Wisdom from the trenches...
Know what's possible, and what's not:
It might be fun to have your kinder-kids do perspective, and if you take it step by step, they will follow your directions and make something that looks like they may understand it. But the fact remains, most, if not all, will not. They can emulate some tricks, copy some formula, but they will not understand in any meaningful way. It's a waste of your time and their's. The same is true having older students do work that is really meant for lower elementary. They may have fun, they may enjoy it, but they will be learning very little.
Understanding the "Stages of Artistic Development" is important. The stages are flexible, and some will grow faster than others, but in most cases it's a helpful reference as you build lessons.
Samples of Victor Lowenfeld's Stages of Artistic Development can be found HERE and HERE.
It might be fun to have your kinder-kids do perspective, and if you take it step by step, they will follow your directions and make something that looks like they may understand it. But the fact remains, most, if not all, will not. They can emulate some tricks, copy some formula, but they will not understand in any meaningful way. It's a waste of your time and their's. The same is true having older students do work that is really meant for lower elementary. They may have fun, they may enjoy it, but they will be learning very little.
Understanding the "Stages of Artistic Development" is important. The stages are flexible, and some will grow faster than others, but in most cases it's a helpful reference as you build lessons.
Samples of Victor Lowenfeld's Stages of Artistic Development can be found HERE and HERE.
Here are my classroom rules:
Be on time…
Be on time…
- It shows respect and responsibility!
- So you can be counted
- So you don’t distract others or yourself from work
- So you don’t get blamed for a mess by someone else at your assigned seat
- So I can learn your name
- For each other
- For the teacher
- For our materials
- Part of your grade is that you are actively engaged in your work. Hard workers do not fail.
- Chatting is fine, but the work must get done. Keep your volume low.
- For safety, good grades, and so that our materials last a long time.
- I am not your mother, nor your maid, and neither are your classmates.
- A big part of your grade is project work, incomplete projects can make you fail.
- If you need more time, ask to borrow materials.
- Projects must be in before the close of the quarter. After that, it’s a zero.
- If you have been absent YOU need to find out what you missed.
- Be as original as you can, don’t copy other work or samples.
- Do your own work, but its okay to ask for a little help.
|
I made a poster of my rules I sell on Zazzle.com
I always wait for a sale there before buying, but if you want the poster, click the image and it will take you there. If you want to see all my posters, click HERE. |
Discipline for the VERY difficult child: This is a great article by Katheryn Lewis on a new and successful approach to the explosive child, and those on the difficult part of the behavior spectrum. The ideas can be applied to all students. HERE
Bullying Advice and art project HERE.
Middleweb.com is a great blog for the Middle School teacher.
Here's their top 10 tips for classroom management at this LINK.
5 Tips HERE from Edutopia.
Here's their top 10 tips for classroom management at this LINK.
5 Tips HERE from Edutopia.
Teaching While White: A thoughtful article with some interesting information for those teaching in a multi-cultural environment--which means everyone. CLICK HERE
Behavior Management Charts in the classroom:
Personally, I never share grades out loud, calling out a poor grade shames that child, and a "B" may be great for some and an embarrassment to others. Some who get "A"s do not want others to know either, no matter how proud you are. I feel the same way about tracking behavior...
Here is a LINK to a great blog post from "Teaching In Progress."
Another point of view HERE with researched backed information.
Personally, I never share grades out loud, calling out a poor grade shames that child, and a "B" may be great for some and an embarrassment to others. Some who get "A"s do not want others to know either, no matter how proud you are. I feel the same way about tracking behavior...
Here is a LINK to a great blog post from "Teaching In Progress."
Another point of view HERE with researched backed information.
The 10 Minute Silent Start:
So after the post in the Facebook Art Teachers Forum on silent vs talkative art rooms, I decided to start fresh next year with this: 10 Minutes of silent work time. I got a darkroom timer for free from the Tech teacher who use to teach darkroom photography. It has a big face I can put up front and it will count-down the 10 minutes and activate my i-pod player so we can have quiet music as they continue to work and they know bathroom breaks can begin then as well.
Feel free to download the file below and use it as is or modify it to your own purposes.
So after the post in the Facebook Art Teachers Forum on silent vs talkative art rooms, I decided to start fresh next year with this: 10 Minutes of silent work time. I got a darkroom timer for free from the Tech teacher who use to teach darkroom photography. It has a big face I can put up front and it will count-down the 10 minutes and activate my i-pod player so we can have quiet music as they continue to work and they know bathroom breaks can begin then as well.
Feel free to download the file below and use it as is or modify it to your own purposes.
| Silent Start Poster |
Observation Help: We have one announced and one unannounced observation annually. Though we should strive to be at our best every day, days you are being observed, your job is on the line. You must be ready to "shine" when being observed, and this list helps me stay on track to get "Meets Expectations" or "Exceeds Expectations." It's not that I worry I need it, but sometimes one can get flustered as a supervisor is looking over your shoulder. This may help keep you on track. It will be impossible to get everything 100% but with this on the table in front of me, It helps. Hopefully you can backwards design your school's observational rubric to match. This parallels our own but It may be helpful.
| observationhitlist.pdf |
Grading Participation: I do it but in an unusual way. ALL kids start with 100 points in "participation." I do 3 major walk-a-rounds, and write on my seating chart a "0" for someone I see not working or engaged with their project. 3x0 during one period is 10 point off that 100%. They know I do it, and I joke sometimes, "Look, I'm old, if you at least look like you're working, it would help. Try to stay focused. I'd like this to be done before the next ice Age."
On the first day of school all kids get coupons, (See File below) four of them. Lose them, too bad. Each coupon can be used in one of two ways. #1. Use it as a "get out of class pass" to work on something for another class, sleep, or not participate. Never during a presentation or test, but a regular studio work day. "Stuff Happens" so this can be helpful, four days all year. If I see students not working, I'll take it from them, so they don't get that zero. At the end of each quarter I collect coupons for anyone who got 90% or less on participation. 80%? I take two and so forth.
#2. Students can also use it for a free pass on a small assignment, like video notes, a homework, or to add 10 points to a major assessment. I tell them to save them, and add 40 points to their final exam! It's worth it if they save them because it means they were always fully participating.
On the first day of school all kids get coupons, (See File below) four of them. Lose them, too bad. Each coupon can be used in one of two ways. #1. Use it as a "get out of class pass" to work on something for another class, sleep, or not participate. Never during a presentation or test, but a regular studio work day. "Stuff Happens" so this can be helpful, four days all year. If I see students not working, I'll take it from them, so they don't get that zero. At the end of each quarter I collect coupons for anyone who got 90% or less on participation. 80%? I take two and so forth.
#2. Students can also use it for a free pass on a small assignment, like video notes, a homework, or to add 10 points to a major assessment. I tell them to save them, and add 40 points to their final exam! It's worth it if they save them because it means they were always fully participating.
| passpoints.jpg |
What They Didn't Tell You in College...
Often, teaching can be a whole different experience than what prospective educators have been told in college. This book provides “Real Life” experience from a teacher with 20+ years in the trenches and his colleagues.
Teaching is NOT for everyone. It takes a special person with a lot of patience and organization to teach. Procrastinators will find themselves underwater in short order as well as in violation of the LAW in some cases.
Teachers are scrutinized with background checks, finger printing and are on file with the FBI. Though Freedom of Speech is in our Constitution, there are some very real limits about what a teacher can and cannot say in the classroom or even outside the school or on the internet. These constraints may simply be too much for some.
You will never be paid what your work is actually worth or the hours you really put in, and the politics of unions, parents, and administration can sour your enthusiasm. In many places, the whole profession of teaching is under attack as an easy/soft target to squeeze financially by cutting benefits and salaries.
That said, the rewards are numerous as well. I make a comfortable middle-class salary. I still have students visiting me many years after graduation thanking me for my influence in their lives. I know I have saved several from the brink of suicide with the help of a guidance counselor; I have championed students who would otherwise be lost in the system, I have planted the seeds of my own content expertise and have witnessed the blossoming and growth in my students firsthand. I have affected lives for the better and some have become lifelong friends. Though I love my subject, it is because of some of these less tangible reasons that I am a teacher.
