Hi, everyone.
At today's meeting, we were going to talk about two things -
1. Understand the Purpose of this Committee -
There has been a lot of discussion amongst groups of teachers about a desire to change our current school wide behavior system - the behavior board/card turn system. Some have suggested something entirely different while others have suggested to just alter the current system a bit. The commonality of suggestions seems to be the desire for students to be able to move both forward and backward in a day. For example, (with our current system) if a student were to turn their card in the morning to blue, but then really turn things around and begin showing positive behaviors, the card could move back to yellow or even to green. Thus, encouraging students to change their behaviors. This seems like a positive idea, but if we decide to go this route, there is a lot to be considered. There has also been a lot of discussion about the pros can cons of taking recess away as a punishment and/or the addition of a school wide after school detention system. These are both things our committee can discuss. Our ultimate goal will be to make recommendations to council based on what we learn and decide upon.
2. Begin Looking at what our Philosophy is on Discipline -
The first step in making changes to our current system is to determine what our ideas and philosophies are in regards to classroom management so that we can make sure that any changes we make align with our philosophy. For example, if we feel like re-teaching is a necessary step in dealing with student misbehaviors, we would make sure to incorporate that into our new plan
To begin thinking about your own philosophy, answer these questions. Share a few of your responses with the group in a post. PLEASE RESPOND BY NEXT FRIDAY!
*What do you believe motivates students?
*What do you believe about managing behavior in your classroom?
*What do you believe makes a positive learning environment for students?
*What do you believe about student/teacher relationships?
*What behaviors most distract you from teaching/students from learning?
*What is the most beneficial behavior management tactic you have tried?
*Do you believe students at all grade levels need the same classroom management system?
*Do you believe most students can learn to behave as you expect them to?
*Do you believe consequences are a natural part of learning to manage your own behavior?
*Do you believe consequences are a necessary part of learning to manage your own behavior?
*What else comes to mind when thinking about your classroom management philosophy?
*What do you believe about managing behavior in your classroom?
ReplyDeleteI feel that managing behavior in the classroom is essential to learning taking place in the classroom. I feel that there has to be rules, consequences, rewards, positive enforcement, and an environment centered around respect and understanding for a classroom to really be successful.
*What do you believe makes a positive learning environment for students?
I believe that a positive learning environment for students is an environment where students are very aware of the rules, consequences, and rewards. Students also have to feel comfortable in their classroom and free to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. I think an important part of making my classroom a positive learning environment is explaining to my students that everyday is a new day and we start over fresh everyday.
*What do you believe about student/teacher relationships?
I really feel that students aren't going to care what you say or try to teach them without knowing that you care about them and respect them. I really work hard to build relationships with my students so they understand that I care about them, not just if they learn. I think you have to build relationships with students for your classroom to be a successful place to learn.
*What behaviors most distract you from teaching/students from learning?
The behaviors that most distract me from teaching and students from learning in my classroom are students talking, students calling out, students getting out of their seats, and students refusing to complete assignments. The most common behaviors are definitely the constant chatting, calling out, and students being out of their area.
*Do you believe students at all grade levels need the same classroom management system?
Though I do think that it makes it easier as a whole if we all have the same classroom management system, I do think that there needs to be differences among the grades. As a primary teacher, specifically first grade, I know that my students have to have a way to change their day by giving them the opportunity to move back up the chart if they turn their day around. I do like the thought of our behavior management systems all being similar somehow though.
*Do you believe most students can learn to behave as you expect them to?
I do believe that most students can learn to behave as I expect them to. I think that with constant expression of high expectations and constant modeling, it is possible for most students to behave the way we expect them to.
*Do you believe consequences are a necessary part of learning to manage your own behavior?
I do believe consequences are a necessary part of learning to manage your own behavior. I also believe that consequences are essential in helping our students prepare for the real world. I often explain to my students that just like adults have consequences when they make bad choices, students also have consequences when they make bad choices.
