These tips were adapted from an amazing classroom management seminar I attended put on by Love and Logic. Much of the following was taken verbatim from the workbook, 9 Essential Skills of the Love and Logic Classroom: Low Stress Strategies for Highly Successful Educators.
I. Classroom rules:
DON'T specify a bunch of situations with specific consequences that includes multiple warnings, i.e. first time is a warning, second move your seat, third note home, etc. etc.
INSTEAD
1) If you create a problem, you will have to solve it.
2) If you disagree with me, come see me after class.
3) Equal treatment is not fair treatment. Every person and situation is different.
II. Building positive relationships:
Say "I noticed that. . . " something very specific, i.e. you like football, you like to draw, you don't let anybody give you a hard time.
Make eye contact, smile, and when appropriate, use friendly touch (on the shoulder)
III. Enforceable statements and offering options:
DON'T tell students what to do, but say what you will do. Otherwise, you easily give up your authority.
--I listen to one person at a time.
--I grade paper that are turned in on time.
--I'll be sending kids to recess who have their coats ready.
--I allow students to stay with the class when they aren't causing problems.
Would you rather. . . .or .. .?
What would be best for you: . . .or .. . .?
Feel free to . . .. or . . .?
What would help you the most: . . .or .. . .?
Anticipate problems:
You can turn in the project by Friday or Tuesday. You decide. (When you had already decided that you wanted it for Tuesday.) Both the choices have to be something you can live with.
If they don't choose in 10 seconds, chose for them.
IV. How to help a student solve a problem:
DON'T tell him/her what to do.
INSTEAD
1) Respond with empathy. "That's really tough." "That sounds hard." "That's not a good situation."
2) What are you going to do?
3) Present some options:
----some kids trick the kids that bother them by pretending the teasing doesn't bother them
----some kids decide to stand close to an adult, without saying anything to him/her
----other kids say to themselves, "I'm OK. I won't let this bother me."
4) Would any of these work? Which are you willing to try?
5) You're a great problem solver. Come back later and tell me how it worked out
V. Whenever a student starts to argue:
DON'T negotiate or try to reason.
INSTEAD pick one of the following or make up your own, and just repeat it like a broken record.
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
"I respect you to much to argue."
VI. Preventative Interventions (to prevent situation from blowing up):
1. Give the evil eye, or a smile or wink from across the room.
2. Walk toward the student while teaching, and walk past him.
3. Make a U-turn, come in from the rear. Stand close to the student and continue to teach.
4. Establish eye contact and slightly shake your head, "No."
5. While teaching, gently place your hand on the student's shoulder.
6. Stop briefly and whisper something like, "Can you cut that out? Thanks." Walk away.
7. If that doesn't work, change the student's seat.
VII. When a student commits a major, intentional infraction:
DON'T blow up and eke out a punishment that doesn't fit the crime and will be a pain for you to enforce, i.e. detention for one week!
INSTEAD say:
1) I'm sorry you decided to do that. OR That was a bad move on your part.
2) Now I'm going to have to do something about it.
3) But not now, later.
4) In the meantime, try not to worry about it.
Then talk to your principal and the parents. Come up with a plan that everyone can live with and participate in.
VIII. When multiple students misbehave at once:
1) Identify the leader. DON'T give positive feedback to the leader in front of the group.
2) Have a private conversation:
--Thanks for meeting with me.
--A lot of students look up to you, I wouldn't want to embarrass you.
--Let me know how I can help.
3) Make extra effort to build a relationship with these leaders.
4) When leaders begin to misbehave, intervene quickly.
I. Classroom rules:
DON'T specify a bunch of situations with specific consequences that includes multiple warnings, i.e. first time is a warning, second move your seat, third note home, etc. etc.
INSTEAD
1) If you create a problem, you will have to solve it.
2) If you disagree with me, come see me after class.
3) Equal treatment is not fair treatment. Every person and situation is different.
II. Building positive relationships:
Say "I noticed that. . . " something very specific, i.e. you like football, you like to draw, you don't let anybody give you a hard time.
Make eye contact, smile, and when appropriate, use friendly touch (on the shoulder)
III. Enforceable statements and offering options:
DON'T tell students what to do, but say what you will do. Otherwise, you easily give up your authority.
--I listen to one person at a time.
--I grade paper that are turned in on time.
--I'll be sending kids to recess who have their coats ready.
--I allow students to stay with the class when they aren't causing problems.
Would you rather. . . .or .. .?
What would be best for you: . . .or .. . .?
Feel free to . . .. or . . .?
What would help you the most: . . .or .. . .?
Anticipate problems:
You can turn in the project by Friday or Tuesday. You decide. (When you had already decided that you wanted it for Tuesday.) Both the choices have to be something you can live with.
If they don't choose in 10 seconds, chose for them.
IV. How to help a student solve a problem:
DON'T tell him/her what to do.
INSTEAD
1) Respond with empathy. "That's really tough." "That sounds hard." "That's not a good situation."
2) What are you going to do?
3) Present some options:
----some kids trick the kids that bother them by pretending the teasing doesn't bother them
----some kids decide to stand close to an adult, without saying anything to him/her
----other kids say to themselves, "I'm OK. I won't let this bother me."
4) Would any of these work? Which are you willing to try?
5) You're a great problem solver. Come back later and tell me how it worked out
V. Whenever a student starts to argue:
DON'T negotiate or try to reason.
INSTEAD pick one of the following or make up your own, and just repeat it like a broken record.
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
"I respect you to much to argue."
VI. Preventative Interventions (to prevent situation from blowing up):
1. Give the evil eye, or a smile or wink from across the room.
2. Walk toward the student while teaching, and walk past him.
3. Make a U-turn, come in from the rear. Stand close to the student and continue to teach.
4. Establish eye contact and slightly shake your head, "No."
5. While teaching, gently place your hand on the student's shoulder.
6. Stop briefly and whisper something like, "Can you cut that out? Thanks." Walk away.
7. If that doesn't work, change the student's seat.
VII. When a student commits a major, intentional infraction:
DON'T blow up and eke out a punishment that doesn't fit the crime and will be a pain for you to enforce, i.e. detention for one week!
INSTEAD say:
1) I'm sorry you decided to do that. OR That was a bad move on your part.
2) Now I'm going to have to do something about it.
3) But not now, later.
4) In the meantime, try not to worry about it.
Then talk to your principal and the parents. Come up with a plan that everyone can live with and participate in.
VIII. When multiple students misbehave at once:
1) Identify the leader. DON'T give positive feedback to the leader in front of the group.
2) Have a private conversation:
--Thanks for meeting with me.
--A lot of students look up to you, I wouldn't want to embarrass you.
--Let me know how I can help.
3) Make extra effort to build a relationship with these leaders.
4) When leaders begin to misbehave, intervene quickly.
