Tag Archives: Classroom Management
Is It Ever O.K. to Bribe Your Students?
Once upon a time I was a new teacher. I had bright ideals and shiny, new lesson plans. I knew my stuff and I was ready to inspire the next generation of English 11 students.
It took me just three weeks to buy my first bag of mini-sized candy bars to use as a bribe for my students. Three more weeks and I was buying big bags of candy. Still three more weeks and the Halloween candy was on clearance.
I was five pounds heavier and my wallet was five pounds lighter.
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Tasks for Classroom Volunteers or Student Assistants
As a high school teacher, I didn’t have the parents lining up at my door to volunteer like my colleagues in the elementary school did. I had one parent volunteer and a few student aides, though. Sometimes having a student assistant is more trouble than it’s worth because you spend half of your planning period either tracking them down or instructing them on what to do.
I’ve learned that with student assistants or parent volunteers, it’s best to outline your expectations from the beginning so that there are no misunderstandings. Unfortunately, I didn’t do that with my parent volunteer and she ran amok. Eventually, I had to go to my principal to rein the parent in.
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Use Student Music to Build Rapport, Increase Engagement
One of the things I love about National Public Radio is listening to the bumper music between segments. After the program, I often visit their online site to find out just what the music was and whether or not I can find a copy of it.
Music is universal. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like music or who doesn’t have a preference for a particular sound. For a teen, his music is synonymous with his group of friends and his clothing. It’s a part of his identity.
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Shutting Down Brainstorm Session Saboteurs
The purpose of a good Brainstorming session is to have a shower of ideas from which to choose. I like to use Brainstorming when I’m asking the class for input on a project rubric, project topic ideas, and possible endings for the novel we’re reading.
Like anything else, good procedures make the Brainstorming session go smoothly. I set down the procedures early in the year and use a transparency to remind the class of my expectations every time we Brainstorm. Sure, it’s redundant, but I think that the sessions go more smoothly when everyone understands what to do.
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How to Redirect Chatting Students
I remember as a new teacher I had trouble with what I perceived as the whole class talking. Sure, this was the problem – at the end of September. The talkers had taken over to the point where I felt like I had to hold the entire class after the bell – never a good idea.
However, if I could have looked back at the beginning of the school year, I could have picked out the major talkers. But, I was new. I didn’t know that to stop the problem of the whole class talking, I had to redirect those big talkers right away.
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How Do You Handle Restroom Passes?
A reader left this comment on last week’s post, “Top Ten Things I Learned about Teaching This Year.”
I learned from watching other teachers that children who go to the “restroom” hardly EVER really need to relieve their bladders. It seems that the restroom is the place to meet friends, exchange cell phones, listen to music, make out with the opposite sex, or fight. Teachers should be very careful about sending students to the “restroom” unescorted and untimed.
When I taught, many horrible things happened when I gave out a restroom pass. I learned from my mistakes and came up with this system: Continue reading
Classroom Discipline: Don’t Ask Why
Teens are impulsive. That spontaneity is part of their charm. And it’s part of the problem, too.
Picture this: Nick sees a cute girl downstairs by the lockers. He thinks that he can impress her if he jumps over the stair rail from the upstairs landing to the commons below.
Not impressive, Nick, when the paramedics have to haul you to the clinic for a cast. Continue reading
Praising Students Improves Behavior, Academics
Studies like the one from graduate students at the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University affirm what you already know: praise works.
Students like to feel good about themselves, they gravitate towards teachers and classes where they feel good, and they like subjects that reinforce the notion that they’re good at something.
It’s nice, though, to see what we all accept as good classroom management and good teaching backed by research. It’s also good to be reminded of some simple truths that surround the simple concept of praising students for good behavior and good work. However, we all know that implementing these simple truths isn’t always so simple. Continue reading
Classroom Management: Always Have a Plan B
Yes, the unpredictable happens, but we can at least predict which types of events might occur. Fire drills, lock downs, drug dogs, power failures, tornado drills, bomb threats, hallway incidents, and an out-of-control student all unpredictable disruptions to your class. Even predictable disruptions like Homecoming events, assemblies, and club photo days can cause classroom chaos. How are you expected to teach when the power is out or half the class is in the yearbook room mugging for the camera? Continue reading
