Classroom Management Notebook Part 2

Classroom Management Notebook Part 2

Section 5. Strategies for Dealing with Challenging Students and Situations

Hierarchy of interventions

The hierarchy of interventions should include non-verbal attention and verbal attention with the purpose of first re-directing the student. This is followed by non-verbal and verbal warnings, then one-on-one coaching conversations, and is then followed by utilizing the support of other educators and caregivers, including administration and school counselors and psychologists, if necessary. 

Strategies for building relationships

Find common interests with students, such as music or sports. This can help create more opportunities for positive interactions. Observe the distinct personalities of students, or in other words, seek to observe what makes them special and unique, and develop a sense of appreciation for these things. Teachers should put themselves in students’ shoes and think about how they would feel about those interactions if the roles of student and teacher were reversed. This helps to build a sense of empathy for students. 

Techniques to break the cycle of discouragement

When students feel that the classroom is an environment where they are cared about and accepted as they are, it is more likely that they will be willing to trust educators and the classroom setting enough to change their behaviors. An educator should be on the lookout for defiant or disruptive behaviors that may be presenting themselves for different misguided purposes, such as a student needing to feel significant or a sense of belonging, needing to feel competent, needing power or independence, or feeling need for revenge. Interventions can show students how much they matter, and can instead guide the interactions to support and validate that student’s virtues instead of his or her disruptive behaviors. Self-monitoring, anecdotal record keeping, and behavioral contracting are all management tools teachers can use to coach and cultivate positive interactions and changes within the classroom.

Section 6. Utilizing the Support of Other Educators and Caregivers

Identifying Needs

This should be approached from the perspective of always putting the student first. That student should feel that he or she has a “team” of professionals to help meet educational goals. If the teacher has exhausted the complete hierarchy of interventions and/or there are some improvements but there continues to be disruption in the student’s behaviors that get in the way of teaching and learning, it is then clear that the student needs more people on the “team.” This should include administration, which should also include the help of a school counselor or a school psychologist. 

Documentation

Anecdotal Record Keeping is a management technique which helps to record a student’s behavior in class. Over time, it can provide insights to patterns of behavior, and can also indicate when behavior has changed, which may be important as a mandatory reporter. This type of record also allows insight regarding a student’s strengths and virtues. 

Referral Process

The parents or legal guardian(s) of a student should be invited to participate in behavior strategies early on while the issues are minimal. It is much more difficult to involve parents when an issue has already escalated to a large problem. Students should also be referred to administrative professionals, such as school counselors, school psychologists, and resource professionals.

Section 7. Legal Issues Regarding Discipline

Mandatory Reporter

In cases where I notice behaviors or signs which may indicate the presence of child abuse or neglect, I am aware that it must report it directly to Child Protective Services. I know that I can call my local Sheriff’s department. This goes a long way towards protecting children because there is no proof of abuse required—even suspected abuse or neglect must be reported.

FERPA

In this policy, I can protect the privacy of my students by being an advocate for the protection of their student records. I can make sure test results and other recorded information are filed correctly so that they will only be shared with those who have authorization to view that student’s information. 

Compelling State Interests/Duty of Care

My philosophy regarding duty of care is to do my utmost to look out for the safety and welfare of my students while they are involved in student activities. This includes meeting the requirements and guidelines of IDEA for students who need an advocate to enter into services for Special Needs. Beyond that, for all students, it is the duty of a teacher to provide an environment that is safe physically and psychologically.

Student Rights

All students have a right to education. This is an argument in favor of intervention programs and their consistency, since disruptive students can cause distractions or make an environment unsafe for other students. These types of environments impede on the rights of students. 

Teacher Rights

A teacher has the right to establish and uphold rules for his or her classroom which are reconciled with the rules of the United States Constitution, of the state, and of the school district in which the classroom is located. A teacher also has the right to enlist the aid of other educators or administration in the hierarchy of interventions.

See a school/district handbook- brief notes, not policy verbatim

Dress Code (including hair, tattoos, etc.)

Students must meet minimal safety standards and never go barefoot on campus. Students are prohibited from wearing clothing which would be considered disruptive to the routines of the classroom or of school procedure. Hoods, tattoos, pajamas, or clothing which depict profanity, drugs, alcohol, violence, or gang-related activities are strictly prohibited. 

