Applying Classroom Rules and Procedures
Using and applying classroom rules and procedures effectively helps teachers to ensure goals of teaching and learning achieved, to control student's performance, and to minimize unexpected incidents relating to negative behaviors. For specialists like me, this is especially a challenge because their time for a particular class is only 45 minutes, once per four days. With this unit, I found out the setting rules and procedures is not enough, it needs to come along with regular reinforcement and appreciation.
Student behaviors can be classified into two main categories, positive and negative or need improvement. Ignoring positive and improved behaviors will destroy all efforts being built by teachers and students. There are many ways to provide positive reinforcement for adherence to rules and procedures, such as verbal or nonverbal recognition, color code of behaviors, involving home in recognition of positive student behavior like phone call, emails, notes and certificate.
When I was a Kindergarten homeroom, I used color code to manage behavior and saved 5 minutes at the end of each day to let my students write about their positive or negative behavior during the day. The weekly report went home each Friday to keep parents informed and involvement. At the end of the year, students received certificates for positive and improving behaviors.
This year with the whole LS student, rules and procedures were set and posted on the classroom door. Besides, I have been using Renweb, an online website for both academic and behavioral management. With the paid package, it is a platform for digital communication via email and a data base for administrators, students, parents, and faculty. Behavioral management is a part of it. Teachers can post behavioral issues and choose options to share with parents, other teachers, school counselor, and administrators. Since it does not focus only on behavioral management, there is no option for teachers to choose positive or negative behavior like Class Dojo or Teacher Kit.
No matter what type of management tools being used in classroom, students who demonstrate positive behaviors as well as improvement need to be recognized and and formally appreciated. For positive behaviors, I have applied two ways of recognition. The first is to have student names on the board, officially thank them in front of the whole class, and following by a reward system with stars, which either goes to the classroom bulletin board or to students' portfolio. The second is class sharing and meeting. The video below is an example of my appreciation with the forth graders. Recognition and appreciation is the most powerful tool to encourage positive behaviors and to strengthen student-teacher relationship. Those who have been recognized will become active agents to influence negative behaviors. The effect is beyond my expectations. Students who used to have negative behaviors have been changing their behaviors as they also want to collect stars and to be recognized.
For negative behaviors, I use the following process chart.
In order to effectively manage student behavior, I have used both recognition and reinforcement, along with notifying parents, school counselor, colleagues, and administrators. I have gradually witnessed more positive changes and improvements.
RESOURCES
The Art and Science of Teaching - Chapter 7
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