*What else comes to mind when thinking about your classroom management philosophy?
I feel my classroom management philosophy focuses on building relationships with students and having high expectations that are expressed frequently. I really believe consistency is important, especially with my young first graders. By building relationships with my students and showing them I care, being consistent, and constantly expressing my high expectations, I think my class will be successful. I really want to focus on consistency this year as this is something I feel I am not the best at. I hope that any changes we make to our behavior policy will help with that.
*What do you believe about managing behavior in your classroom?
ReplyDeleteI believe that classroom behavior management needs to be consistent within the classroom but not necessarily through out the school or even all grade levels. In 5th grade, however, we do feel it is important to have the same behavior system because all of our students switch to all three classes. We need to be consistent so students are very clear about what is expected of them. Students need to be made aware of consequences for unacceptable behavior and it needs to be enforced consistently. Also, as a 5th grade team we do not believe that having a behavior system that you can move up as well as down would be effective. Because students write in their agendas every day what card color they are on, parents would not necessarily be getting an accurate representation of their child's behavior at school. By 5th grade there would certainly be students who would realize their behavior in the morning would not matter as long as they turned it around in the afternoon because no matter what, students would always have a chance to move up. We can see students taking advantage of this system. I do not turn cards a lot in 5th grade. This is consistent for the 5th grade teachers and because we don't turn cards for little things, students take it more seriously when they do have to turn a card. With all this being said, card turns should be used as a consequence only. I do believe in encouraging and acknowledging positive behavior as well. Our sweet sleeps work great and they truly work to motivate students to participate and behave in class. Every afternoon, students cannot wait to draw the "daily sweet sleep." (Students are rewarded sweet slips for participation and exceptional classroom behavior. Again, this is not something that is given out a lot, but we always have a few on a daily basis. At the end of the day, we draw someones sweet sleep and they get a sucker from the sucker tree. If their sucker has a black dot on the bottom, they get an additional small prize. Students go crazy over this, and it is extremely manageable!)
*What do you believe about student/teacher relationships?
Student teacher relationships are extremely important. Students have to understand that there are consequences for their actions because you care about their success. Disrespect is not tolerated in my classroom and all of my students are aware of this. This goes from teacher to student and student to student. I tell my kids that they don't all have to be best friends but they will be respectful of one another. They know that this important to me and when we take the time to talk about why, they take ownership of this philosophy as well. I also take the time to get to know my students on a personal level so I know what motivates their behavior. This not only helps me know what they need but it shows them I do care about them, and they are less likely to misbehave.
*What behaviors most distract you from teaching/students from learning?
-PENCIL TAPPING!!
-side conversations
-off task behavior during group work
-students causing a disruption (like trying to skip class or misbehave in the bathroom) that takes away from teaching time.
*What is the most beneficial behavior management tactic you have tried?
ReplyDeleteAs much as it kills me to do it sometimes, I think students walking at recess and detention are the most effective behavior management systems we use. I know that there are many students who would do anything to not have to walk at recess. It is such a motivator for so many kids. Again, this is not something I overly use. If a student is having a bad day or made a mistake but is generally a good kid, I probably will not take recess away. However, there are students who think about this on a daily basis when they are making decisions about their behavior and realize the consequence of missing recess if they make poor decisions. This is another reason why the card system we currently use is effective. A student who is misbehaving can have one card turn and there is no consequence. They know at this point though, they better turn the behavior around or they will start missing recess. Also, detention is effective. We have tried detention in the past and we cannot figure out a good system for but when we are able to enforce it, it works great for a few reasons. Obviously, most children do not want to stay after school and it gets the parents involved because they are made very aware now of the behaviors going on AND they have to pick their child up from school. This also motivates the parent in working to change the child's behavior. This is a consequence that would need to be used only for major behavior problems.
*Do you believe students at all grade levels need the same classroom management system?
No. What motivates a first grader is not likely to motivate a 5th grader in many cases.
