Clara White of Brewton, Alabama, writes,
"After teaching 1st through 4th grade Title I, I moved to our local
middle school. I spent my summer watching the video series, The Effective
Teacher, and reading The First Days of School and structured my class accordingly.
After my second day of school, I walked out with my plans done and no
papers to grade. During the second week of school I called each of my students'
parents and many said that they had never received a call from a teacher
much less a call about their child doing something good.
At the end of the second week I also told my students that each of them
was unique and that I loved everyone one of them. Today many of my students
say that they wish they could stay in my class all day. Everything is working
unbelievably well, thanks to your techniques."
Then, there are a host of others who write,
"The students will not sit down; they speak out of turn; and they push
each other."
They tell us they understand the importance of having a well-managed classroom,
otherwise nothing can be taught. They insist that they are managing with procedures.
But, they are just not getting the classroom results they want.
We are most appreciative of the many kind e-mail letters that are sent to
us. We regret that we cannot give each of you a specific prescription for
instant relief, because we do not know your classroom environment and culture.
We know nothing about the teacher, the climate of the room, the expression
on the face or in the voice of the teacher, or the organization of the classroom.
But we have some suggestions to make.
Unfortunately, some of the pleas for help are clouded by cues of low expectation.
We understand your frustration, but the problem is not inner city, poverty,
minority, the administration, and negative veteran teachers. The research
of William Sanders at the University of Tennessee states that
The single greatest effect on student achievement is not race, not poverty
- it is the effectiveness of the teacher.
So, why are some teachers succeeding and others are still struggling to
succeed? It's not the students; it's the teacher.
It's All in How You Teach the Procedure
The problem, at least in one circumstance, may be found in what one frustrated
teacher said, "I tell them. I tell them over and over again and they just
won't do it."
Telling a student what to do is not sufficient. All procedures must be
practiced. Do you recall the old adage, how do you get to Carnegie Hall?
Practice, practice, practice. So, telling a student over and over again won't
work. Ask any coach or music teacher what they do. They each run the plays
and sing the songs, over and over again. And after the game or concert, they
go right back and practice and practice some more.
Some coaches and music teachers are able to have teams that play better
and choruses that sing better than others. Some coaches and teachers are even
able to take average players and singers and produce winning teams and choirs.
Why the difference?
The same variation can be found with teachers. Some teachers have beautifully
managed classrooms because they know how to teach procedures. It should come
as no surprise that they also get better results in the instructional delivery
of the academic content. It's all in how you teach something.
The three-step framework for teaching a procedure was described in our September
column. (To access any of our past columns, click on "Gazette
Back Issues" at the bottom of the left margin of this column.)
Getting students to learn and practice a new classroom procedure is a complex
process. We have broken down the three-step framework into smaller parts so
you can get an idea of how effective teachers teach procedures.
Model
Explain and model the procedure for the class. Perhaps, have several
students role play the procedure. We know of a teacher who has created a skit
for selected procedures. The students need to see what the procedure looks
like or sounds like. Talk out loud while demonstrating and modeling the steps
of the procedure. Never assume that your students know what you want them
to do or can figure it out on their own.
Observe
As the students practice the procedure, observe them in action. This
is how you determine if they can do what you want them to learn. Do not ask
questions. Some students to avoid embarrassment will not respond to such questions
as, "Is there anyone who does not know what to do?" or "Are there any questions?"
These questions ask for information that does not exist in their frame of
reference. Don't ask questions; just correct the action.
Coach
As you observe, verbally coach and physically demonstrate to those students
who look unsure of what to do or who are not following directions. Coach
with prompts and encouragement. Avoid showing frustration that some students
cannot learn a procedure on the first try. Some students will need more coaching
than others. Effective teachers have the patience and understanding to teach
and reteach.
Many at-risk students have a home life that is confrontational. They are
yelled at, so they bring this behavior to school. Rather than return the confrontation,
patience and diligence will reward you with a classroom that operates smoothly.
Acknowledge
Encourage the student by praising an action or deed, rather than praising
the student in a broad generic way. Tell the student specifically what
he or she did well. "Kenny, you spelled all of your words correctly on the
spelling test," rather than "Kenny, good job on your spelling test." For further
reference on this very effective technique, read what Barbara Coloroso says
about "Praise the Deed, Encourage the Student" on page 183 of The First
Days of School.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Students need a great deal of practice to be able to use a skill accurately
and automatically. There will be students who have problems with following
directions, organizing, sequencing, listening, and focusing. For these students,
it is essential to practice, as practice makes perfect!
Reinforcement
If all teachers in a school work together to use the same procedures,
students will be able to see and reinforce the procedures throughout each
day. The most effective schools have a culture that fosters common practices
and values so students can see what other students are doing. (Refer to our
October column
and examples of staffs that work together as a family, creating a sense of
consistency.)
Procedure for the Movement of Paper
Now, let's put into practice what has been said with one example.
