Classroom Management is, by

far, the hardest part of this

job. - Harry Wong

Jennifer Makhanov, Michelle Clause and Kathryn Bracy

Wellness and Resiliency Coaches
Billings Public Schools
 Table of Contents

1 - The Critical Role of Classroom Management

2 - Setting up your Classroom

3 - Developing Expectations/Rules

4 - Routines and Procedures

5 - Systems of Reinforcement

6 - Active Supervision

7 - Continuum of Consequences

8 - Opportunities to Respond

9 - Importance of Building Relationships

10 - Parent Communication

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1 - The Critical Role of Classroom Management

Teachers play various roles in a typical classroom, but surely one of the most
important is that of classroom manager. Effective teaching and learning cannot take
place in a poorly managed classroom. If students are disorderly and disrespectful,
and no apparent rules and procedures are in place to guide behavior, chaos
becomes the norm. In these situations, both teachers and students suffer. Teachers
struggle to teach and students most likely learn much less than they should. In
contrast, well-managed classrooms provide an environment in which teaching and
learning can flourish. But a well-managed classroom doesn’t just appear out of
nowhere. It takes a good deal of effort to create - and the person who is most
responsible for creating it is the teacher.

Some important things to consider…

● As the teacher, YOU are in charge. You have the responsibility and privilege of
making the decisions in regards to what is happening in your classroom.
● That being said, you need to find your teacher voice, and I don’t just mean
how you speak. Your teacher voice refers to how you advocate for yourself
and your students. You, as a teacher, are a great resource in efforts to
improve the teaching and learning environment. Hopefully there is a safe
space in your school to share your ideas and expertise with your peers and
principal to work together in solving problems.
● Your classroom management will not be perfect right away - give yourself
grace, reflect and try again
● Self-reflection is your best friend. As you go through the year, you will reflect
on what’s working and what isn't and make changes as necessary.
● You will find that modeling, practice, consistency and predictability are critical
across all areas of classroom management.

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2 - Setting up your Classroom
Rationale:
Your classroom arrangement is the physical foundation of where your
students will learn. This means that every square foot of it needs to be used for
activities that support learning. The spatial structure of the classroom - where
students will be seated, how the students will move about the classroom, and the
whole classroom atmosphere - need to be considered, as well as how the
classroom will be structured to address the academic, social, and emotional needs
of the students. The physical arrangement of the classroom should also be
reflective of the student body and must be consistent with the needs of all
learners.
In addition to the way your classroom is physically arranged, the classroom
environment as a whole needs to be considered: what you put on your walls, the
classroom materials you will use, and where and how you will set up your
activities. Out of all these considerations, a predictable schedule of what to
expect during the school day and week cultivates more productive students and
therefore greater learning. Such a schedule sets the stage for teachers to
communicate to students exactly what is expected of them and allows the
teacher to identify behaviors that must be directly taught to one or more
students, which, in turn, helps them to develop greater student autonomy,
responsibility, and self-control. Schedules can be helpful in promoting periods of
transition from one activity to the next, particularly preferred to less preferred
activities or from high-activity events to more calm ones. Finally, drawing up a
schedule requires the teacher to plan ahead using good organizational skills.

Benefits of a Well-Designed Classroom:

- Students learn to respect boundaries. For example, there are “teacher only”
areas as well as the boundaries of space a student has around his/her
personal desk.
- The organization of classroom materials allows students to retrieve them
quickly, which helps to decrease unwanted behavior.

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 - Proper room arrangement provides predictably, which is essential for
students because students thrive when they are in a comfortable learning
environment.
- Students will learn which behaviors are acceptable and expected in each
specific location in the classroom. For example, when in the classroom
library, students need to be quiet, but while in the classroom play area,
students are allowed to talk.
- Students will learn to anticipate which activities will occur in specific areas
of the classroom. This helps students be mindful of how they need to
behave for each specific area they are in.
- Studies have documented that schedules and routines influence children’s
emotional, cognitive, and social development. For example, predictable and
consistent schedules in classrooms help children feel secure and
comfortable.
- Schedules and routines help children understand the expectations of the
environment and reduce the frequency of behavior problems, such as
tantrums and acts of aggression.

Components:
Your physical layout should include…
- A small group area
- Independent work areas
- A Whole class area
- No blind spots
- Consider the following when laying out your classroom: student-accessed
materials vs teacher-access materials, movement around classroom, the type
of activities your students will be engaging in in the different spaces in
your classroom, and safety codes
Your classroom schedule should…
- Be taught and reviewed with students
- Be posted where students and adults can easily view it
- Be developmentally appropriate - think wording, visuals, etc.