(Book Link) (Kindle Link)
Often, teaching can be a whole different experience than what prospective educators have been told in college. This book provides “Real Life” experience from a teacher with 20+ years in the trenches and his colleagues.
Teaching is NOT for everyone. It takes a special person with a lot of patience and organization to teach. Procrastinators will find themselves underwater in short order as well as in violation of the LAW in some cases.
Teachers are scrutinized with background checks, finger printing and are on file with the FBI. Though Freedom of Speech is in our Constitution, there are some very real limits about what a teacher can and cannot say in the classroom or even outside the school or on the internet. These constraints may simply be too much for some.
You will never be paid what your work is actually worth or the hours you really put in, and the politics of unions, parents, and administration can sour your enthusiasm. In many places, the whole profession of teaching is under attack as an easy/soft target to squeeze financially by cutting benefits and salaries.
That said, the rewards are numerous as well. I make a comfortable middle-class salary. I still have students visiting me many years after graduation thanking me for my influence in their lives. I know I have saved several from the brink of suicide with the help of a guidance counselor; I have championed students who would otherwise be lost in the system, I have planted the seeds of my own content expertise and have witnessed the blossoming and growth in my students firsthand. I have affected lives for the better and some have become lifelong friends. Though I love my subject, it is because of some of these less tangible reasons that I am a teacher.
(Book Link) (Kindle Link)
Top 10 Qualities of a Great Teacher
1. Patience
2. Consistency
3. Professionalism
4. Organization
5. Communication Dexterity
6. Ability to Ask for Help
7. Think on Your Feet
8. Emotional Detachment
9. Seek Professional Growth
10. Love Your Subject!
1. Patience: Remember, kids are kids.
This seems simple enough, but easy to forget. There are real differences in the child’s brain from early years through the teen years. Kids are sometimes irrational, undependable, secretive, distrustful, lazy, and inappropriate. Sometimes when we see this behavior we lose our cool and think they are doing it “on purpose.”
This is going to seem politically incorrect, but it’s the best way I can put it—I see my students as mentally disabled with moments of clarity. On some cognitive level this is true because they are still developing. Would I get angry if a child with Down Syndrome did something wrong? No. I would take their disability into consideration and moderate my tone and approach.
If we see that kids are simply not fully developed people—works in progress—it can take the sting out of poor behavior. Instead of getting angry, think of their disability and react without anger or spite.
2. Consistency: No favoritism.
You will like some students more than others. We do not like to say this, but it is obvious. Also, a child you have difficulty with may be the “teacher’s pet” in another room. The point is not to base your classroom management on how you feel about your students but on your classroom rules. If the “good kid” steps out of line, then he or she should receive the same consequences as that kid you have difficulty with so that all can see and understand you are fair and consistent.
3. Professionalism: Keep your personal life private.
Though it is fine to be friendly to students, it is important that you not cross the line to become a friend. You are the instructor and need to remain the authority figure. There is no need to “dominate” the class, but sharing too much information, certainly personal information, can be problematic, especially in this age of the internet.
In many schools, teachers are forbidden to have a Facebook or Twitter page. Other schools encourage it but have strict guideline about the usage. My personal feeling is that you should not connect with students through any means outside of school, via the internet or in person. There are simply too many lawsuits that point to the errors of such behavior. Even innocent communication can be taken out of context and be used against you. EVERYTHING you e-mail or post on the internet is permanently recorded. Though you hit delete, the information is still obtainable by authorities.
Students, by nature are inconsistent. You can be their best friend one day and the next, they hate you and want to do everything they can to punish you. Imagine a “good student” who rightfully earns a detention, their feelings can change on a dime and you are the one leaving yourself vulnerable.
This is not meant to alarm you, but social interactions of any kind put you in a very bad position and open to legal issues far deeper than you would like to explore. You need to care. You need to connect. You need to share, but do so as a professional.
4. Organization: Paperwork and the legal things you must do.
The paperwork outside the classroom can be overwhelming. Then you add in all the work that pertains to your subject and there is a mountain that needs to be climbed on a daily basis. The documentation escalates and seems to have no end, but if you are organized and do it as it come up, you can stay above the rising waters. Getting behind too can put you in violation of the law.
Some students have special accommodations you are legally bound to have available and follow at all times. Never mind that you teach 150 students a day; you have to make concrete accommodations for these students and it is NOT always easy. There could be a spot inspection by state authorities and if that paperwork is not available, you can lose your teaching certificate. It is that serious. It is also difficult to meet all expectations. For example, you may have 5 students who need special seating for fewer distractions. Every classroom only four corners; what are you to do?
Attendance too is a major consideration. There are laws that speak to this in each state, but essentially if a student’s attendance is erroneously recorded and he is hurt or does something irrational (like pulling a fire alarm) while not accounted for, YOU may be partially liable for not following procedure. Attendance can be one of the little things that slip in a classroom, but the ramifications can be enormous.
Then there are issues of lesson plans, formative and summative assessments, documentation, curriculum, mandated testing, in-service work, and other paperwork generated by the office; all of these can lead to negative reports added to your personnel file and be the reason you are denied an annual increment or are outright fired. Though tenure gives you some protection, any school can fire any teacher who does not follow procedures. Tenure just means they have to prove that you are ineffective.
5. Communication Dexterity: Kids, parents, colleagues, administrators…
As a teacher you are confronted by diverse populations all with different expectations of your role as a teacher. You must be able to speak clearly to each in the most professional way possible because your interactions can have a dramatic effect on your job and even your working conditions.
--Communicate poorly to students, they don’t succeed, and you are labeled a bad teacher.
--Communicate poorly to parents and you will get complaints to your supervisor.
--Communicate poorly to your colleagues and you are isolated
--Communicate poorly to administrators and it can affect your working conditions or employment.
6. Ability to Ask for Help.
Though you should be capable of teaching alone and seek help on your own, collaboration and communication with other teachers can be a huge benefit. If you wait too long to ask for help, you can find yourself too far behind to recover. By seeking out colleagues, you can learn from their successes, empathize about the problems you share, solve problems together, and seek the help of veteran teachers and administrators. NEVER feel that asking for help makes you appear to be a poor teacher. Some of the best teachers I know collaborate often. Ask a colleague to observe your class informally for suggestions; a new point of view can be invaluable!
Islands can be pretty, but they can also be very lonely places.
7. Think on your feet: Change lessons on the spur of the moment.
Though it is important to follow curriculum and be consistent, you are not a robot, and sometimes things come up that are both pertinent and relevant. You may find a way to refocus a lesson that will grab students’ attention. When you do this they see that their input matters.
Some tangents can be negative and some positive. Take a moment and think it through. These are golden opportunities, though admittedly some will just be distractions. You need to remain alert to these possibilities and “roll with it” and use that flexibility to excite your students.
Another aspect of this is that “S**T happens.” The internet can be down, power outages happen, kids don’t bring in supplies you assigned for homework (like bring in a magazine, etc.) So you must be able to find an alternate path to switch gears and move on. Thinking on your feet is just part of the job. Have a fun lesson stashed away for such an occasion.
8. Emotional Detachment: Don’t take everything personally; think it through.
Similar in thought to number one, you need to have a clinical detachment to the emotional drama of school and see it for what it is. This does not mean you need to be cold and detached, but it does mean you need to see the behavior and situation for what it is. Students are under-developed adults. If you attribute adult willfulness to their behavior you will only become frustrated. Students often have a narrow range of reactions to situations. They do not think of the larger implication to their behavior and they lack experiences to teach them these things in a meaningful way.
As a teacher, you are often the one to help them understand these things. You need to show them the options and let them choose. And you need to enforce the outcomes. You are the police, judge, jury, lawyer, and policy maker. You need to expect that issues will arise daily. Most will be small, but as these experiences accumulate, the student forms the foundation for their own adult behavior. Arbitrary enforcement only reinforces the idea that consequences are arbitrary as well.
