Classroom Management Plans - Outline for Behavioral Management

"Findings show that teachers who approach classroom management as a process of establishing and maintaining effective learning environments tend to be more successful that teachers who place more emphasis on their roles as authority figures or disciplinarians." - Thomas L. Good and Jere Brophy, Looking in Classrooms, 2008

Recent studies show that teachers who practice a consistent form of proactive behavioral managment in the classroom experience less student disruptions than those that practice reactionary authoritarian-style displinary techniques. Creating a classroom management plan can help establish a plan for a classroom environment that enhances student learning while reducing student violence and disruptions.

An effective classroom managemetn plan can be written in the form of a formal report for administration and personal purposes, or designed as a Web site viewable to parents. The following topics offer an excellent starting point, and can be used as headings for your plan:

• Introduction
• Management Theory/Philosophy
• Establishing Positive Relationships
• Establishing Classroom Routines, Procedures and Rules
• Fostering Communication
• Assignments, Homework and Grading
• Dealing With Inappropriate Behavior
• Teacher Organization

Researching the aforesaid topics and establishing a formal plan for running your classroom is proven not only to enhance the classroom environment for your students, but to reduce teacher stress. Who can argue with that?!

Teachers: Keep Things Interesting In Class

Learning Through Song

Learning THrough Song by xolizzielizxo15 | Create your own Cartoon at www.toondoo.com

Creation and Design of a Teacher Webpage

Nonverbal Communication

crink85Create your own Cartoon at www.toondoo.com

Grant Writing 101

Grant Writing: Ideas Behind Much Needed Funding

Locating Grants

Before Writing
Consider:
What education need must be fulfilled?
What amount of funding is necessary?
Can the grant be aligned with the school?
What research must be done?
How will progress be tracked?
Can the project be edited to match award requirements?

The Writing Process

Writing the Grant

State the outcome desired.
Find research to support goals.
Maintain innovative ideas.
Stay organized.
Keep funding rules on hand for reference.
Be honest and realistic.

Resources:

Kelly, Melissa. "Grant Writing". About.com. April 7, 2009 http://712educators.about.com/cs/grantwriting/a/grantwriting_2.htm.

Mebane Middle School Reading /Language Arts Teacher
(6 grants written)

Agenda's: An Open Line Communication

Agenda's are an open line of communication between the parent and teacher on the daily progress of their child or children. Agenda's are also a great way to keep students organized or teach them how to become more organized for school.

Agenda's In The Classroom by xolizzielizxo15 | Create your own Cartoon at www.toondoo.com

Using PowerPoint to Communicate with your Students When you Cannot

Have you ever had a thought or a lesson that you would like your students to be able to practice, without you, the teacher having to stand over them, letting them know if they are correct or not? Maybe you had to get a sub for one of your classes or a student is sick at home… You can use PowerPoint as a tool for students to learn.

Using internal links you are able to take students on a journey in learning shapes.

First off you want to create the first set of slides. This will include a slide with the question and then the answer slides.




After you have created this, go back to the main slide and right click on your first shape and select Hyperlink. In the link to options you will navigate to the “place in this document” button. Select appropriate slide. Example below.

Repeat for all shapes.


Now when you select view slide show, you can read the question and select the answer. If it is the right answer the prompt will show up correct!

You can add sounds and animations for positive reinforcement.

Make sure to add a link for the student to go back to the main page to try again!

Success Contracts - Students Agree to Achieve!

Oftentimes a student’s failure to succeed in the classroom is nothing more than a direct result of them not being held accountable for their achievements, or lack thereof. “Success contracts” are formally written mutual agreements between teacher and student that lay out a plan for ensuring the student’s success.

The most effective success contracts include:

• Names of both student and teacher
• Class title in which the contract is being applied
• Date contract was created
• Steps teacher will take to ensure student's success
• Steps student will take to ensure their own success
• Goal(s) of success contract
• Date success will be reevaluated

Below is an example of the success contract that I use, personally. Please feel free to adapt and use it as you deem necessary. Good luck!

Teaching the Subject vs.Teaching the Student: Which One is Better?

