classroom management

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classroom management
By Cathy-Dee

I think you hit it on the nail with your statement about them having had 4 teachers this year. At this time they have no rules, no routines in place.

Are there things you can take away? Recess, gym time, computer time,
center time??????
I never take away all recesses or an entire gym class, but I really feel it does not hurt a child to sit out 10 or 15 minutes of gym or to miss one recess period. I also plan at least 1 free center time - can you afford to buy a few games, puzzles, etc., that could be used for a "free center" time once a week. The students would look forward to that time and they

would have to earn it as well. It's never fun having to sit in one's desk while your friends are having fun.

And I would still call parents - when a child says I don't care if you call - often they really do care, but they are not going to show it. I'm sure you have a number of parents who will not do anything, but if you can even find 2 or 3 who do it will make things easier.

Programs are great (but they do not always work). It is hard to come in and take over a program without understanding why the program is there in the first place. And the whole school has to be using it correctly and it has to be right for that school. You have 4 months approximately left, I wouldn't worry so much about the program if by doing other things you can make positive changes to your classroom.

Start this weekend by.....
-making a list of the negative behaviours you've noticed - all of them.
-narrow the list to the five major behaviours that affect the room.
-print the list on paper and take it to class on Monday.

Tell the students these are the things I've noticed that really make it hard for myself as your teacher and also for you to really enjoy this year in school. Does anyone have ideas of what we can do to change these behaviours so that our year ends on a fantastic note!

Now you are giving them some of the power to make postive changes to their classroom. Write down all their ideas and then say.
- we will work on one area each week for the next five weeks and then in the sixth week we'll take a look again and see if we can change all of these to reflect all the great things we are doing instead. - now they have a goal as well.

Now I'm brainstorming this myself as I type so I don't know if it will work or not. I know I use some of these things with my students but they are younger so it is often easier to change their behaviours.

Perhaps others can take what I wrote and give you better ideas too that you can use.

Oh yes, don't worry as much about academics for the next month - I know they've missed a lot. But if you can in the next 4 weeks or so get them back on track, they will learn more in the last 3 months of school that way than if you keep trying to teach and not get the behaviour under control.

I think they are a fortunate group of children to have a teacher who obviously cares for them. You may not see all the positive things you've done this year for them, but hang in there because you will make a difference in their lives.