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 - Accurately reflect the schedule for the day
- Be easy to alter in case of changes
- Consider the following when creating your schedule: the balance of
activities, the tempo or pace of activities, young children’s attention span,
when children are most alert, other things happening in the classroom (e.g.,
one child may be receiving speech therapy), and the fact that longer play
periods result in higher levels of play behaviors

Checklist:
I have an area in my classroom in which the students can meet for whole
group instruction/activity.

There is clear delineation between the different areas of my classroom.

My students and I are able to move safely and easily around the classroom.

I have an area for small group instruction.

Each student has a space of their own.

There are no blind spots or dead spaces in my classroom.

My schedule is posted in an easily accessible place where all students can

see and I can reference.

I have an area to display student work.

I have an area for anchor charts, learning goals, what to do when finished,
question board, etc.

Student-accessed materials are easily accessible to students as needed.

Teacher-accessed materials are well organized and out of reach for students
if need be.

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3 - Developing Expectations/Rules
Rationale:
Research clearly supports the notion that designing and implementing rules
and procedures in class, and even at home, significantly influences students’
behavior and learning. But research also indicates that rules and procedures
should not simply be imposed on students; they should be created with students.
Effective teachers take the time to explain the reasons behind particular rules and
procedures, involve students in creating them, and seek their input as much as
appropriate. When students are involved in this process, they are more likely to
make classroom rules and procedures their own. Establishing rules and shared
expectations for general conduct helps to lay a solid foundation for effective
classroom management. Regardless of the specific rules or procedures established
for general classroom behavior, it’s important to follow through consistently and
to reinforce these norms. You can do this in a variety of ways. Here are some
specific suggestions:
- Model the procedures for students, or ask students to participate in
modeling.
- Provide time for students to talk or write about why rules and procedures
for general classroom behavior might be important and useful.
- Provide feedback to students about the extent to which they are following
the rules/expectations so they can refine, improve, or correct their
behavior.

Components:
Your rules/expectations should…
- Be centrally and visibly posted in the classroom
- Align with SW Behavior Expectations
- Be co-developed with your students
- Be written in positive language - they should tell students what TO DO to
be successful instead of what not to do
- Include PAX Integration - Vision, Hands and feet, Voices

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Checklist:
My students and I collaborated to come up with our classroom
rules/expectations.

We described them using looks like/sounds like and/or more/less language.

My classroom rules/expectations align with our school-wide behavioral

expectations.

The rules/expectations are centrally posted in the classroom.

I refer back to my rules/expectations when praising students as well as

when I precorrect or redirect my students.

My rules/expectations are written positively and give students the criteria

to be successful in my classroom.

My students and I created a PAX vision and it is posted in our classroom.

I have integrated the PAX kernels of hands and feet, voices and vision.

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4 - Routines and Procedures
Rationale:
"Routines are the backbone of daily classroom life. They facilitate teaching and learning…. Routines
don’t just make your life easier, they save valuable classroom time. And what’s most important,
efficient routines make it easier for students to learn and achieve more."
—Learning to Teach…not just for beginners by Linda Shalaway

When routines and procedures are carefully taught, modeled, and

established in the classroom, children know what’s expected of them and how to
do certain things on their own. Having these predictable patterns in place allows

teachers to spend more time in meaningful instruction. Routines refer to the

activities that we ask our students to do day after day; i.e. hanging up their
belongings, turning in homework, checking in with the teacher, starting their
morning activity, etc. Procedures refer to how we want our students to complete
these routines; i.e. how do we want our students to hang up their belongings?
How do we want them to check in with us? How will it look or sound? Etc.
Establishing a consistent and predictable routine serves a number of
classroom functions. For example, a routine helps to simplify a complex
environment and inform students exactly what to expect, what is expected of
them, and what is acceptable behavior. Routines allow students to quickly
accomplish day-to-day tasks that are required of both the teacher and students.
Routines also help to create smoother transitions between activities and therefore
allow fewer opportunities for disruptions to occur. In addition, when students are
expected to complete routine tasks, they have the opportunity to learn greater
responsibility and more self-management skills. Routines that require interaction
between teacher and student (or among students) also serve to positively
reinforce interpersonal communication and social skills and are one way for
teachers to judge the quantity and quality of students’ skills in these areas.
Finally, student-performed routines free the teacher to focus on more effective
instruction and on the unexpected events that come up throughout the school
day.

