Analysis: According to Slavin (2015), the major characteristics of an effective learning environment include "preventing and responding to misbehavior..., using class time well, creating an atmosphere that is conducive to interest and inquiry, and permitting activities that engage students' minds and imaginations." Horner, Sugai, and Dickey (n.d.) list 12 practices for creating an effective classroom:
- Expectations: Invest in appropriate behavior
- Establish, teach & maintain routines: Build a predictable environment
- Engage in active supervision.
- Establish a positive environment.
- Design a functional physical layout for the classroom.
- Maximize academic engagement time.
- Promote academic success: Match curriculum to student skills
- Instruction influences behavior
- Establish an effective hierarchy of consequences for problem behavior.
- Vary modes of instruction.
- Teacher has system to request assistance
- Role of school-wide behavior teams (PBIS Teams): Teams (PBIS Teams): Ensure teachers have a plan
Teachers should begin the year by explaining classroom rules and procedures explicitly (Horner et al., n.d.). Expectations should be made clear to the students, and teachers should establish an atmosphere of care and support (Slavin, 2015). Teachers need to review rules and procedures often during the beginning of the year and when new situations arise. Consistent and immediate responses to misbehavior will send the message that such behavior is not welcome nor will it be tolerated. By doing this early on, classroom management should be much more effective.
Establishing and setting classroom rules are tasks that should not be taken lightly. In addition to following the school rules, individual classes will have specific rules that students will adhere to. Rules and procedures are in place to prevent misbehavior and to ensure the safety of students; however, teachers must also have a set of strategies that will be used to address problems as they arise.
The time that students spend on task and engaged contribute the most to student learning (Slavin, 2015). It is imperative that teachers work to reduce situations which rob students of learning. Some examples of events that take time from learning include, but certainly are not limited to, tardies, sharpening pencils, leaving class to go to the restroom, playing/socializing, gathering materials, and transitions. There are strategies that can be put in place to prevent time lost due to events such as these. Teachers should begin class on time each day and teach until the end of class. This practice relays the message to the students that class time is valuable and used for learning. Some interruptions are unavoidable, but it is important that teachers plan to avoid interruptions. This can be accomplished by establishing early on the rules and procedures for the class. Students will need to be reminded and modeled for in order for the rules and procedures to become habit, therefore, it is important that teachers maintain consistency with this process. Another method that increases time spent learning is a rapid pace of instruction. Teachers should plan for smooth transitions and reduce down time by being organized and having all materials in place prior to class. Employing these strategies should reduce the amount of time that the teacher must spend on discipline.
Maximizing engaged time can be accomplished by teaching lessons that are interesting. Another way to increase engaged learning time is to reduce the amount of independent seatwork that students are required to do. Instead, use direct teaching, cooperative learning groups, and encourage active participation in lessons by making lessons interactive in nature. Additionally, it is important that transitions be managed. This is an area where a great amount of time can be wasted if the procedures have not been explicitly outlined for the students. Keeping the group focused on the lesson is another way to ensure that time is used wisely. A way to do this is to use all student responses. Students can answer chorally, use whiteboards, answer using CPS clickers, response cards, or strategies such as turn and talk. Another way to ensure that all students are focused on the lesson is to ask the question prior to calling on a student to answer. This strategy has all students paying attention to the question not knowing who will be called on. When seatwork is used, it is an effective strategy for teachers to circulate and monitor students. This gives students the opportunity to ask for help and reminds them that the teacher is monitoring them. Effective classroom managers are able to redirect behavior without losing instruction time. This can be done by giving nonverbal cues, standing near particular students, or simply walking by and pointing to the student's paper or task.
When employing strategies and interventions for misbehavior, it is best practice to use the simplest intervention to address the misbehavior (Slavin, 2015). The following chart describes the progression of intervention uses.
|
Principle of Least Intervention
|
||
|
Step
|
Procedure
|
Example
|
|
1
|
Prevention
|
Teacher displays enthusiasm, varies activities, keeps students
interested.
|
|
2
|
Nonverbal cues
|
Tanya turns in paper late; teacher frowns.
|
|
3
|
Praise of correct behavior that is incompatible with misbehavior
|
“Tanya, I hear you completed your science fair project on time for the
judging. That’s great!”
|
|
4
|
Praise for other students
|
“I see most of you turned your papers in on time today. I really
appreciate that.”
|
|
5
|
Verbal reminders
|
“Tanya, please turn in your next paper on time.”
|
|
6
|
Repeated reminders
|
“Tanya, it’s important that you turn your paper in on time.”
|
|
7
|
Consequences
|
Tanya spends 10 minutes after class starting on the next paper
assignment.
|
Slavin, 2015
Applied behavior analysis is used to analyze the misbehaviors in the classroom that are not improved through the use of preventative measures. The analysis reveals the function of the behavior and what the reinforcer may be. Functions and reinforcers include gaining attention, either the teacher's or peer's attention or the release or avoidance of an unpreferred activity or situation. Once the teacher identifies the reinforcers that are contributing to misbehavior, they are able to determine replacement reinforcers or punishers, if necessary. Once the behavior has improved, the frequency of the reinforcers can be reduced resulting in long term maintenance of the new behaviors and generalization across settings (Slavin, 2015).
Serious behavior problems can be addressed through several methods. First, teachers strive to prevent misbehavior through the use of establishing an effective learning environment and applying preventative strategies. Teachers also observe students and communicate with them to determine the root of the misbehavior. Once this is established, teachers can employ strategies to correct the misbehavior. Establishing clear expectations and consistently enforcing rules and procedures will help the class run more effectively, thus reducing the instances of misbehavior. Increasing the attendance of students will also reduce the amount of misbehavior. Students who are at school are less likely to be out and about getting into trouble (Slavin, 2015). Additionally, enlisting the help of parents/guardians will create a united front and increase the likelihood that trouble behaviors will be eliminated.
Reflection: I always thought that I created an effective learning environment; however, the reading this week has me questioning my effectiveness. I studied many behavior interventions and strategies as well as applied behavior analysis in my special education course work for my bachelor's degree. This information helped me manage classroom behavior fairly effectively, however, an area that I feel I struggle with is engaged time and time on task for students. This is an area that I can address by employing strategies learned in this course as well as increasing the effectiveness of my planning. Reducing down time and having all materials gathered in advance will help maintain group focus as I teach, monitor, and observe my students. According to Slavin (2015), setting expectations, rules, and procedures early on will increase the effectiveness of the learning environment.
References:
Horner, R., Sugai, G., & Dickey, C. (n.d.). 12 Steps to Building Effective Classroom
Management. Retrieved from http://et.nwresd.org/node/135
Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational psychology: Theory and practice. Boston, MA:
Pearson Education.
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