Mid-Year Classroom Management

[mickey31]

I am a first year teacher, teaching 7th and 8th grade Math. The school I teach in is really small rural K-12 school. There are around 400 students total in this school. I have found that is has been very unwelcoming to new people. I have a mentor, but we hardly ever meet. I could really use someone to talk to about my experiences this year, but no one really seems to want to hear from me. I feel very isolated and unsupported. My biggest problem right now, though is classroom management. This has always been a weak point of mine. I have tried many things, but I can't seem to find something that works for me. This disruptions are beginning to affect the learning of other students, so I need to do something drastic. Any suggestions for a stressed newbie?

[Chef Dave]

I'm a first year culinary arts teacher. (This is actually my 18th year teaching since I was an elementary teacher for 17 years).

I am also teaching at a rural school with about 400 kids.

Like you, I have found the faculty to be rather insular. It's not that they're bad people - but turnover at this school is glacial and most of these people have been here a long time. They're not used to having new teachers and sometimes forget that new hires don't always know routines and policies that they take for granted.

Last Wednesday we had an early dismissal day. The faculty had lunch in the library and yesterday was the first day that any teachers approached my table and asked if they could join me. (I have previously felt somewhat ignored/isolated by teachers who sit at tables surrounding me ... but never with me).

With regards to your students, have students who talk move to the front of the room. If they ask you why, tell them that you're doing this to help them hear you since they obviously can't hear you where they're sitting.

Also consider redirecting students who talk. Have the student in question do a problem on the board. Have the person repeat what you just said.

Whatever happens, do not take any of this personally. Don't get flustered. Don't get upset.

DO state your expecations.

DO follow through with immediate consequences.

Be consistent with the enforcement of your expectations.

If you are firm, fair, and consistent, I think you will have a much easier time with classroom management.

[MsCoffeeLover]

Mickey,

I had a very difficult first three years with little to no help. Now that things feels as though they are coming together for me, I made a point to try to help any newbie teachers in whatever way because that help was not there for me. I will be more than happy to help in any way that I can.

As for classroom management, there are lots of things you can do. What Chef Dave said is correct. Say what you mean and mean what you say and follow through consistently. Stick to a procedure--especially behavior consequences that the school already has in place.

There is much more I can suggest, but can you provide a few examples? Are there certain behaviors or students that are causing a particular problem? Talkers? Tardies? Not prepared for class? Talking during a test? Not walking in a line? What is your biggest challenge?

[busbus]

I am a new teacher coach in my school district. Unlike a mentor, usually a mentor is a teacher in the school whose primary job is that of classroom teacher, my job is that of supporting a cohort of new teachers on a weekly basis. I support beginning teachers and teachers who are new to our district. What I do is very difficult for a person who has classroom responsibilities. However, it can be done if the new teacher and mentor can meet before school or after school. In my district, the mentor is compensated for the time.

The reason that I know it can be done, is because I served as a mentor for new teachers and substitute teachers at my school when I was a classroom teacher. As a mentor at the school level, I was compensated for my service. Of course there were regulations that I had to follow and monthly records I had to submit.

The advice that I would give you, if you were a part of my cohort of new teachers, would not differ from that which has been given. However, I would add that you might want to look at Harry Wong's book, The First Days of School. Each of our new teachers is given this book during New Teacher Orientation. You can find him on his website and get a lot of information about classroom management without buying the book. Just Google his name.

By the way, don't have an arm-length of classroom rules. State your rules in positive terms. I would say that no more than five rules are needed. Be clear, follow-up on your consequences, be fair and consistent. YOU CANNOT TEACH WHEN THERE IS CHAOS! Don't try!

You might have to find creative ways to extend yourself to you new colleagues. It may be difficult, but use your imagination.

Good luck! :)

Please know that you have a lot of support on this forum.

[mickey31]

I am having the most problems with talking and time-off task. I have been assigning detentions and sending kids to the office for these misbehaviors, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good. I think this is for two reasons, I am hesitant to actually do these things because I know they aren't really going to work, so I sometimes don't follow through like I should. I know that's awful. How can I keep track of myself? I hate to write names on the board, etc. Also, these things don't work because the consequence doesn't actually happen for at least a day after the incident. I have had lots of good ideas from many people, but I'm not sure how to implement them mid-year. Also, I think a good incentives program could help, but all the things I have offered they poo-poo at or abuse. I have offered PAT, which worked at first, but they grew disinterested, Homework Passes but that lessens the value of the kids that actually do the work, small prizes like stickers, pencils, etc. It seems like I just can't win. I knew to start out tough, and I thought I did, but now I feel out of control and I don't know how to get it back. I'm starting to feel like I am the teacher everyone looks at and says, "Oh, she must be new, she doesn't know anything."

