CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT RESOURCE GUIDE

By Eric Bran

Table of Contents
II. Introduction: Lets Focus on the Students! II. Meeting the Students Needs III. The Blueprint: Classroom Floor Plan IV . Classroom Rules ... V . Teambuilding Activities .. 3 4 5 7 9

VI. Managing Time and Materials . 13 VII. Proactive Classroom Management 15 VIII. Preventions for Disruptive Behavior VIII. Interventions for Disruptive Behavior .. 17 18

IX. Anti-Bullying Guide . 19 X. Sources and Work Cited .

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead

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LETS FOCUS ON THE STUDENTS!

students feel that they have ownership of their education, they become invested in the learning. By focusing on the students, teachers have a better chance to create a classroom where the students are motivated and engaged. This resource guide is There are many factors that influence the behavior intended to serve teachers who wish to pursue the of our students and thus sometimes teachers true meaning of education which puts the students become unsatisfied with how their classroom is at its focus. functioning. I am a strong believer that great teachers are those who focus on the needs of each student but this undertaking is often difficult. To be successful, teachers need to create and practice classroom management techniques that have clear goals and meaningful purposes. They need to be planned with deliberation and creativity. The success of the teacher should be measured by the success of the students. When

proactive [proh-ak-tiv] adjective

(of a person, policy, or action) Creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened
scenarios or behaviors which they may encounter. By simply thinking ahead of the what ifs a teacher is making a conscious effort to avoid a sticky situation. The students may feel much more comfortable in their classroom if they see that their teacher is prepared and ready to handle unexpected situations in the classroom. A great teacher is one that plans ahead and prepares for multiple situations. Preparation is key when creating a proactive approach to classroom management. Having all the materials ready, knowing the lesson well, and staying alert, are all part of the preparation that proactive teachers go through. Preparation is essential to show students that the teacher is responsible and credibly. At the same time, the teacher who prepares and plans ahead will teach his/her lessons with confidence. 3

By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail. - Benjamin Franklin

It is important to create a proactive classroom management plan because it will help teachers and students achieve success. As humans it is impossible to predict the future. On the same token we cannot predict how our classroom will behave to certain scenarios. The best way to avoid a situation is to plan ahead. When teachers create a proactive management plan they are taking into account many different

the classroom but also for the success of students who may not have a caring influence at home. By caring for the students, the teacher is also allowing students to feel comfortable in the classroom. If the student feels as if their survival is threatened at home, the classroom should be the Creating a student-centered classroom is not an perfect place for students to feel like they belong. easy task. This requires a teacher who is invested A study done by Cynthia E. Mader demonstrated in the students and who is willing to put the time that most of the participants had a higher interest to get to know the needs of each individual in pursuing course topics on their own when they learner. Every classroom needs a teacher who graded themselves (Mader, 2009). When students creates an environment that is safe for the are given the power and freedom to control some students where their voice is valued. The teacher aspects of their learning they tend to be more needs to create lessons that are fun and full of motivated. We put so much emphasis on grades choices for the students. Finally, the teacher needs when we really should be focusing on the actual to care and make the students feel that they learning. Students sense of survival may be belong in their classroom. threatened by a low test score and/or a failing By getting to know the students, the teacher grades. Think about it, if you were to fail a class demonstrates love and care for them. Students feel and had to re-take it, you may be label as stupid or more motivated to do well when they know their inept; this directly threatens your sense of teacher cares for their success as much they do security in the classroom. You may no longer be themselves. Caring is not just for the success of m o t i v a t e d t o try hard er.

MEETING THE STUDENTS NEEDS

Power in the classrooms is a bit more subtle than the other needs of the students. In college some professors will let students have some input in the rubrics which they are graded on. The students feel as if they have a voice that matters in their classroom and in their learning. By coconstructing rubrics the teacher allows the students to gauge whether the teacher is being fair or not. Student need to have some power in the classrooms so the class becomes more meaningful for them (Erwin 2003). Students should have value in their learning and a voice t h a t i s a c t u a l l y h e a r d . Sometimes students are engaged in difficult topics but the teacher moves through them so quickly that the students lose interest along the way. Because of the different learning styles of each individual student it is difficult to engage them with one activity. Students should be given choices on how they want to learn and how the wish to

represent what they have learned. By creating multiple options students are given freedom to choose within the parameters of the subject and autonomy to express themselves how they wish. The different choices can actually make learning fun. In an article that talks about bringing fun back to the classrooms Jonathan C. Erwin writes, The focus in education for the last several years has been on raising standards and increasing the number and difficulty of student test (Erwin 2005). The article describes something we already know, with all different legislations and pressure from administrators and public office officials, there is barely any time to create fun lessons. Schools are focused on the grades and how they may rank among schools but they forgotten the most important part of schools, the student. A great teacher will find ways to create lessons that meet the needs of the majority of the students.