One indication that you have an issue here is by calculating how often you feel the need to raise your voice. If it is daily, then you have a problem. Yelling means that you have lost your cool, the students have the upper hand, and you were unable to detach yourself from the behavior. Do you like to be yelled at? I would assume not.
Challenge yourself not to yell. I did it for a year and much of what I learned and share with you here is rooted in this one simple yet profound challenge. When students act out, I remind them of my expectation or posted rules. I will issue a warning and follow through if they do not comply. Sometimes it means sending them to the office to “cool off” without a detention, sometimes with. I escalate the consequences little by little until they comply. If you hit them with a sledgehammer for the first infraction, they will see you as arbitrary and an ogre they cannot respect and their behavior will get worse. Later in this book I will share with you my approach to disciplinary problems.
9. Seek Professional Growth: Stay current.
I have learned very little from in-school professional growth, though a few things stand out: Information about laws that effect our profession, health issues to be aware of, and suicide prevention, but this is a sliver of the nearly 100 programs I have attended.
The most valuable growth comes when I have been able to meet with colleagues within my subject area and participate in collaborative workshops where we share best practices, lesson ideas, share suggestions, and meet the vendors that supply our department. These often happen at conventions, either state or national, and I would encourage teachers to attend these.
Professional development need not be confined to these areas; you may consider an evening class or two within or related to your subject. The additional classes may help you accrue credit to ascend faster on your school’s salary guide. Many schools will often reimburse part of your tuition based on the grades you receive.
10. Love Your Subject!
Your own feelings of personal well-being have a direct effect on your students. If you teach a subject you do not have a passion about, maybe you should consider a change of subject or career. Students are like little emotional tuning-forks, they can sense if you are “phoning it in” or if your interest is genuine. Your enthusiasm should be contagious.
How does one stay interested and not “burn out” For some, taking their subject outside the classroom is beneficial, easily understood when you think of an art teacher painting and exhibiting. A colleague friend of mine teaches math and tells me that the last thing he wants to do is more math when he gets home. Instead he finds that golf and gardening keep him fresh. You may find a woodworking class for a science teacher may simply allow for creative energies to express themselves and make for a happier person. Some find their bliss in daily work-out routines, quilting, scrapbooking, painting, and exhibiting.
It is especially important that teachers stay fresh and refreshed. Teaching is extremely taxing. I would challenge any hedge-fund-millionaire to do one week in a classroom successfully. Teaching is not for everyone, but at a minimum, you must love what you teach.
(Book Link) (Kindle Link)
1. Patience
2. Consistency
3. Professionalism
4. Organization
5. Communication Dexterity
6. Ability to Ask for Help
7. Think on Your Feet
8. Emotional Detachment
9. Seek Professional Growth
10. Love Your Subject!
1. Patience: Remember, kids are kids.
This seems simple enough, but easy to forget. There are real differences in the child’s brain from early years through the teen years. Kids are sometimes irrational, undependable, secretive, distrustful, lazy, and inappropriate. Sometimes when we see this behavior we lose our cool and think they are doing it “on purpose.”
This is going to seem politically incorrect, but it’s the best way I can put it—I see my students as mentally disabled with moments of clarity. On some cognitive level this is true because they are still developing. Would I get angry if a child with Down Syndrome did something wrong? No. I would take their disability into consideration and moderate my tone and approach.
If we see that kids are simply not fully developed people—works in progress—it can take the sting out of poor behavior. Instead of getting angry, think of their disability and react without anger or spite.
2. Consistency: No favoritism.
You will like some students more than others. We do not like to say this, but it is obvious. Also, a child you have difficulty with may be the “teacher’s pet” in another room. The point is not to base your classroom management on how you feel about your students but on your classroom rules. If the “good kid” steps out of line, then he or she should receive the same consequences as that kid you have difficulty with so that all can see and understand you are fair and consistent.
3. Professionalism: Keep your personal life private.
Though it is fine to be friendly to students, it is important that you not cross the line to become a friend. You are the instructor and need to remain the authority figure. There is no need to “dominate” the class, but sharing too much information, certainly personal information, can be problematic, especially in this age of the internet.
In many schools, teachers are forbidden to have a Facebook or Twitter page. Other schools encourage it but have strict guideline about the usage. My personal feeling is that you should not connect with students through any means outside of school, via the internet or in person. There are simply too many lawsuits that point to the errors of such behavior. Even innocent communication can be taken out of context and be used against you. EVERYTHING you e-mail or post on the internet is permanently recorded. Though you hit delete, the information is still obtainable by authorities.
Students, by nature are inconsistent. You can be their best friend one day and the next, they hate you and want to do everything they can to punish you. Imagine a “good student” who rightfully earns a detention, their feelings can change on a dime and you are the one leaving yourself vulnerable.
This is not meant to alarm you, but social interactions of any kind put you in a very bad position and open to legal issues far deeper than you would like to explore. You need to care. You need to connect. You need to share, but do so as a professional.
4. Organization: Paperwork and the legal things you must do.
The paperwork outside the classroom can be overwhelming. Then you add in all the work that pertains to your subject and there is a mountain that needs to be climbed on a daily basis. The documentation escalates and seems to have no end, but if you are organized and do it as it come up, you can stay above the rising waters. Getting behind too can put you in violation of the law.
Some students have special accommodations you are legally bound to have available and follow at all times. Never mind that you teach 150 students a day; you have to make concrete accommodations for these students and it is NOT always easy. There could be a spot inspection by state authorities and if that paperwork is not available, you can lose your teaching certificate. It is that serious. It is also difficult to meet all expectations. For example, you may have 5 students who need special seating for fewer distractions. Every classroom only four corners; what are you to do?
Attendance too is a major consideration. There are laws that speak to this in each state, but essentially if a student’s attendance is erroneously recorded and he is hurt or does something irrational (like pulling a fire alarm) while not accounted for, YOU may be partially liable for not following procedure. Attendance can be one of the little things that slip in a classroom, but the ramifications can be enormous.
Then there are issues of lesson plans, formative and summative assessments, documentation, curriculum, mandated testing, in-service work, and other paperwork generated by the office; all of these can lead to negative reports added to your personnel file and be the reason you are denied an annual increment or are outright fired. Though tenure gives you some protection, any school can fire any teacher who does not follow procedures. Tenure just means they have to prove that you are ineffective.
5. Communication Dexterity: Kids, parents, colleagues, administrators…
As a teacher you are confronted by diverse populations all with different expectations of your role as a teacher. You must be able to speak clearly to each in the most professional way possible because your interactions can have a dramatic effect on your job and even your working conditions.
--Communicate poorly to students, they don’t succeed, and you are labeled a bad teacher.
--Communicate poorly to parents and you will get complaints to your supervisor.
--Communicate poorly to your colleagues and you are isolated
--Communicate poorly to administrators and it can affect your working conditions or employment.
6. Ability to Ask for Help.
Though you should be capable of teaching alone and seek help on your own, collaboration and communication with other teachers can be a huge benefit. If you wait too long to ask for help, you can find yourself too far behind to recover. By seeking out colleagues, you can learn from their successes, empathize about the problems you share, solve problems together, and seek the help of veteran teachers and administrators. NEVER feel that asking for help makes you appear to be a poor teacher. Some of the best teachers I know collaborate often. Ask a colleague to observe your class informally for suggestions; a new point of view can be invaluable!
Islands can be pretty, but they can also be very lonely places.
7. Think on your feet: Change lessons on the spur of the moment.
Though it is important to follow curriculum and be consistent, you are not a robot, and sometimes things come up that are both pertinent and relevant. You may find a way to refocus a lesson that will grab students’ attention. When you do this they see that their input matters.
Some tangents can be negative and some positive. Take a moment and think it through. These are golden opportunities, though admittedly some will just be distractions. You need to remain alert to these possibilities and “roll with it” and use that flexibility to excite your students.
Another aspect of this is that “S**T happens.” The internet can be down, power outages happen, kids don’t bring in supplies you assigned for homework (like bring in a magazine, etc.) So you must be able to find an alternate path to switch gears and move on. Thinking on your feet is just part of the job. Have a fun lesson stashed away for such an occasion.
