Lion Taming 101

Classroom Management

Part 2

Presented By:

Debbie Silver, Ed. D.

<www.debbiesilver.com>

The Teacher

“Concerning a teacher’s influence, I have come to the

frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element

in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that

creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes

the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous

power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I

can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.

I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all

situations, it is my response that decides whether a

crisis will be escalated or deescalated, and a child

humanized or dehumanized.” --Haim Ginott

Killer Statements and Gestures

Conduct a class discussion around the following questions:

Have you ever worked really hard at something or been very excited

about something and someone "killed" your good feeling by something

they said or did? What was said or done?

Have you ever witnessed someone's pride or other feelings be "killed" by

something that someone else said or did? What was said or done? How

do you think the other person felt?

Introduce the concept of "killer statements and gestures" as anything that

is said or done to "kill" someone's good feelings about themselves.

These things can be negative comments, body language, or gestures.

List together some of the things that are often said in and around the

classroom that fit these categories (even those said and done by staff

members).

I A L A C

a. Model high expectations.

b. Use eye contact and simple gestures.

c. Practice active listening skills.

d. Build connections.

V. Tips for Communicating with Students

e. Do not begin instruction until all students are

focused and attentive.

f. Be sure your voice and body language are

consistent with your words.

g. Use direct eye contact and simple hand

gestures to redirect off-task or inappropriate

behavior.

h. Use close proximity and a quiet voice to make reminders and censures personal and private.

i. Be warm and friendly, and be firm.

j. Talk to upset students away from other students.

k. Practice active listening skills.

l. Write e-mails, notes, or letters to students occasionally just to tell them why you are glad that you are their teacher.

Hallway Conversations I

• Invite a student who’s “losing it” into the hall.

• Remain facing the student while addressing the class.

• (If the student refuses to go, send a student to the office for help.)

• Give yourself a moment to calm down.

• Give the class something to do.

Hallway Conversations I

• Stand next to the student rather than backing him/her into a corner.

• Wait, and say nothing.

• Say: “I can see by your body language that you’re upset.”

• Give choices: a moment to collect him/herself, pass to see the counselor, or return to the classroom.

• Revisit the issue later.

Hallway Conversations II

• Greet students as they enter the room.

• Ask student who’s upset to step aside and wait for you.

• Say: “I can see by your body language that you’re upset.”

• Give choices: a moment to collect him/herself, pass to see the counselor, or calm down and enter to the classroom.

Tips for Writing Letters to Students

Tips for Writing Letters to Students

• Write things that are positive and specific to the individual student. (Some students will compare their messages from you to see if you say the same things to everyone.)

• Make sure everyone gets at least one note or letter from you during the year.

Tips for Writing Letters to Students

• Be truthful and be sincere. You can even be

funny if that’s how you interact with students,

but be very careful that your words cannot be

misinterpreted as sarcastic or negative

(humor is tricky without the facial expressions

and vocal tone to indicate that you are joking).

Tips for Writing Letters to Students

• Make sure your positive comments have “no strings attached.”

• Don’t make a big deal of presenting the note. Be as private as possible (you can even leave it in a locker or mail it).

Tips for Writing Letters to Students

• Don’t ask them if they read it; give it

freely, and let it go.

• Don’t ask for or expect anything in return.

What I Value In You

romantic investing serene prudent

busy strong-will organizer confident

kind motivated tactful tireless

artistic understanding committed industrious

careful disciplined spontaneous thoughtful

convincing self-reliant commanding expressive

friendly persistent tolerant settled

gentle neat goal-directed persuasive

loyal caring progressive affectionate

distinctive thinker sharp graceful

perfectionist clever capable reliable

exact self-determined certain leader

tenacious well-informed looked up to growing

resolute creative dedicated eager

ambitious orderly courageous active

outgoing individualistic consistent influential

Strength Words

(emotional, mental, physical, spiritual)

steadfast searching honorable giving

poised appreciative productive original

strong fair-minded determined thrifty

considerate respected planner unselfish

fulfilled flexible efficient self-aware

manager likes new ideas cooperative self-directed

open-minded forceful dependable adjusted

talented predictable comforting inquiring

witty intelligent sociable practical

systematic encouraging serious unique

trustworthy imaginative adaptable precise

foresight pursuing forgiving listener

empathetic compassionate visionary humorous

cheerful motivating artistic athletic

energetic disciplined sharing caring

daring risk taker courageous patient

coordinated loyal fun loving perceptive

Strength Words-Continued

(emotional, mental, physical, spiritual)

Laughter is NOT chaos.