"Student-Centered" teaching is when the teaching revolves around the student, and not the subject. For instance, a teacher should first realize what the student knows, how the student learns, their background, their likes and dislikes, etc. before trying to "teach" them anything. "Subject-Centered" teaching is when the subject in itself gave way. It is important to remember who you are teaching. You are teaching a classroom full of students who are ready adn willing to learn. For your students to learn you must present the material in a way that will most benefit them so they can retain it and use it later in their everyday lives. The student is a huge (if not the most important) part in teaching. Even though a teacher may love to present a subject in its pure form, they still have to take into account who they are talking to. For instance, if a subject is moving too slow when teaching a really bright set of students, you will lose their attention very quickly. In this case a teacher would need to speed up or ask really in-depth/complex questions in order to keep their attention. On the other hand, if the students are slower at the subject, it is important not to lose them. Therefore examples to show them how easy the concept is, with the simplest examples, or how useful a concept is, with a really appropriate or funny application are needed to keep them focused.

I believe that student-centered instruction is more important. For a student to learn best they need to be motivated. Student centred instruction drives student centred motivation. When children are motivated, and know that they have choices and autonomy in their learning, they will be more open and eagar to learn subjects. I am not saying never teach subjects, but to create a learning environment where children feel valued, and therefore choose to learn.

Creating a Written Outline Can Ensure a Smooth Initial Parent-Teacher Conference

Facing parents for the first time can be an extremely scare circumstance. In the following cartoon, a teacher overcomes his fears by creating an outline to provide to the parents, so that they understand the anticipated dialogue and outcomes of the conference.

Outlines - for more than just reports by kmmele | Create your own Cartoon at www.toondoo.com

Podcasts: In a Digital Classroom

In today's world or lives are becoming more and more digital. We do alot on the computer. We pay bills, we transfer money, we surf the web, we shop, and now more us of are learning on-line. There are so many tools that extend to outside of the classroom that it is ridiculous to say that learning, and learning tools stop once the student leaves the school. There are many tools out there just waiting for teachers to put them to good use. Podcasts for example. A podcast is a piece of audio (sound file) which can be saved to your computer. You can then listen to it any time you choose via your computer, iPod or other media players - even a mobile phone.

How are teachers using podcasts in their classrooms you ask? Some teachers are using podcasts from external sources to find content that is relevant to the topics they are covering in class. For example a teacher of history might find podcasts from war veterans and then share this information with students. Other teachers might get students to produce podcasts as internet radio programmes, providing pupils with the chance to develop a range of critical communication skills, like interviewing and presenting. Communication, this leads into writing. I was told once that if you can speak well you must be able to write well. I believe that if writing teachers have their students write a piece of work, and then have them present it to the class, that teacher should record it. When we hear our work out loud it allows us to critique it more. For example, "Oh I should have had this said before that, and that does not need to be there." When we are better writers then do we become better communicators!

What are some benefits to podcasting? Podcasting is cheap. One of the frequent problems with new educational innovations is their expense. Classroom teachers rarely have direct control over budgetary funds, and school resources for new purchases are always limited. In the case of podcasting, however, a microphone is the only piece of required hardware or software some classrooms may not have already that isn’t free. Audio podcasting encourages no-frills communication. As noted in the preceding definition of podcasting, podcast “feeds” can be used to distribute different types of files, including videos. Audio podcasting, however, encourages students to communicate without many of the bells and whistles that often accompany other types of multimedia modalities. Using PowerPoint, many students become unnecessarily districted with the selected theme, sound effects, and bullet point entry and exit animations. Podcasting involves few privacy concerns. Publishing student photographs as either still images or video clips to a school website can be an endeavor fraught with multiple privacy concerns. In contrast, audio podcasting can avoid most of these potentially problematic issues. Students speaking during a podcast do not have to identify themselves by name at all, but if they do they can use only their first name. There are many many more of these great examples out there, but I just wanted to name a few.
Article to find more benefits from podcasting:
http://www.wtvi.com/TEKS/05_06_articles/classroom-audio-podcasting.html

Writing is as Easy as Baking a Cake

Writing can be as easy as baking a cake. When it comes to writing or baking a cake, both have step by step instructions to help guide you to the most perfect creation you can write or bake up. These steps below could be a good way to relate writing to something fun or even help create an essay.

Step One: Prewriting/ Preparation

• Prewriting is anything you do before you write a draft of your document.
• Preparation is gathering all the ingredients, pans, measuring tools, and preheating the oven.
  

Step Two: Drafting/ Mixing Ingredients

• Drafting is when you put your ideas into sentences and paragraphs. Here is where you explain and support your ideas and start connecting your ideas. 
• Mixing the ingredients is similar because in order to start writing you have to put all your ideas together. Well in order to start baking you have to mix all the ingredients together.