[EngSoph]

In regards to "talking and time-off task," I too have the same difficulties that you are experiencing Mickey31. I usually follow our district's disciplinary protocol--The Step System. Depending on the severity of the disruptiveness, teachers have the right to assign students a Step. Students are only allowed 5 Steps per year. When students receive their 5th Step, they receive a failing grade for the year and they are removed from the classroom. In retrospect, many of my students this year are not as disruptive, and, most importantly, many of them obiously don't want to receive beyond the 4th Step. Perhaps this was do to my attempt to be more consistent with enforcing rules and implementing disciplinary actions. However, many of my students would "forget" my expectations. To counter their amnesia I take brief moments to readdress my expectations. Then I'd quiz their knowledge of my rules. This usually eliminates the infectious amnesia.

[MsCoffeeLover]

Mickey, would you mind letting us know your basic rules and consequences? That would help with suggestions to build upon what you already have in place. However, follow through is the key, and if it is any consolation, I am in my fourth year and feel as though I am just now getting the hang of it. That isn't to say you won't, but there is much to figure out in terms of what works for you.

Keeping track: We have behavior observation forms at my school that is specifically geared toward behaviors and consequences. Other teachers on my team actually make the student sign the form themselves, taking ownership of the behaviors and consequences.

Believe it or not, there is nothing wrong with writing names on the board even if students are in the 7th and 8th grade. Writing names is a visual reminder that they have been warned, and the next incident will result in a consequence.

You know what may help? I test my kids on the rules and consequences at the beginning of the school year. By about mid year is when I may test them again just as reminder. They totally know what the rules are, and testing them confirms it in writing.

Let's build upon what you have already started and making your original procedures more routine. Then lets work on follow through and consistency.

Tackle one thing at a time because if you want to tackle too many things at once, we overwhelm ourselves and buckle.

[busbus]

In regards to "talking and time-off task," I too have the same difficulties that you are experiencing Mickey31. I usually follow our district's disciplinary protocol--The Step System. Depending on the severity of the disruptiveness, teachers have the right to assign students a Step. Students are only allowed 5 Steps per year. When students receive their 5th Step, they receive a failing grade for the year and they are removed from the classroom.

EngSoph,

This is the first time that I've heard of The Step System. Can you elaborate further. What does the school district consider to be severe disruptiveness? Are there procedures that you and the other teachers have to follow as a student moves up the steps?

In my school district, we have a process called CSAP. Groups of teachers meet weekly to discuss behavior issues of select students. The teachers create a behavior plan for each student in which two or more interventions are designed to curb the behavior. At a following meeting, they discuss the effect of the interventions and decide the next step. The CSAP is a lengthy process. However, it does not lead to a student receiving a failing grade for the year nor being removed from the classroom.

[EngSoph]

BusBus,

The Step System is composed of 5 "offenses." The first offense (step) is given as a verbal warning/detention. The student dates and signs his/her name onto a Step Sheet under 1st Offense. Furthermore, the teacher would have to transcribe the description of the student's offense onto the Step Sheet to validate the offense. The consequences and process of documenting a student's 2nd offense is similar to the 1st offense. When a student receives a 3rd offense, again, the process of having the student sign and date--an acknowledgement of the offense--the Step Sheet under "3rd offense" is similar. However, the teacher then must call home to inform the parent of his or her child's inappropriate action(s). The teacher must also document the fact that he or she has contacted the parent onto the Step Sheet. The 4th offense includes an administrative referral and 2 periods of suspension. The teacher would then have to submit and discuss the student's 4th offense with an administrator. The 5th offense automatically gives a student an "administrative drop" with a failing grade. The student will be removed from the class and he or she will be sent to the Opportunity Center (OC) for the remainder of the year. The OC is a classroom set for students that have been “stepped” out of a particular class.

