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by JVS
Chapter
12: Effective Technical Management: Promoting a Culture of Listening, Respect
and Efficiency in the Classroom
From Transformative Classroom Management. By John Shindler. ©Allyn Bacon
Pub.
Reproduction is unlawful without
permission
In this Chapter:
- Creating
a Culture of Listening and Respect
- Promoting
100% Attention
- Effectively
Giving Directions
- How
to Foster Efficient Classroom Procedures
- Beginning
and Ending the Day (or Period) Effectively
Chapter Reflection 12-a: A parent, colleague or administrator
at your school peeks in the window of your classroom and watches what is going
on for 30 seconds or so. If they had yet see you teach, have they now made a
determination as to how good a teacher you are? What information did they use?
Consider how others form their initial impressions of you as
a teacher. What evidence do they use? It is not likely how knowledgeable you
are, or the quality of the relationships that you have formed with your
students, or even your students’ academic performance. Their impression is probably
going to be formed as a result of their perception of the levels of control and
attention that they observe existing, or the “technical management” of the
class. So valid or not, our technical management--that is the efficiency and
practical organization of the class--is going to determine, to a great extent,
how we are judged as a teacher by others as well as by our students. However,
in addition to succeeding at making a good impression, there are a great number
of meaningful reasons to become an expert at the “technical” strategies of
managing a classroom. These reasons include:
a)
Your stress level – when you fight the
students less, you have more energy to put into other more creative matters.
b)
The students’ stress level – when
the students feel that there is a smoothness and momentum to the class they
tend to relax more.
c)
Much more gets done in a day – when time
is not wasted dealing with inattention, following up on directions, and
corralling students during transitions, there is more time for learning or
whatever else you want to accomplish.
d)
You begin to develop a “culture of listening” – over
time students become more comfortable with a climate of respect for others
ideas and appreciate the value of being attentive.
e)
You have a starting point to master a 2-Style
management orientation, and/or move over time to a 1-Style set of practices – Without
a fundamental structure to the technical aspects of management, efforts to
incorporate a more student-centered approach most often take on more of a
dysfunctional 3-Style appearance rather than a well-functioning facilitative 1-Style.
As
we begin our examination of this area of classroom management, it is useful to
keep in mind that the most effective strategies for technical management are
some of the most unnatural and counter-intuitive practices in this book. Principles
such as 100% attention, being absolute, resisting the temptation to use
negative recognitions, and taking action rather than offering explanations for
what should be better are not what we do naturally in the world outside of
school. And they are probably not what our common sense tells us to do. But
doing what is natural in the area of technical management typically leads to a
perpetual wrestling match with students when it comes to attention, following
directions, and carrying out procedures. This wrestling match is at best an
added stressful element to our job, and at worst, a source of great pain and
suffering and even the reason that many leave the profession. “Why am I wasting
my breath and making all this effort, if they never listen to me? Is it
supposed to be this hard?” The answer is that it isn’t--if we accept that some
practices are simply more effective than others in this area. Transformative
technical management practices will not feel instinctive at first, but they
will become natural over time, and more importantly they will help us bring
about the outcomes that we desire.
Chapter Reflection 12-b: We might think of technical management as similar
to housekeeping. We do not all have the same need for a house that is clean and
straightened up. Some people feel stressed with an expectation that everything
needs to be neat and tidy. Others feel stressed when there is more than a
little mess. So just as with keeping up a home environment, when it comes to
the level of attention, the efficiency of the transitions, and the orderliness
of routine procedures we all have a different ideal. What is your expectation
in this area? What kinds of issues would give you stress?
Whatever
our ideal vision in the area of technical management, with enough time and
technique, we can achieve it. Whether it is a class that moves with precision
and order, a relaxed class, or a class that runs itself, what we want is
possible. But we do need to have a vision that we are working toward.
Therefore, the first step in the process is to create a picture in your mind
related to what you can live with regarding technical management--and
then accept nothing less. Over time, regardless of grade level, students will
adjust to your
expectations, whatever they are.
If
the idea of being very intentional and determined about what you expect is a
new one, you may need to look inside and summon some “legitimate teacher
power.” If this does not come easily, an
encouraging realization may be that your ability to project leadership qualities
will make a significant difference in how much your students learn. Self-doubt,
fear, a dismissive attitude toward the need to be intentional in this area, or
the thought that you do not want to be seen as being on a power trip, will all
lead to a lose-lose situation in your classes. You need to accept that there is
only one person that can be the leader in the class – you. Each class
will present you with different needs and degrees to which they need to be
supported in their efforts to be a functional and considerate collective. Without
effective technical management, you will get little else done. Your students
will be the losers, and you will feel perpetually as though you are
unsuccessful, no matter how well you are doing in the other aspects of your
teaching. Whether your goal is to be effective with a 1 or 2-Style approach,
you will need a solid foundation of technical management. As we will discuss
later in the chapter, the difference will be primarily who takes ultimate
ownership of the vision and why. But without sound technical management in
place early, no matter how noble our intentions, our classrooms will take on
the look and feel of either a 3-Style or 4-Style environment.