THE BLUEPRINT

CLASSROOM FLOOR PLAN

Classroom set-up is not just about decorations and desk arrangements; there are many things that teachers have to take into consideration. A large space for the classroom can be very beneficial since it allows for more hands on activities as well as more equipment. Small class sizes are also good because it makes it easier for the teacher to create a close community in the classroom.

some cases depending on the sitting arrangements. To engage the students in this particular set-up, the teacher can walk around while conducting the lesson. On the first day the seating arrangement would be the same, students will have the option to sit where they please, and this will allow the teacher to see where students feel comfortable sitting. Later in the semester when the teacher has learned a little more about the students, he/she can purposely make groups based on ability or to mix the social interactions in the classroom.

Seating arrangements are important in classroom In the blueprint from the last page, you can see management plans because it is directly connected that it is set for a class of 24 students. The to the comfort level of the students, where the students are seated in groups of 4 around a main table. This main table would serve as the materials table. All the supplies needed for the particular lesson would be in this central location. By assigning a central location for all the materials, the teacher is encouraging students to be responsible for their own learning. In this set up, the students would be responsible to grab their materials prior to the lesson. At the front of the room closer to the door, two seats have been reserved or designated for students who may require to be close to the board or may have to use teachers focuses the attention of the lessons, and a wheelchair. By doing so, the teacher is prepared where the students might be focusing their for the first day of classes when students are still attention. Some students will sit in the front, rearranging themselves. others will sit in the back. Sometimes even by just On the walls, the teacher can post inspirational sitting in the front students may receive a higher quotes and other posters that are modern and grade (Parker & Hoopes & Eggett, 2011), this is hip. The purpose of these posters is to send a an opportunity for teachers to find a way to create message while relating to the students. lessons where everyone is in the front seat. A In an article titled Does where a student sits suggestion would be to have class circle really matter? the authors describe the idea that discussions because in this seating arrangement teacher-student relationships are affected by the everyone is in the front seat. It would be great to location of where the students sit (Fernandes & have seating arrangements for these kinds of Jinyan & Rinaldo, 2011). This might be true in discussions as well.

My report card always said, 'Jim finishes first and then disrupts the other students'. -Jim Carrey
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CLASSROOM RULES
RULE 1: ne o t c e p s e R another.
Rul e 2: Giv 100 e %o f wh you at ve g o (Ho pkin t! s, 2 011 )

Rule 3 : Raise your h and fo r attenti on (attent ion wi ll be devote d to yo u).

Rule 4: oot h s s y a Alw ky. s e h t r fo

CLASSROOM RULES: EXPLAINED

A good foundation at the beginning of the year is vital for the success of the students and the teacher. Classroom rules are very important and need to be clear and consistent throughout the year. By involving students in the conversation of classroom rules the teacher allows students to self-regulate their behavior. It is much easier for students to follow rules that they themselves have created than to follow the rules that the teacher is imposing on them.

Rule 5: Stop and smell the flowers.

At the beginning of the year on the first day of classes, the teacher can have the conversation about rules and procedure in the classroom. A simple activity such as having the class be broken into groups and have the students come up with a few rules for the year can be extremely helpful. The question then becomes: how do we make sure that students create rules that are necessary? This is when the teacher can guide the conversation by challenging the students about their rules. The teacher can question whether the rules are fair for both the students and the teacher. At the end of the first week the teacher can start the conversation about the rules again; this time with the intent to see if the rules are working or if they need to be changed, added, or even removed. When the rules have been revised, the teacher can have students create posters of the rules so they are involved in the entire process of rule making, this is said to keep social justice principles in the classroom (Frazier & Sterling, 2005, p. 32).

Surprisingly, student-created rules are often much the same as -- or even tougher than -- rules a teacher might create (Hopkins, 2011, para. 2)
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ACTIVITIES!
The Math Curse
Time Required Group Size Description 10-15 minutes 25-30 students "Read the book The Math Curse by Jon Scieszka aloud to the class. This is a book about a boy who sees numbers wherever he goes. The character realizes that the world is one giant math problem. After your read the book, get the students to explore their new classroom and find things that can be turned into math problems. Have them think about things in their life that relate to math or that could be turned into a math problem. Have the students write down these discovered math problems and present them to the class." (Katteringham, 2008, para. 5) As a class discuss the findings and discuss possible math themes associated with their topic. In this activity students can explore their everyday world in terms of mathematics. The students are given the power and freedom to be creative and be open to a new kind of mathematics class. Hopefully these activities will ignite curiosity and prevent boredom in the classroom. This activity would also help them see how others connect the world to math which can bring a very interesting perspective. By discussing their findings students begin to share ideas together and can begin to express themselves freely.