Step Three: Revising/Baking and Cooling

• Revising is the key to effective documents. At this stage you refine your rose, making each sentence as concise and accurate as possible. Make connections between ideas explicit and clear. 
• The Baking and Cooling process is similar to revising because this is the step where you see how the cake has turned out. You are trying to make it taste good and look good. This the step where you decide to continue or start over. 
• Writing or baking are not always perfect the first time around. 

Step Four: Editing/ Decorations= Finishing touches

• Editing is checking for grammar, mechanics, and spelling errors. Don't edit your writing until the other steps in the writing process are complete.
• Decorations are just like editing because this is the part where you take what you have and make it as perfect as you can.  It is putting the icing on the cake, the finishing touches.

The steps you take when writing are just as important as the steps you take when baking a cake. These steps will help you be as creative as you can, no matter who it turns out. Practice makes perfect. All you need to do is follow a few simple steps and you will be writing or baking like a professional in no time.

Reminders from the FTCE General Knowledge Test

At first site most teachers shiver at the acronym FTCE. FTCE stands for the Florida Teacher Certification Exam. I had my first of three chances to tango with this certification test. I study what seems like every math equation ever learn in my now 14+ years of schooling. I also reviewed many English grammar rules. I thought it would be fun to review some of the many writing lessons we simply take for granted in our every day. This stuff really helps. I past the general knowledge section on my first try!




Common miss used Words

• Who vs Whom
  Use the he/him method to decide which word is correct.
  he = who him = whom

Commonly misspelled words:

• Accept vs. Except
  accept = to agree; to receive
  except = but, with the exception that
  
  



• Affect vs. Effect
  *Use effect when you mean bring about or brought about, cause or caused
  *Use effect when you mean result.
  *Also use effect whenever any of these words precede it: a, an, any, the, take,
  into, no. (These words may be separated from effect by an adjective)

Writing a Direct Thesis

• Brainstorming (all examples will use computer background information)
  Computers- Modern invention
  Types- personal computers, micro-chips in calculators and Watches
  Wonder- acts like an electronic brain
  Uses- Science, medicine, offices, homes, schools
  Problems- too much reliance; the machines aren't perfect


• Questioning
  What is my subject?
  What types of computers are there?
  Why have computers been a positive invention?
  How have computers been a positive invention?
  How can I show that computers are good?
  What problems do I see with computers?
  What personal experiences would help me develop examples to respond to this topic?
  
  What- computers/modern wonder/making life better
  How- Through technological improvements: lasers, calculators, CAT scans, MRIs
  Where- in science and space exploration, medicine, schools, offices.


• Clustering

• Subject and Assertion of the Thesis
  
  Subject of the Thesis- relates directly to the topic prompt, but expresses the specific are you have chosen to discuss.
  
  Assertion of the Thesis- is your viewpoint, or opinion, about the subject. the assertion provides the motive or purpose for your essay, and it may be an arguable point or one that explains or illustrates a point of view.

Grade-Level Classroom Policies and Procedures Drafting Tips

The beginning of a school year brings about many administrative tasks, one of which being the creation of classroom policies and procedures. There are a few important writing rules that a teacher should keep in mind during the creation process. As with all professional writing, deciding on a purpose for writing is the first step. When creating classroom procedures, the purpose may need more thought than other areas, because of the need to tailor them to each teacher’s personal rules and beliefs.

Following the professional writing steps, the audience is the next to be considered. Depending on the age of the children each teacher sees during a day, writing policies and procedures in paragraph form may not be an option. Paragraphs could be an option with the 9th-12th grade range, but middle school students tend to need a more basic approach to the introduction of rules. For the 6th-8th grade age group, the use of subtitles and lists work well to get the point across quickly. This also allows for the ease of finding certain rules quickly when a student has broken one, and needs to review the policies.

While writing, a teacher must consider exactly how detailed he or she wants to be in this particular writing process. When going over the policies and procedures, teachers are going to want each rule to be basic and self-explanatory so that there is no room for interpretation. It is very important that the policies cover all possible instances, normal and abnormal, of misbehavior. By following these reminders when drafting your set of rules, you should find your students well informed and positive about the year ahead.

Resources: Mebane Middle School 7th grade Math teacher, and 6th grade Reading/Language Arts teacher.