategies Even though James, Piaget, Vygotsky, Bandura and Ericson gave us very valuable information and approaches to discipline, we needed something more for the 21st century. Some more professionals have seen the need for more novel approaches and techniques in classroom management. A teacher can utilize the best approaches that fit his/her classroom. For instance, from Kohlberg’s “moral dilemmas” in which students are faced with a personal choice, a teacher can encourage the following characteristics within students by teaching, modeling and properly guiding them: 1. Trustworthiness 2. Respect 3. Responsibility 4. Fairness 5. Caring 6. Citizenship From Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a teacher can ensure that these overall needs are met within the classroom: • Aesthetic needs: Symmetry, order, and beauty • Cognitive needs: Knowing, understanding, and exploring • Esteem needs: Achieving, gaining approval and recognition • Belongingness/love needs: Affiliating with others and being accepted • Safety/security needs: Safeguarding one’s existence • Physiological needs: Hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc. There are others who contributed more novel ideas, such as Gordon, who encouraged more non-controlling methods, sending “I” messages, acknowledging the student’s individual feelings and perceptions, and active listening; and Kohn, who focused more on building relationships, enhancing connections, classroom meetings, and developing a sense of community. Also, Baumrind felt that differences in children’s self-reliance, self-control, achievement, mood, and aggression were due to certain teaching styles. A more noncoercive approach to discipline in the classroom was William Glasser, who felt that teachers should discipline in a non-threatening way, encouraging students to understand why they behaved the way they did. Finally, Marvin Marshall identified four levels of social behavior that the students can assess themselves on after learning each from the teacher. These levels are: • A-anarchy, • B-bullying, • C-cooperation, • and D-democracy. In level A, the students are noisy or out of control, and in level B, the students are violating the classroom rules. These two levels are considered to be unwelcome in the classroom. In level C, the students are cooperative and doing what is expected of them. Lastly, in level D, they develop self-discipline and are caring towards others. The students are taught that these two levels are what they should always be doing. Students are more involved in their discipline and display more responsible behavior. Positive Discipline & Active Student Involvement It is important for teachers to know that discipline is not punishment, but it is teaching students towards making wiser choices in life. Positive discipline is done by accepting responsibility and respecting others. However, there are some tools that a teacher could “keep in their pockets”. As mentioned before, a regular reviewing of the classroom rules and procedures is necessary to make sure that all the students clearly understand what is expected of them. Also, when a student chooses to misbehave, first and foremost, it is best to look beyond the misbehavior and determine why he/she chose to act in that way. The student’s needs, emotions, and frame of mind should be determining factors. Secondly, teachers usually have some sort of “discipline” procedure in place-and ought to use it accordingly and consistently, as they are good reminders for students to “get back on track” so that the situation does not worsen. However, it does not always happen as smoothly. Students that act inappropriately sometimes need that “little incentive” to change their behavior. This is where other positive reinforcers can be put into place, as well. Also, students that properly display good behavior should be acknowledged. Otherwise, a teacher may find that their “better-behaved” students may start misbehaving as well. Giving of rewards is somewhat materialistic but they do help, especially when the students have to accumulate a certain number of points to receive their reward. It is especially effective to praise and reward those students who are behaving appropriately. Those students who are not acting appropriately may feel that they would prefer the praise and acknowledgement as well and follow what their “better behaved” peers are doing. As this strategy can improve the behavior of the students, it can also strengthen “student achievement in response to teacher approval.” (Bear & Duquette, 2008, p. 10) Furthermore, these intrinsic rewards, praise and acknowledgment, for example, are important for the students to develop their own set of morals and values. Some examples of the more common strategies for negative behavior are verbal and nonverbal cues. A teacher can enter the proximity of the one who is displaying the misconduct; giving the student “the eye”; use preferential seating; and a gentle reminder of what rule he/she needs to use. These are effective but should not be the only means for maintaining order within the classroom. An especially effective strategy is helping the students develop their own sense of responsibility. By promoting self-discipline, teachers help the students understand and appreciate the intrinsic rewards of proper behavior and take a sense of pride within themselves. The educator can promote this by first introducing the concept and then reiterating upon it whenever a negative behavior is presented by a student or students with a simple question like, “What are we supposed to do in the hall?” Basically, whenever a student makes a poor choice in behavior, a teacher can encourage responsibility rather than obedience by giving the student ownership of the problem, provide the student with some strategies, and keep the student’s dignity. To promote a positive and cooperative community of students, it is good for a teacher arrange time for class meetings that to be held regularly to reflect on ways of solving problems, review classroom procedures and policies, and determine what goals they would like to meet as a class. In this way, students feel a sense of belonging and are more entitled to abide by the goals they made and what ways keep their classroom running smoothly. How instruction is executed can readily affect the behavior of the students. Educators that plan a variety of activities into instruction find more success in classroom management. Keeping things fresh and interesting can prevent numerous acts of misbehavior simply by the fact that the students are “actively engaged” and feel no need to “act out”. It is also important to give students the opportunity to communicate about their learning. Teacher can allot a certain time frame for them to have “talk-time” before, during, or even in the middle of instruction. An enterprise for a successful system of discipline is also when educators create meaningful learning experiences to keep the students properly engaged; the needs of each learner are met; they are assessed appropriately; connections are made as a basis for instructional activities; instruction is modified for multiple learning abilities; and positive interactions are encouraged. Also, the teachers actively reflect and evaluate the effects of choices made and improve one’s professional development. For troublesome behaviors that affect instruction, it is best to try to end the disruption quickly and return back to instruction; explain how it is not acceptable; and later work with student to find solutions. A teacher can also use a “win-win” scenario approach with something like “If you calm down, I can help you further” (Charles, 2008). Overall, a classroom with this positive discipline has a warm, supportive climate; a teacher that “leads” rather than “lectures”; provision of constructive schoolwork/homework; lots of encouragement words; and opportunities for students to evaluate their own work and improve. Moreover, positive discipline is known to be the most optimum form of classroom discipline that promotes the most favorable results and it brings about a more successful learning environment for the students. Utilizing Strategies for Alternative Classrooms In an alternative classroom, students have the same needs, emotions, abilities with only a few or more restrictions. A teacher in an alternative classroom considers what motivates the students, how self-esteem affects their learning process, the consequences of misbehavior, sets realistic but high expectations, considers the effects of student attributions of success and failure, methods of strategic learning, and how to successfully utilize their strengths and support their weaknesses. The educator finds creative ways of implementing the same strategies as those in the regular classroom. Students in this classroom just receive extra support to meet his/her areas of need. However, more specific strategies of modifying instruction to implement each individual’s learning style, personal connection, talents, and areas of interest will encourage positive behaviors in an alternative classroom. Personalizing a Personal System New teachers have some plans for classroom management and can utilize this booklet to determine what may work best for him/her. However, when formulating one’s own style of classroom management, it is best for a teacher to first consider the classroom policies and procedures, as they set the framework for everything else. Then, the educator should be able to determine the potential influences on unpleasant behavior. What need is the misbehaving student unsuccessfully attempting to meet? Also, there are many effective research-based strategies that can be implemented into a teacher’s own discipline policy, as long it suits the needs of the classroom. Furthermore, positive discipline & active student involvement are important for helping the students to develop a sense of responsibility and belonging.

Aug 24, 2013

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