CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

FOR SOME GREAT IDEAS ON EVERY ASPECT OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, SEE THE NEW 2ND EDITION OF

THE NEW-TEACHER TOOLBOX: PROVEN TIPS & STRATEGIES FOR A GREAT FIRST YEAR

TOPICS COVERED:

        • WHAT NEW TEACHERS REALLY WANT TO KNOW
        • THE ROOM ENVIRONMENT & THE FIRST WEEKS
        • THE CURRICULUM & THE STUDENTS
        • GRADING
        • PARENTS
        • STUDENTS WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS
        • HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR SANITY

PREVENTING AND HANDLING CHEATING:

GRADES: 3-12

We sometimes forget the seriousness of not preventing and handling cheating in our classrooms. If students can cheat on a test, it sends the message that they do not have to pay attention, do the homework, or study the subject you are working so hard to teach. They can get a higher grade just by cheating. It means that they can ignore many of your reprimands, rules, rewards and punishments; they can be disruptive to your teaching, and you can't do much about it ­ if they can get a high mark in the class just by cheating. Also, cheating sends the message to the hard working, motivated students: "Why should I study, or do the homework, when it is ripped-off by these cheaters, who do little work and can get high grades by just cheating?!"

In short, if we do not work on preventing and handling cheating in our classrooms, we do not curtail a key factor that can undermine all of our other efforts.

Unfortunately, most education courses, even methods courses, do not give teachers much help with this important area. There are specific things a teacher can do that will go a long way in handling this problem.

Here are some specific suggestions for preventing and handling cheating:

1. Although you may prefer another seating arrangement for teaching, when you give a test, have the desks in neat rows and sit in the back of the room. When they can't see you so well, they are usually more nervous about trying to cheat. Those that are tempted to cheat will usually try to turn around to see where you are. This will make it easy for you to spot potential cheaters and produce enough risk to curtail many from actually cheating.

2. When you give a short answer test (true/false, fill-in-the-blank, or multiple choice), cheating is much easier. So instead, try to give essay tests. Yes, essay tests are difficult to grade. But, although short answer tests are less work to score, they actually take more work to design valid-reliable questions that are not guessable. However, if you still prefer short answer tests, make one set of tests so that the questions run, e.g., 1-10 for one, and 10-1 for the other. In this way the test is given out in two forms: Question 1 on one test is question 10 on the other; question 2 is 9; and so on. [You can still use the same answer key.] You might make one set of tests on white paper, and the other on yellow paper. Then, give row one the white version, row two the yellow version, row three the white version, etc. Tell them you have done this so that if they copy an answer, it'll be from the wrong question!

3. If you have no time to make up these two forms of the test, you might still print some on yellow paper, and some on white. Then, still tell them: "Some of the test questions are in different order on some of the test papers; so don't cheat!" (However, you may have to decide whether this fib is worth it, and how long doing this strategy can last.)

4. Do not take away the paper of a suspected cheat, or reprimand him/her right in the middle of a test. Such action will usually cause more disturbances during the test, and give more students the opportunity to cheat while you go after this one student. Instead, inform them before the test that, "If I suspect anyone of cheating, I won't say anything during the test; I'll just note it down while I sit here in the back of the room. If you get your paper back with a zero, you'll know why." This may often get potential cheaters too nervous to cheat.

5. Say to the class at the start of the test, "Cover up your answers; those who help anyone cheat will, e.g., see me after class." By encouraging students to cover up their own papers, most will probably be doing what they really want to do anyway. But, now, they'll be able to do this with less peer disapproval since you directed the action. Also, the ones who are likely to follow your "cover up" direction are usually the ones who studied for the test, with the most correct answers, who do want their own credit; they will feel protected. And, you will have cut off from view the major sources of correct "cheatable" answers.

6. Don't tell your students how you'll handle cheating the day of the test, right before you give the test. By then, for the students who did not study, it's too late to not be motivated to cheat. Instead, lay down these warnings [above] about cheating a day or two before the test. In this way, you may motivate a potential cheater to study a day or two before the test.

