Every new school year brings anxiety. What are my students going to be like? Will they like me? Respect me? Follow directions? Not a party in my room? One way to calm all the jitters is to plan your classroom behavior management. In Robert Marzano’s book Classroom Management that Works, he covers several topics from the role of a classroom management plan, disciplinary interventions, and teacher-student relations to getting off to a good start. At the beginning of the school year, there should be a plan in place. A syllabus should state your expectations and rules. Robert Marzano calls these rules and procedures.
At the start of a new school year, thousands of classroom teachers are introducing the rules and procedures of their specific classroom. We learn this in teacher education 101. If you want your school year to go smoothly, state the rules, and enforce them consistently. According to Marzano, “…designing and implementing rules and procedures in class and even at home has a profound impact on student behavior and on student learning” (Marzano 16). He continued to state that rules should not be imposed on students but involve explanation and group input. In essence, if you introduce rules and procedures and involve student input, your school year may go smoothly.
A Two-Step Action Plan -Step One
Marzano helps teachers implement rules and procedures using a two-step action plan. The first step is to “identify specific rules and procedures for your classroom” (18). He lists six general categories for the use of rules and procedures: “general expectations for behaviors, beginning and ending the class day or the period, transitions and interruptions, materials and equipment, group work, seatwork, and teacher-led activities” (18). This is a great place to start when you are creating a syllabus. Each of the six categories should be addressed to avoid any confusion of the expectations. Marzano addresses each category and gives an elementary and secondary level model. I have used the secondary model for addressing classroom behavior. In the text, Marzano introduces a vignette of a 9th grade English teacher introducing general classroom rules using a poem. After reading the poem, she ignites a short discussion over classroom rules, and students understand the expectations of the class.
Another topic that is often overlooked is how students should behave during the beginning and ending of class. How many teachers have bellwork? How many teachers have a procedure for the end of class? I dismiss my classes, but every once in a while, I have a student or two packing their items, and I have to redirect them. Marzano addresses these items in the secondary classroom: taking attendance, missing absence work, dealing with students who are tardy, and ending with clear expectations for homework. From my personal experience, once I created a system for students who were absent, the class went smoother. In my syllabus, students were to ask a neighboring student about the work and go to the class folder to retrieve the assignment. I added to ask a neighboring student to the syllabus, and it gave the students responsibility. Small changes like the one stated can improve classroom management.
Have a Transition Plan
Students need a clear understanding of transitions and interruptions. What are your rules for leaving the room? Split lunch period? Fire drills? Two years ago, I had no plan for my split lunch period. All the boys would play basketball after lunch and would enter the classroom moments before the bell rang. It was frustrating. I gave detentions, called home, and wrote office referrals. Now reflecting back, I should have addressed it in the syllabus on the first day of school. What are the rules for a split lunch? What are the expectations? Think about transitions and have a plan.
Have a Procedure Plan
Having a plan on how to use materials and equipment properly is beneficial to students. You want to ensure that students are responsible for cleaning up after themselves, respecting school property, and distributing materials. Oftentimes, you use materials during group work. Rules and procedures should be presented before students work within groups. Addressing how to move in and out of a group, group roles, how groups come together as a whole class, and how the group asks for help from the teacher should be discussed. One insightful tip is to have the students ask “two before me” (23). Sometimes students want clarification from the teacher without asking the team. Asking a teammate will allow the accountability and responsibility of the group. Other times, students will have to complete seatwork or teacher-led activities without being in groups. Some suggestions Marzano stated were: “student attention during presentations, student participation, talking among students, obtaining help, out-of-seat behavior, and behavior when work has been completed” (25). Establishing rules and procedures will provide clear and concise classroom expectations.
Action Step 2 of the Classroom Management Plan
Action Step 2 includes involving “students in the design of rules and procedures” (25). During this step, Marzano addresses discussing how rules and procedures vary within real life. One example was how rules at church vary from at home. This allows for conversation and connection for the students. Next, present the classroom rules and have students discuss alternatives. “Ideally, a group discussion will produce a compromise rule or procedure that all can live with” (26). The teacher should have the final word. Marzano gave a vignette of a teacher hanging each rule on a large sheet of paper. Students used sticky notes to make additions, deletions, and suggestions. After a discussion, the teacher said he would consider the notes, and days later, he presented the class with revised rules. The teacher kept the rules in place and continued with his teaching. I have used this strategy in my own classroom. Each class created a set of rules, and we voted on them. I had the final say, and I created a new set of rules that were posted in the classroom. This strategy was very successful for me, and I witnessed students honoring the set of rules.
I have to give credit to my improved classroom management plan to Robert Marzano. I was determined to have a better school year compared to the previous year. It started with updating my syllabus and reading Classroom Management that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher. Beginning the school with clear, defined rules and procedures allows students to know the expectations and consequences. As mentioned above, a rule and procedure should be in place for general classroom behaviors, transitions and interruptions, and group work. Students want to feel safe and give their best performance. We as teachers need to inform students explicitly how to behave to be successful within our classes. If you would like to read more about this topic, purchase Marzano’s book.
Have you transformed your rules and procedures and had great results? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.
Work Cited
Marzano, Robert. Classroom Management that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2003.
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