The #1 secret to teaching students classroom rules:

1. Classroom Management The #1 secret to teaching students classroom rules: The rules must be taught on a daily basis over a period of weeks or even months and then reinforced and reviewed throughout the entire year.

2. Classroom Management Techniques: Classroom Routines & Procedures • Examples of classroom routines and • procedures that must be taught: • Lining up • Walking in hall • Lunch choices • Cafeteria/meals • Unpacking • Packing • Supplies • Bathroom • Centers

3. Classroom Management Techniques: Classroom Routines & Procedures • How to teach students classroom routines & • procedures: • MODEL, MODEL, MODEL! • Teacher models examples and non-examples • Students model examples • PRACTICE on a regular basis • TELLING just isn’t enough • Use pictures to demonstrate the sequence • Post the pictures in the classroom

4. Classroom Management Classroom Routines & Procedures The #1 secret to teaching routines and procedures: Never assume your students already know simple routines and procedures like how to line up or how to walk in the hallway.

5. Classroom Management Techniques: Transitions What are transitions? Transitions are periods of time when teachers direct students to end one task or activity and begin another.

6. Classroom Management Techniques: Transitions Because transitions are periods when students can be disruptive (Burden, 2003), carefully managed transitions involve both time management and behavior management.

7. Classroom Management Techniques: Transitions The most successful transitions between lessons or activities are rapid ones that have clear ends and beginnings (Arlin, 1979; Burden, 2003; Cangelosi, 2000; Rosenberg et al., 1997) and that reduce the amount of “down time” between the activities (Sainato, 1990, Vartuli, & Phelps, 1980).

8. Classroom Management Techniques: Transitions • How to teach students to transition smoothly: • MODEL, MODEL, MODEL! • Teacher models examples and non-examples • Students model examples • PRACTICE on a regular basis • TELLING students to transition is NEVER enough • Incorporate pictures into every transition • Use music to signal transitions • Give plenty of warning before transitions begin • Keep transitions short, never keep them waiting for too long

9. Classroom Management Transitions The #1 secret to having smooth transitions is: Using a picture schedule consistently!

10. Classroom Management Clean-Up Time • Clean-up time is one of the most challenging aspects of the daily routine. • How to have a successful clean-up time: • Teacher models examples and non-examples of cleaning up • Students model how to clean-up • Start slow • Practice on a regular basis • Telling students to clean-up is NEVER enough • Have a song or specific sound to signal clean-up time • Give a 3-5 minute warning before you play the signal • Hold students accountable for their clean-up • Make clean-up time as short as possible • Have a designated place for students to gather when they are • finished cleaning up.

11. Classroom Management Clean-Up Time • A successful clean-up: • Students are busy putting away materials • Students are on task • Students who are finished cleaning are in a designated area • Materials are returned to the correct locations • Teachers are monitoring clean-up time to ensure it is • successful • Students are held accountable for their clean-up

12. Classroom Management Clean-Up Time • An unsuccessful clean-up: • Students are noisy • Students are off task • Students are still playing • Materials are not returned to the correct locations • Students are not held accountable for their clean-up • Teachers are raising their voices • The general atmosphere in the classroom is chaotic

13. Classroom Management The #1 secret to having a good clean-up routine is: Start from day one with modeling.

14. Classroom Management Techniques: Positive Discipline What is positive discipline? Using positive statements to deal with undesirable behaviors instead of negative statements.

15. Classroom Management Techniques: Positive Discipline When you spend more of your time making positive statements instead of negative ones your students will be more motivated to learn and less afraid of being “caught” or yelled at.

16. Classroom Management Techniques: Positive Discipline Teachers who expend a lot of energy on negative discipline find themselves in power struggles with students which prevents them from learning. Positive Discipline = More Learning

17. Classroom Management Techniques: Undesirable Behaviors • Scenarios: • Jimmy is talking while the teacher is reading a book. • Juanita is playing in the bathroom. • Johnny refuses to share the blocks in the block center. • Selena isn’t paying attention to the teacher during a fun math • lesson.

18. Classroom Management Techniques: Undesirable Behaviors • How to deal with undesirable behaviors: • Always stay positive • Never raise your voice • Stay calm • Don’t take it personally • Don’t bring up past transgressions • Make consequences logical • Make consequences as immediate as possible • Be fair • Be firm • Be consistent

19. Classroom Management Undesirable Behaviors The #1 secret to handling undesirable behaviors is: Never blame the students!

20. Classroom Management Techniques: Centers What are centers? Learning centers are clearly defined areas in the classroom grouped by topic that offer materials and opportunities for hands-on learning.

21. Classroom Management Techniques: Centers If you have more than 6 students per teacher in your classroom having a center plan is a must.

22. Classroom Management Techniques: Centers During center times students should visit the centers independently according to your center plan.

23. Classroom Management Techniques: Centers • How to establish centers in the classroom: • Label everything • Have clearly defined centers • Have appropriate materials • Have enough materials • Don’t have too many materials • Have a clear clean-up signal • Have a procedure for dismissing students to centers • Have a procedure for cleaning-up • Have very clear rules and consequences

24. Classroom Management Techniques: Organization You’re probably wondering what in the world organization has to do with classroom management, but the truth is it has everything to do with it. Behavior is directly affected by how easy or difficult it is for children to find the things they need and by how accessible materials are for the teacher.

25. Classroom Management Techniques: Organization • How to organize your classroom for student success: • Label everything with words AND pictures • Everything in it’s place and a place for everything • Teacher models examples and non-examples of how to use materials in the classroom • Students model examples of how to use the materials • Review frequently where the materials belong • Telling the students where materials belong is never • enough, you must show them • Break the areas in the classroom up into centers • Name the centers and label them • Have clear routines and procedures for center times.

26. Classroom Management Techniques: Organization

27. Classroom Management Organization The #1 secret to classroom organization: Label everything with pictures and words

28. Classroom Management Techniques: Parent Communication • How to talk about behavior issues with parents: • Always tell the truth • Talk with parents in person if possible • Be prepared • Never “dump” on parents • Tell parents what you have done to help • Ask parents what they will do to help

29. Classroom Management Techniques: Parent Communication • How to talk about behavior issues with parents: • Ask parents if they have any suggestions • Tell parents what your plan of action is • Ask parents for their support • Tell parents how they can help you • Ask parents if they have observed this behavior at home • Never tell a parent their child needs medication! • Involve administration if necessary

30. Classroom Management Techniques: Review of Objectives • Objectives Review: • Identify and write age appropriate classroom rules. • How to establish rules, routines, and procedures. • How to effectively manage transitions. • Motivate your students with positive discipline • strategies. • How to organize your classroom for student success.

31. Classroom Management Techniques: Resources: Love & Logic by Jim Faye Conscious Discipline by Becky Bailey www.pre-kpages.com

32. Classroom Management Techniques: The End