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Components:

Routines and Procedures should be…

- Developed for every transition, task and activity
- Written and explained in developmentally appropriate language and include
visuals if necessary
- Posted in the classroom
- Reviewed frequently but especially right before
- Explicitly taught and reinforced
Routines and Procedures should include…
- Signals - verbal/nonverbal
- PAX Integration - Beat the Timer, Quiet, ok/not ok,

Examples:
There are different ways to go about explicitly teaching routines and procedures.
Here are two different examples:

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Checklist:
I have identified my routines and have a plan for teaching the procedures
for these routines to my students.

I thought through the different parts of my day and came up with

procedures for each one.

I explicitly taught and reinforced my routines/procedures during the first

few weeks of school

I review my procedures with my students frequently.

I reflect on my routines/procedures to ensure they are still working

effectively and efficiently, and make changes if necessary.

My routines and procedures are written with developmentally appropriate

language and include visuals if necessary.

I have integrated the PAX kernels of beat the time, okay/ not okay and
quiet.

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5 - Systems of Reinforcement
Rationale:
Systems of reinforcement simply refer to how teachers/school staff
acknowledge students when they engage in EXPECTED behaviors in their
classrooms, and on a larger school-wide scale. Our focus is on the use of positive
reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is focused on acknowledging and promoting
a specific behavior through systems of positive responses. Studies have found that
students are more likely to repeat a rewarded behavior than they are to stop a
punished behavior. In every area of the school, just as quickly as students can
earn a punitive consequence, there should be an opportunity to earn a reward or
praise.
Positive reinforcement is a great tool when it comes to behavior
management, but you have to know how and when to wield it.

- Be Intentional and Diverse. A verbal “good job” is encouraging, but being

more specific and intentional will go a lot farther. Even young students are
very perceptive. They will recognize the difference between sincere and
generalized praise. Be specific about what you find pleasing and leave them
no room for doubt. Consider varying your methods of positive
reinforcement to avoid students becoming desensitized. Use a combination
of the following positive reinforcement styles to keep your class engaged
and interested:
- Nonverbal cues (PAX okay/not okay, jazz hands, clapping, etc.)
- Verbal praise (“I see PAX leaders who are … describe behavior”, “thank
you for participating,” “excellent question”, etc.)
- Tangible rewards (Tootles posted or sent home, bite-sized candies for
class participation, shout-outs, brag tags, etc. )
- Activity rewards (Granny Wacky prizes, two minutes of free time for
those who stay on task, etc.)
- Group rewards (extra recess, classroom game, etc.)

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 Students will respond in varying degrees to different types of positive
reinforcement. Don’t be discouraged if it takes some trial and error to
figure out which methods work best.
- Practice Timely Positive Reinforcement. Another key component is timely
positive reinforcement. Waiting to comment on a student’s good behavior is
less effective as the association becomes diminished over time. Sometimes
it’s not possible to acknowledge behavior in the moment, say in the middle
of a lecture or an assembly. Remember to follow up with the student as
soon as you can, to maximize the impact of the positive reinforcement.
- Curb Your Expectations. Many teachers are prone to highlighting the
behavior of a model student in the hope that others will follow suit.
Although this works in theory, it doesn’t always work in practice. It can
create animosity and jealousy between students, resulting in additional
behavioral issues and disruption. Acknowledge where your students are in
their journey to improvement and focus on incremental encouragement.
- Understand How Your Students Receive Praise. Some students don’t always
respond well to positive reinforcement. A shy or socially uncomfortable
student might feel embarrassed when singled out in front of the class. This
use of positive reinforcement has the potential to backfire, leaving the
student less inclined to repeat the acknowledged behavior. Get to know the
unique personalities of your students. Some of them might prefer being
thanked quietly at the end of class. Others may respond better to phone
calls or kind notes to share with their parents.
- Develop a Reward System. Reward systems are one of the most motivational
behavior management strategies you can implement. Tangible, activity or
group rewards provide an opportunity for individual growth, encourage
teamwork, and foster cooperation.
- Use the PAX Good Behavior Game: Reference your PAX manual for
more information.

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 - Avoid limited rewards: Focus your rewards on effort, not
accomplishment. Such as, everyone who remained on task for thirty
minutes gets five minutes of free time at the end of class.
- Encourage long-term behavioral improvement: Having a big reward,
such as a dance party or hat day, is a great way to foster motivation
and group effort. You might even notice your students holding each
other accountable as they work to achieve their common goal.