8. Emotional Detachment: Don’t take everything personally; think it through.
Similar in thought to number one, you need to have a clinical detachment to the emotional drama of school and see it for what it is. This does not mean you need to be cold and detached, but it does mean you need to see the behavior and situation for what it is. Students are under-developed adults. If you attribute adult willfulness to their behavior you will only become frustrated. Students often have a narrow range of reactions to situations. They do not think of the larger implication to their behavior and they lack experiences to teach them these things in a meaningful way.
As a teacher, you are often the one to help them understand these things. You need to show them the options and let them choose. And you need to enforce the outcomes. You are the police, judge, jury, lawyer, and policy maker. You need to expect that issues will arise daily. Most will be small, but as these experiences accumulate, the student forms the foundation for their own adult behavior. Arbitrary enforcement only reinforces the idea that consequences are arbitrary as well.
One indication that you have an issue here is by calculating how often you feel the need to raise your voice. If it is daily, then you have a problem. Yelling means that you have lost your cool, the students have the upper hand, and you were unable to detach yourself from the behavior. Do you like to be yelled at? I would assume not.
Challenge yourself not to yell. I did it for a year and much of what I learned and share with you here is rooted in this one simple yet profound challenge. When students act out, I remind them of my expectation or posted rules. I will issue a warning and follow through if they do not comply. Sometimes it means sending them to the office to “cool off” without a detention, sometimes with. I escalate the consequences little by little until they comply. If you hit them with a sledgehammer for the first infraction, they will see you as arbitrary and an ogre they cannot respect and their behavior will get worse. Later in this book I will share with you my approach to disciplinary problems.
9. Seek Professional Growth: Stay current.
I have learned very little from in-school professional growth, though a few things stand out: Information about laws that effect our profession, health issues to be aware of, and suicide prevention, but this is a sliver of the nearly 100 programs I have attended.
The most valuable growth comes when I have been able to meet with colleagues within my subject area and participate in collaborative workshops where we share best practices, lesson ideas, share suggestions, and meet the vendors that supply our department. These often happen at conventions, either state or national, and I would encourage teachers to attend these.
Professional development need not be confined to these areas; you may consider an evening class or two within or related to your subject. The additional classes may help you accrue credit to ascend faster on your school’s salary guide. Many schools will often reimburse part of your tuition based on the grades you receive.
10. Love Your Subject!
Your own feelings of personal well-being have a direct effect on your students. If you teach a subject you do not have a passion about, maybe you should consider a change of subject or career. Students are like little emotional tuning-forks, they can sense if you are “phoning it in” or if your interest is genuine. Your enthusiasm should be contagious.
How does one stay interested and not “burn out” For some, taking their subject outside the classroom is beneficial, easily understood when you think of an art teacher painting and exhibiting. A colleague friend of mine teaches math and tells me that the last thing he wants to do is more math when he gets home. Instead he finds that golf and gardening keep him fresh. You may find a woodworking class for a science teacher may simply allow for creative energies to express themselves and make for a happier person. Some find their bliss in daily work-out routines, quilting, scrapbooking, painting, and exhibiting.
It is especially important that teachers stay fresh and refreshed. Teaching is extremely taxing. I would challenge any hedge-fund-millionaire to do one week in a classroom successfully. Teaching is not for everyone, but at a minimum, you must love what you teach.
(Book Link) (Kindle Link)
Discipline Advice HERE
Classroom Management
Be Real to Engage Students
How does one not “be real”? By talking down to or at students, by not staying current with their interests, by loosing your cool, or being too “cold.”
This is a real balancing act and at first may seem to conflict with #8 to be emotionally detached. If you address students as if they were people like yourself, it may be helpful in letting them sympathize with you and vise-versa. Ask yourself, how would you like to be spoken to? How would you like your supervisor to react to your mistakes or misunderstandings? How would you expect your colleague to approach you if they had a problem with something you did? By treating students with the same respect you demand of others, you will earn their respect and you will be giving them a living example to help form their own patterns of behavior.
If you go into teaching thinking that you are only here to teach your content area, you will be very frustrated and disappointed. Much of what teaching is, is modeling and teaching appropriate behavior. I am often still surprised by student behavior—like at a concert where students continue to chat while others are singing for them. They need to be told what one should and should not do at a concert/theatre. Sometimes you need to make connections for them. You can say, “This is like going to church or a movie, you need to remain quiet for the performer.” Additionally you should connect with their emotional side by adding something like “Imagine if you were on stage and worked for months to prepare for this presentation but people talked over you. How would that make you feel?”
This last part is where you will find the most effective use of communication to change behavior. Children are emotional people. They react often based on their feelings without considering the possible ramifications of that behavior. It’s also why we do not apply the death sentence to smaller children as they have less capacity to understand fully the consequences of their behavior. There is evidence that the human brain does not fully develop these abilities until the age of about 25.
Understanding this lack of development can help you remain calm when these issues arise. It is simply the nature of children, not a willful negligence or ignorance. It should not surprise you that this behavior does not disappear after one incident. Appropriate behavior needs to be modeled again and again, and if the consequences or reactions to such behavior is consistent, learning takes place.
Let’s take the example of my student teacher “C.R.” Two boys in class were having an inappropriate conversation of a sexual nature. She rightly addressed it and told them to stop. She had to do so a few times and noted that the behavior was inappropriate.
My advice to her was to take the students into the hallway and personalize their behavior. I told her to say to them, “Guys, I know you’re just joking around, but when you speak like that it makes me feel uncomfortable as a woman. I am sure that was not what you meant to do, but it is how I feel. Also, as a teacher I need to be sure all my students are comfortable too. If I feel this way, I am sure others do too but they can’t really say anything or kids will make fun of them for being uptight. If one of them complained, I’d be called down to the office and asked to explain why I let this behavior continue and they would see me as a bad teacher. Could you guys change the topic? I want you to have fun and enjoy my class, but this really has to stop.”
Personalizing the behavior enables your students to understand how you feel. (Even if you have to exaggerate a bit about how you really feel.) Making a concrete example helps them understand the feelings of the situation so it will resonate with them. They will also know you care because you took the time to explain it and didn’t just yell at them and say “knock it off.” You may argue that this exchange will take too much time out of your class, but consider that this approach may stop this behavior immediately and prevent it from re-occurring. If you add up all your “knock it off” distractions, I think in the long term you will be saving time. Students who see you address these issues privately in the hall will feel more at ease that you care enough to explain things that you did not yell, that you remained calm, and that you can be trusted.
This takes practice but works for the behavior you really need to shut down before it can potentially escalate. Keep in mind too that if you don’t address some behaviors, like teasing, you can be in violation of Title 9 Federal Law.
Yelling is YOUR Problem, Not Theirs.
There are only 2 issues where I raise my voice.
--Safety issues (Kids playing with a sharp object)
--Bullying
About five years into teaching I found myself “burning out” and getting upset with the behavior of my students. I was giving several detentions daily, often raising my voice and was on the verge of cursing on a couple occasions. Though I would never condone a teacher “losing it” in the classroom, I can definitely understand how it can happen.
I felt I could not sustain the kind of energy I was expending on a daily basis. Though I am not sure where the idea came from, I know I chose to complete that year by doing all I could to not raise my voice. This was in the fall, so I knew it would be a challenge. I did everything I could to avoid it; that forced me to change my approach and lead to much that is contained herein.
One thing I did was I began to sit with my students as they worked and learn a bit about what they were doing and thinking, thereby making some valuable one-on-one connections.
Then I remembered the thing about “I” statements from a therapy class I took in college. That an “I” statement helps deflate situations and that “You” statements tend to exacerbate them. For instance: “Why can’t you stay in your seat!” versus “Tommy, I would really appreciate it if you would remain in your seat.” The tonal difference is clear but it is also clear that the “I” statement may feel unnatural or alien. This does take practice.
