Classroom Management that Works: Researched-Based Strategies for Every Teacher By Robert J. Marzano MAJOR ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF A TEACHER: (page 3-4) 1. Making wise choices about the most effective instructional strategies to employ a. Varied instructional strategies b. Cooperative Learning c. Graphic Organizers d. Best use of Homework e. Use Questions f. Specific Students, Specific Content, Specific Goals 2. Designing classroom curriculum to facilitate student learning a. Skilled in articulating sequence and content pacing b. Consider needs of students c. Learning activities in new formats and through different media 3. Making effective use of classroom management techniques a. Interacting with the students and creating rules/procedures to effective manners Effect Size of Disciplinary Interventions Chart page 9 RULES AND PROCEDURES Needs for rules and procedures vary in different classrooms, but all effectively managed classrooms have them. It is just not possible for a teacher to conduct instruction for student to work productively if they have no guidelines for how to behave or when to move about the room, or if they frequently interrupt the teacher and one another. Furthermore, inefficient procedures and the absence of routines for common aspects of classroom life, such as taking and reporting attendance, participating in discussions, turning in materials, or checking work, can waste large amountsof time and cause students attention and interest to wane. (Emmer, Evertson and Worsham, 2003, p 17, qtd in Marzano 13) Importance of Student Input in Rules 1. Discipline with Dignity by Richard Curwin and Allen Mendler 1988 2. contract between teacher and student (p 47, qtd page 17) 3. Negotiated set of rules more likely to follow 4. Well articulated rules and procedures that are negotiated with the student affects behavior of student AND academic achievement Action Steps 1. Identify Specific Rules and procedures for your classroom a. General Classroom Behavior i. Bringing Materials to Class ii. Being in assigned seat at the beginning of class iii. Respecting and being polite to others iv. Talking or not talking at specific times v. Leaving the assigned seat vi. Respecting others property b. Beginning of Period i. Taking attendance ii. Missing Work
iii. Tardy Students iv. Ending period with expectations/directions for homework c. Transitions and Interruptions i. Leaving the room ii. Returning to the room iii. Use of the bathroom iv. Fire and disaster drills d. Use of materials and equipment i. Distributing materials/papers ii. Collecting materials/papers iii. Storage of common materials/supplies e. Group Work i. Common groups over period of time ii. Movement in and out of the group iii. Group leadership and roles in the group iv. Relationship to the rest of the class v. Group communications with the teachers f. Seatwork and Teacher Led Activities i. Student attention during presentations ii. Student participation iii. Talking among students iv. Obtaining help[ v. Out-of-seat behavior vi. Behavior when work is completed 2. Involve students in the design of rules and procedures a. Discussion over the fact that situations in real life require rules and procedures b. Rules in different locations are different c. Identify rules and procedures and explain or give examples of each one d. Suggest alternatives, additions and deletions e. Address any discrepancies f. Teacher should have final word, but discussion is helpful DISCIPLINARY INTERVENTIONS 1998 Gallup poll of the public s attitude toward public schools consistently identifies the lack of discipline as the most serious problem facing schools today Effective discipline at the school level and the classroom level Disciplinary interventions results in a decrease in disruptive behaviors for about 80% of the students analyzed (Stage and Quiroz 1997) o Consistent with ideas of Universal level PBIS for ~80% of students Four categories of discipline o Reinforcement of positive o Punishment of negative o No Immediate consequences o Combined punishment and reinforcement (PBIS!) o Clearly, the results of these students should permit schools to strike a healthy balance between rewards and punishments (Miller, Ferguson and Simpson, 1998, 56, qtd on 28) Data Chart on Punishments (page 29)
Findings from Stage and Quiroz Study on Disciplinary Techniques (1997) Disciplinary Technique Average Effect Size Number of Effect Sizes Percentile Decrease in Disruptions Punishment and Reinforcement -.97 12 33 Reinforcement -.86 101 31 Punishment -.78 40 28 No Immediate Consequence -.64 70 24 Parent/Student Negative Consequences Chart (p 31) How Parents and Students Rank Negative Consequences (1998) Negative Consequence Parent Rank Student Average Rank Rank Student held back from going on a school trip 8 1 4.5 Parents informed on disruptive behavior 1 2 1.5 Teacher explaining what is wrong in front of the class 7 3 5.0 Teacher confronting student publically 4 4 1.0 Student sent to principal/administration 2 5 3.5 Teacher explaining privately what was wrong 3 6 4.5 Student took unfinished work to another classroom 10 7 8.5 Teacher confronting student privately 5 8 6.5 Student kept in at playtime (loss of social privileges) 6 9 7.5 Student moved to another seat in the classroom 9 10 9.5 Parent/Student Positive Reinforcement Chart (p 32) How Parents and Students Rank Positive Consequences (1998) Positive Consequence Parent Rank Student Average Rank Rank Student receives good marks 2 1 1.5 Parents informed about good behavior 1 2 1.5 Student receives good written comments on work 3 3 3.0 Student mentioned in assembly 5 4 4.5 Student s work displayed 6 5 5.5 Student praised in front of other students 4 6 5.0 Student praised by other pupils 8 7 7.5 Whole class praised 9 8 8.5 Student praised privately 7 9 8.0 Issues of Consistency as Teachers DO NOT follow expectations they set forth o Absenteeism, Tardiness, Keeping after bell, Early dismissal, Straying from subject matter, Being unprepared or unorganized, Being late returning work, Sarcasm and put downs, Verbal abuse, Unreasonable or arbitrary rules, lack of response to questions, sexual harassment, apathy toward students, unfair grading practices, negative personality, showing favoritism