Your school may already have a school-wide system of reinforcement in

place. They may use Ron Clark’s house points, a principal’s board which is
associated with the school’s behavior matrix, etc. Ask your colleagues and/or
principal about the school-wide behavioral expectations (behavior matrix), and
what is in place to acknowledge and promote these expectations.

Components:
Systems of reinforcement should include…
- Strategies/tools to acknowledge expected behavior in individuals and
groups
- Integration of existing school-wide system
- PAX Integration - Tootles, Leader, Granny Wacky Prizes, and ultimately the
Good Behavior Game
- Consider the following when creating a system of reinforcement: It needs
to work for YOU as well as the students; the criteria for what earns the
reward needs to be specific, attainable and directly modeled to students
(this criteria can change over time); reinforcement should be given in a
timely manner; reinforcement should not be taken away once earned.

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Examples:
Behavior specific praise (BSP):

Individual systems of reinforcement: punch cards, sticker charts, tickets, etc.

Whole-class system of reinforcement: PAX GBG, build a word, build a picture,
mystery model, fill it up, reward reveal, etc.

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Checklist:
I use behavior specific praise in my classroom to draw attention to
expected behavior.

I give more positive feedback than negative.

I try to praise every kid every day.

I use individual systems of reinforcement when needed.

I use a whole class system of reinforcement to acknowledge expected

whole-class behavior.

I explicitly teach my system of reinforcement.

I integrate the PAX kernels of tootles, Leader, Granny Wacky Prizes, and
ultimately the Good Behavior Game into my systems.

I ask about and utilize any existing school-wide systems of reinforcement.

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6 - Active Supervision
Rationale:
Active Supervision is the most effective strategy for creating a safe
environment and preventing injuries in children. It transforms supervision from a
passive approach to an active skill. Staff use this strategy to make sure that
children of all ages explore their environments safely. An adult presence is often
enough to keep misbehavior from occurring and can help with specific students
and areas that have a high prevalence of behavior issues. When this adult
presence is unpredictable and frequent, behavior incidents decrease.
Active supervision requires focused attention and intentional observation
of children at all times. Staff position themselves so that they can observe all of
the children: watching, counting, and listening at all times. In the classroom and
during transitions, staff account for all children with name-to-face recognition by
visually identifying each child. They also use their knowledge of each child’s
development and abilities to anticipate what they will do, then get involved and
redirect them when necessary. This constant vigilance helps children learn safely.
During recess, much is the same. Staff are actively monitoring the different areas
of the playground, especially those where unexpected behavior commonly occurs.
Students are not so spread out that the available staff is unable to monitor all
areas. Staff are moving around, engaging with students as they do so. It is critical
that students are never left unattended in any environment.

Components:
- Circulation around the classroom or playground as a manner of providing
proximity to prompt appropriate behaviors
- Scanning the classroom or playground while moving to assess performance
and/or monitor interactions
- Interacting with students by greeting them, engaging them in
conversations, and providing precorrections when appropriate
- Acknowledging demonstrations of expected academic/social behaviors and
providing praise for those students following expectations

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Examples:

- Set up the environment so that you can alway see and hear children.
- Carefully plan where you will be in the classroom or at recess to prevent
children from harm and misbehavior.
- Continuously scan the entire environment to know where everyone is and
what they are doing. Count the children frequently - this is especially
important during transitions.
- Listen for specific sounds or the absence of them as they may signify
reason for concern.
- As you get to know your students, use what you know about each child’s
individual interests and skills to predict what he or she will do. Recognize
when children might wander, get upset, or take a dangerous risk. If you
know what to expect, you are better able to prevent misbehavior or
accidents.

Checklist:
I frequently am up and moving around my classroom or the playground.

I am easily available to students for help.

My classroom is set up for easy movement and with no blind spots.

I am engaging with students to offer praise and precorrections.

As I get to know my students, I am anticipating their behavior.

I communicate with my colleagues about students who may need extra

support especially in environments where I may not always be present.

