Lesson
plans – Pacing Guides – Standards – Expectations! None of these stands a chance
in an out-of-control classroom. Every teacher faces this problem, sooner or
later. This article summarizes a few ideas that I have come up with based on my
experience.
I
remember like it was yesterday my first day as a High School teacher. I was
hired late, and in the first week of October I faced for the first time a group
of classes that had each been subjected to a string of substitute teachers
before I arrived. Oh, my! I was, as we all are that first year, painfully
inexperienced, and I was walking into a 'war zone.'
It was very
few days before I began looking for advice from other teachers. Everyone I
asked began with "On the FIRST day of the year you need to…." Gee,
thanks! What can I do RIGHT NOW??
Having
survived that experience, I believe that I am now in a position to be a bit
more helpful than my well-meaning colleagues were able to be when I started. Here
are a few things you can actually do now:
1 – DECIDE what you need
Without
a doubt the best advice I ever got on teaching came from my supervisor that
first year. She said, "This room HAS to be a place where YOU can do your
best work. If you can't do your best, none of your students can either." This
is irrevocably true.
Each of
us has a different kind of place that is our 'best' environment. Visualize that
place. Write your classroom rules in positive statements that will, when followed,
support you in creating THAT room. Keep them simple. Be prepared to enforce
them. EVERY TIME.
2 – TEACH the rules as the next
unit
Yes, I
really mean that you should create lesson plans for this. Make a handout. Create
a coloring page. Have students create collage posters for the walls. Assign a three
paragraph essay. Use whatever activities and discussions you think will work. Include
quizzes. Make these things count toward grades. This is serious learning, every
bit as essential as ABC's or times tables.
3 – STOP right now
I'm
thinking of this in two ways. The first is stop NOW and begin to make things
different. Don't just survive; TAKE control! SO what if you didn’t do it the
first day/week/whatever? Simply define TODAY as the first day.
Meet
them at the door tomorrow as they come into the room, and start your 'Rules'
unit by PRACTICING the accepted method for entering and preparing for class
time. Teach each expected behavior the same way. RE-do it as often as
necessary. Remember: teaching includes review and re-teaching OFTEN.
Also,
as they inevitably backslide, STOP the lesson. Tell them to settle, and that we
will all 'wait'. Proceed to specifically point out the behavior that disrupted
the room, and what you expect instead. Only THEN begin to teach again, but
softly, deliberately, slowly. Once the students are re-focused, you can begin
to move more quickly. I promise, over time even the most difficult class will
improve – and you will feel more confident and in control as a result.
4 – REMEMBER #1
Finally,
remember that your room has to be your BEST PLACE. Within those four walls you
are creating an oasis, your Shangri-La – whatever you envision that to be. The
first time I actually achieved this for myself, I was amazed at the change I
saw in the way the STUDENTS viewed my classroom. It soon became clear to me
that most of them had come to view my room as a sanctuary for THEM, not just
for me, from whatever chaos they had to deal with in the outside world. You
cannot change the hundred different influences and challenges your students
face, but you are the absolute ruler of your small domain. Make it an extension
of your personality and it will help you build those all-important
relationships with your students that support learning and success.
And it
will make it easier to smile EVERY day!
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