Why use this activity

Two Truths and a Lie

Time Required Group Size Description 10-15 minutes 25-30 students Each student and teacher as well thinks of two truths about themselves and one lie, writing it down may help them remember if they are the last to go. One by one students share the facts they've chosen and as a class we think and try to weed out the lie. [Source: ERIN HARE, Moodle: Week 2 - Activity Description - June 24, 12:00 p.m.] This activity is a fun activity for the students to get to know each other. Using this activity can lead to a conversation about honesty and integrity in the classroom. The activity can also help students work together to try and figure out a homemade riddle which can tie into mathematics and problem solving. 9

Why use this activity

Toilet Paper Game

Time Required Group Size Description 10-15 minutes 25-30 students Pass around a roll of toilet paper to the group and ask them to take what they need. No further explanation. When done. Tell the group that as they go around the room, each person must tell a fact or something about themselves for each square of TP they took. (Training-Games, 2012) This is a great way to get students to talk about themselves while learning about each other. The fun part of this exercise is when the teacher doesnt give directions until after the student has taken the toilet paper. Some students will take a lot of toilet paper and others will take a sheet or two. This activity can lead into a conversation of time management and managing work at a healthy pace.

Why use this activity

Paper Airplane Game

Time Required Group Size Description 10-15 minutes 25-30 students Everyone makes a paper airplane and writes their name, something they like and dislike on it (You may also want to add additional questions). On cue, everyone throws their airplane around the room. If you find an airplane, pick it and keep throwing it for 1-2 minutes. At the end of that time, everyone must have one paper airplane. This is the person they must find and introduce to the group. (Training-Games, 2012) This activity can be used to show students that fun in the classroom is acceptable as long as it doesn't disrupt the classroom. After the activity the teacher can have a conversation about diversity using the different ways the students constructed their airplanes. This is also a great icebreaker for students to get to know each other in an explorative way.

Why use this activity

The Artist Game

Time Required Group Size Description 10-15 minutes 25-30 students Give everyone a piece of paper and a pencil. In 5 minutes they must draw a picture that conveys who they are without writing any words or numbers. At the end of 5 minutes the host collects the pictures. Show the pictures to the group one at a time and have them try to guess who drew it. After this allow each of the artists to introduce themselves and explain how their work clearly conveys who they are. (Training-Games, 2012) This activity is a fun way for students to express themselves in the classroom. The drawing part of the activity can be a way for teachers to see who really enjoy doing drawings and who struggle. In the future teachers can give students choices to draw homework assignments to gain interest from visual learners. 10

Why use this activity

Polaroid Game
Time Required Group Size Description 20-30 minutes 25-30 students As participants arrive, take their picture with a Polaroid type camera. Hand out the pictures to the group with each participant getting a picture of another member of the group. Give them 15 minutes to find and talk to the people matching their picture. When the group reassembles, have each member introduce their new picture pal to the group and talk about what they learned about them. This is a nice explorative activity with a great prop. Using a polaroid camera can really get the students excited about the activity. While they go around looking for their pal students are getting familiar with each other. The pictures can be used as a display in the classroom to add more of a cozy feeling.

Why use this activity

Positive Reinforcement Card Game

Time Required Group Size Description Throughout the Lesson 25-30 students Whenever a participant arrives to class on time from breaks, lunch, etc. give them one playing card. You can also hand out cards to people who volunteer for activities, are helpful, answers a difficult question, etc. At the end of the day, play one hand of poker. Give a small prize to the best hand (you can also pick the top two or three hands if you want to give away more prizes). Note that the more cards a person has, the better the chance of winning. (Training-Games, 2012) This is a great way for students to stay motivated throughout the lesson. It demonstrates that if you do the right thing and you work hard you have the opportunity to be rewarded. This activity is also a form of positive narration that can be used for classroom management.

