m4 u5 a1- Applying Classroom Rules and Procedures

Applying Classroom Rules and Procedures

By Yanan Hu

“School must be safe and protected environment, where a student can come to learn without fear.” (Harry Wong)

It is very critical to apply rules and procedures in your classroom. Effective teachers use rules as a way of setting limits, and manage the class with procedures. When dealing with students, rules and procedures must have consequences, which are what result when a person abides by or breaks the rules and the procedures. There are two kinds of consequences; positive consequences with rewards; negative consequences with penalties. The specific analyses are posted as below.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is related to the positive consequence. The prerequisite of giving students positive reinforcement is to determine whether they have followed the rules. There are many ways to give students positive reinforcement.

Use Simple Verbal and Nonverbal Acknowledgment

One obvious way to provide positive reinforcement for adherence to rules and procedures is to use verbal and nonverbal forms of recognition.

Ø  A positive compliment/ praise or teacher comment is always great for positive reinforcement.

Ø  Give specific praise or “praise the deed, encourage the student.”

Ø  For example:＂Turner, you are a bright boy.＂I don’t think this praise is meaningful to kids. The reason children are more likely to do well again is that they know that you saw them do something specific. They believe, you were paying attention to me. You noticed me! And you thanked me for doing something I did personally.” An effective way to praise what the person did, rather than the person, and then encourage the person to do the achievement or deed again. When we praise the deed and encourage the student, we help them to do two things:

1. Accept responsibility for having done the task.

2. Develop a sense of accomplishment.

Ø  Nonverbal acknowledgments are also quite effective.

Ø  For example, I use thumbs up, nod, or smile to recognize positive behaviors. These also can take the form of winks, A-OK signs, and the like.

Ø  Nonverbal acknowledgments keep the interaction more private than verbal acknowledgments. For some students private types of interactions might be more appropriate if they are embarrassed by public acknowledgment.

Use Tangible Recognition When Appropriate

Ø  Tangible recognition is a broad term that describes any form of concrete recognition of student adherence to rules and procedures.

·   For example, I do use a reward system where students are able to earn a prize. I also have a jar where the class is rewarded when everyone is following the rules- I add a puff ball to a jar and when it reaches ten we have a group reward such as: cooking, field trip, class pajama day, or ice cream.

Ø  The best reward is the satisfaction of a job well done.

Involve the Home in Recognition of Positive Student Behavior

Ø  Recognition of good behavior can extend beyond the classroom. Students view the teacher or school contacting the home about their good behavior as a valued acknowledgment.

Ø  There are many ways to let parents or guardians know their kids’ positive behaviors. Phone call home, email, notes home, certificates of good behavior.

Ø  For example, If a student is a super star student in my class, I will call his or her parents.

Not Meeting Rules and Procedures

When students break the rules lead negative consequences. There are many different steps we could respond.

Ø  Be With-It

Teacher awareness of potential problems and quick attention to those situations are at the core of effective classroom management. For example, we can use the strategy of withitness.

Ø  Being Proactive

It means that the teacher tries to be aware of incidents that have happened outside of class that might affect student behavior in class.

For example, if we find a student has a conflict with his friend during recess time, we had better let them sit separately with each other during the class time.

Ø  Occupying the Entire Room

Teachers occupy the entire room means that they move to all quadrants of the room systematically and frequently. The reason for occupying the entire room is to recognize potential problems as quickly as possible.

For example, when students do group work, I would like to move to all quadrants of the classroom. By doing though, I remind them that I am monitoring you now.

Ø  Noticing Potential Problems

Noticing potential problems involves attending to unusual behavior by students.

·   Looking at the suspected students. - The first and least intrusive action is to look at the suspected students.

·   Moving in the direction of students. - If the suspected behavior continues, the next step is to move in the direction of the offending students. At this point, the teacher continues to address the entire class; however, she does move toward and eventually stand right next to the student or students in question.

For example, last week I observed Mr. Evans class. When he found a student tried to disrupt others, Mr. Evans moved to the direction of student and let him answer to a question. It is an very useful technique.

·   Don’t stop the lesson. If you stop a lesson to penalize a student, you disrupt the lesson, interrupt an important point you are making, or disturb students while they are learning.

Ø  Use Direct-Cost Consequences

Direct cost involves explicit and concrete consequences for inappropriate behavior.

·   Time-Out – It is to help students understand and control their offending behavior. We can’t abuse it.

For example, there is a time out chair in my classroom, after five times reminders, if the student still has negative behavior, I will use time-out chair. They should sit there to think about their behaviors.

·   Overcorrection - It is employed when a student has done something to damage class property.

Ø  Use Group Contingency

Group contingency involves holding the class as a whole responsible for the behavior.

For example, I have a group another jar for group behavior, if the whole class behaves well, I will put a candy in the jar; when the jar is full, and we will have a class party. It works effectively.

Ø  Getting Parental Supports

When students break the rules or procedures, we also can report to their parents or guardians.

For example, one of my colleague use Class Dojo to send student bad behavior to parents. It is a timely way.

Ø  Have a Strategy for High-Intensity Situations

If a student is out of control, how to handle the situation? We should have strategy.

Recommendation for Applying Rules and Procedures

Ø  Rules are necessary; rules are used to set limits. Students need to feel that someone is in control and responsible for their environment and not only sets limits but maintains them.

In my class, at the beginning of the year we discuss what kind of classroom we would like to have and what rules we need to follow. We discuss the rules we need and then combine them into 5 main class rules. They are: 

·   Follow directions quickly.

·   Raise your hand for permission to speak.

·   Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat.

·   Make smart choice.

·   Treat others the way you want to be treated. 

The last one is one I usually add as it does not come up in our discussion

Ø  Every class needs to have a set of procedures. Procedures allow the class to operate smoothly. A smooth-running, effective class is free of confusion and is a pleasure to teach and learn in. Tell your students that classroom procedures are for their benefit. Following procedures will help them do their work with less confusion and thus help them succeed.

In my class, procedures such as coming to group, lining up, reading on the carpet, visiting the restroom etc. are discussed at the beginning of the year and practiced several times. Then they are expected to be followed. There may need to be a review with the addition of a new student or after a holiday.

Ø  Effective way of applying rules and procedures.

·   Communicates with students how to apply the rules and procedures at the beginning of school.

·   Provides understandable reason to explain why we apply the rules and procedures.

·   Post rules and procedures in the classroom.

·   Sends home a copy of the rules and the procedures.

·   Enforces the rules and procedures consistently.

·   Rehearse and practice the rules and procedure under teachers’ supervision.

·   Reteach, rehearse, practice, and reinforce the classroom rules and procedures until it becomes a student habit or routine.

My Flow Chart

Reference

1. Harry k. Wong & Rosemary T. Wong, 1998, "The first days of school"，Harry k. Wong publications．

2. Marzano, Robert J. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching. Retrieved from: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/platform-user-content/prod-copy/get_help_resources/activity_resources/module4/The_Art_and_Science_of_Teaching.pdf