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"Experience
by itself teaches nothing.
You must have a theory and you must take action."
W. Edwards Deming
There are a number of foundational classroom management strategies
and techniques that I use (and continue to refine over time) that are very
helpful both in leading Cooperative Adventures and in daily
classroom management.
 | Theory
My practice is based upon a working theory of human behavior that has
evolved (and continues to evolve) over time as a result of continual
research combined with daily experience and reflection. Early in
my career, I wholeheartedly subscribed to the predominant, seemingly
common sense, stimulus-response theory of human behavior. Although
virtually all of the academic preparation for my teaching credential was
based upon this theory, my personal and classroom research and
experience began to tell me that there were serious inadequacies here.
This theory of "Do this or I'll hurt you" just didn't fit. I
realized, on a daily basis, that human beings do not operate this way.
Instead of applying this theory with more rigor and coercion, I had to
find a better way. (I'll admit that I did try the rigor and
coercion route for a while...)
I firmly believe that all of us continuously make decisions regarding
our own behavior in order to fulfill certain basic needs.
A number of psychologists (most prominently Abraham Maslow) have
identified these needs in a rigid, hierarchical fashion. I
don't believe
Maslow's work goes far enough in that I don't believe that any of
these needs are consistently more important than the others. In my
experience, this need hierarchy constantly changes based on the decision
at hand. Not only that, I have come to believe that more than one
need (sometimes all of them) may be in play at any given time.
I have found that Dr. William Glasser's
Choice Theory, which identifies five basic non-hierarchical
needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun,
best fits my experience and research.
We cannot make other people behave ("Do this or I'll hurt you.") -- we
can only give them more information ("Do this and it will add quality to
your life.") Yes, I know that "Do this or I'll hurt you"
appears to work. In many cases, short-term compliance will be
the result but we all know that this results in neither long-term
compliance nor habitual behavioral change. Coercion, most
importantly, damages or destroys the relationship between the
people involved.
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| Relationships
A high-quality, mutually respectful relationship must be cultivated and
continually nurtured with each and every student. It is this
relationship that is the foundation for all that follows below. It
is also the model for the student-to-student relationships the form the
basis for a classroom learning community
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| Listening
Quite simply -- unless your class is truly convinced that you are
listening to them, they will not consistently listen to you.
Excellent listening must be defined and practiced.
Over the years working with classes, I have identified three behaviors
which indicate "excellent listening:"
 | silence |
| eye contact |
| squared-up (your entire body is facing the speaker) |
When I ask a class to "convince me you're ready," these are the three
things I'm looking for before proceeding. (For years I used to say
"Show me you're ready." I much prefer using the word "convince."
Give it a try and observe your class' response.)
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| Once
I only give directions and answer questions once*. The class is
encouraged to help each other when one or more members of the class miss
a direction or an answer to a question.
This is, admittedly, very hard to do and takes considerable
practice. The payoff, however -- in time saved and the
improvement of listening skills -- is well-worth the effort of the
teacher and the class.
In addition, an amount of time is invested (not necessarily wasted) up
front as the class adjusts to this. They will also test -- both
consciously and unconsciously -- to see if you really mean it.
*I make a distinction between directions/questions and the teaching that
I do. I do repeat important things while teaching, but not
directions or questions.
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| Directions
Directions may either be delivered either one at a time or in a series.
When I give a series of directions, I always start by saying, "Direction
number one..." Single directions are given without this preface
phrase, e.g. "Please stand up."
Single directions are to be followed as soon as they are received.
Directions given in a series require a signal to indicate that the
speaker is finished, e.g. "Carry-on" or a single whistle.
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| "Carry-on"
This phrase means "I've finished giving a series of directions.
You may proceed to follow them." I acquired this habit during my
tenure as Education Director at the
San Francisco National
Historical Park. There I directed an overnight program aboard
the 1895 schooner
C.A. Thayer
and the ship
Balclutha in which 4-6th grade students participated in this
24-hour living history program as the crew of
the ship, circa 1930.
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| Whistle Signals
| One Whistle = "Carry-on" or begin.
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| Two Whistles = Please stop. (Stop where
you are and square-up to me.)
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| Three Whistles = Please come here. (Join
me wherever I happen to be. If I'm standing, please stand near
me and squared-up and ready to listen. If I'm sitting, please
sit down, squared-up, and ready to listen.)
My favorite source for quality whistles:
Acme Whistle Company,
London, UK -- manufacturing whistles since the 1860's. This is
where I got my chrome train whistle.
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| Responsibility
All of this adds up to the fact that each member of the community is
responsible for him/herself as well as for each other.
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| Resources for Teachers
Charney, Ruth.
Teaching Children to Care: Classroom Management for Ethical and Academic Growth,
K-8. Northeast Foundation for Children, 2002.
This definitive work about classroom management will
show teachers how to turn their vision of respectful, friendly, academically
rigorous classrooms into reality. Chapter after chapter offers no-nonsense steps
that will help teachers move from inspiration to implementation.
Johnson, Peter H.
Choice Words -- How Our Language Affects
Children's Learning.
Stenhouse Publishing, 2004
 In
productive classrooms, teachers don't just teach children skills: they build
emotionally and relationally healthy learning communities. Teachers create
intellectual environments that produce not only technically competent students,
but also caring, secure, actively literate human beings.
Choice Words shows how teachers
accomplish this using their most powerful teaching tool: language. Throughout,
Peter Johnston provides examples of apparently ordinary words, phrases, and uses
of language that are pivotal in the orchestration of the classroom. Grounded in
a study by accomplished literacy teachers, the book demonstrates how the things
we say (and don’t say) have surprising consequences for what children learn and
for who they become as literate people. Through language, children learn how to
become strategic thinkers, not merely learning the literacy strategies. In
addition, Johnston examines the complex learning that teachers produce in
classrooms that is hard to name and thus is not recognized by tests, by
policy-makers, by the general public, and often by teachers themselves, yet is
vitally important.
This book will be enlightening for any teacher who wishes to be more conscious
of the many ways their language helps children acquire literacy skills and view
the world, their peers, and themselves in new ways.
Kriete, Roxann & Bechtel, Lynn.
The
Morning Meeting Book. Northeast Foundation for Children,
2002.
Since its publication three years ago, "The Morning
Meeting Book" has introduced thousands of teachers to this powerful teaching
tool that builds community, increases student investment, and improves academic
and social skills. The book's step-by-step implementation guidelines; clear
explanations of purposes; and specific examples of activities, greetings, and
charts have helped teachers across the country launch their school days with
Morning Meeting.
Denton, Paula & Kriete, Roxann.
The
First Six Weeks of School. Northeast Foundation for Children,
2000.
 Learn
how to structure the first six weeks of school in order to lay the groundwork
for a productive year of learning. This comprehensive guidebook for teachers
includes: * Daily plans for the first three weeks and commentary about these
plans at three grade levels: primary (K-2), middle (3-4), and upper (5-6). *
Detailed guidelines for building community; creating rules and teaching
routines; introducing engaging curriculum; fostering autonomy; integrating
social and academic learning. * An extensive collection of games, activities,
greetings, songs, read-alouds, and resources especially useful during the early
weeks of school.
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