Why use this activity

The Autograph Hunt

Time Required Group Size Description 10-15 minutes 25-30 students Prepare a sheet listing traits or facts about people with a line for them to sign their name next to the trait if it applies to them (i.e.: someone who wears contacts, someone who has been to Europe, etc.). People then mingle around the room with their sheets seeking to find people who are eligible to sign their sheets. A person can only sign once on any sheet. (TrainingGames, 2012) This is a simple activity that can get students to interact with one another. It is a great way to learn interesting facts about the students. The teacher can gear the autograph hunt to gauge interest in certain topics for the lesson. The teacher can also participate to make the class feel like they are all a team. 11

Why use this activity

Rule Making
Time Required Group Size Description 25-35 minutes 25-30 students As a group the students would make rules for the classroom. Overall, these rules should not get in the way of their learning, should decrease the amount of interruptions during class, and (above all) should keep both students and teacher(s) safe and happy (both physically and emotionally). Each group is allowed to write as many rules as they think are necessary; the teacher would then compile every groups list of rules on the board and make one list of rules for the class to follow. [Source: Meghan Powers, Moodle: TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITY, 6/22/12, 5:16 pm] This activity is a great way for students to take ownership of the classroom policies. The teacher can serve as a guide but overall the students are creating the rules. The students can create rationales for each rule and be able to defend their group work. When the rules are broken, the teacher can remind them that they them selves came up with the rules and continue to have a conversation about integrity.

Why use this activity

People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing. -Dale Carnegie

Rock Paper Scissors Posse

Time Required Group Size Description 5-10 minutes 25-30 students To play, first review the standard rules of rock, paper, scissors. Ask players to spread out and find a partner. Each pair plays a best of three round of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The losing player then stands behind the winning player and enthusiastically cheers for that player. This new team then finds another team to play a new round of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Each time a team wins, it collects the other team's players, and they line up behind the unbeaten leader. At the end, there will be two large teams, led by the unbeaten leader in front. After the final match, the celebration begins! (Ultimatecampresrouce, 2012) This is a great game to play because it reinforces how important peer support is. The students love this simple game but it becomes much more exciting when there is an audience. This is a great energizer for students, it can be used when energy is low or in the middle of the semester when students are struggling to stay motivated.

Why use this activity

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Managing Instructional Time and Materials

1. Starting class (middle/high school) or the day used at the first 5 minutes of the class. This (elementary). To start the class the teacher can would give more time for in-class activities. greet the students at the door. If its the beginning of day the teacher can give students 5. Changing activities or transitioning to a new activity. To transition to a new activity 5 minutes to socialize at a decent volume. If its teachers can look for a small traffic light that the beginning of a class later in the day, the would sit in the middle of the room. They can students will be expected to work on their Do also make their own out of paper. When the Now. These activities will sometimes involve light is green it means the students are chatting with one another. starting the activity. When it turns yellow, the 2. Ending class or the day (middle/high school students should begin to wrap up, and when it students love to pack up their belongings is red, the activity will be done and a new one before the bell rings). Students will be asked will be introduced. Another way to transition to pack up 5 minutes before class ends. Once using a traffic light is using each color and they are all packed up we would have a small giving it a specific meaning. For example if feedback discussion asking questions such as: you have a Do Now, a group work activity, or What was challenging about today? What was individual work, you can give each of those easy? What are you still confused about? This three things a corresponding color. The information could be used for the following students will be taught the meaning of the days Do Now activity. colors at the beginning of the year. 3. Taking attendance. One of the values that 6. Organizing, distributing, and collecting teachers can promote in their classroom is materials for centers, activities, and/or labs. responsibility. Students can have the Along the same idea of responsibility, all the responsibility to sign in for attendance at the materials would be in a central location for beginning of each class. In this case the sign in students to grab at the beginning of class. sheet would be in same location throughout They would know to stop by the materials table the year. The students would be instructed of and collect all the stuff they would need for the this routine on the first day of classes. The lesson. teacher should take a secondary attendance for accurate records. This activity would promote 7. Lining up (elementary), entering/exiting the room (middle/high school). Students will be responsibility and personal accountability. instructed to walk in/walk out without running 4. Distributing and collecting papers and or pushing. They will be allowed to talk but student work. Each student would have a will have the Do Now on the board for them folder that would stay in the classroom. All to get started on it. Usually the Do Now will their graded work would be in these folders. involve some sort of prompt such as picture/ Students would have the responsibility to pick video/or passage. up their graded papers. The teacher can use the same method to collect student work. It would be like a mailbox, which would only be 13

8. Student questions. The teacher can have a question box in the middle of the classroom where students can drop unanswered questions before leaving the class. To ask questions during class, students will be asked to raise their hand and wait to be called on. The teacher must explain that this is because the size of class it is imperative to have an organized way to answer questions.