If the behavior continues, then another more detailed connection needs to be made. This will take a bit of thought and practice. “Tommy, I can see you really have a lot of energy and it is difficult to stay in your seat. I know it may seem silly to have to do it, but when you walk around it is distracting to the students and even I have a hard time concentrating because I am worrying about what you are going to do. I also worry that maybe I am not being a good teacher because I can’t seem to help you listen. What can we do together to make this better?” After considering seat changes, and all the normal approaches to this behavior, think about a reward for sitting, maybe a little private extra credit, every day in the seat is an additional point on the next test? You really need to stretch your creative muscles to make this work but it can be done and the result is that the student now sympathizes, their behavior becomes more compliant, and they are more likely to listen to your directions in the future because they feel you care.
All students and you will benefit from rewarding good behavior and praise now and again. During your class closure, you can make a statement about the overall behavior when it is good. Pass little notes to students who are usually troublesome that say, “Thank you for staying in your seat, I really appreciate it!” Little notes like these are like little surprises. Maybe stock up on little “thank you” stationary from the dollar store. You can even slip in a little chocolate or some fun stickers.
The big idea here is to speak to kids as you would like to be spoken to and reward good behavior as often, or MORE often than you address bad behavior.
If you find you are unable to keep your cool, or that a particular student very easily “pushes your buttons,” look within. There is an interesting psychological term called counter-transference. Simply put, it is when you react to others unknowingly because they express feelings and emotions you suppress in yourself. Review your interactions to be sure this is not part of them.
If the “needy” kid gets on your nerves, look to your own “neediness” and see if there is some truth to this and possibly the root of your losing your cool. Often identifying the root issue can solve the problem.
In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb
One of the great “Truths” about teaching is it is easier to come on strong and loosen up later. Displaying your rules in the bulletin board can be an effective reminder of your expectations.
It is always difficult to crack down on bad behavior that you have let escalate. If you set a tone of control, organization, and consistency from day one, it is easier to nip these bad behaviors early. As the year progresses their behavior will be more controlled. As it does, you can loosen the constraints a bit. This does not mean to become lax; but seating assignments can change, maybe music can be played during individual work-time. It can take the form you feel a more “relaxed” situation should be with you in charge.
The beginning of the year is the time to set strict rules and follow through on consequences. It is your time to learn about the individual needs of your students and build relationships. It is your time to find out what motivates them.
Don’t be a “Friend,” be a Teacher; Being Fair vs Being Liked
If one of your goals is that you are “liked” by students, you have a long and painful road ahead.
If you are fair, consistent, and respectful of your students, students will like you, but it should never be a goal. Your primary goal is to teach your subject matter and manage your room. It is what you are paid to do and there is nobility in this profession of education.
Personally, I would much more appreciate that my students respect me than like me.
As teachers, we see unmanageable students from time to time, with parents that have no sympathy or respect for what we do. Some joke that “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” but my own experience is that many of these issues stem from “Friendship Parenting.” Most parents do not receive the training we do about behavior modification, positive reinforcement, and enforcing consequences for choices. They may not have come out of good family situations themselves.
These are the parents that base their discipline on how their children will feel about their parenting. They are afraid they will come off as mean. They want their kids to be their friends, so they are overly lenient and do not set clear boundaries nor do they follow-through in a consistent way with consequences. This sets up a pattern of confusion as expectations cannot be gauged.
These are the parents that agree with their child when a student says, “Mr. So-and-so hates me!” They call, they yell, they assume you are “out to get” their child, when all you are doing is being clear about expectations and holding them to the boundaries you have set. In these cases you should make your supervisor aware of these communications. If they are sent via e-mail, send a copy of all correspondence to your director as well. Do not be an island, especially if you do not have tenure.
Get Off Your Butt and Sit with the Kids.
At the same time I decided to try not yelling for a year, I also made up a chart and was deliberate in my attempt to sit with each student for a short time while they worked on projects. I used this time to learn a bit about them and their interests and even how they were feeling about the class. These conversations, still today, give me ideas for projects.
Building these mini students-teacher relationships will help lessen the confrontations in your room and help students know, in a real way, that you do care. It is important to see all of them with equal attentiveness. Students are keenly aware if you are “faking it” and that your interest is less than genuine.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making these important connections.
Detentions and Blaming the Boss.
Make sure you follow your school’s procedures for detentions. Every school will be different.
I generally give detentions as per issues of breaking school rules. I am supposed to assign them for a student’s fourth tardy to class, if I catch them cutting class, texting on cell phones, if they plagiarize an assignment, etc. For some of these issues I “blame the boss.” I tell my student this: “I am hired by the school to enforce the rules. I may not like all the rules much myself, but that’s part of what they pay me to do. If I do not give you the detention for the fourth tardy, they can see my attendance, and they can look for the detention receipt. If there is no receipt then I am in violation of my contract and I get called to the principal’s office. Just as you have to follow the rules, I do too. There are consequences for me if I do not follow the rules. I could get fired. This is not personal. I do not think you are a bad person; it’s just that I have to assign this detention.”
This seems like an awful lot to say but it does deflate the situation. It now becomes a non-emotional issue, you have spoken to the child as an adult, you have outlined the deeper issues behind the detention, and they may understand it is not a personal issue.
The other reason I give detentions is the bullying issues or safety in the classroom. Often in these cases I speak to the student in the hallway without their peers. I give them a long “I” statement explanation of the situation and give them some options: Cool off in the office or the nurse station. Separation from the problem, a chance to apologize, or whatever else may fit the issue may be helpful. Sometimes this is enough. Sometimes it is not. The main thing is to be consistent whether the student is a “good” or “problem” child.
(Book Link) (Kindle Link)
Be Real to Engage Students
How does one not “be real”? By talking down to or at students, by not staying current with their interests, by loosing your cool, or being too “cold.”
This is a real balancing act and at first may seem to conflict with #8 to be emotionally detached. If you address students as if they were people like yourself, it may be helpful in letting them sympathize with you and vise-versa. Ask yourself, how would you like to be spoken to? How would you like your supervisor to react to your mistakes or misunderstandings? How would you expect your colleague to approach you if they had a problem with something you did? By treating students with the same respect you demand of others, you will earn their respect and you will be giving them a living example to help form their own patterns of behavior.
If you go into teaching thinking that you are only here to teach your content area, you will be very frustrated and disappointed. Much of what teaching is, is modeling and teaching appropriate behavior. I am often still surprised by student behavior—like at a concert where students continue to chat while others are singing for them. They need to be told what one should and should not do at a concert/theatre. Sometimes you need to make connections for them. You can say, “This is like going to church or a movie, you need to remain quiet for the performer.” Additionally you should connect with their emotional side by adding something like “Imagine if you were on stage and worked for months to prepare for this presentation but people talked over you. How would that make you feel?”
This last part is where you will find the most effective use of communication to change behavior. Children are emotional people. They react often based on their feelings without considering the possible ramifications of that behavior. It’s also why we do not apply the death sentence to smaller children as they have less capacity to understand fully the consequences of their behavior. There is evidence that the human brain does not fully develop these abilities until the age of about 25.
Understanding this lack of development can help you remain calm when these issues arise. It is simply the nature of children, not a willful negligence or ignorance. It should not surprise you that this behavior does not disappear after one incident. Appropriate behavior needs to be modeled again and again, and if the consequences or reactions to such behavior is consistent, learning takes place.
Let’s take the example of my student teacher “C.R.” Two boys in class were having an inappropriate conversation of a sexual nature. She rightly addressed it and told them to stop. She had to do so a few times and noted that the behavior was inappropriate.
My advice to her was to take the students into the hallway and personalize their behavior. I told her to say to them, “Guys, I know you’re just joking around, but when you speak like that it makes me feel uncomfortable as a woman. I am sure that was not what you meant to do, but it is how I feel. Also, as a teacher I need to be sure all my students are comfortable too. If I feel this way, I am sure others do too but they can’t really say anything or kids will make fun of them for being uptight. If one of them complained, I’d be called down to the office and asked to explain why I let this behavior continue and they would see me as a bad teacher. Could you guys change the topic? I want you to have fun and enjoy my class, but this really has to stop.”
