If you did not read my last post, "What I Wish I Knew", I encourage you to stop for a moment and read that post. It will explain the rationale for sharing some insights from my first year of teaching.
With that said, I have decided to follow that post up with a second "What I Wish I Knew" that focuses solely on classroom management. It has become something of a cliche to say that first-year teachers struggle with classroom management. While part of the problem could be contributed to the overemphasis on theory at the collegiate level, a large part of the problem is that a teacher will not truly understand what works until stepping foot into his or her own classroom.
To aid in this transition, I present four things about classroom management that I wish I had known as a first-year teacher (I have omitted the notion of consistency as it is covered in the previous post):
1. Keep it simple.
Have you ever watched someone struggle with a new piece of technology? They aren't sure how to turn on the device or make it operate the way they need it to because the instructions are confusing. Frustration and anger began to surface as the person is tempted to give up. The same could be said of many first-year classrooms. Most first-year teachers are taught develop rules and procedures that govern every aspect of the classroom. This is valid. However, teachers should make sure that students can readily understand what is expected of them and how to meet those expectations consistently. As an example, try to limit your "classroom rules" to five. You don't want too few rules as you will expose students to generalities that cannot be followed. But you do not want so many rules that students cannot remember them either. Five rules, for whatever reason, strikes a good balance. While you will often have many more procedures, make sure to model those procedures early and often with students as well as give them opportunities to ask questions.
2. Keep parents involved.
I still struggle with this idea. I have always been afraid to talk to parents. I didn't want parents to yell at me and say it was my fault the student was misbehaving or that I was singling out their kid. However, I recognize now that such a parent is few and far between. Most parents want to be engaged about their child's behavior and are committed to helping you as the teacher get the best out of the student. But you have to involve them early. Do not wait until the student has misbehaved for weeks into the year to decide it is time to call home. By then, a student may have developed a habit of misbehavior that will be hard to break. However, if you make that contact quickly and a student understands that you will involve their parents if they misbehave, they are many times more likely to do what you ask.
3. Keep it subtle.
When a student misbehaves in the middle of class, it is tempting to stop and call out the student. The problem with this approach is when the student pushes back. Suddenly, there is a struggle for control of the classroom. If you continue to push right back with no success, that student and those around him or her begin to sense you are in trouble. They will sense the negative energy in the room and feast on your misery. Thus, discretion is incredibly important. Find a way to discuss the issue with the student individually and away from others. Approach the student at his or her desk. Have the student step into the hallway for a moment in a normal tone and say you will talk to him or her in a moment. Denying the student his or her "backup" will increase your chances of a successful intervention.
4. Know your students.
There is no silver bullet to classroom management despite how easy master teachers make it look. Yet, what all these teachers have learned is that no two students are the same and therefore an intervention that works well for one student might not work well for another. One master teacher told me that you have to find what "gets" the student or, in other words, find what bothers them. What will change the behavior? Is it a lunch detention? A parent phone call? A positive comment now and again? Exhaust all your options before involving the office when possible. Administrators want to know you have tried to handle the student yourself and have been unsuccessful.
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