13. Using the pencil sharpener (Believe it or nothuge disruptions can occur.) The teacher can purchase a silent sharpener to avoid disruptions. The sharpener can sit in the back of the room so it wont take the attention from the lesson. (Friendly Supplies, 2012)

14. Emergencies. Emergency procedures will require students to be a quiet as possible and wait for instructions from me or emergency 9. Redirecting students attention (more personnel. To get their attention the teacher elementary but also middle school). To get would use the assigned attention grabber they the students attention the teacher can use have established with the class. some sort of musical instrument such as bells, 15. Getting students attention and/or other maracas, or finger cymbals. silent signals. To grab the students attention 10. Incomplete, late, or missing work. Any late using silent signals the teacher would go assignments will not receive a grade unless the towards the center of the classroom and hold student has a legitimate excuse. Incomplete their five fingers up. The students have until work will receive partial credit. If a student is the last finger goes down to be paying missing work they will have to find some time attention. during the school when the teacher is free to come and make it up. Students will only be 16. Getting into groups, returning to individual seats. When assigning groups each student able to make up a maximum of two pieces of will get a card. The teacher can use this work. method accordingly with the class. The teacher 11. Not prepared for class. Students will be asked can group by suit or by number. Once they are to keep extra paper in their folder that doesnt in a group they will remain in those new seats leave the classroom. If they are missing a until the next class. pencil or pen the teacher can trade them for something they value. They would then feel more obligated to give back the materials they borrow. 12. Use of the restroom and/ water fountain (locker pass?-some schools prohibit during instructional time). Students would be allowed to go to the bathroom whenever they wanted, they wont even have to ask. The teacher would have a hall pass for them to use and a check-in/check-out sheet to monitor how often students are using the hall pass. At the end of the week the teacher would assess if the privilege was being abused. If this was the case, changes can be made to the policy and limit the amount of times the pass can be used in a period. The students can give their input to gage the fairness level; this would then become a mutual agreement.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. -Albert Einstein

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Proactive Classroom Management

Jacob Kounin identifies a few principles which highlight the influences in good classroom management in terms of discipline. He [Kounin] summarized that good classroom management is based on the behavior of the teacher, not the behavior of the students. (Wong, Wong, Rogers & Brooks, 2012, p.61). This quote clearly illustrates the philosophy of Jacob Kounin and puts the responsibility of classroom management on the teacher not the students. Here are a few of his principles explained. technique that can be used when multiple students are doing different things, it is a way to bring those ideas together. This takes careful planning. Smoothness & Momentum: Momentum in the lesson begins early in the class with something like the Do Now while smoothness keeps the students engaged throughout the lesson (Ganly, 2012). The transitions between activities are important because they tie concepts together. By creating momentum and smoothness during the lesson planning, teachers are making a conscious decision to keep their students engaged while making their lessons build upon each other in an interesting way. It is important to spend some time planning for transitions that build upon each other and engage the curiosity of the students. Keep the whole class involved: this principle is about engaging the attention of the class when individuals are responding (Learn Portal). Think about when a student answers a question, what is everyone else doing? This principle is about using these opportunities to keep students engaged by asking others to clarify or explain what their peers are describing. This way the whole class is engaged and attentive to their classmates. Introduce Variety and be Enthusiastic: This principle is related to how the teacher presents the lesson. When teachers do the same thing every day, it becomes a routine. Routines can be good for classroom management but doing the same activities and assessments can cause boredom and disinterest. A great teacher is also one that includes enthusiasm in the classroom. Its a very contagious energy that can trickle from the teacher to the student. 15

... good classroom management is based on the behavior of the teacher, not the behavior of the students. (Wong, Wong, Rogers & Brooks, 2012, p.61).
Withitness: This is the idea that teacher knows what goes on in every aspect of their classroom (Wiseman & Hunt, 2008). The best way to demonstrate this principle in the classroom is to be organized. If the teacher can model an organized classroom the students can see that the teacher knows what is going on at all times. This would influence behavior because when teachers are organized students know that the teacher is on top of the work that needs to be handed in therefore students may be more motivated to stay on task and finish on time. Overlapping: According to Wiseman and Hunt, overlapping is doing multiple things at once in a classroom. It is the ability to monitor the classroom while making sure that students are staying on task. All while making sure the lesson is going along smoothly. Overlapping also is a

SIMPLE PLANNING STRATEGIES

Create an objective that is specific, skill-oriented, and measureable.
This is an important strategy for lesson planning. By creating objectives that are specific, teachers give purpose to their lessons with the opportunity to really measure the students learning. In a study conducted to figure out the top pitfalls of novice teachers found that without a clear goal teachers tried to teach everything about the topic often leading to teachers becoming frustrated (Jones, Jones, & Vermette, 2011, p.847). In order to create clear objectives for my high school math students teachers can use Blooms taxonomy as a guide.