Objectionable Materials/Prohibited Items

Weapons are strictly prohibited, and students who possess, use, or exchange weapons at school are subject to strict discipline, which may include expulsion. Tobacco products, including e-cigarettes or vapor pens are prohibited, and their use will result in suspension which may also include criminal charges. In the case of drugs or alcohol, all substances and paraphernalia are strictly prohibited. If a pupil is found to be under the influence, the principal will notify parents or guardians immediately, and the student will be immediately examined by the physician selected by the parent, a school physician, or a physician at the emergency room at the nearest hospital. Attendance at school after a positive drug or alcohol examination shall not resume until the parents or guardians can provide written medial proof of health and that substance use will not be a part of the student’s ability to perform in school under all guidelines and regulations. 

Locker Searches

Administration shall inspect and search lockers as often as necessary to ensure safety and order on behalf of all students, staff, and community. 

Tardies/absences

Tardy students may be excused with a note from parents. However, chronic tardiness will disqualify students from access to extra-curricular activities, trips, and graduation exercises.

Cell Phone Use

Cell phones are not to be used for any communications during school hours. Students may use their electronic devices, including cell phones, when they have been requested or instructed to do so by a teacher. Intervention activities for cell phone use include first confiscation of the device to be returned at the end of the day, confiscation of the device to be returned to the parent, and confiscation of the device including disciplinary action and/or a report to local police. 

Hazing, Harassment, and/or Bullying Policies

This behavior, which also includes vandalism to school property, or vulgar or profane language (including hate speech) is grounds for suspension. Students will be required to leave school property immediately, and will not return to school until their suspension is over and they have met with the assistant principal, along with that student’s parents or guardian. 

Cheating, Plagiarism and/or Forgery Policies

Section 8: Professional Dispositions and Growth Plan

Reflection:

(A)

When I reviewed these dispositions in TED 606, I assessed myself as “Needs Improvement” in all areas, simply due to my lack of training and experience. Since then, I have spent a lot of time in classrooms as a substitute teacher, and have thrown myself wholeheartedly into any and every opportunity for field experience I could find. These things, along with my textbooks and course materials, have absolutely enabled tons of progress. I’m actually pretty amazed at myself for how far I see I’ve come in just a year! I am really looking forward to working full-time in the classroom because I plan to continue growth in my skills, as well as review everything from the materials I’ve already received.

(B)

I absolutely believe that all children can learn. I also find that I am becoming more and more passionate about being a good advocate for students of all backgrounds—even under-educated adult students. I know I will always be championing diversity and equity throughout my career. My mission/goal for this disposition is this:

As a teacher, I will give my time to one nonprofit per year which promotes equity and diversity, and I will also constantly assess the quality of equitable education in my classroom and at my school. 

This will probably always be a work in progress; meaning I’ll never be able to cross it off a list and mark it “finished.” However, for me, it really is a question of “Am I, in my words and in my actions, making equity and diversity a priority in my career?” My goal is to always be able to answer “Yes.” 

(C)

My strength is in my passion to advocate for the learning opportunities for all students, and it also happens to be my improvement goal, since I want to commit to gaining more experience and tools in this area. I think my approach to it is important because it focuses on a standard for my behavior in the classroom. Everything else about the tone of my classroom will come from me. My ideal for this standard means I can gain experience and tools in this area no matter what type of classroom I’m in, and no matter what range of diversity my future school has. 

Sources:

California Department of Education. (2018). Child Abuse Identification and Reporting Guidelines. Retrieved from: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/ap/childabusereportingguide.asp

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (2018). https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/

Marzano, Marzano, & Pickering. (2001). Classroom Management that Works. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

National Center on Safe Supporting Learning Environments. (2018). School Discipline Laws & Regulations by State & Categories. California. Retrieved from: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/discipline-compendium/choose-type/california

Pitman High School. (2018). Student Handbook. Retrieved from: http://pitmanhigh.nj.pph.schoolinsites.com/?PageName=%27Handbook%27

TED 626. (2018). Week 4 Materials.

TED 626. (2018). Managing Student Behavior. Power Point Presentation.

United States Department of Education. (2018). Protecting Student Privacy: Resources. Retrieved from: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/resources