Thanks for the responses. Both classroom teachers are going to read No
Talking by Clements to their classes beginning next week. We are also
going to be discussing this behavior and possible behavior plans at our
next staff meeting. Here are the responses...
Middle school students don't have any outside time, so if they are good
Monday - Thursday we go outside on Friday. The students that don't
behave sit beside me or stay in with my aide. I am also a mama
caller. If a student has their own cell phone I have them get the
mother or father on the phone and explain the problem. Talk about nip
it in the bud. Cell phones are wonderful, I never leave the class room.
My phone is with cingular and it has all kinds of roll over minutes.
When someone starts to act up in the library, I pull the red phone out
of my pocket and everyone gets quiet. It is almost funny. This year I
have called two parents.
******
I have used marbles in the jar in a self-contained classroom. When I
taught PE I used a chart and when they filled the chart up they got
cupcakes
the first time then cookies or candy. I started out the first day and
gav e
them a star because student _______ was standing perfectly in line and
not
talking.
******
Maybe it would be a good year to read No Talking,
Andrew Clements' new book. It's a keeper. About a class
(of 5th graders) known as the "unshushables", and what
happens when one of them decides to see just what it's
like not talking for a single day. The results are interesting.
I couldn't put this one down. And yet, it is also respectful
toward lots of different folk (students and teachers) who
are part of the book. Even if you don't choose to read it
aloud, it will improve your day... ;)
******
We are in a different situation here being in a small
overseas school so things like "the soccer red card"
program that I have probably would not work. Basically, I
have some laminated yellow and red cards and I don't even
say anything, I just hand a kid a yellow card when they
misbehave. They get two yellow cards per class session,
then they get a red and with that they leave the library
with my aide and she takes them straight to the
principal's office. I have only given out red's something
like twice in two years since I really do let it slide
until I do it, but it has made an impact.
The second thing that I had a teacher do one time is have
parents appear in the classroom for even just a few
minutes at unexpected times. Once again, I know in a
school in the United States you would have parents who are
too busy with their work (or forgive me--those who could
care less how their kids are behaving since it isn't their
problem when they are at school) but this teacher said
that with some of her students just the thought that Dad
may all of a sudden show up in the back of the classroom
even for a few minutes was enough to motivate some to
behave.
******
PBS worked wonders at our school. It's not a quick fix, but it works.
******
I feel your pain! I had a eighth grade class like that a few years
ago,
and the best resource for me was to consult either the school
psychologist, the emotional support teachers, or someone of that ilk.
They have great suggestions and I'm sure they could give you specific
help. Sometimes if you manage to isolate the one or two (or five!)
kids
in each class that are the "seed" of the problems, everyone else does
much better. For me, extremely crystal clear procedures (such as
exactly
how and when to do everything from blow your nose to sharpen your
pencil) was what saved me. Good luck!
******
I've taken classes back to the room. Seated them and heads go down.
We
have 1 minute of quiet. Then I proceed to teach the lesson there,
using
up all of the time so there is no checkout. When they complain, I
explain that they are directly responsible for what they get to do, if
they cannot behave in the library we will hold class here and we will
go
back when they have earned the right to go back.
I had a bunch of different worksheet type activities that I can pull
out
and take with me each time. Things like parts of a book have them
pull
out their math book. Using title page, indices and all those features
that are the same. Alphabetical order, Dewey categories and order.
Bibliographic citations. Note taking can all be done using their
textbooks.
******
The first thing I'd do is to get all of you (teachers, specialists,
assistants, administration, support staff, etc.) together and write out
a set of simple rules that you all agree WILL be followed. You may have
to decide to ignore certain behaviors that would earn others some sort
of comment in order to concentrate on the worst behaviors. Once you
have
your list of rules, you then need to decide on specific consequences
for
the first, second, third violation of each of those rules. Everyone,
from the principal to the janitor needs to know exactly what the
situation is. For the same of consistency, any infraction of one of
those rules means that the child goes to the principal or whoever is in
charge of discipline there. This is not meant to take control away from
the classroom teacher, but rather to make sure that students don't play
one teacher against another or think that the "violation count" is for
each teacher. If Hans makes Helga cry in the library, and that's
against
one of your major rules, then making her cry in lunch is a second
violation of that rule.
The consequences for the violations need to be specific and logically
related to the offense. They also need to apply to all of these
students
equally. If Hans makes Helga cry, and is punished for it, then if Helga
makes Hans cry she gets the exact same punishment. There can be no
"breaks" or favoritism.
The theme here is consistency. It might be easier to overlook some of
the bad behavior, but you really can't. Yes, you will overlook a bit of
the minor stuff, but it won't be on your list of absolute rules.
Once you see that the kids are actually following the rules, the second
part kicks in. Again, with everyone in agreement, you begin to deal
with
certain violations within the room, rather than referring them to the
principal. To kick that off, perhaps you can get all of those 4th
graders together and have the principal praise them. Make it clear that
they really have improved, and that everyone has noticed. If there is a
kid or two who has really turned themselves around, publicly praise
them
and give them some sort of small reward. Kids that age generally want
to
do the right thing, but sometimes they have built such a reputation for
themselves that they feel trapped doing what they know they shouldn't
do.
Do you see these kids on a regular basis for a story time, or do any of
their teachers read aloud to them? If so, pick some books that might
help them change. You've probably already thought of that, but it can
actually work. You might also get some of the classroom teachers to do
some reading aloud instead of just lecturing and handing out
worksheets.
******
One more to check on:
Tough Kid Toolbox or handbook
******
Here's a simple idea that perhaps you can use in the library. I had
cards in three different colors; I used the ends of laminated
construction paper for them. One color was warning card; one color was
consequence card; one color was reward card. I didn't have even say
much after explaining the system. If a child was being unruly, I simply
put a warning card by his or her seat. A second problem meant I would
change the warning card for a consequence card -- consequences could
include a "talking to", note to teacher, contact principal, etc. A
child who was being especially good got a reward card and could trade it
at the end of library class for some small reward -- sugarless candy,
stickers, pencil, etc. I also tried to do announcement to class about
these rewardees. This then gave as little attention as possible to bad
behavior and as much as possible to good behavior.
Some systems or helps to check on:
Lee Canter's Assertive Discipline
Boys Town Social Skills
******
Literacy means liberation. Septima Clark, educator & civil rights
activist, 1898-1987
Darcy Maxwell, LMC Director
Summit Elementary
1800 Lakeshore Dr.
La Crosse, WI 54603
dmaxwellATsdlax.k12.wi.us
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