Create a Do Now that sparks interest in the lesson.

A successful lesson needs to gain the students attention and engage them in the different activities. After creating clear objectives the teacher needs an attractive introduction to the lesson. By doing this the students can look forward to the lesson and be curious about the content they are about to learn. Sometimes students need something to wake them up as well, the do now can serve as an energizer. A strategy would be to have Do Now activities that involved socializing with a partner or a group about the previous lesson. This would serve as a review and can help students prepare for the lesson in terms of knowing their material..

Take time to reflect on the lesson after it has been taught.

Reflection on the lessons is as important as creating objectives for the lessons. In the video New Teacher Survival Guide: Planning, it was mentioned that the hardest part of lesson planning is pacing and finding the correct amount of time a certain activity will take (Fink, 2011). Teachers can become more aware of how they teach and how they improve by reflecting on their lesson plans. By carefully re-planning their lessons, teachers can save time (Colorado State, 2012). Filing your lessons for future use is a great way to stay organized but it is important to reflect on them and prepare for each specific class. What works for one group does not necessarily work for every group.

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PREVENTIONS FOR BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

1. Create a consistent classroom routine
Creating routines in the classroom is an essential technique to create a well-managed classroom (Education Oasis, 2011). By creating a consistent routine the teacher gives students the responsibility to keep up with their own learning. For example, using a Do Now is a great way to have students come into class ready to start learning. By establishing routines the teacher provides the student with clear expectations (Fink, 2011). Knowing the expectations of the teacher also gives the student ideas how to behave in the classroom. individualized management techniques in the classroom. When teachers try to individualize their classroom management to every student, it becomes really hard to accomplish the multiple tasks of the lesson. By using strategies such as positive narration the teacher can address negative behavior in a more positive way. A great way to incorporate this technique is during group work where some groups are finishing up really early and other groups are not focused on the task.

4. Keep students busy at all times

[Source: Katherine Riegal, Moodle: Discussion Post 1, 7/5/12, 11:19 am ] Sometimes it is hard to keep the students focused on the lesson. When students finish their work early they want to find something else to do or else they get bored. This is usually when a student will act out. To avoid this, the teacher can plan ahead for those students that will finish ahead of time. It is important that these activities are not punishment for finishing early. Instead, by creating an agenda that the students are aware of, they will remain busy. For example, If the students are working on a week long project students who finish the lesson early can work on their project.

2. Break down lesson plans into smaller parts

By breaking down the lesson into smaller parts, the lesson creates stepping stones to the overarching objectives. A good foundation especially in mathematics is crucial for the success of the student. Using this smaller compartment technique allows teachers to focus on more specific themes making it easier for students to understand the material. Often when lesson plans are broken into 3 parts (introduction, instruction, and conclusion) the introduction and conclusion usually are at their simplest form. If teachers can break down the concepts in the instruction part of their lesson, they are helping students focus on smaller parts of the lesson to further understanding in a stepping stones Middle school students are high energy and like competition. Making an educational activity into manner. a competition or using a game to review helps to increase student interest and let them use their energy in a positive way. When students are interested in an activity and are given an outlet for their energy, they are less likely to Sometimes it is a good strategy to use

5. Games and competition

3. Use group strategies like positive narration

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misbehave [Source: Elizabeth Emblidge, Moodle: Post 1: Behavior, 7/4/12, 7:30 a.m. ]. By turning a lesson into a competition or challenge, the students focus better and support each other through positive reinforcement.

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INTERVENTIONS FOR BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

1. Keep calm and use a soft voice
This technique can be really useful when dealing with students who are misbehaving. By lowering the voice of the conversation the teacher is setting the acceptable standard for the encounter. Some students might get really aggravated that the teacher is not responding as they had hoped. In the long run the students might understand that the teacher was treating them with respect. If this is done in front of the class it also models how adults should handle difficult situations. front of their classmates. Taking the student away from the crow can be very useful for teachers. Often the student who is acting up tends to get even more agitated as the attention is focused on them. It is much more effective to ask a student to speak about their issues privately than in a crowd. This technique can be used depending on the situation. High school students will appreciate the individual attention they get when they have the opportunity to chat with the teacher after an incident. By having a one-on-one conversation with the student, the teacher can ask questions demonstrating concern. The other thing about this private conversation that is important is the listening. Teachers should plan to listen carefully and use questions to clarify what the student is trying to say (Doyle, 2009). This might help me understand why the student was acting up.