7. Give back the test papers at the end (not the beginning) of the period. This will be helpful in two ways:

a) The students will be anxious and pay more attention during the whole period while you review the test answers before you return their papers.

b) If you wrongly return papers at the beginning of the period, the cheaters (who got, e.g., zeros) may vent anger with you at the very beginning of the period, thus disrupting your entire planned lesson. Whereas, if cheaters get back papers at the end of the period, they can talk to you after class. Or, they may go home, vent at home, cool off, realize the consequences, and be more handle able, and more motivated to do better, by the time you see them the next day.
 
The above suggestions will curtail a lot of cheating in your classroom; unfortunately, students will still try to get around these techniques; but many may find that paying attention, studying and doing the homework may be easier, and less scary than trying to cheat. Thus, with efforts in this area, you will have not just curtailed cheating, but will have strengthened the effectiveness of all your rules, teaching methods, and the motivation of students to learn.
 
[For other specific help on many classroom management problems, see: Preventing Classroom Discipline Problems; A Classroom Management Handbook, contact the author at the e-mail below.]

submitted by,

HOWARD SEEMAN
no school listed
no city listed
HOKAJA@aol.com

"SIGN" LANGUAGE

GRADES: K-6

This is a quick and easy way to observe that your students understand your lesson/concept/idea, etc. While preparing for the much dreaded Ohio State Proficiency Tests, I stumbled across a way of involving my students in participating while going over their homework. It has increased the level of participation in my classroom, as well as the level of understanding.

MATERIALS:

  • hands

METHOD:

  1. When going over questions that have multiple choice answers, I ask the question, give the students time to think and then ask them their answer.
  2. They raise their hands in the form of the letter that reflects their answer choice. Since they only have to remember 3-4 letters, it is relatively simple.
  3. I have also found that they will be more honest about their answers if their hand is signaling the answer and they do not have to give their answer orally.

submitted by,
 
SHEILA BROGAN
no school listed
MIAMISBURG, OH
sbrogan@miamisburg.k12.oh.us

USING "BATTLESHIP" GRIDS FOR ORGANIZATION

GRADES 1 - 4

I have several grid charts on my bulletin boards. They are simple to use, easy to read, and become records to refer to. The possibilities are numerous. Here are just three samples:

MATERIALS:

  • large graph chart paper with 1 inch squares

METHOD:

  1. "'LOTTO' Merit Chart" : Write letters ( say, A to L)on the left side of the grid, and numbers (say, 1 to 12) along the top. When you want to reward a child or a group, for whatever your positive criteria are, just write the child's initials in one of the squares. When the chart is full, have a neutral person call out as in Battleship , e.g. "G / 8" . The student with initials in that square, wins whatever prize you wish. Call out multiple squares for even more winners. The children soon learn which good behavior gets recognized, and that they have a better chance at winning, the more times they appear on the chart.
  2. "Weekly Responsibility Chart" : Write the students' names along the side, and the dates by week along the top. Display a legend with classroom duties, and put the codes in the squares beside the students' names. e.g. FH = Flag Holder ; CS= Chair Stacker(s) ; OM= Office Messenger... Students locate their weekly duties easily. Draw a line through the codes when the week is done. The teacher can quickly assign many weeks of duties at a glance.
  3. "Storybook Checkout" : If you are able to send home little trade books as part of a Home Reading Program, use adhesive labels on each book, and label them with your own code number system. Again, children's names go along the side of the chart, and this time , the teacher writes the book number in a square beside the child's name when the book goes home, then his / her initials or some clearly visual mark when it comes back.
     
    submitted by,

BARRY WELLS
REGINA MUNDI SCHOOL
HAMILTON, ONTARIO
barry_teach@hotmail.com

CLASSROOM SET-UP

GRADES 3-12

It is typical for classrooms to be set up in rows, or lately, in groups of 3-4 tables (which allow for easier cooperative learning). However, there are fundamental problems for each:

In rows, studies have shown that the further back you go, the more discipline problems there are. The visual, aural and physical stimulation from the teacher is increasingly diminished as you move further back. This allows boredom to set in, and as a result, potential disruption.

In groups, the opposite is true. Students are over stimulated--by the peers that are now not only next to him/her, but across the table! There is now MORE to distract the student, leaving it harder for the teacher to keep the student focused on any frontal instruction.

