Lion Taming 101 Classroom Management Part 2 Presented By: Debbie Silver, Ed. D. <www.debbiesilver.com>
The Teacher “Concerning a teacher’s influence, I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or deescalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized.” --Haim Ginott
Killer Statements and Gestures Conduct a class discussion around the following questions: Have you ever worked really hard at something or been very excited about something and someone "killed" your good feeling by something they said or did? What was said or done? Have you ever witnessed someone's pride or other feelings be "killed" by something that someone else said or did? What was said or done? How do you think the other person felt? Introduce the concept of "killer statements and gestures" as anything that is said or done to "kill" someone's good feelings about themselves. These things can be negative comments, body language, or gestures. List together some of the things that are often said in and around the classroom that fit these categories (even those said and done by staff members).
I A L A C
V. Tips for Communicating with Students a. Model high expectations. b. Use eye contact and simple gestures. c. Practice active listening skills. d. Build connections.
e. Do not begin instruction until all students are focused and attentive. f. Be sure your voice and body language are consistent with your words. g. Use direct eye contact and simple hand gestures to redirect off-task or inappropriate behavior.
h. Use close proximity and a quiet voice to make reminders and censures personal and private. i. Be warm and friendly, and be firm. j. Talk to upset students away from other students.
k. Practice active listening skills. l. Write e-mails, notes, or letters to students occasionally just to tell them why you are glad that you are their teacher.
Hallway Conversations I • Invite a student who’s “losing it” into the hall. • Remain facing the student while addressing the class. • (If the student refuses to go, send a student to the office for help.) • Give yourself a moment to calm down. • Give the class something to do.
Hallway Conversations I • Stand next to the student rather than backing him/her into a corner. • Wait, and say nothing. • Say: “I can see by your body language that you’re upset.” • Give choices: a moment to collect him/herself, pass to see the counselor, or return to the classroom. • Revisit the issue later.
Hallway Conversations II • Greet students as they enter the room. • Ask student who’s upset to step aside and wait for you. • Say: “I can see by your body language that you’re upset.” • Give choices: a moment to collect him/herself, pass to see the counselor, or calm down and enter to the classroom.
Tips for Writing Letters to Students
Tips for Writing Letters to Students • Write things that are positive and specific to the individual student. (Some students will compare their messages from you to see if you say the same things to everyone.) • Make sure everyone gets at least one note or letter from you during the year.
Tips for Writing Letters to Students • Be truthful and be sincere. You can even be funny if that’s how you interact with students, but be very careful that your words cannot be misinterpreted as sarcastic or negative (humor is tricky without the facial expressions and vocal tone to indicate that you are joking).
Tips for Writing Letters to Students • Make sure your positive comments have “no strings attached.” • Don’t make a big deal of presenting the note. Be as private as possible (you can even leave it in a locker or mail it).
Tips for Writing Letters to Students • Don’t ask them if they read it; give it freely, and let it go. • Don’t ask for or expect anything in return.
What I Value In You
Strength Words (emotional, mental, physical, spiritual) romantic investing serene prudent busy strong-will organizer confident kind motivated tactful tireless artistic understanding committed industrious careful disciplined spontaneous thoughtful convincing self-reliant commanding expressive friendly persistent tolerant settled gentle neat goal-directed persuasive loyal caring progressive affectionate distinctive thinker sharp graceful perfectionist clever capable reliable exact self-determined certain leader tenacious well-informed looked up to growing resolute creative dedicated eager ambitious orderly courageous active outgoing individualistic consistent influential
Strength Words-Continued (emotional, mental, physical, spiritual) steadfast searching honorable giving poised appreciative productive original strong fair-minded determined thrifty considerate respected planner unselfish fulfilled flexible efficient self-aware manager likes new ideas cooperative self-directed open-minded forceful dependable adjusted talented predictable comforting inquiring witty intelligent sociable practical systematic encouraging serious unique trustworthy imaginative adaptable precise foresight pursuing forgiving listener empathetic compassionate visionary humorous cheerful motivating artistic athletic energetic disciplined sharing caring daring risk taker courageous patient coordinated loyal fun loving perceptive
Laughter is NOT chaos. It is the softening influence that promotes emotional intelligence and learning!
Laughing WITH Others Laughing AT Others 1. Going for the jocular vein 1. Going for the jugular vein 2. Based on caring and empathy 2. Based on contempt and insensitivity 3. Builds confidence 3. Destroys confidence 4. Involves people in the fun 4. Excludes some people 5. A person chooses to be the 5. A person does not have a choice in being “butt” of a joke made the “butt” of the joke 6. Amusing, invites people to laugh 6. Abusing, offends people 7. Supportive 7. Sarcastic 8. Brings people closer 8. Divides people 9. Leads to a positive repartee 9. Leads to one-downmanship cycle 10. Pokes fun at universal human 10. Reinforces stereotypes foibles 11. Nourishing 11. Toxic 12. Icebreaker 12. Ice maker From Laughing Matters magazine published by The Humor Project, Inc. as quoted in Jump Start Your Brain by Doug Hall
VI. Be Proactive! a. Modeling b. Practice c. Talk with students away from others d. Give choices when possible e. Say what you mean, mean what you say.
VII. Why Students Misbehave a. To Gain Power b. To Get Attention c. To Seek Revenge d. To Avoid Failure Adapted from Catherine Neale Watson, Middle Ground, Spring, 1995
e. Because they are bored! Debbie Silver, Ed.D.
Things to Consider Before You REact to a Disruptive Student • Could this be about your own need to win? • Could you have misinterpreted the situation? • Have you confronted the one who wasn’t the primary instigator? • Is this hostility directed towards you or is it actually displaced aggression? • Is the student just trying to get attention (even if it is negative)?
Things to Consider Before You REact to a Disruptive Student (continued) • Does the student feel that she/he is not being respected or losing face? • Is it possible that this student really did misunderstand? • Could the student have been joking? • Is this student acting out of a feeling of powerlessness or hopelessness?
VIII. Tips for communicating with Students a. Use written communication when possible. b. Respect their privacy. d. Ask student to keep journals.
IX. Handling ongoing disruptions a. Meeting with student b. Meeting with others c. Individual behavior sheets
Individualized Behavioral Journal Page Student’s Name___________________ Class/Period _______ Date _______
Long-Range Goals for Student: _________________________________ _______________________________
Short-Range Goal for Student: _________________________________ _______________________________
What Student Will Do to Meet Target Goal: _________________________________ _______________________________
What Teacher Will Do to Help Student Meet Target Goal: _________________________________ _______________________________
What Parent (or Other) Will Do to Help Student Meet Target Goal: _________________________________ _______________________________
What will happen if student fails to meet target goal : 1st Time- _____________________________________ ___________________________________ 2 nd Time- _____________________________________ ___________________________________
Positive recognition student will receive for making target goal: ________________________________ ________________________________
Recommend
More recommend