The movement of paper is a common procedure in all levels of classrooms.
One researcher reported watching a high school teacher ask his class to exchange
papers. It took the class 20 minutes to exchange papers, whereas some teachers
can collect papers in under 15 seconds.
Students should pass their papers
across the rows, not up the rows.
If your students are sitting in columns and rows, it is more effective to
have them pass their papers across the rows to the side of the room rather
than up the row to the front of the room.
Here are the problems with passing papers up to the front of the room:
- If papers are passed up the row, you cannot see what is happening behind
each student's back as you stand at the front of the room waiting for the
papers.
- Some students tap, poke, shove, and hit the back of the student in front
to signify that the papers are coming up the row. Others wave the papers
in the face of the student in front. No matter what is done, the student
in front is irritated, words are spoken, and the disturbance in the class
increases.
- When papers are passed from hand to hand, some papers may fall to the
floor.
- There are frequently more students up a row than across a row.
- Thus, passing papers up a row takes longer to accomplish and is frequently
accompanied by student agitation.
There are advantages to passing papers across the rows to the side of
the room. The procedure for the movement of paper is as follows:
Step 1. Have the students place their papers on the desk next to
theirs, starting with the student at one end of the row.
Step 2. The next student is to add his or her paper to the stack
and place the papers on the next desk. Do not have the students pass the papers
from hand to hand. This will eliminate flicking of papers as papers are passed.
Step 3. As the students pass the papers from desk to desk, monitor
the procedure, making adjustments and corrections when necessary and praising
when appropriate.
Step 4. Walk to the side of the room and look across all the rows
to monitor the procedure. This tactic allows you to see across the rows, whereas
you cannot see behind the backs of students when you stand in front of the
room and they are passing papers forward.
Step 5. Pick up the papers, or ask a student to pick up all the papers.
If the students are sitting at tables instead of chairs in a row
a. have the students place their paper at the head of the table (point to
the designated spot), or
b. have students or an aide pick up the papers, or do so yourself.
It is not a good procedure to have the students place their papers in a basket
on the teacher's desk. This procedure involves too much movement, too much of
a mess left behind, and no accounting of who really did, indeed, turn in their
papers.
Whatever procedure you choose to use for collecting papers, rehearse
the procedure before the first time you collect papers.
Scripting the Procedure
For the sake of illustration, let's assume that the students are sitting
in rows. You may want to verbalize the instructions for the procedure as follows:
"Class, the procedure for turning in papers is that we will pass the papers
across the rows. Please wait until I finish explaining each step and then
I will give you a signal to do it.
"We will start with everyone in the first row (stand at the front of this
row). When I give you the signal, place your paper on the table (or desk)
to your right. If you are at the next table, do not reach for the paper.
(As you say this, move to the side of the room to observe.) All right (the
signal), the people in this first row please place your paper on the table
to your right."
(As you observe the procedure, acknowledge and make appropriate comments
such as, "Do not touch the paper." "Just put it on the desk." "Correctly
done." "Thank you.")
"Everyone in the next row please put your paper on or under (your choice)
the papers on your desk. Now, let's repeat the procedure with the next row.
Thank you."
"That's it Sandra. Just put your paper on the pile (coaching)."
"The next row, please. Well done! You correctly placed the papers on the
next desk," or some other specific praise.
(When the papers arrive at the tables in the last row, ask the last student
to walk up the row and pick up all the papers.) "Eric, would you please pick
up all the papers. Thank you."
After two or three times (the practice), you won't even have to tell Eric
what to do. He, and the rest of the class, will all know the procedure for
turning in papers (the reinforcement).
This entire sequence can be seen on tape #4 in the video series, The
Effective Teacher.
The Fun Comes After Perfecting a Skill
Thoreau said, "What we do best or most perfectly is what we have most thoroughly
learned by the longest practice." Effective teachers practice and perfect
the skills of teaching procedures because they know that these are the same
skills used to teach the academic lessons.
Because effective teachers understand this concept, they are able to teach
students the valuable skill that doing things in life correctly requires practice.
Learning comes from persistence, practice, and dedicated hard work.
There are educators who believe that learning should be fun. These are typically
the same educators whose classrooms are a mass of confusion with little time
spent of learning. This is a classroom that is no fun for the teacher or the
students.
There are other educators who believe that learning can be fun provided
the classroom is organized for learning. These classrooms hum with energy
and excitement. This is a classroom that has fun at the appropriate times.
The teacher is happy and the students are happy and learning. The fun and
excitement of learning comes after the perfecting of classroom procedures.
At this time of year there are holiday parties you may be attending. The
parties that are organized and flow will be the ones where you have the most
fun. The parties that are late in setting out the food, short on ice, or don't
seem to have a purpose are the ones you'll be looking for any excuse to leave.
May all of your classrooms be organized and may all of your holiday parties
be fun!
We look forward to the new year of sharing with you.
Happy Holidays.