2. Using non-verbal cues to redirect students attention

Students dont like to be called out in front of their peers therefore if a student is getting out of hand it is good to have non-verbal cues. By simply giving students a look they can understand that they need to re-focus on the lesson. The students may not be trying to be malicious they might just be easily distracted and they might need that cue to re-focus. If the teacher is able to stay focused on the class, the student will feel that teacher is engaged in the lesson with the students. It might help the student re-focus and feel responsible to pay attention and learn.

4. Remembering student achievement

Remembering everything a student does is tough, especially when you have a lot of them, but trying to focus on the good things that they have done is very important [Source: Katherine Riegal, Moodle: Discussion Post 1, 7/5/12, 11:19 am ]. Some students need the constant feedback to know that they are doing well in the class. Teachers can remember positive things that student has done and use it to motivate the student. If a student is apathetic to the lesson the teacher can encourage them by saying how well (remove the crowd) they did the other day and hoping that they would Again, students do not like to be called out in be respond in a positive way.

3. Deal with disagreements in private

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5. Whispering
Whispering is a good choice as a reactive strategy because it is more private. It allows for a correction of the behavior without drawing attention to the student. Whispering is also useful to help calm students down. They will have to be quieter to hear you, which will allow them to calm

themselves. This can prevent situations from getting out of hand. [Source: Ismael Cerezo, Moodle: Post 1: Behavior, 7/6/12, 11:41 p.m. ]. By having a more private conversation with a soft tone is also a way to show students that you respect them. Going over to the students desk and asking how they are doing might trigger a lot of emotions, teachers must be careful how they approach the situation.

BULLY PREVENTION GUIDE

What Is Bullying?
Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior that is intentional, hurtful, (physical and psychological), and/or threatening and persistent (repeated). There is an imbalance of strength (power and dominance).

the classroom.
When students create their own rules because it becomes easier for them to buy into them. According to Cooper and Company, students regulate their own behavior when they create their own classroom rules. With some guidance I believe that teachers can help students create rules that promote respect and tolerance. To prevent bullying in the classroom.

Incorporate anti-bullying conversations in the lessons.

A lot of people think that teaching math is all about numbers and formulas. In fact, mathematics is the process of having a conversation in a universal language. To help students understand the material, math teachers have to create relevant information so the students can relate. By creating lesson plans that are intended to address a specific issue relating to bullying, students can feel connected to the lesson and be invested in the learning.

Find indirect ways to address bully prevention.

Indirect techniques can be helpful in the classroom with those students who may not feel so comfortable talking about bullying in a direct way. Something as simple as having posters with antibullying messages around the room can be helpful. It is much more effective when these posters are referenced throughout the year. If the teacher had a math lesson where the students need to take out numbers, the teacher can ask students how this lonely number feels. Although it is not a real person, the number can serve as an outlet for students to talk about bullying in the classroom while still learning the content. Another indirect way of addressing bullying in the

Create classroom rules that can help prevent bullying in

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classroom can be to choose textbooks that your own classroom at all times. In middle school incorporate different cultures and personalities. its also important to monitor the hallway in This is a way to teach tolerance in the classroom.

Class meetings
At the beginning of the Creating Rules and Rubrics to Prevent Bullying video it showed a teacher talking openly with her class. They were discussing bullying, how it made them feel, how they might react and some implications of bullying (Teaching Channel, 2012). The video later discussed that every class had a meeting regarding bullying, every single week. [Source: Kaitlyn Huestis, Moodle: Post 1: Bullying ]. This idea brings the conversation about bullying right to the classroom. The teacher can have an open forum to discuss any issues that the students may be having related to bullying. This is a healthy outlet for students to vent as well as to be educated on how to prevent bullying.

Monitor and inform other teachers

During the video Creating Rules and Rubrics to Prevent Bullying, it was stated that a large amount of bullying goes on in the classroom with the teacher present (Teaching Channel, 2012). It is important to be aware of what is going on in

between classes. [Source: Elizabeth Emblidge, Moodle: Post 1: Bullying, 7/6/12, 1:50 p.m. ]. It is important for teachers to communicate with one another about bullying in the classrooms. The more they communicate the better they can work together to try and stop bullying. It wouldnt be a bad idea to have a conversation with other teachers discussing any type of bullying.