*What behaviors most distract you from teaching/students from learning?
ReplyDeleteAs much as I hate saying this, filling out behavior sheets or moving a color on a clipboard is one thing that distracts me from teaching or students from learning. I know certain children need this as part of their interventions, but it is time consuming, especially when they need to be used during a lesson to serve as a visual reminder or warning. However, I will do whatever it takes to help these students be successful in the classroom. ☺ With all this being said, I guess this wouldn’t qualify as a behavior, but a strategy that is used to HELP students with behavior. ;-)
More things that distract me from teaching or students from learning are calling out, side conversations, and another huge distraction is when students are playing with their jewelry, shoes, clothes, pencils, etc.
*What do you believe motivates students?
There are several things that motivate students. The first thing that must be established before a child becomes motivated to learn and behave appropriately is a positive relationship between a teacher and his/her students. Students must feel comfortable and connected with their teacher, especially ones with behavior problems, before motivation takes place. I have noticed that students will work harder when they feel respected and valued by their teachers. Another vital factor that motivates students is a classroom with a very consistent behavior management system that consists of high expectations, rewards, and consequences. Students need to be aware of this system on day 1 and need to be held accountable for their behavior throughout the entire year. The last thing I believe motivates students is when they see their teacher’s passion for their job. When I become excited in what I am teaching, my students’ level of excitement increases instantly. Students also need to be held accountable for their learning as this also increases motivation. When students are aware of what they’re learning, why they are learning it, and how it will benefit their learning, they become invested in the content.
*What is the most beneficial behavior management tactic you have tried?
The most beneficial behavior management tactic I have tried is focusing on positive behavior and rewarding this behavior intrinsically and extrinsically. I do find that the younger students respond more through being rewarded extrinsically (sad but true) through rewards, such as classroom money, small pieces of candy, treasure box, losing marbles, etc. I also choose “mystery students/readers/mathematicians” throughout lessons and announce them at the end of the lesson. When I see positive behavior when I am teaching, I say, “My mystery student (s) is doing a great job raising their hand and participating,” as this serves as a reminder for other students who are not participating, calling out, etc.
*What do you believe motivates students?
ReplyDeletePositive reinforcement motivates students. Being acknowledged publically for positive behavior make most kids feel good and makes them want to continue that behavior. Also, having something to work for is a motivator. I know lots of us have different systems we use for positive motivation. I struggle to find something I can manage, is appropriate for 4th graders, and can use continually. We’re encouraged to try to stay away from rewards like candy, which is the quickest, most manageable way to reward a student but for health reasons, candy is usually a no-no. Motivating students to work for rewards such as computer time, lunch in the classroom, helping another teacher, sitting by a friend, etc. are great options but they become hard to keep up with. 4th graders don’t usually get excited about earning a sticker or a pencil so I always feel like the positive reward needs to be appropriate for the age of the student to be effective.
*What do you believe about managing behavior in your classroom?
I have established 5 rules in my classroom that seem to cover all possible behavior issues that arise. To start the year, I talk to my students about learning these 5 rules and being prepared for me to hold them accountable for these rules:
1. Be prepared
2. Obey all adult instruction
3. Treat others like you want to be treated
4. Keep hands, feet, and all other body parts to yourself
5. Study hard, learn lots, and always do your best
I believe in being consistent with all my students. I don’t like to let something that’s against the rules slip by for a “good kid” and turn a “bad kid’s” card for something similar. For this reason, I think my students know I am fair when it comes to card turns. I always give at least one verbal warning to everyone before I turn cards but after I have given a warning and the rule is still being broken, I start turning cards. When I talk to students privately about their card turns, I say, “Were you doing what rule #____ tells you to do?” When I refer back to the rule that they broke, they seem to understand what they did wrong which leads to a discussion about what they should do next time.
*What behaviors most distract you from teaching/students from learning?
ReplyDeleteSide conversations and students being distracted (tapping, bothering someone else, etc).