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7 - Continuum of Consequences
Rationale:
Here’s the truth, despite your best proactive efforts, you are going to have
students who engage in unexpected behavior. It’s important to have a continuum
of consequences that includes a classroom consequence system to help manage
those unexpected behaviors. A continuum of Consequences is simply a menu of
strategies to respond to and manage classroom behavior, and a system of
classroom consequences provides a framework for you and the students so that
you both know what the consequences for unexpected behavior will be and that
they will be applied consistently and fairly. This is much easier said than done.
​Using consequences effectively requires taking a nuanced view of
disciplinary situations—and that's hard. Most of us would prefer consequences to
be cut-and-dry. If a student does X, then Y should happen. This perhaps explains
the appeal of one-size-fits-all approaches like "three strikes and you're out" or
zero-tolerance policies. These systems are comforting because they seem to offer
quick, easy solutions. We can feel like we've done something and get back to
teaching.
When we step back, however, we realize that the reality of teaching
students appropriate behaviors is much more complex. Punishing a student for a
misbehavior offers us the illusion that we've held that student accountable, but
have we really? Or have we only created a facade of accountability without
actually helping that student learn and grow? Before we get into how to set
these up, we need to clarify a few things like what the term consequence means
and how it differs from punishment; and what we mean by consequences that
‘work’. First, there are different types of consequences:
- Natural consequences don't require any adult action or intervention; they
simply happen. If a student doesn't wear a coat to recess on a chilly day,
she'll be cold. Natural consequences can be great learning opportunities for
students, as long as they're not overly damaging. We wouldn't, for example,
let a kindergartener jump off the top of the play structure. A broken leg is
too harsh a teacher.

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 - Logical consequences differ from natural ones in that they require adults to
implement them. If a student is getting overly silly while working with a
friend, his teacher might tell him to find another spot to work. Effective
logical consequences fit four criteria: 1) they must be related to the
behavior, 2) respectful of the student, 3) reasonable for the student to
carry out, and 4) (whenever possible) revealed in advance so the student
knows the potential consequences of their actions ahead of time. These
kinds of consequences can be powerful in maintaining calm, safe, and
respectful learning environments.
Punishments are the opposite of logical consequences. They're often harsh and
frequently involve shaming students. For example, a student is building towers
with her base-10 blocks instead of using them to solve math challenges. Her
teacher calls in an exasperated tone, "Kelly! Clip down!" Kelly walks to the front
of the room with her head drooping and moves her clip from yellow to red.
Punishments do more harm than good. They can breed resentment and diminish
students' sense of self, often leading to even more disruptive behavior in the
future.
Second, we need to talk about the goals and purposes of consequences.
Teachers often think, "I'm looking for a consequence that works." But what
exactly do we mean by ‘works’? Knowing how to choose the right reaction to
misbehavior requires us to understand what consequences can and can't do.
- Consequences can stop misbehavior in the moment. If we have a class rule
that says that we will be safe, and two students are shoving in line, we
split those students up. This creates a tone of safety and order.
- Consequences can get students back on track. If a student is messing
around on his phone instead of working on his project, and you say "Put
your phone on my desk. You can get it back at the end of the period,"
you've just acted as the student’s prefrontal cortex, enabling him to get
back to work.
- Consequences can be part of how students learn. A student is playing with
her snack. Her pretzels drop on the floor and she spills her milk, then asks

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 for another bag of pretzels. "Nope," we reply. "Students get one bag of
pretzels. Here's a dustpan and brush to clean up the mess." The natural
consequence of losing her snack and the logical consequence of having to
clean up help her learn to be more careful.
- Consequences can't teach missing skills. As Ross Greene notes, punishing a
kid doesn't teach that kid the skills he or she needs to be successful. Even
natural and logical consequences can't teach capabilities that students
don't already possess. If a student doesn't have the self-soothing skills
needed to handle frustration, giving her a consequence when she melts
down over a test won't help her the next time a test rolls around.
- Consequences can't work as our only strategy. Imagine if we tried to teach
students to write by simply circling their errors and making them rework
their writing. While this might be one strategy to use as students are
revising and editing, we know that they'll also need direct instruction in
effective writing strategies, time to practice and make mistakes, and a
nurturing environment.

So, what should we expect from consequences that ‘work’? We should expect that
consequences will help us manage students' behaviors in the short-term, allowing
us to put out little fires as they pop up. If we want to reduce future fires, we'll
need to engage in lots of proactive teaching.
Third, we need to strike a balance when using consequences. When we
don't use consequences at all (or wait too long to use them), we become
permissive. When adults set limits but don't follow through, students feel unsafe,
which often leads them to push limits. It's almost like they're begging us to be in
control—to keep them safe. However, the overuse of consequences—especially
punitive ones—also leads to an unsafe climate. When teachers yell, use harsh
punishments for minor mistakes, or are overly controlling, the classroom climate
becomes one of fear and resentment. Both permissive and punishment-heavy
cultures put students, especially those already on the edge, in a place where it's
almost impossible to learn well.

