Classroom Strategy and Solutions Must Start In September

Am I In Trouble?

 

Clemtec's "Starting School With Behavior Management" produces a disciplined classroom and learning environment that last the entire school year.

 

Discipline strategies and classroom management that starts in September ends in success in June

 

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Q: What can I do to have less stress, better discipline management, and a successful year with students and behavior?

 

A: Discipline strategies and behavior solutions must start in September. Some teachers do not set the proper frame work for discipline and behavior until there is a problem. Here are some teacher mistakes taken from Classroom Discipline for Terrified Teachers by J.T, Clemons. According to the professor, these are things some teachers fail to do in September or the start of school that could prevent some discipline and behavior problems :

 

1.Failure to recognize discipline or behavior problems early. Discipline problems should be recognized and addressed immediately in September. Disruptive student action should be identified and the student informed and counseled. October is too late to address a problem that has festered since September. Ignoring discipline warning signs and allowing a problem to fester for 30 days is designed disaster and is not recommended.

 

2. Failure to provide clear behavior instructions and classroom management rules. Classroom rules and conduct regulations should be presented orally and in writing to students, parents, and building principal or supervisor the first week of school. Review and provide this information to students daily the first three days of school. Discuss and review rules and regulations each day the first week of school. Post all classroom expectations, and regulations on the reminder board in your classroom. Make sure you send a copy home to parents the first week of school. This should be followed the second week of school with a phone call via "teacher introduction", with a request for parental cooperation in educational issues. A question and answer session may be a part of this call.

 

3. Failure to understand your(teacher) authority. Never make threats, promises or unenforceable statements concerning punishment, correction or parent conference to students. Never speak for parents without their authorization, and then only as a reminder of their request. Always keep your word. If you can't enforce it, don't say it.

 

4. Failure to recognize bullying and harassment . Never allow any form of bullying or harassment in your classroom-direct or indirect. Know the nine types of bullying and how each one affects students, education, achievement and behavior.

 

5. Failure to address a potential dangerous issue. Always address potential explosive issues immediately. This is particular true of threats, conflict, rumors, gun talk, and any form of bullying or physical harm. In some cases, the setting may not lend itself to direct action. Nevertheless, a strong statement of adjustment and correction must be made immediately, and always at the time of the incident. Do not put off a discipline management conference. Always address potential and explosive behavior immediately.

 

6. Failure to listen. Always listen to a student, even if you disagree and he is wrong, listen to him. Understand what is being said and why. You can always make corrections immediately, later, or in conference. Understanding what a student is saying is always a clue to his behavior or possible action

 

7. Failure to communicate. Don't talk at students ,talk to students. They know you are the authority figure. Use your authority wisely. Be professional. Command don't demand.

 

 

8. Failure to get parents involved early . Establish a parent- teacher relationship early. Call a student's home with concerns and a positive attitude. Get parents involved. Make it clear to parents that your call is out of concern for their child ,and a positive approach to education and discipline. State only the facts via documentation and observation. Never label a child, embellish his action, give personal opinions, display negativity, disparity,or attitude to parents.

 

 

 

9. Failure to call home the second week of school. It is very important that you discuss discipline early with parents. Make sure they know and understand your style,your regulations, and your expectations. Be polite, diplomatic, professional, and firm. Always leave the door open for conference and involvement. Let them know you want and solicit their support in all matters involving academics and discipline of their child. Let parents know your concern is for the welfare of children, and the education of every child you teach

 

10. Failure to realize classrooms are teacher contained. You are the authority in your classroom. If you fail to manage your classes, apply appropriate discipline strategies, or set an environment conducive for teaching and learning, students will misbehave. The failure of your discipline management will be disruptions that plague your classroom all year.

 

11. Failure to manage discipline immediately. Students are going to test you. They want to know where the line is and how much of a disciplinarian are you. Students in your classes need to know very early that violation of rules and school policy have consequences that may be unpleasant. Once the line is established and understood, most students will not cross it. This often solves future discipline and behavior problems.

 

12. Failure to anticipate reactions from students and some parents. Some students will react to discipline by reporting erroneous facts to their parents. Don't get discourage. Some parents will never believe their child is a discipline problem. They will tell you how "nice" their child is at home. If their child acts out, they will diplomatically and some times irritatedly blame you. In addition, some parents will call your principal or the schools' superintendent and complain about you before you are ever contacted by them. That is the primary reason every teacher should always "document" when dealing with discipline problems, parents, or disruptive students. Keep a copy of your documentation locked in a safe place in your classroom, and a "must have" back up copy at your home.

 

13. Failure to document your professionalism. Disruptive, belligerent, rebellious, and unusually defiant students requires extra paper work for teachers. You should keep a daily written documented record of all your actions, phone calls, general conferences, parent conferences, employed strategies, behavior modifications, witnesses, counseling, warnings, recommendations, and every effort you have made to correct or improve the behavior of a disruptive student. You should include incidents, the number of times, the type, profanity, student's reaction, exact words, disobedience, disrespect, violation of rules, and all acts of defiance of the student. Your word is never enough if an incident occur or student deliberately misrepresent your words or actions. It is extremely important that you include time, date, place, witnesses, and as many DETAILS as possible. In an era of "gun culture" and school shootings, teachers should always be aware of reactions and their safety.

