What can we do in the Classroom?

Terry W. Neu, Ph. D.

Using Humor

Forms a bridge between the adult/student De-mystifies individual Enhances relationship building Reduces tension Provide effective modeling Is fun Demonstrates caring

Other considerations about humor

It should be an integral facet of the classroom

Avoid sarcasm Set boundaries on appropriate humor Know your students and the culture

William Glasser’s Choice Theory and five basic needs

Survival Love and Belonging Power Freedom Fun

Survival

Provide opportunities for students to get food, water, fresh air, and having living things in the environment or open windows.

Maintain behavior guidelines that support safety and respect

Develop consistent classroom procedures and routines that add to a sense of order and security

Love and Belonging

Learn each student’s name as soon as possible, and engage students in activities that help them learn one another’s name.

Greet all students as they enter your door Regularly engage students in team building Teach students how to work cooperatively Conduct classroom meetings Smile

Power

Give students a voice in the classroom Consider student questions as direction for

the curriculum Teach to variety of learning styles Discuss the relevance of the curriculum Use authentic assessments

Freedom

Choices in their seating Choices in the members of their groups Choices in types of assignments, topics, and

readings Allow for performance tasks for assessment

Fun

Play academic games Use dramatic representations and

simulations Engage student with HOTS or brain teasers Use adventure based Technology Participate in competitions

Some basic findings (Hoover and Kindsvatter, 1997)

Good classroom management is achieved through sound judgment grounded in an informed belief system

Misbehavior happens in every classroom The nature of learning may require noise A teaching style devoid of a sense of humor

and grounded in an adversarial posture is destined to failure

Some basic findings (Hoover and Kindsvatter, 1997)

Reasonable consequences serve the student, mindless punishment is in the ineffective in the long run

Teachers should be as informed as possible about their students backgrounds

Assignments should be purposeful The teachers role is a combination of

authority and leadership

When faced with a problem here are some questions to ask yourself:

What is the problem? Are you willing to try a different approach? Are you consistent in your response? Are you rewarding the desired behaviors? Are your expectations and demands

appropriate for the students ability?

When faced with a problem here are some questions to ask yourself:

Are you tolerant enough of students individuality?

Are you providing instruction that is useful? Are you inviting verbal comments and new

ideas? What do you want your student to look like

when they leave your class?

When faced with a problem here are some questions to ask yourself:

Can you articulate what your students are doing what they are doing in classroom?

What behavior bother you and why? What are some possible solutions? How do you plan to solve the problem?

Fifteen points to remember to be a successful classroom manager:

Don’t take it personality Maintain a sense of humor Be consistent Mean what you say Know your students Establish clearly stated procedures and

routines

Fifteen points to remember to be a successful classroom manager:

Have high expectations Communicate expectations Establish four or five rules Stress the deed, not the doer Establish a mission statement

Fifteen points to remember to be a successful classroom manager:

Have a plan that you can articulate Have the courage of your convictions Have a clear set of personal ideals Have students establish personal goals