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 An important part of getting to that sweet spot between permissiveness
and harshness is getting clear about how consequences feel for students. Again,
this is tricky. On the one hand, if a student has to leave the classroom because
she was out of control, she may feel bad—but we shouldn't make feeling bad the
goal. To invoke shame ("Terry! Why am I not surprised that you're out of control
again?") isn't productive or respectful. At the same time, we don't want the
consequence of being removed from the room to feel like a party. Sitting quietly
with a book or working on a jigsaw puzzle might soothe a student's spirit, helping
him regain control so he can rejoin class. But if the student's allowed to play
video games or is given candy during a time-out, this might send confusing
messages and inhibit his ability to calm down.
When we're in that desirable middle ground, consequences help a classroom
feel safe, orderly, and predictable. Students understand that mistakes, both
academic and behavioral ones, are part of the learning process, and that their
teacher is there to support them. They aren't necessarily happy when they
experience consequences, but they aren't devastated. The overall tone of the
classroom is one of firm caring and support.
With all this in mind, how do you go about creating a continuum of
consequences and classroom consequence system? When developing a continuum
of consequences, it is best to have it range from the least-intrusive (e.g.,
precorrection, rule reminder, non-verbal cue, etc.) to the most-intrusive (e.g.,
private conversation, time-out, etc.). When a student engages in unexpected
behavior, the teacher should begin by administering the least-intrusive
consequence. If the student continues to misbehave, the teacher should
administer increasingly intrusive consequences until the behavior stops. The table
below shows different types of consequences that you could use:

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An example of a continuum is below:

When developing a classroom consequences system, typically it will include logical

consequences. Although there is no perfect recipe, there are a few general
categories that can help us consider effective implementation of logical
consequences.

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Below are three kinds of logical consequences, along with a few examples of each.
The examples are not exhaustive, and there always can be variations on a theme.

You Break It --You Fix It

Children take some responsibility for fixing, as best they can, any problem or mess
they have created.

- One child accidentally knocks into another on the playground. She stops,
apologizes and offers to help the other child get up.
- A student knocks over a tray of food carried by another student. He helps
clean it up and perhaps offers to go back and get new food.
- A child hurts the feelings of another. She participates in "an apology of
action" by writing a note, or including the hurt child in a friendly activity
- A student is part of a conflict. The students involved participate in a
conflict resolution process.
- A student wastes class time talking to a friend, looking out the window,
trying to avoid the task. He makes up the time at another point during the
day.

Loss of Privilege
In classrooms in which children help generate and construct the rules together, a
sense of shared responsibility and trust exists. When students do not "take care
of the rules," the logical consequence might be to lose a privilege.

- A student waves scissors around. She loses the use of the scissors for the
remainder of the art period.
- Two children talk instead of working. They have to sit by themselves.
- A child rocks his chair or sits way back in his chair. He sits on the floor or
stands for the remainder of the lesson or activity.
- A student plays unsafely on an outdoor structure. She has to choose a
different area of the playground to use during the rest of that recess.
- A student speaks rudely to the teacher. The teacher refuses to listen to her
until she changes her tone of voice.

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 - A student rolls his eyes or calls out during a morning meeting. He has to
leave the group.
- A student fools around in line. She has to walk with the teacher.
- A student logs on to an unacceptable website while doing research. He
loses computer time for the rest of the period (or week).
- Students go to the bathroom to gossip about classmates. They lose the
privilege of going to the bathroom together or without an adult for the
next couple of days.

Time-Out or Take a Break

A student who is on the verge of losing control and beginning to disrupt and
disturb their own and others' ability to learn is asked to leave the scene and
"take a break." The student may return when he or she appears to have regained
control and is ready to participate in a positive way. Time out might be instituted
when a student
- whispers to a neighbor while another student is sharing information.
- ignores the quiet signal.
- calls out answers, denying others the chance to think.
- makes a snide remark about another student's response to a question.
- persists in argument or negotiation with the teacher after clearly being told
to stop.
- whips the ball when the instructions are for underhand throws.
Like mentioned above, this is not an exhaustive list and we have more resources if
needed.

