Applying Classroom Rules and Procedures

Applying Classroom Rules and Procedures

Providing positive reinforcement to students who are contributing to classroom and providing timely and appropriate responses to students who are disruptive or otherwise not following rules and procedures in middle school classrooms in China.

One of the most important and difficult issues in middle school teaching is appropriate and timely feedback from the teacher to students. In middle school, students are smart enough to know that some of their assignments are less important than others, and are also physically restless in their maturing bodies and it is difficult to sit still in a classroom setting all day.  This is particularly true in China, where my students begin class each morning at 7:50, and return to their dorms (or homes) at 9:00 PM each night. While they have regular 10-minute breaks, 2-hour lunches (they are supposed to sleep for half that time) and 90 minute dinner breaks, the amount of time the students are expected to sit quietly in their seats each day is still difficult for many of them.

My job as a teacher is to inspire and educate my students to reach as much of their potential as possible. I accomplish this most effectively when I provide timely and effective consequences (positive and negative) for their behavior. 

Positive Reinforcement 

I have found that giving positive reinforcement significantly improves behavior. The student who is complimented feels proud and happy, and other students what to improve as well. When classes start to become more disruptive, I find it is almost always because I have neglected positive reinforcement for too long. Positive reinforcement also has the added benefit of communicated to the students what NOT to do, but in a nicer way. This reduces the behavior management load.

Effective positive reinforcement begins in the first few days of class. I believe it is important to monitor students to discover what motivates them. Some students want to be praised out loud— in public. Others would be demotivated by this. It is important for the teacher to understand each student and what drives that student. It is also important to learn the students expectations of themselves, so that reinforcement can be applied at the right time for the student (not too early, encouraging the student to lower their standards, and not too late, because praising after the student gives up feels fake to the student.) 

When one or more students perform a task in an exemplary way, or does something praiseworthy, I try to reward them in a very personalized way. Here are some types of positive reinforcement:

*verbal  (thanks/good job/well done/great work…)

*non-verbal (thumbs up/pat on shoulder/smile…)

*public (applause/stop class to recognize someone or something/awards in class/give points to students on Class Dojo)

*involve family (wechat message to parents/tell homeroom teacher of students great work…)

*academic rewards (add participation points, which helps final grades)

Behavior Management (negative behavior)

Negative consequences need to be immediate as well. However, there is a range of behavior and teachers must show wisdom and “withitness” to discern the correct consequence for the behavior. These strategies include:

1. preemptive work (teacher notices a student is angry before class begins and speaks one-on-one to encourage the student to do their best in spite of their frustration.
2. Verbal/Non-verbal acknowledgment 
3. observe potential problems (keep eye contact with students who appear to be losing focus)
4. Move (teacher should be walking around the room and observing students from different angles

As student behavior digresses, teachers can apply strategies appropriately:

1. make eye contact: make sure the student knows you are observing the behavior and expect them to stop it
2. physically move towards students. Enter their personal space if they don’t notice ahead of time.
3. Stop class and confront behavior. Explicitly tell them the behavior is not appropriate
4. Remove student from class and speak one-on-one in the hall while the class does personal work.
5. Send student to teacher’s office

6)   If behavior continues beyond one class, alert student’s homeroom teacher and decide when/if to alert parents.

7)   Call a parent-teacher meeting

8)   Reduce students personal credit points (this leads to student be expelled)

References:

Marzano, R. J. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Virginia, USA. Retrieved September 16, 2016 from https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/platform-user-content/prod-copy/get_help_resources/activity_resources/module4/The_Art_and_Science_of_Teaching.pdf