An alternative is to arrange the chairs/tables into a three-sided "box"shape (|_|), (with an occasional second row if room demands). In this fashion, EVERY STUDENT IS IN THE FIRST ROW! The teacher can freely move around the room while talking, and therefore giving "personal"contact with each student. The result: greater attention and fewer discipline problems. Desks/tables can be moved into cooperative learning groups as needed usually within two-three minutes!

submitted by

DR. SCOTT MANDEL
PACOIMA MIDDLE SCHOOL
LOS ANGELES, CA
mandel@pacificnet.net

 

GUIDELINES FOR GOOD CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PRACTICE

GRADES 3-12

Editor's note: There are many different practices that are used for good classroom management. Here is one teacher's opinion. As with all classroom management practices, adapt what you like to your classroom, taking account the age, ethnicity, and personality of the class as a group, and of you as a teacher.S.M.

Maintaining good order in classrooms is one of the most difficult tasks facing young inexperienced teachers. The task has become more difficult over the past few decades as young people's attitudes to people in authority have changed dramatically. Some of the changes have led to greater self-confidence in students. Others--such as the acceptance of violence to achieve ends, attitudes to substance abuse and an increasing lack of respect for authority--have made classroom management and life in school generally more difficult, and more demanding, on those who are charged with maintaining a positive learning environment.

Many disruptive behaviors in the classroom can be alleviated before they become serious discipline problems. Such behaviors can be reduced by the teacher's ability to employ effective organizational practices. Such practices are at the heart of the teaching process and are essential to establishing and maintaining classroom control.

The following set of organizational practices should help to establish effective control of the classroom by the teacher:

1. Get off to a good start.

The first "honeymoon" encounter between the teacher and the students is when they formulate their impressions of the teacher. Students sit quietly, raise their hands to respond and are generally well behaved. The teacher is easily misled into thinking that this is an ideal class and may relax their vigilance. Students within a week will begin to test the waters to see what they can "get away with". It is during this period that the effective teacher will establish the expected ground-rules for classroom behavior.

2. Learning School Policies.

Prior to meeting the class for the first time, the teacher should become familiar with school policies concerning acceptable student behavior and disciplinary procedures. The teacher should definitely know what the school expects from both student and teacher in regard to discipline.

3. Establishing Rules.

Establish a set of classroom rules to guide the behavior of students at once. Discuss the rationale of these rules with the students to ensure they understand and see the need for each rule. Keep the list of rules short. The rules most often involve paying attention, respect for others, excessive noise, securing materials and completion of homework assignments.

4. Overplaning Lessons.

"Overplan" the lessons for the first week or two. It is important for the teacher to impress on the students from the outset that he or she is organized and confident of their ability to get through the syllabus.

5. Learning Names.

Devise a seating arrangement whereby students' names are quickly learned. Calling a student by his or her name early in the year gives the student an increased sense of well being. It also gives a teacher greater control of situations. "JOHN, stop talking and finish your work" is more effective than "Let us stop talking and finish our work".

6. Be Firm and Consistant.

A teacher can be firm yet still be supportive and friendly with students. A firm teacher can provide an environment where the students feel safe and secure. Many teachers report that it is easier to begin the year in a firm manner and relax later, than to begin in a lax manner and then try to become firm.

submitted by

TONY MURPHY
CATHOLIC BOYS HIGH SCHOOL
DUBLIN CITY, IRELAND
guest@gpo.iol.ie

 

PROMOTING POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM: MARKING PAPERS

GRADES K-12

Many of the things teachers do to promote, or inhibit, positive self-esteem, comes from unintended actions. There are obvious things teachers do, such as who is called on in the class, who's papers are posted on the bulletin boards...but there are less obvious things that are done; actions which directly affect the students positive self-esteem. The most frequent area where this is the case is with marking student papers.
The following are some quick tips which any teacher can immediately use in improving the positive self-esteem in the classroom:
  1. NEVER GRADE IN RED INK. Red is a "negative" color. Think: stop signs and lights, warning labels, poisen, etc. Our society has conditioned us to immediately view red as something negative. Subconsciously, (and often conscientiously), a paper that is handed back full of red marks tells the student that he or she is a "dummy". A "self-fulfilling prophesy" often results with these students!
  2. USE GREEN OR BLUE INK. Green, on the other hand, is a "positive" color, as is blue to a lesser extent. When green is used, corrections, or markings, become more of a "constructive criticism" type of comment.
  3. USE A SLASH "/" RATHER THAN AN "X" WHEN MARKING A WRONG ANSWER. Again, for the same reasons one does not use red ink. The "X" is a negative symbol.
  4. MARK NUMBER RIGHT OUT OF THE TOTAL, VERSUS MINUS THE NUMBER WRONG. Do you accentuate the positive, or the negative? 2/20 still looks better than -18.
Also be aware of cultural differences. For instance, NEVER write a Korean student's name using red ink (even if it's a friendly note to the child). In the Korean culture, writing someone's name in red is a sign of death! Korean parents are often horrified when papers come home with their child's name written in red!