Components:
Consequences should be:
- Administered calmly with consistency
- Natural and logical in relation to the unexpected behavior
- Applied immediately after the behavior occurs or as soon as you can
- Considerate of a student’s culture, background, and dignity

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 - Applied in a neutral fashion (i.e., when a student engages in negative
behaviors, a teacher should neither take it personally nor respond
emotionally)
Please remember to:
- be consistent and respond to misbehaviors each time they occur
- respond using a calm and respectful tone and demeanor
- be specific and brief in what you want students to do instead---refer to
your posted classroom rules/expectations and/or procedures.
Other things to think about:
- Please note that the loss of recess is rarely a logical consequence. It might
be the logical outcome when students disregard recess rules, do not play
safely, or waste time circling up and responding to the whistle. We have
found it more helpful to have students practice a recess skill (safe ball
throwing) or efficient lineups, rather than keep them in from recess. Often,
students with the least control are the ones who most need physical
outlets. The loss of recess can create more problems than it fixes.
- Removing a student from an activity and suggesting that he or she think
about a proper logical consequence is OK. We like the question, "What do
you think will help you do better with ___ ?" It is the adult 's job,
however, to actually determine the logical consequence. Students tend to
be far more harsh and unreasonable or far more lax than adults.
- Model and practice with students how to go to time out or take a break,
so it is effective.
- Let children know often and consistently that logical consequences focus
on behavior, not character. "I like you; I don't like it when you push
others."

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Examples:

Checklist:
I have thought about and decided on what responses and consequences I
will use in my continuum of consequences and classroom consequence
system.

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I have clearly communicated and taught my consequence system to my
students.

My students are aware of the continuum of consequences.

I apply consequences fairly, consistently and in a respectful way.

I understand that consequences don’t teach skills and will use preventative
skills, such as those in this handbook, to be proactive in my classroom
management.

I am aware of the consequence system that currently exists at my school,

and if not, I will seek information from a colleague or the principal.

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8 - Opportunities to Respond
Rationale:
An opportunity to respond (OTR) is any time you ask students an academic
question (e.g., “What is 4+4?“). OTRs are essential for increasing overall learning,
eliciting important academic feedback from students, and increasing on-task
behavior. Providing OTRs at a brisk pace can be useful in increasing student
attention and engagement because students are required to answer academic
questions.
There are a number of ways to increase OTRs in your classroom. The
following are some ideas that you may find helpful:
- Break complex problems down into smaller chunks, providing opportunities
for students to answer each chunk
- Have students use a small whiteboard to write down answers, holding it up
to show the answer.
- Have students hold up two sided cards with yes/no, true/false,
agree/disagree, thumbs up/thumbs down with an answer to an OTR
- Mix brief, fast-paced teacher directed review of previous materials into
lessons, asking both group and individual responses
- Ask a question, allow think time, and use PAX Stix to call on students.
Though if a student doesn’t know an answer, allow them to “phone a
friend” for help. Return to that student in a few minutes with the same
question to give them an opportunity to respond correctly.

Components:
There are five components to using opportunities to respond effectively.
- Ask academic questions that are relevant and are provided at the
appropriate level of rigor.
- Incorporate variety and unpredictability into question asking so students
learn they can be called on at any time. This is where you could utilize your
PAX stix. Don’t use OTRs to try and catch inattentive students to punish
or embarrass them though. This can damage student-teacher relationships.

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 - Ask group and individual student OTRs using a brisk pace.
- Ensure all students are provided OTRs. Avoid calling on only those students
who are more active participants.
- Use the level of student accuracy to OTRs as formative data to inform
instruction. When students’ responses are less than 80% accurate for new
material or below 90% accurate on review materials, students may benefit
from additional instruction and practice before moving on.

Checklist:
I provide multiple opportunities for students to respond during direct
instruction.

I provide individual and group opportunities to respond.

I use my PAX Stix as one way to increase OTRs.

I make sure to allow think time after I ask questions.

I provide verbal, written and other ways for my students to respond.

I use OTR as a way to gather formative data to inform my instruction.

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9 - Importance of Building Relationships
Rationale:
Positive student-teacher relationships are fundamental to success. When
students feel supported, they’re more likely to engage in learning and have better
academic outcomes. Plus, when students have positive interactions with teachers,
they have fewer behavioral problems. These relationships are more important —
and more challenging — than ever before. Building positive relationships with your
students has many benefits:
- Positive relationships build motivation. Positive relationships are built on
positive interactions. Each of these interactions has a powerful effect on
the brain. When you authentically praise a student or have a positive
interaction, the student’s brain releases dopamine. This creates a cycle. You
provide positive feedback. The student’s brain releases dopamine. The
student feels good and is motivated to feel that way again.
- Positive relationships create safe spaces for learning. Social activities like
talking and laughing cause the body to release the hormone oxytocin. This
helps us to bond with others. Those bonds create a feeling that’s often
called “psychological safety.” When students feel psychologically safe,
they’re more likely to participate in class discussions, ask questions, try to
do an assignment even when it’s hard, or talk in a tone of voice that’s
appropriate for the situation.
- Positive relationships build new pathways for learning. What you’ve heard is
true: Tapping into students’ background knowledge will help them learn new
information by activating neural pathways in their brains. Developing a new
neural pathway is like forging a new trail in the forest. It takes time, work,
and a lot of repetition to develop the new trail. And it makes sense to start
where another trail already exists. As you teach the new information, new
neural pathways connect the old information with the new. If students
don’t understand the context or aren’t able to link the new information to
anything they currently know, they’ll have a hard time understanding the
lesson.