1. Action Steps: Employ specific techniques that acknowledge and reinforce acceptable behavior and acknowledge and provide negative consequences for unacceptable behavior a. Teacher Reaction i. Eye contact without offending ii. Physical sign or motion iii. Verbal reminder iv. State desired behavior to remind students if off task v. Speak directly to student vi. Catch a student being good b. Tangible Recognition i. Tickets for displaying correct behavior 1. Give ideas and background not just handing it out 2. State reasons/justification for giving ticket ii. Create goal sheets for the period or individual students, when meet goals, reward/recognize c. Direct Cost: Stopping negative behaviors i. Isolation/Time Out 1. Don t use to get rid of problem behavior rather than addressing it 2. Use other attempts first or use in extreme situations ii. Overcorrection 1. Ex. Not just picking up the one piece of paper, but all paper on the classroom floor 2. Overcompensate for actions showing message about consequences d. Group Contingency i. Establish reward/punishment to group of students 1. Ex. All students turn in all work for certain period of time, raise hands, work all period etc 2. Use Shout outs as recognition (and mention in class following shout out) 3. Using peer pressure, but could embarrass frequent misbehaving students and point them out to the greater class if group fails e. Home Contingency i. Contact for positive and negative behaviors ii. Consequences enacted at home for behavior at school iii. Parents need to also be giving consequences or have history of consequences for students to understand the rules/ideas 2. Establish clear limits for unacceptable behaviors and an effective system to record these behaviors a. Keep track of minor behaviors i. Ex. Count # of chairs left out every day, period with the least by the end of the week is recognized b. Use behavior tracking chart to monitor individual students that have frequent issues and unchanging behavior following immediate interventions c. Send major behaviors to Deans office with referrals i. Track using PowerSchool and SWIS
TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS General characteristics of teachers that make them more likable to students, and consequently, more likely to have good relationships with students Consideration, buoyancy, patience Teachers who are in charge of the classroom but accept suggestions from the children Address the needs of the students 1. Action steps: Use specific techniques to establish an appropriate level of dominance in the classroom a. Exhibiting assertive behavior: Constructive i. Making and keeping eye contact, maintaining posture, facing offending student but not threatening, tone of voice, not ignoring inappropriate behavior b. Establishing Clear Learning Goals i. Establish objectives at beginning of day ii. Create a reflective end of period feedback iii. Provide feedback regarding goals 2. Action 2: Use specific behaviors that communicate an appropriate level of cooperation a. Provide Flexible Learning Goals b. Take a personal interest in students c. Using equitable and positive classroom behaviors d. Responding appropriately to students incorrect responses i. Emphasize what was right in the answer while still stating what was wrong ii. Encourage collaboration to seek help from peers iii. Restate the question iv. Rephrase the question v. Give hints/clues vi. Providing the answer and asking for elaboration vii. Respecting a student s option to pass when appropriate e. Be aware of the needs of different types of students (chart on page 56) i. Passive: fear of relationships, fear of failure, ii. Aggressive: hostile, oppositional, covert iii. Attention problems: Hyperactive, inattentive iv. Perfectionist v. Socially Inept STUDENT SELF REFLECTION ON BEHAVIORS/GOALS At end of period: how did they do today? Establishing as part of S/AIG work with PBIS Daily Progress Report Exit Slips w/ questions/concerns: anonymity
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICIES: 1. Action Step 1: Establish rules and procedures for behavioral problems that might be caused by the school s physical characteristics or the school s routines a. Reduce density of students in an area b. Keeping minimum wait time to enter/exit common areas c. Decrease travel time and distances d. Control physical movement or students by using signs e. Control by using signs indicating behavioral expectations in areas of school 2. Action Step 2: Establish clear school wide rules and procedures regarding specific types of misbehavior a. Create lists of top reasons for referrals b. School codes and handbook up to date and easily organized for use 3. Action Step 3: Establish and enforce appropriate consequences for specific types of misbehaviors a. What are the punishments given? b. Options on ODR c. Check % of each used 4. Action Step 4: Establish a system that allows for the early detection of students with risks of behaviors 5. Action Step 5: Adopt school wide management program How students waste time: Sharpening Pencil Tissues Bathroom Moving around the room Checking out the clock Reorganizing Binder Dropping/Moving belongings Reading Texting ipods/mp3 players Staring blankly into space Zoning Out Going to the nurse, dean, office, etc Sleep Talking to neighbor Talking to self (other issues?)