submitted by

DR. SCOTT MANDEL
PACOIMA MIDLE SCHOOL
PACOIMA, CA
mandel@pacificnet.net

A LIST OF THINGS TO DO BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

GRADES K-12

ROOM ENVIRONMENT

  • Decide on a theme for your classroom
  • Prepare/purchase bulletin board materials
  • Decide where to post notices/materials
  • Make a classroom welcome sign
  • Set up learning centers, display tables, and student work areas

SUPPLIES

  • Writing, drawing, and construction paper
  • Pencils/Pens
  • Crayons
  • Paste/glue
  • Stapler/staples
  • Paper clips
  • Rubber bands
  • Straight and safety pins
  • Transparent tape
  • Manila folders
  • Marking pens
  • Rulers
  • Art supplies
  • Grade book
  • Lesson plan book
  • Attendance materials
  • Textbooks/workbooks
  • Boxes for keeping units

FIND OUT ABOUT

  • Fire drills
  • Tornado drills
  • Lunch procedure
  • Staff handbook
  • Dismissal procedure
  • Your colleagues

STUDENT PREP

  • Make student name tags
  • Prepare first-day materials to send home (emergency cards, school/classroom rules, bus regulations/info, letter to parents, classroom schedule)
  • Prepare class list
  • Decide on your seating procedure
  • Check records for students with special needs

GETTING ORGANIZED

  • Brainstorm class expectations
  • Arrange desks
  • Pin up bulletin boards, notices, etc.
  • Write lesson plans for the first week
  • Duplicate materials for first week
  • Write daily schedule, date, and your name on the board
  • Prepare files for parent correspondence, school bulletins, and sub teachers

THINK ABOUT PROCEDURES FOR...

  • Book distribution
  • Turning in work, format of work
  • Handing back assignments
  • Homework
  • Grading--recording grades, extra credit, portfolios
  • Housekeeping procedures--clean up, supply storage
  • Rewards and incentives
  • Communicating with parents
  • Signals for students' attention
  • Daily routines--beginning of day, transition times, independent and group work
  • Agenda use and motivators

    submitted by

    TERESA WASINGER
    PLEASANT VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL
    WICHITA, KS
    Gibsongal1@aol.com

 

MEETING THE PARENTS--1ST DAY JITTERS

GRADES: K-3

Ease everyone's 1st Day jitters by inviting students and parents to visit your room together for an Open House the evening BEFORE school starts. This gives you a chance to greet each family individually, and to collect requested items (like tissues) and information (how is your child getting home tomorrow?).

Instead of putting together a formal program, simplify your life by creating a simple "Scavenger Hunt" in which the child and family can become familiar with his/her new room (parents can read the items to pre-readers). Use easily located items such as the clock, the bathroom, student's name in 3 places, a poem, etc. Include yourself as the last item to be found. This gives you an opportunity to talk once again with your new student. This is also a great time to take a photo of the student with their family (this really helps put a name to a face later at conferences!). Send students off with a cheerful goodbye - make sure you tell them at least 1 activity that you have planned for the next day to give them something to look forward to.

With primary children, it's also helpful to wear something bright at Open House. If you wear the same outfit the next day, younger children will be able to easily recognize you on the playground, or at the door, or wherever you collect your group!

Students and teachers will feel so much more confident when they know exactly where they are going and what to expect the first day, and everyone will be reassured enough to get a good night,s sleep!

submitted by

MARILYN WESTERN
KINNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
MT. PLEASANT, MI
mwestern@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu

 

SUPPLY LIST/GIFT BASKETS

GRADES: K-12

This list was developed through the contributions of THT Guest Book readers. Thank you to all who helped develop this list!

MATERIALS:

See below

METHOD:

If you are a new teacher, use this list to help you compile the supplies you need. Ask first if any of these items are available from your school before you spend personal money on supplies.