Personalizing the behavior enables your students to understand how you feel. (Even if you have to exaggerate a bit about how you really feel.) Making a concrete example helps them understand the feelings of the situation so it will resonate with them. They will also know you care because you took the time to explain it and didn’t just yell at them and say “knock it off.” You may argue that this exchange will take too much time out of your class, but consider that this approach may stop this behavior immediately and prevent it from re-occurring. If you add up all your “knock it off” distractions, I think in the long term you will be saving time. Students who see you address these issues privately in the hall will feel more at ease that you care enough to explain things that you did not yell, that you remained calm, and that you can be trusted.
This takes practice but works for the behavior you really need to shut down before it can potentially escalate. Keep in mind too that if you don’t address some behaviors, like teasing, you can be in violation of Title 9 Federal Law.
Yelling is YOUR Problem, Not Theirs.
There are only 2 issues where I raise my voice.
--Safety issues (Kids playing with a sharp object)
--Bullying
About five years into teaching I found myself “burning out” and getting upset with the behavior of my students. I was giving several detentions daily, often raising my voice and was on the verge of cursing on a couple occasions. Though I would never condone a teacher “losing it” in the classroom, I can definitely understand how it can happen.
I felt I could not sustain the kind of energy I was expending on a daily basis. Though I am not sure where the idea came from, I know I chose to complete that year by doing all I could to not raise my voice. This was in the fall, so I knew it would be a challenge. I did everything I could to avoid it; that forced me to change my approach and lead to much that is contained herein.
One thing I did was I began to sit with my students as they worked and learn a bit about what they were doing and thinking, thereby making some valuable one-on-one connections.
Then I remembered the thing about “I” statements from a therapy class I took in college. That an “I” statement helps deflate situations and that “You” statements tend to exacerbate them. For instance: “Why can’t you stay in your seat!” versus “Tommy, I would really appreciate it if you would remain in your seat.” The tonal difference is clear but it is also clear that the “I” statement may feel unnatural or alien. This does take practice.
If the behavior continues, then another more detailed connection needs to be made. This will take a bit of thought and practice. “Tommy, I can see you really have a lot of energy and it is difficult to stay in your seat. I know it may seem silly to have to do it, but when you walk around it is distracting to the students and even I have a hard time concentrating because I am worrying about what you are going to do. I also worry that maybe I am not being a good teacher because I can’t seem to help you listen. What can we do together to make this better?” After considering seat changes, and all the normal approaches to this behavior, think about a reward for sitting, maybe a little private extra credit, every day in the seat is an additional point on the next test? You really need to stretch your creative muscles to make this work but it can be done and the result is that the student now sympathizes, their behavior becomes more compliant, and they are more likely to listen to your directions in the future because they feel you care.
All students and you will benefit from rewarding good behavior and praise now and again. During your class closure, you can make a statement about the overall behavior when it is good. Pass little notes to students who are usually troublesome that say, “Thank you for staying in your seat, I really appreciate it!” Little notes like these are like little surprises. Maybe stock up on little “thank you” stationary from the dollar store. You can even slip in a little chocolate or some fun stickers.
The big idea here is to speak to kids as you would like to be spoken to and reward good behavior as often, or MORE often than you address bad behavior.
If you find you are unable to keep your cool, or that a particular student very easily “pushes your buttons,” look within. There is an interesting psychological term called counter-transference. Simply put, it is when you react to others unknowingly because they express feelings and emotions you suppress in yourself. Review your interactions to be sure this is not part of them.
If the “needy” kid gets on your nerves, look to your own “neediness” and see if there is some truth to this and possibly the root of your losing your cool. Often identifying the root issue can solve the problem.
In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb
One of the great “Truths” about teaching is it is easier to come on strong and loosen up later. Displaying your rules in the bulletin board can be an effective reminder of your expectations.
It is always difficult to crack down on bad behavior that you have let escalate. If you set a tone of control, organization, and consistency from day one, it is easier to nip these bad behaviors early. As the year progresses their behavior will be more controlled. As it does, you can loosen the constraints a bit. This does not mean to become lax; but seating assignments can change, maybe music can be played during individual work-time. It can take the form you feel a more “relaxed” situation should be with you in charge.
The beginning of the year is the time to set strict rules and follow through on consequences. It is your time to learn about the individual needs of your students and build relationships. It is your time to find out what motivates them.
Don’t be a “Friend,” be a Teacher; Being Fair vs Being Liked
If one of your goals is that you are “liked” by students, you have a long and painful road ahead.
If you are fair, consistent, and respectful of your students, students will like you, but it should never be a goal. Your primary goal is to teach your subject matter and manage your room. It is what you are paid to do and there is nobility in this profession of education.
Personally, I would much more appreciate that my students respect me than like me.
As teachers, we see unmanageable students from time to time, with parents that have no sympathy or respect for what we do. Some joke that “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” but my own experience is that many of these issues stem from “Friendship Parenting.” Most parents do not receive the training we do about behavior modification, positive reinforcement, and enforcing consequences for choices. They may not have come out of good family situations themselves.
These are the parents that base their discipline on how their children will feel about their parenting. They are afraid they will come off as mean. They want their kids to be their friends, so they are overly lenient and do not set clear boundaries nor do they follow-through in a consistent way with consequences. This sets up a pattern of confusion as expectations cannot be gauged.
These are the parents that agree with their child when a student says, “Mr. So-and-so hates me!” They call, they yell, they assume you are “out to get” their child, when all you are doing is being clear about expectations and holding them to the boundaries you have set. In these cases you should make your supervisor aware of these communications. If they are sent via e-mail, send a copy of all correspondence to your director as well. Do not be an island, especially if you do not have tenure.
Get Off Your Butt and Sit with the Kids.
At the same time I decided to try not yelling for a year, I also made up a chart and was deliberate in my attempt to sit with each student for a short time while they worked on projects. I used this time to learn a bit about them and their interests and even how they were feeling about the class. These conversations, still today, give me ideas for projects.
Building these mini students-teacher relationships will help lessen the confrontations in your room and help students know, in a real way, that you do care. It is important to see all of them with equal attentiveness. Students are keenly aware if you are “faking it” and that your interest is less than genuine.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making these important connections.
Detentions and Blaming the Boss.
Make sure you follow your school’s procedures for detentions. Every school will be different.
I generally give detentions as per issues of breaking school rules. I am supposed to assign them for a student’s fourth tardy to class, if I catch them cutting class, texting on cell phones, if they plagiarize an assignment, etc. For some of these issues I “blame the boss.” I tell my student this: “I am hired by the school to enforce the rules. I may not like all the rules much myself, but that’s part of what they pay me to do. If I do not give you the detention for the fourth tardy, they can see my attendance, and they can look for the detention receipt. If there is no receipt then I am in violation of my contract and I get called to the principal’s office. Just as you have to follow the rules, I do too. There are consequences for me if I do not follow the rules. I could get fired. This is not personal. I do not think you are a bad person; it’s just that I have to assign this detention.”
This seems like an awful lot to say but it does deflate the situation. It now becomes a non-emotional issue, you have spoken to the child as an adult, you have outlined the deeper issues behind the detention, and they may understand it is not a personal issue.
The other reason I give detentions is the bullying issues or safety in the classroom. Often in these cases I speak to the student in the hallway without their peers. I give them a long “I” statement explanation of the situation and give them some options: Cool off in the office or the nurse station. Separation from the problem, a chance to apologize, or whatever else may fit the issue may be helpful. Sometimes this is enough. Sometimes it is not. The main thing is to be consistent whether the student is a “good” or “problem” child.
(Book Link) (Kindle Link)
Anger Management, Students and Yourself!
The best advice I have goes back to that Emotional Detachment thing I wrote of earlier. If you understand that students are “disabled” in their ability to comply and follow through, and that a student’s behavior is generally not a premeditated act, you can separate the behavior from the person. Even if it is premeditated, that is still an indication of a lack of maturity, and part of what defines a child as a child.
As soon as you take it personally, you have lost and need to step back and collect yourself. I recommend that you seek out information about the cognitive development of children and teenagers. It’s fascinating and makes me wonder how any education can happen at all, but the fact is, it does.
The pay-off is that you do not become emotionally charged when provocative behavior confronts you, and that the student in turn will calm down and be more likely to comply. If tension is building, have them express why they feel the way they do and spend your time listening.