*What is the most beneficial behavior management tactic you have tried?
I know some of you might think this is really hard to manage but it isn’t, promise. I have “behavior notice” slips that my students have to fill out when they are on blue, red, or pulled cards. On the slip, the student has to indicate what they did wrong to end the day on blue, red, or pulled. Then they have to circle their color, sign it, and leave it on my desk. At the end of the day, I call students to my desk to discuss the behavior. I make sure they know why they ended on the color they did and sometimes I write a note to the parent. I initial the slip and staple it in the agenda. Students are not allowed to take the slip out; they have to get it signed and return it, still stapled in their agenda the next day. If the slip is signed, I take it out of the agenda and file it. I like this system because it makes students have a conversation with their parents about what happened at school. Parents rarely push back because by the time the slip gets home; their student has already admitted what they did wrong on paper and accepted the misbehavior in their mind.
*Do you believe students at all grade levels need the same classroom management system?
No, what is effective for primary is not necessarily what is effective for intermediate. I also think that as students get older, they should be learning more responsibility and can be held accountable for their behavior more than when they are little.
*Do you believe most students can learn to behave as you expect them to?
Yes, students adjust to the behavior that is expected of them. When a teacher doesn’t have a high level of behavior expectations (or is too lax/inconsistent with their behavior management), students take advantage and tend to go wild. When students know their teacher has established clear, high, consistent expectations, their behavior is much improved.
*Do you believe consequences are a natural part of learning to manage your own behavior?
*Do you believe consequences are a necessary part of learning to manage your own behavior?
Yes to both! Students like to see how far they can push the limit before they get in trouble. When they cross a line, I believe consequences should be given in order for a lesson to be learned. I am fully on board with encouraging and reinforcing positive behavior. But I also think that consequences should be given for not following the rules. Consequences are a natural part of life that I don’t think we should shelter kids from.
*What else comes to mind when thinking about your classroom management philosophy?
I don’t think intermediate kids should be able to turn a blue card back to green. When my students get to blue or red it’s usually because their behavior wasn’t corrected after they turned to yellow or because they did something “major” like cuss, push, or disrespect someone else. When something other than talking causes a kid to get to blue or red, I think making them tell their parents what they did is a critical part of growing up. If they turn back to yellow or green, I fear parents won’t be aware of the unacceptable behavior. We don’t have that many consequences that we can give so making kids tell their parents what they did wrong becomes one of the only consequences we can give. Turning back to yellow or green will take that away.
Well, my last post timed out, so Im going to try this again, sorry it is a lot shorter than my last one :(
ReplyDelete*What do you believe motivates students?
I believe motivation depends on the student, but positive reinforcement goes a long way. I also think teacher and student relationships play a significant role in motivation as well. Students need to know and see that you care and that you want to see them be successful.
*What do you believe about managing behavior in your classroom?
It is imperative your students know you care about them, and that you are there to help make them successful, academically and behaviorally. Relationships go a long way, but set expectations and modeling play a significant role as well.
*What is the most beneficial behavior management tactic you have tried?
I feel like I have gone through a whole gamut of strategies in trying to find what fits each student's individual needs. the success of the management tactic depends on the student. What is successful for one student might not be successful for another student. I don't think there is a "one fits all" method.
As far as whole group, the most effective strategy I use daily is explicit modeling. Although it takes some time, it reaches each student's individual learning style; they get to hear, see, visualize, demonstrate, the expectations and behaviors. Consequences are also consistent and discussed when modeling so there are no surprises. This seems to be most effective/ beneficial management strategy in my classroom.
*Do you believe students at all grade levels need the same classroom management system?
No, I think what works for one grade will not also work in all grade levels. I also believe what works for one classroom in the same grade, may not work for another classroom of the same grade. It really depends on the teacher and the dynamic of the classroom. With this being said, I do, however, think it is important for there to be underlying principles and/or a foundation of behavioral expectations for the school.