Classroom Management Mini-

PresentationMrs. Elizabeth Maine

North Miami Beach Sr. High

Presentation Agenda

By the end of this mini-presentation, you should be able to…Identify 3 strategies that can work for

a reluctant disciplinarian.Determine potential ways to make

your classroom more management friendly.

About Me…

Teacher at North Miami Beach Sr. High for the last 4 years

Taught ESE (inclusion English I and World History; special diploma English 9-12 and Life Skills 9-12) for 3 years; currently teaching 10th grade creative writing

As a new teacher, was extremely intimidated by classroom management!

Strategy #1 – Motivation Begins With Investment!

If students don’t truly believe in the importance of what you’re teaching, they won’t behave. It sounds simple, but I don’t think I truly understood it until recently.

“Because I said so” is NOT a compelling motivator.

Investing students in their education takes a lot of time, and is something you will do continuously throughout the year.

Strategy #1 – Motivation Begins With Investment!

FCAT: Most of my students are highly invested in passing the FCAT; however, many of them don’t realize that the FCAT is ultimately too low of a bar.

College, college, college: This has truly invested my students this year.

Choice: Yet another major investment for my students is the idea that, even if they think they don’t want to go to college, taking education seriously will mean they have the choice.

You CAN read, and you ARE smart: The idea of proving many people wrong was incredibly motivating to my special diploma students. By successfully reading novels, writing mini-essays, and completing challenging assignments, they proved that they were more than their disability.

Strategy #1 – Motivation Begins With Investment!

Investment Ideas: College presentation College wall Choice in assignments (especially in writing!)

Published essays on any topic Choice of medium for presentations

Daily synthesis tickets Students have to “synthesize” what we learned

that day and how it applies to them in 2+ sentences

“Real world” connections (conventional errors, etc.)

Student event calendar (List student concerts, games, birthdays, etc.)

Strategy #2 – Consistency & Kindness

Over the summer, I read an excellent book (which I highly recommend!) called Teaching With Love & Logic by Jim Fay and David Funk. This book stresses the importance of allowing students to think critically about their mistakes & help the teacher create logical consequences.

Certain consistent consequences are important. For example, if a kid is caught texting in class, his/her phone will be taken for the duration of the period. If a student is found skipping, he/she will receive a detention.

Other less common actions might require different consequences. For example, I asked a student who was caught in the act of drawing on a desk how he could show me that he does respect our classroom. He offered to wipe down all the desks after school. This consequence was far more effective because he came up with it himself!

Strategy #2 – Consistency & Kindness

Break the “You’re in trouble” cycle: Several of my students respond immediately to any sort of criticism/guidance with, “But miss! I didn’t do it!” Even if I am trying to redirect their behavior, my typical response to this comment is, “Don’t worry, you aren’t in trouble. I’d just like you to (move, stop whispering, answer the question, etc.). These simple words can work wonders on certain students!

Be honest with consistent rule-breakers: When a student has lost my trust (partially or in full), I am very honest with them, usually in a conversation after class. I always am sure to tell them that they can gain my trust back, but I let them know that it will take a lot of effort. I find that students respond better if they know I’m disappointed in them than if they think I’m mad.

“We missed you today!”: Although students who skip class know that they’ll receive a detention when they return, I make sure to point out to constant skippers (either when they return, or if I see them in the hall) that the class missed them. While this may not necessarily be true, it often encourages the skipper to return.

Strategy #3 – YOU Are the Model of Perfect Behavior!

Again, this seems so simple, but I didn’t start really living it until my 2nd year in the classroom. If I want my kids to behave, I must always set the example for them.

I promise my students at the beginning of the year that I will spend every minute of class time with them. This means no email, no cell phone, and only urgent calls to my school phone. Again, simple, but my students really do notice.

Strategy #3 – YOU Are the Model of Perfect Behavior!

For me, this also turns into having a solid, 90-minute plan for each day. If I have something planned for my students for every minute of class, they rarely have time to misbehave.

In writing class, we often have longer (20-30 minute) periods of writing time, where students work independently on a current writing assignment, and I walk around the room to conference with them. During workshop time, I play music (usually piano versions of popular songs!) to help my students focus & unlock their creativity.

A Note About Procedures…

Procedures are so easy to overlook in middle and (especially) high school. However, when students know the proper way to do something, it can cut back IMMENSELY on management problems. Here are some things I have developed procedures for: Entering class Throwing away trash Using the bathroom Sharpening pencils (we don’t do this in my

classroom!) I wish I’d developed clearer procedures this year

for absent student make-ups, passing out papers, and clean-up at the end of class

Pictures from Mrs. Maine’s Room

I try to make sure my classroom is filled with visuals to always keep students motivated, on-track, and well-behaved. The following are some pictures from my room.

Writer Rules

Daily Opening Routine

It bears repeating that procedures are a teacher’s best friend! Each morning, students report to the back of the room, find their

notebooks, and begin work on the Daily Mini-Lesson. When they are done, they copy our Words of the Day using markers from our class marker box. This procedure takes 10-15 minutes and allows me to take attendance, catch up with students who were absent

last class, and circulate the room looking for misunderstandings to correct. We always play music during our opening routine

Mrs. Maine’s Promise Poster

I display this poster on a prominent wall in my classroom. On the first day of class, we go over my promises, and each student creates promises of their own. I frequently refer

back to these promises throughout the year.

Our Motivator – COLLEGE!

Signs over the classroom door

Teacher & student college wall

Daily Synthesis Tickets

At the close of each class, students complete a small ticket “synthesizing” what they learned in the past 90 minutes and

connecting it to their overall life/education. I have posted examples of A, B, C, and D tickets so that students know what theirs should look

like.

In a Nutshell…

If I could summarize my management style, it would be… Kind but firm Everything with a smile Plan, plan, plan Keep students invested – whatever that

looks like!

Any questions???

Elizabeth Maineemaine@dadeschools.net