When they finish, ask, “Can I give you some of my thoughts on this?” If they say no, then fine, they have made that choice. If they say yes, it is an opportunity for them to grow and shows you they are open. Even if the child says no, later they may begin to open up.
Before offering advice though, repeat what you understand from their conversation with you. Reiterate the key points and see if they agree that you fully understand. This is modeling good conversational behavior with them. If they give you information that may be alarming, it is important that you remain calm and detached so they can continue to share and be listened to. When both are clear about the information you can offer your advice and they will listen more intently as they know now you have listened.
It is also okay to say “I don’t know,” or, “I will find out and get back to you,” or that you need to seek the help of a professional. If they are telling you about an abue issue, drugs, or criminal behavior, you need to speak to the guidance department and possibly an administrator. It is important that you do not keep it to yourself or you will be in a position of serious legal liability.
If you report information that turns out was not true or inaccurate you will be protected by law. You were acting out of the best interest of the child. The only problem you would face is if you reported knowingly false information with malicious intent. It is the only thing that can hurt you legally and that is a very high standard for a lawyer to prove.
The Noncompliant Student
There are levels of noncompliance. It can be in little things like not staying in their seats, or can be larger if they simply choose not to work, and larger still if this nonparticipation continues. (I also check to see if they are classified students with special accommodations I am required to meet.)
My first approach is to name the behavior and ask for it to stop. Sometimes I can use humor here as well. “Johnny, can you hear that? Your seat is calling for you, it’s lonely.” Slowly I escalate as necessary. Some kids after all only need a reminder. There is no need to use a sledgehammer when a tack will do. Overreaction shows you to be unreasonable, arbitrary, and unfair. Students will start to lose respect for you.
If a reminder is not working I seek out additional information to find out why they are not complying. Maybe their seat is dirty or wet? I don’t know until I ask. Sometimes I need to take them to the hallway and address the issue with a longer “I” statement. “I really need you to stay in your seat. You’re a really popular guy and when you wander, the kids do less work because you are sometimes more fun than the work, but I need to be sure everyone has the opportunity to do the best they can. Can you help me out here?” Maybe allow him to wander for the last minute of class if he has been productive. Be sure to give him a little post-it note saying “Thank you for staying in your seat, I really appreciate it.” You need to balance your discipline with praise.
If you dish out criticism once, praise twice. I try to end the class with some overall praise and individual observations.
Document All You Can
When issues arise, it may be a good idea to keep a professional journal to document these instances with tiny notes. This way if there is a pattern of behavior, you may be able to address it better.
When giving detentions or office referrals you will need a clear paper trail. This limits your liability and makes it easier to document patterns of behavior. Be especially sure to pay closer attention to your students that legally require additional accommodations. If you have the ability to set up a bulk e-mail to stay in contact with these parents, it will be helpful. You can shoot them e-mails about upcoming deadlines so they can cover material at home. Even if they do not, you will be covered because you now have evidence that you have in fact, made parent communication important concerning these children.
Always remember that legal accommodations must be followed and that you are held liable if you do not. You can lose your job and certification.
Documentation can help avoid future problems. This would involve the days you need to be out. If you are sick, really sick, I would encourage you, especially non-tenured staff, to visit your doctor and get a note/receipt so you have proof from a physician, that you were legitimately ill. This will be part of what is considered when looking at you for tenure. Attendance can be a big issue.
Though your supervisors may understand your need to take a day off, they may not be the persons who ultimately decide if you stay or go. It might be a superintendant you have never met. This documentation will be important for them even if your supervisor says, “Don’t worry about it.”
(Book Link) (Kindle Link)
The best advice I have goes back to that Emotional Detachment thing I wrote of earlier. If you understand that students are “disabled” in their ability to comply and follow through, and that a student’s behavior is generally not a premeditated act, you can separate the behavior from the person. Even if it is premeditated, that is still an indication of a lack of maturity, and part of what defines a child as a child.
As soon as you take it personally, you have lost and need to step back and collect yourself. I recommend that you seek out information about the cognitive development of children and teenagers. It’s fascinating and makes me wonder how any education can happen at all, but the fact is, it does.
The pay-off is that you do not become emotionally charged when provocative behavior confronts you, and that the student in turn will calm down and be more likely to comply. If tension is building, have them express why they feel the way they do and spend your time listening.
When they finish, ask, “Can I give you some of my thoughts on this?” If they say no, then fine, they have made that choice. If they say yes, it is an opportunity for them to grow and shows you they are open. Even if the child says no, later they may begin to open up.
Before offering advice though, repeat what you understand from their conversation with you. Reiterate the key points and see if they agree that you fully understand. This is modeling good conversational behavior with them. If they give you information that may be alarming, it is important that you remain calm and detached so they can continue to share and be listened to. When both are clear about the information you can offer your advice and they will listen more intently as they know now you have listened.
It is also okay to say “I don’t know,” or, “I will find out and get back to you,” or that you need to seek the help of a professional. If they are telling you about an abue issue, drugs, or criminal behavior, you need to speak to the guidance department and possibly an administrator. It is important that you do not keep it to yourself or you will be in a position of serious legal liability.
If you report information that turns out was not true or inaccurate you will be protected by law. You were acting out of the best interest of the child. The only problem you would face is if you reported knowingly false information with malicious intent. It is the only thing that can hurt you legally and that is a very high standard for a lawyer to prove.
The Noncompliant Student
There are levels of noncompliance. It can be in little things like not staying in their seats, or can be larger if they simply choose not to work, and larger still if this nonparticipation continues. (I also check to see if they are classified students with special accommodations I am required to meet.)
My first approach is to name the behavior and ask for it to stop. Sometimes I can use humor here as well. “Johnny, can you hear that? Your seat is calling for you, it’s lonely.” Slowly I escalate as necessary. Some kids after all only need a reminder. There is no need to use a sledgehammer when a tack will do. Overreaction shows you to be unreasonable, arbitrary, and unfair. Students will start to lose respect for you.
If a reminder is not working I seek out additional information to find out why they are not complying. Maybe their seat is dirty or wet? I don’t know until I ask. Sometimes I need to take them to the hallway and address the issue with a longer “I” statement. “I really need you to stay in your seat. You’re a really popular guy and when you wander, the kids do less work because you are sometimes more fun than the work, but I need to be sure everyone has the opportunity to do the best they can. Can you help me out here?” Maybe allow him to wander for the last minute of class if he has been productive. Be sure to give him a little post-it note saying “Thank you for staying in your seat, I really appreciate it.” You need to balance your discipline with praise.
If you dish out criticism once, praise twice. I try to end the class with some overall praise and individual observations.
Document All You Can
When issues arise, it may be a good idea to keep a professional journal to document these instances with tiny notes. This way if there is a pattern of behavior, you may be able to address it better.
When giving detentions or office referrals you will need a clear paper trail. This limits your liability and makes it easier to document patterns of behavior. Be especially sure to pay closer attention to your students that legally require additional accommodations. If you have the ability to set up a bulk e-mail to stay in contact with these parents, it will be helpful. You can shoot them e-mails about upcoming deadlines so they can cover material at home. Even if they do not, you will be covered because you now have evidence that you have in fact, made parent communication important concerning these children.
Always remember that legal accommodations must be followed and that you are held liable if you do not. You can lose your job and certification.
Documentation can help avoid future problems. This would involve the days you need to be out. If you are sick, really sick, I would encourage you, especially non-tenured staff, to visit your doctor and get a note/receipt so you have proof from a physician, that you were legitimately ill. This will be part of what is considered when looking at you for tenure. Attendance can be a big issue.
Though your supervisors may understand your need to take a day off, they may not be the persons who ultimately decide if you stay or go. It might be a superintendant you have never met. This documentation will be important for them even if your supervisor says, “Don’t worry about it.”
(Book Link) (Kindle Link)
Dealing with Unstable Personalities
Okay, I realize this is politically incorrect, but we have all met people that belong in this category. There are some people who are argumentative without cause, simply not reasonable, and not completely in touch with reality. We deal with a diverse population; rich, and poor, educated and not, healthy and addicted, productive and incarcerated. Some of our most difficult students come from very trying home environments.