 

You should also be aware some parents will bypass your principal and go directly to the superintendent or board members with out your knowledge. In too many case things reported by students as well as irate parents are not factual. Written documentation can sometime be the only thing that will save your job. Documentation is extremely important if you have a principal who will not do his job, address parents, or support teachers. This is even more important if you have a principal who have problems making administrative decision or is afraid to deal honestly with parents. In these cases you must document conversations with your principal as well. Always protect yourself, and your reputation as a professional educator.

 

14. Failure to bring the administration on board. Bring your administration on board the first week of school. Let them know how you plan to create and maintain the learning environment. This Will Not Always Be Easy. Unfortunately, some administrators do not want to come on board. Too often they leave teachers to solve what really is an administration's problem. Nevertheless, in spite of some administrators kicking and screaming and telling you what you should do or handle--you must bring them on board regardless. Should you fail to get support for a clearly disruptive administrative problem; you have documentation of your professionalism. In cases of serious incidents, remind school officials that you came to them the first week of school with a positive plan and a proactive venture. This standard will be in place should a disastrous discipline problem occur. It will not hurt to keep your professional teacher's organizations (NEA, EAN,TEA, etc. or lawyer if merited) informed of any extreme or unusual situation.

 

Unfortunately, it must be noted some administrators do not willingly support teachers or deliver hard unpleasant facts to parents. It is extremely unfortunate that some very good teachers, who do an excellent job in educating students, can only get "lip" service and no actual support from some administrators.

 

 

15. Failure to be consistent and fair in your actions. Always be consistent with students. Make sure they know the rules and what is expected of them. Inconsistent teachers with poor strategies confuses students; It forces them to focus on the teacher's mood and reaction, and not the lesson of the day. Students have no respect for inconsistent teachers, and often consider their discipline to be unfair and displaying disparity.. Teachers with consistent actions and reactions earn the respect of students, and when discipline is addressed, students believe the teacher applies discipline equally to all students.

 

16. Failure to address aggressive behavior. Don't consider aggressive behavior as horse play, child's play, or any form of play. An aggressive student may be a potential problem and your unidentified classroom bully. Address student aggression immediately, and monitor the actions and reactions of students after any incident.

 

17. Failure to apply appropriate strategies to classroom angry outburst. Students get angry at school, but when students express that anger in a hurtful way, it is a problem. Frustration can cause student anger; but if anger turns to rage and disruption, you must quickly apply the appropriate strategy. If a student's anger outburst is a pattern in your classroom, you have not properly addressed the issue. A student's angry out burst may not be school related at all. It only explodes in your classroom. Anger and anger outburst has many variables, and teachers should discuss this issue with the student and guidance counselor. Extreme outburst and aggressive anger should be discussed with the building administrator. Gun violence has become a part of school life. Teacher should be extremely careful and accurate in their report to administrators. Unfortunately some teachers report things incorrectly out of fear, disparity or religious or racial beliefs which have no business in the school or the classroom

 

18.Failure to create stimulating and motivating lesson plans . Students will stay engaged in learning and not disruptions when challenged, stimulated and involved in the lesson. Create an environment that make students want to learn and participate.

 

19. Failure to establish trust, respect, and communication from the moment you meet students Teachers who establish respect and trust via communication and actions seldom have unsolvable discipline problems.

 

 

 

 

In addition to the above items, here are other hints you may consider:

 

1. Talk with your colleagues about how they handle discipline or behavior

2. Invite parents of disrupting students as classroom observer where possible-

3. Check students reading ability-poor readers sometime act out

4. Determine if student's action is behavior related or a desire for recognition

5. Have serious discussions with students and their parents whose conduct is extreme

6. Discretely make sure students are not undergoing personal or domestics issues

7. Remind students of their importance in classroom behavior and conduct

8. Make sure your strategy is for discipline and not punishment

9. Always keep discipline in perspective, corrective behavior is the goal

 

 

 

 

12 Discipline Tips for Teachers:

 

1. Review Clemtec's " Key Mistakes Teachers Make in Discipline"

2. Review discipline strategies with a colleague

3. Involve parents early for disruptive students

4. Review reasons disruptions occur in your class

5. Teach students disruptions are unacceptable and has consequences

6. Confront undisciplined students, be firm and fair

7. Set limits, apply consequences that work

8. Keep an accurate record of student's behavior and all previous attempts at correction

9. Review your school's policies, rules and regulations,city ordinances

10. Keep detailed records of your actions, parental contact, and supervisor update

11. Review weekly what worked or did not work in your classroom.

12. Keep lines of communication open to students, parents, and administration

 

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