Classroom management plans are designed to create the best possible learning environment for students and the best instructional classroom for teachers. When discipline issues are the norm in a classroom, both learning and instruction are marginalized and students can become the victims of learning deficiencies and achievement gaps.
With PBI (Positive Behavioral Intervention) tips, teachers can provide active classroom management support every day and create a culture of learning where students are engaged and achieving. The tips below include positive interventions and strategies that will support any teacher and any classroom of learners.
- Create Lesson Plans that Engage Students - When teachers create lesson plans that are relevant, rigorous and reinforce the learning, students are provided with an optimal learning environment. For example, if you are teaching the math concept of percentages, bring in the Sunday newspaper ads and have students choose a sales' item and then calculate 10%, 20%, 35% of the sale's price for real-life application of learning.
- Build Relationships and They will Come - Students are no different than anyone else in life who seek a sense of belonging and a sense of community. Develop lesson plans that promote collaborative learning and work activities that are engaging and structured to last during the entire class. Students on task from the time they enter the classroom until the time they leave are least likely to engage in discipline issues.
- Post a Classroom Management Plan in Your Classroom - When students can see the rules and consequences for misbehaviour, they are empowered to make good decisions in how they act in the classroom. In addition, when students are a part of the rule-making and outcomes in creating the plan, their level of accountability and ownership will rise accordingly.
- Develop a Communication Line - In order to provide PBI support, a teacher must be able to communicate with the student and the parents. The parent welcome letter will provide a synopsis of the expected classroom behavior and the academic accountability for students. However, the first parent phone call can create a bridge of partnership that will contribute to active classroom management support for year long student engagement in the classroom.
- Celebrate, Celebrate, and Celebrate your Students - Set up a rewards systems in celebrating student academic achievement and behavioral on task engagement. The PTSA (Parents,TeachersStudents Association) can help you set up a student store to reimburse the weekly tokens, stars or whatever artifact is used to allow students to cash in for supplies, fun items, each week, each month or quarterly.
Always remember that teachers, students and parents are the key factors to active classroom management and behavioral interventions. When teachers create a learning environment of success for students, they will rise to the level that the bar is set.