This is where documentation will be your best friend. You may find yourself in a situation where you have to defend yourself. It is also why you should share unusual communication from parents with a supervisor. I would guess this happens, even in small ways, annually. Luckily I have only had to deal with a small handful of truly difficult situations, but all were difficult, one traumatic, and made me doubt my career choice.
Students are still forming their sense of self. They are still malleable to some degree. Your example of professionalism may inspire them to seek a way out of their difficult situation. Your perseverance may have ramifications far beyond what you anticipate. If you are lucky enough, you may hear again from this student later that you have helped save them from their own poor choices. These positives outweigh the negatives.
The reality is that these unstable people are rare and need to be seen for what they are, a rarity that you will encounter. Check with guidance counselors and/or the school psychologists for help. Helping you deal with these situations is part of their role in the school.
Life & Death in the Classroom
Bias Language and Bullying
Fag, homo, gay, ni**er, fatty, etc, are all examples of bias language. The federal laws state that all public institutions must be free from any discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Any statement said to degrade these protected classes within a school, including sexuality, is considered a bias crime. This goes a bit further in schools now and includes any kind of bullying for those outside these groups. So if a student makes fun of another student’s clothing, it is bullying and in some states, a bias crime.
The laws are in flux, and moving in the direction of zero tolerance for bullying and biased language. You as the teacher are charged with stopping it and reporting it. If two boys are chatting about a sexual encounter they had with a girl last weekend, and it is overheard by other students who feel uncomfortable about it, they might not tell you. They may however tell their parents who will in turn tell the administrations, and you are called to the office with union representation to be told your employment is under review.
If they can show that you are not addressing biased language or bullying YOU can be charged with that crime, as you are the adult who allowed it, and created a pervasive atmosphere of bias. If your school does not take action, that parent may be able to sue the school, the Board of Education, and your name will be on the top of that list.
“Boys will be boys,” is not acceptable and the straightest path to unemployment. You must address these issues as they arise. You need to make it clear that this behavior will always be referred upward. There is no room for interpretation, so let administration take that on. Your classroom needs to be a bias-free zone.
Some are quick to “blame the parents” for bias behavior, but some bullying—like for kids whom are perceived to be gay—may be because the bully has questions about his or her own sexuality and are acting out to suppress their own fears. Consider this too when making referrals for behavior incidents.
Teen Suicide
Suicide is between the 7th and 10th leading cause of death among teenagers. It is much higher for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) students and “questioning youth” (those not sure)—sometimes as high as 50%—consider suicide as an option, and they are two to three times more likely to commit suicide over their heterosexual peers.
If your room is not bias free, you exacerbate their stress and thoughts of suicide by not stopping biased language. Consider that 10 to 15% of students may be silently LGBT, and one kid calls another “a homo,” in a class of 30 students; three to five will be present for this bias crime. Though boys are more likely to be successful in suicide, girls make attempts at higher rates. Even different ethnic groups have varying rates of suicide, but it is a serious issue. Even the death of a fellow classmate (suicide or not) can be a risk factor for suicide in your school.
Help is available 24 hours a day, every day: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). For gay and questioning youth, 1-866-4-U-TREVOR is a good resource for help and information.
Your school should provide in-service training on this topic but if not, there are good resources available. One I found helpful was at http://spts.pldm.com. It is also a program where you can earn a certificate for the training that will count toward your hours of professional development.
As with all issues like these, you cannot keep this information to yourself. You must follow through and contact the appropriate person in your school to get that student the assistance they need. You are not a certified therapist or psychologist; do not attempt to become the therapist the child really needs. You put yourself in liability if you do.
Okay, I realize this is politically incorrect, but we have all met people that belong in this category. There are some people who are argumentative without cause, simply not reasonable, and not completely in touch with reality. We deal with a diverse population; rich, and poor, educated and not, healthy and addicted, productive and incarcerated. Some of our most difficult students come from very trying home environments.
This is where documentation will be your best friend. You may find yourself in a situation where you have to defend yourself. It is also why you should share unusual communication from parents with a supervisor. I would guess this happens, even in small ways, annually. Luckily I have only had to deal with a small handful of truly difficult situations, but all were difficult, one traumatic, and made me doubt my career choice.
Students are still forming their sense of self. They are still malleable to some degree. Your example of professionalism may inspire them to seek a way out of their difficult situation. Your perseverance may have ramifications far beyond what you anticipate. If you are lucky enough, you may hear again from this student later that you have helped save them from their own poor choices. These positives outweigh the negatives.
The reality is that these unstable people are rare and need to be seen for what they are, a rarity that you will encounter. Check with guidance counselors and/or the school psychologists for help. Helping you deal with these situations is part of their role in the school.
Life & Death in the Classroom
Bias Language and Bullying
Fag, homo, gay, ni**er, fatty, etc, are all examples of bias language. The federal laws state that all public institutions must be free from any discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Any statement said to degrade these protected classes within a school, including sexuality, is considered a bias crime. This goes a bit further in schools now and includes any kind of bullying for those outside these groups. So if a student makes fun of another student’s clothing, it is bullying and in some states, a bias crime.
The laws are in flux, and moving in the direction of zero tolerance for bullying and biased language. You as the teacher are charged with stopping it and reporting it. If two boys are chatting about a sexual encounter they had with a girl last weekend, and it is overheard by other students who feel uncomfortable about it, they might not tell you. They may however tell their parents who will in turn tell the administrations, and you are called to the office with union representation to be told your employment is under review.
If they can show that you are not addressing biased language or bullying YOU can be charged with that crime, as you are the adult who allowed it, and created a pervasive atmosphere of bias. If your school does not take action, that parent may be able to sue the school, the Board of Education, and your name will be on the top of that list.
“Boys will be boys,” is not acceptable and the straightest path to unemployment. You must address these issues as they arise. You need to make it clear that this behavior will always be referred upward. There is no room for interpretation, so let administration take that on. Your classroom needs to be a bias-free zone.
Some are quick to “blame the parents” for bias behavior, but some bullying—like for kids whom are perceived to be gay—may be because the bully has questions about his or her own sexuality and are acting out to suppress their own fears. Consider this too when making referrals for behavior incidents.
Teen Suicide
Suicide is between the 7th and 10th leading cause of death among teenagers. It is much higher for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) students and “questioning youth” (those not sure)—sometimes as high as 50%—consider suicide as an option, and they are two to three times more likely to commit suicide over their heterosexual peers.
If your room is not bias free, you exacerbate their stress and thoughts of suicide by not stopping biased language. Consider that 10 to 15% of students may be silently LGBT, and one kid calls another “a homo,” in a class of 30 students; three to five will be present for this bias crime. Though boys are more likely to be successful in suicide, girls make attempts at higher rates. Even different ethnic groups have varying rates of suicide, but it is a serious issue. Even the death of a fellow classmate (suicide or not) can be a risk factor for suicide in your school.
Help is available 24 hours a day, every day: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). For gay and questioning youth, 1-866-4-U-TREVOR is a good resource for help and information.
Your school should provide in-service training on this topic but if not, there are good resources available. One I found helpful was at http://spts.pldm.com. It is also a program where you can earn a certificate for the training that will count toward your hours of professional development.
As with all issues like these, you cannot keep this information to yourself. You must follow through and contact the appropriate person in your school to get that student the assistance they need. You are not a certified therapist or psychologist; do not attempt to become the therapist the child really needs. You put yourself in liability if you do.
Great blog series on classroom management for art teachers HERE
The Art of Teaching buy it HERE and KINDLE
Use code V T K 9 4 M E 4 at checkout for 20% off physical books.
Often, teaching can be a whole different experience than what prospective educators have been told in college. This book provides “Real Life” experience from a teacher with 20+ years in the trenches and his colleagues.
It's not just for art teachers...
Use code V T K 9 4 M E 4 at checkout for 20% off physical books.
Often, teaching can be a whole different experience than what prospective educators have been told in college. This book provides “Real Life” experience from a teacher with 20+ years in the trenches and his colleagues.
It's not just for art teachers...