Classroom Management Series #2

The classroom management series is BACK! I will be beginning a new year at a new school in a new grade in a new state soon, soooooo I want to dive deeper into our classroom management series that is every Wednesday.  I really need this since I am jumping back into teaching in the States after working with only teachers for two years in Peace Corps. 

In our first series we addressed different issues one by one, such as students using cellphones.  But today, let’s stop and make a PLAN to get us back in the mindset.  Before we can implement our wonderful solutions we need to prepare (again I want to say thank you to all the Tico teachers for their input) for how and why.

But WHY prepare?  Why not deal with issues as they arise?  Because if we don’t already have an idea of how we want to deal with these issues then we may react out of frustration/anger/etc. instead of composure AND our reaction may not fit the issue (i.e. yelling at students who get out of their seats when they really don't know what to do with a broken pencil).

So today, we are going to start planning with the help of my classroom management plan template.

1. In the first column, we (yep! I am doing this too) will list issues we deal with on a daily basis. (talking when teacher is talking, talking during transitions, using cell phones, waiting on students to listen, etc.)

Seriously, sit and think.  Take a couple of days.  Or if you are still in school, keep a list going throughout the day of things you want to deal with. 

The beginning of mine

2. Okay, now this is the part that we will walk through TOGETHER—the middle column.  The middle column is where we will brainstorm why the issues listed are happening.  MOST issues are not because students are deliberately acting out but BECAUSE they do NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

  

3. The last column we will also work on together.  I really would like your input on possible solutions.  YOU all have great ideas!   I will post an issue a week before (like I tried in classroom management series #1 so you can write your idea in the comments section.  

SOOOOOO...your goal before NEXT Wednesday (June 18) is to complete YOUR personal my classroom management plan AND post it in the comments.  I cannot help you if you don't participate.  So please list the issues you want to address in the comments section before next week.  

Also check back on Friday for our new First Day of School series!