If you are an experienced teacher, consider making a gift basket of some or all of these supplies to help out your new colleagues. Each person in your department might contribute a few items to make a new teacher much more prepared for his or her first day!

 

ESSENTIALS

  • a box each of ink pens & pencils
  • pens for grading in a variety of colors - not red
  • calculator
  • post-it notes
  • file folders
  • Kleenex
  • hole punch
  • pencil sharpener
  • paper clips
  • a stapler & box of staples
  • lined & blank paper
  • scissors
  • a grade-book (MS Wizard also has some good PC grade-sheets)
  • erasers
 

VERY HELPFUL

  • headache medicine
  • apple or a candy bar
  • a bottle of waterless hand cleaner
  • markers
  • 12" and 3' rulers
  • gummed reinforcements for 3-holed paper
  • pencil erasers
  • a pencil holder
  • a small clip board
  • a key ring
  • a tote bag
  • a personal a coffee cup or beverage mug
  • 5x8 index cards
  • hanging files
  • push tacks
  • calendar
 

NICE EXTRAS

  • small size legal pads
  • small screwdriver for glasses repair
  • safety pins
  • small sewing kit and tool kit
  • show boxes to contain things on shelves
  • a list of teacher websites
  • pins
  • teacher-tack (sticky stuff for bulletin boards- can be found at Longs or Albertsons)
  • card stock scraps (found at PIP or Kinko's-bindles for $1)
  • a counter-bell (for getting class attention)
  • scalloped bulletin-board borders
  • two or three sets of punch-out letters for displays
  • different lesson-plan formats to photocopy or change to meet needs
  • planner labels that say "PERSONAL PROPERTY OF____",
  • book-ends
  • in/out stackable trays
  • diary
  • Koosh balls-great stress relievers and can motivate students by tossing
  • around class to encourage answers etc.
  • Tic-Tac Candy
  • Post-it flag tags
  • thank you notecards
  • little index tabs to put on the edge of a grade book
 

supply list compiled and submitted by

Gwen Smith

Fairfax, VA

gsmith@pen.k12.va.us

 

Other contributors:

rlane@spideyweb.net, MGoudie@aol.com, drhoffman@sk.sympatico.ca, randchune@cyberportal.net, emaxwell@ils.net, steele@odsgc.net, jljsw@iocc.com, hoover@pld.com, debras@mindspring.com, jmklein@as.net

 

Special idea from Jill Klein:

An idea for a teacher friend is to buy some of those clear plastic envelopes that hold an 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper. These have 3 holes to put in a 3 ring binder that you can also buy for him. Have him put his seating charts in the individual envelopes. Then, with the vis-a-vis pens you buy him, he can mark down each period who is absent (with an A that's circled), put tally marks on it for those who have been asked to speak that day. When I taught jr. high, I had 3 rules: Cooperate, Anticipate, and Participate. If a child didn't have homework, pencil, paper, etc., they

got an "A" (no circle) for not anticipating. (If they asked someone else for a pencil, not me, I didn't mark it down, but if it was flagrant (yelling "Who's got _________?", I did.) If they didn't cooperate in a small group, they got a "C", and if they didn't answer a question I asked, or couldn't because they were goofing off, they got a "P" written on the seating chart where their name was. If they got all 3 that day, they got a note home. If they didn't, they didn't, and I could write the attendance in my grade book before wiping the envelope with a damp rag. It was an easy way of keeping cool and it didn't take up time or leave any student feeling embarrassed because their name wasn't up on the board.

 

I also wrote a thought-provoking open-ended question that had to do with our subject or our topic of the day on the board, and they got 10 minutes (out of the 90) to write down their thoughts about the question. I took attendance then. Then, I called 5 or 6, and made a check mark on the seating chart, so I knew who I had called on for the question. I did not erase the checks (which I placed next to the name), so I'd be sure to get everyone before I erased all of the checks. If someone did not write on the day I called them, and they hadn't written anything, I'd mark an "AP", because they hadn't anticipated being called upon, and a "P" because they couldn't participate! It rarely happened, but one student is all it takes for everyone to jump in and write those first few minutes! I also would not give a check, because they would have to still speak up on another day (maybe the next)...they can't get out of public speaking in my class!

 
 
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