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 - Positive relationships improve student behavior. Research supports the idea
that early relationships and interactions, including those with teachers, play
a central role in shaping children’s behavior and social skills. Whether you
know it or not, your students are likely mirroring your behaviors. Your
words and actions matter.

Some strategies for building positive student relationships include:

- Greet students at the door
- Have more positive than negative interactions
- Learn student names quickly and correctly
- Post student photos and student work
- Use show-and-tell to learn about students
- Assign seats and change them often
- Use morning meeting as a time to connect and
building community
- Use the 2x10 strategy (talk with students for 2
minutes/day for 10 days about whatever) to learn
about student interests/dislikes/strengths/etc.
- Simply listen

Checklist:
I greet students as they come into the classroom.

I have a way for students to check in with me or me to check in with

students.

I get to know my students’ likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses.

I interact positively with each student every day.

I display student work.

I provide opportunities for students to get to know me and each other.

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10 - Parent Communication
Rationale:
Good two-way communication between families and schools is necessary
for your students' success. Not surprisingly, research shows that the more parents
and teachers share relevant information with each other about a student, the
better equipped both will be to help that student achieve academically, socially
and behaviorally. Personal contact, including conferences, home visits, telephone
calls and emails, or open houses, seems to be the most effective form of
communication and may be among the most familiar. However, the establishment
of effective school-home communication has grown more complex as society has
changed. The great diversity among families means that it is not possible to rely
on a single method of communication that will reach all homes with a given
message. It is essential that a variety of strategies, adapted to the needs of
particular families and their schedules, be incorporated into an overall plan. Some
strategies to consider include:

- Monthly newsletters
- Conferences
- Annual open houses
- Home visits (when applicable)
- Phone calls
- Emails
- Annual school calendar magnets
- Weekly folders
- School website
- Personal classroom website
- Tech integration with platforms like Seesaw, Google Classroom, Remind, etc.
- Brag tags, Tootles, shout outs, etc.
- Communications that are focused on fathers as well as mothers

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Components:
Effective communication strategies involve:
- Initiation: Teachers should initiate contact as soon as they know which
students will be in their classroom for the school year. Contact can occur
by means of an introductory phone call or a letter to the home introducing
yourself to the parents and establishing expectations.
- Timeliness: Adults should make contact soon after a problem has been
identified, so a timely solution can be found. Waiting too long can create
new problems, possibly through the frustration of those involved.
- Consistency and frequency: Parents want frequent, ongoing feedback
about how their children are performing academically, socially and
behaviorally.
- Follow-through: Parents and teachers each want to see that the other will
actually do what they say they will do.
- Clarity and usefulness of communication: Parents and teachers should have
the information they need to help students, in a form and language that
makes sense to them. Consider including a ‘handle with care’ phrase for
families to communicate difficulties at home without having to include
details. This lets you know that that student may need extra love and
patience that day.

Checklist:
I have a way to communicate with parents easily and effectively.
I communicate both positives and negatives.
I use the existing platforms to communicate with parents if possible.
I accommodate parents' preferences as much as possible when it comes to
communication.

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Teachers,
This resource is a compilation of information pulled from our experience in the
various roles we have each held in our careers thus far as well as information
paraphrased or summarized from a multitude of sources, from books, to research
articles, to credible internet sources. If you have any questions or feedback, please
reach out to your coach. Below are the coaches’ school assignments.

Kathryn Bracy ([email protected]) - Bitterroot, Boulder, Broadwater, Big

Sky, Poly Drive, McKinley, Eagle Cliffs, Highland, Castle Rock, and Ben Steele

Michelle Clause ([email protected]) - Alkali Creek, Miles Avenue, Rose Park,

Bench, Washington, Sandstone, Orchard, Ponderosa, Riverside, and Medicine Crow

Jennifer Makhanov ([email protected]) - Arrowhead, Central Heights,

Meadowlark, Burlington, Beartooth, Newman, Will James, and Lewis and Clark

Thank you!

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