It is the softening influence that

promotes emotional intelligence and

learning!

Laughing WITH Others Laughing AT Others

1. Going for the jocular vein 1. Going for the jugular vein

2. Based on caring and empathy 2. Based on contempt and insensitivity

3. Builds confidence 3. Destroys confidence

4. Involves people in the fun 4. Excludes some people

5. A person chooses to be the 5. A person does not have a choice in being

“butt” of a joke made the “butt” of the joke

6. Amusing, invites people to laugh 6. Abusing, offends people

7. Supportive 7. Sarcastic

8. Brings people closer 8. Divides people

9. Leads to a positive repartee 9. Leads to one-downmanship cycle

10. Pokes fun at universal human 10. Reinforces stereotypes

foibles

11. Nourishing 11. Toxic

12. Icebreaker 12. Ice maker

From Laughing Matters magazine published by The Humor Project, Inc. as quoted in Jump Start Your Brain by Doug Hall

a. Modeling

b. Practice

c. Talk with students away from others

d. Give choices when possible

e. Say what you mean, mean what you say.

VI. Be Proactive!

a. To Gain Power

b. To Get Attention

c. To Seek Revenge

d. To Avoid Failure

Adapted from Catherine Neale Watson, Middle Ground, Spring, 1995

VII. Why Students Misbehave

e. Because they are bored!

Debbie Silver, Ed.D.

• Could this be about your own need to win?

• Could you have misinterpreted the situation?

• Have you confronted the one who wasn’t the

primary instigator?

• Is this hostility directed towards you or is it

actually displaced aggression?

• Is the student just trying to get attention (even if

it is negative)?

Things to Consider Before You REact to a Disruptive

Student

• Does the student feel that she/he is not being respected or losing face?

• Is it possible that this student really did misunderstand?

• Could the student have been joking?

• Is this student acting out of a feeling of powerlessness or hopelessness?

Things to Consider Before You

REact to a Disruptive Student (continued)

a. Use written communication when possible.

b. Respect their privacy.

d. Ask student to keep journals.

VIII. Tips for communicating with

Students

a. Meeting with student

b. Meeting with others

c. Individual behavior sheets

IX. Handling ongoing disruptions

Student’s

Name___________________

Class/Period _______ Date _______

Individualized Behavioral Journal Page

Long-Range Goals for Student:

_________________________________

_______________________________

Short-Range Goal for Student:

_________________________________

_______________________________

What Student Will Do to Meet Target Goal:

_________________________________

_______________________________

What Teacher Will Do to Help Student Meet

Target Goal:

_________________________________

_______________________________

What Parent (or Other) Will Do to Help

Student Meet Target Goal:

_________________________________

_______________________________

What will happen if student fails to meet

target goal :

1st Time-

_____________________________________

___________________________________

2nd Time-

_____________________________________

___________________________________

Positive recognition student will receive for

making target goal:

________________________________

________________________________

Positive recognition will make for

sustaining target goal for______ (time

period).

____________________________________

____________________________________

_______________

Date

_________________________________

Student Signature

_________________________________

Teacher Signature

_________________________________

Parent or Other Signature (optional)

• Comments and Dates:

Adapted from Lee Canter and William Glasser by Debbie Silver, 2002

a. Examine your long term goals as well as your

short term goals.

b. Apologize for mistakes, but do not make

excuses.

c. Learn and grow!

d. Remember why you became a teacher in the first

place!

X. Be Reflective

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