1 in 4 teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene 4% percent of the time. (Dosomething.org, 2012)
If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. We need not wait to see what others do.
- Mahatma Gandhi

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Works Cited
Andrius , J. (2011). Teacher matters. Retrieved from http://www.teachermatters.com/classroom-discipline/ models-of-discipline/the-kounin-model.html Battle, J. (2011). Five classroom rules. Retrieved from http://www.powerteachers.net/Whole-BrainTeching/First-Steps/Five-Classroom-Rules.html Colorado State University. (2012). Reflecting on lessons. Retrieved on June 29, 2012, from http:// writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/planning/reflect.cfm. Cooper and Company (2007). Setting Classroom Rules. Retrieved July 6, 2012, from http:// getagriponbullying.blogspot.com/2007/09/when-students-set-their-own-rules-they.html Dosomething.org. (2012). 11 facts about bullying. Retrieved from http://www.dosomething.org/ tipsandtools/11-facts-about-school-bullying Doyle, T (2009, February 25). Effective ways of dealing with disruptive students [Web log message]. Retrieved on July 5,2012, from http://learnercenteredteaching.wordpress.com/? s=effective+ways&x=0&y=0 Education Oasis (2011). Routines and procedures for managaing your classroom. Retrieved on July 5, 2012, from http://www.educationoasis.com/instruction/cm/routines.htm Erwin, J. (2005). Put back the fun in classrooms. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed For Quick Review, 70(5), 14-19. Erwin, J. (2003). Giving students what they need. Educational Leadership, 61(1), 19-23. Fernandes, A., Jinyan, H., & Rinaldo, V. (2011). Does where a student sits really matter? - the impact of seating locations on student classroom learning. International Journal Of Applied Educational Studies, 10(1), 66-77. Fink, M. (Producer). (2011). New Teacher Survival Guide: Classroom Management [Video file]. Teaching Channel. Retrieved July 5, 2012, from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/new-teacherclassroom-management Fink, M. (Producer). (2011). New Teacher Survival Guide: Planning [Video file]. Teaching Channel. Retrieved June 28, 2012, from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/lesson-planning. Frazier, W. M., & Sterling, D. R. (2005). What should my science classroom rules be and how can I get my students to follow them? Clearing House, 79(1), 31-35. Hopkins, G. (2011, July 11). Educationworld.com. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/ a_lesson/lesson/lesson274.shtml Jones, K., Jones, J., & Vermette, P. J. (2011). Six common lesson planning pitfalls recommendations for novice educators. Education, 131(4), 845-864. Retrieved from Education Research Complete Ketteringham, K. (2008). Ten back to school math activities and lesson plan ideas for the first day of class: A back to school guide for math teachers. Yahoo! Voices. Retrieved from http:// voices.yahoo.com/ten-back-school-math-activities-lesson-plan-1797623.html Mader, C. E. (2009). I will never teach the old way again: classroom management and external incentives. Theory Into Practice, 48(2), 147-155.

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Parker, T., Hoopes, O., & Eggett, D. (2011). The Effect of Seat Location and Movement or Permanence on Student-Initiated Participation. College Teaching, 59(2), 79-84. doi:10.1080/87567555.2010.53876z Proactive. (2012) Google.com. Retrieved July 7,2012, from https://www.google.com/search? sugexp=chrome,mod=0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF8&q=definition+proactive#hl=en&q=proactive&tbs=dfn:1&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=skL7T6LyDPCo0AG gwqTyBg&ved=0CGQQkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=2176d1af1be1f17d&biw =1600&bih=775 Training-games. (2012). 40 ice breakers. Retrieved on July 12, 2012, from http://www.traininggames.com/pdf/40FreeIceBreakers.pdf Ultimatecampresource. (2012). Rock, paper, scissors posse. Retrieved on July 12, 2012, from http:// www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activity/rock-paper-scissors-posse.html Veeris, C. (2011, July 18). How to Use the Traffic Light Colors for Controlling a Classroom [Web log message]. Retrieved on June 29, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/how_2145282_traffic-light-colorscontrolling-classroom.html#ixzz1zEf4Z7bU Wiseman, D., & Hunt, G. H. (2008). Best practice in motivation and management in the classroom. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas Publishing. Wong, H., Wong, R., Rogers, K., & Brooks, A. (2012). Managing your classroom for success. Science & Children, 49(9), 60-64.

Eric Bran SUNY Plattsburgh Ebran001@gmail.com

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