Assigning Steps according to students’ “disruptive” behaviors vary. For example, if a student continues to talk while the teacher is lecturing, the student can potentially receive Step #1. However, if the same situation occurs and the student already has 4 Steps, it would not be wise to assign the 5th Step based on the student’s reluctance to stop talking. In contrast, a student that has 4 steps and he or she is involved in a physical fight in the classroom, then the fighting warrants the 5th step (of course a meeting between the teacher, administrator, parent, and student will follow to further examine the warranting of the 5th step). Using proper judgment when assigning Steps must be used. Furthermore, assigning 2 Steps for the same behavior that occurs on the same day is not warranted; the student will simply receive one step for that day. Teachers obviously are not allowed to freely “Step” students to remove a student from the class. Our Administrators serve as a checks-and-balance—they determine whether or not the behavior of a student is warranted a Step. Our district’s goal is not to remove students and filter out disruptive students from the class, instead the Step system serves as a reminder for students that there are opportunities to act appropriately in school and there are consequences for breaking the rules.

[busbus]

EngSoph,

Thanks for responding to my question. Not exactly, but similar is our CSAP process - checks and balances. What makes our work a little harder is that we must put into place interventions to address the behavior(s) - by the way this process is for social and academic behaviors.

If the first set of interventions do not make a positive change in the behaviors, we have to introduce other interventions. This may be done several times before further steps are taken. Of course, throughout this process, parents are informed and are also invited to attend the meetings to give input.

As with your Step System, our goal is to help students to change their inappropriate behavior(s) in order to maximize their chance of academic success.

Thanks again.

busbus

[Mountshasta]

I am having the most problems with talking and time-off task. I have been assigning detentions and sending kids to the office for these misbehaviors, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good. I think this is for two reasons, I am hesitant to actually do these things because I know they aren't really going to work, so I sometimes don't follow through like I should. I know that's awful. How can I keep track of myself? I hate to write names on the board, etc. Also, these things don't work because the consequence doesn't actually happen for at least a day after the incident. I have had lots of good ideas from many people, but I'm not sure how to implement them mid-year. Also, I think a good incentives program could help, but all the things I have offered they poo-poo at or abuse. I have offered PAT, which worked at first, but they grew disinterested, Homework Passes but that lessens the value of the kids that actually do the work, small prizes like stickers, pencils, etc. It seems like I just can't win. I knew to start out tough, and I thought I did, but now I feel out of control and I don't know how to get it back. I'm starting to feel like I am the teacher everyone looks at and says, "Oh, she must be new, she doesn't know anything."

PAT from Fred Jones' Tools For Teaching? Couple questions: Where is your desk? What is the routine when students enter the room?

[BigFish_43]

Mickey,
I started teaching school last year at 63 years old. I taught 8th last year but 9 and 12 this year. Classroom control is still my issue.

I don't know where you teach but in California, teacher education helps 10% and wastes time 90% so you will have to learn on your own. People will talk to you about technique but attitude is 90% of the battle.
The students sense your weakness and will go for blood if you attitude wavers. You must know you are in charge, you know better than your students, and your job is to teach them. Projecting these attitudes is your first job.
I can't talk about cliques that your rural environment generates. I grew up here in California, but I went to graduate school in Iowa and learned about small town social interactions from some girlfriends. Mostly I remember everybody thought it was their god-given right to goship critically about everyone else. They learned to conceal their private life.

I subbed getting my credential. Eighth and nineth graders are the worst for classroom discipline. Firmness and consistency helps the most, and remembering that all people seek god in their own way helps when you feel bad.

I have more days feeling I am a failure than feeling I am a success. I am told that I am OK in the classroom, but I don't feel it yet.

Jim

[sunnysbird07]

Wow! Great discussion!! This is what forums are all about, it seems to me.

[Boxcar]

I think that BigFish_43 makes a good point. Attitudes are really important. We, as people and not just teachers, show others how to treat us. A lot of the time, we model for those around us how to act.

[theteacherchron]

Before they enter the room, greet them at the door with a "Do Now." Don't give them time to think about misbehaving.
When students are misbehaving, stop what you are doing and get a parent on the phone.
State your rules and expectations. The moment a student gets out of hand, send him/her to a buddy room or write a referral. If they see you mean business, the other students will not test you.
For the students that constantly disrupt your class, put an already filled out referral on their desks to let them know that you are ready.
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! When students see that you are keeping a log of everything that they do to show to their parents, they usually straighten up.
Don't try to be the "best friend." Students eat teachers like that for breakfast. Be as serious, and strict for a month. After you have established that you mean business, it is ok to smile because they will always remember that if they disrupt, the mean lady will resurface. It works for me every year.


It is never too late to regain control of your class. My first year, I was lost the first 3 months. After I got tips from others, I took back control and I have never had discipline problems like that again.