At the heart of effective technical management is a “culture
of listening.” It may not appear to be critical
on the surface. However, a culture of listening will lead to other essential
qualities such as respect, self-control, awareness, valuing one’s and other’s
ideas, and building bonds within the group.
The 100% or 50% Principle
Most of us come into teaching not having expected 100%
attention in our interactions with friends and family. So it is not likely a
familiar interaction pattern. But keep in mind, this situation is different. In
most cases, we have not been hired to help our family members grow into
successful learners. Also, our students are most often not fully mature in
their social behavior. Many teachers do not believe that expecting 100%
attention will have a very significant effect on their classes. They see too
many other more substantial problems and outcomes to worry about expecting
everyone to listen. But what they find when they do commit to expecting 100%
attention is, first, that it is indeed possible, and second, a good portion of
their other problems disappear when the student begin to be attentive to one
another.
It may not at first seem obvious, but there are very few
classes in which there is even a moderate amount of attention. Examine a number
of classes for yourself. Either what we observe is nearly all the students
listening in all the situations they should be, or we find that there are lots
of students who are not paying attention, and the collective level of attention
in the class varies greatly from activity to activity. The reason that we
observe this is that attention tends to be a 100% or somewhere around 50%
mechanism. It makes sense when we recall the social learning diagram.
Social Learning Diagram (Revisited)
If we apply listening as
the behavior in this social learning diagram, the other students (O) will learn
the expectations and consequences for listening from watching what happens when
another student (S) is not listening. Observe the interaction (shown by line
“a”). The other students (O) draw conclusions related to what happened to the
student (S) (line “b”), and then make assumptions about what the teacher’s (T)
expectations are (line “c”) for other members of the class as well.
As in our discussion in Chapter
6 related to how students develop their expectations, words in these situations
will have a much less significant impact compared to what students learn from
observing our actions. We can test this principle, by observing the
effectiveness of asking students to be quiet. If we do nothing except ask--while
taking no action--students will learn that our words are not meaningful . But using
very few words, students can learn from our actions that we need their
attention. For example, consider that case in which the teacher (T) asks for
100% attention, and a student (S) chooses to instead talk to another student.
If the teacher takes action (delivers a consequence), the other students (O)
learn that the expectation is real. However, if the teacher keeps talking or
engages in an ineffectual act (e.g., negative recognition, saying sh-sh, asking
for attention, etc.) it sends the public message to the members of the class
(O) that in essence “it is okay to talk when the teacher is talking,” or at
least it is possible. As a result the other members of the class (O) become
much more likely to engage in the same type of inattentive behavior. As this
cycle repeats itself, the expectation in the class is quickly reduced from 100%
attention to just anyone who feels like it. This number varies from class to
class, but it will include those students who attend out of a sense of personal
obligation or previous training. As we examine the mechanics of this situation,
it becomes evident that we will have 100% attention as long as we are absolute
about the expectation and follow through with consequences for a lack of
attention; or we will have less, and over time significantly less, if we are
less than absolute.
Chapter Reflection 12-c: Have you seen the 100% or 50%
principle displayed in a classroom that you have observed?
Another important and often overlooked aspect to the 100%
attention expectation is that hands should be free as well. In some cases, with
certain groups of older or more mature students, this is less significant. But
for most students, most of the time, equipment, supplies, balls, and anything
that is going to be a distraction should be left on the desk or the floor for
the duration of the directions or explanation.
Culture of Listening
A culture of listening begins with the perception by the
students that the teacher is absolute about attention. This perception can only
be supported by the reality that the teacher is absolute. That means the
teacher always expects 100% attention, and when someone is talking, and
there is anything but 100% attention, the teacher must stop and take action. The
action itself does not have to be dramatic or severe, as we will discuss later,
but it does need to be automatic and consistent. The same principle must apply to
any member of the classroom community that is authorized to speak. A culture of
listening goes far beyond telling students to listen to the teacher. It means
showing respect to anyone who is sharing, and expecting 100% attention and
respect when one is speaking oneself. It will take a while for students to
adjust to this climate, if they have been used to environments where there was
little attention to or accountability for listening, but they will come to
appreciate it increasingly over time. As the teacher, you will notice that it
is catching hold when you observe students waiting for others to stop and
listen before speaking, and when you notice that students speak more
purposefully and confidently due to expecting that others are actually
attentive to what they have to say.
A simple yet effective
way to send the message that you require 100% attention is to always wait for
all students to be attentive. And if a student or two is not listening fully,
you might take a simple but active step and stop your directions and wait for
the student. It can be even more powerful to start your directions from the
beginning (e.g., I notice we are not all listening, I will start again.) The use of shame and embarrassment is
tempting, but avoid their use. They are counterproductive. Likewise, do not
refer to students who are not listening (negative recognition, see Chapter 6);
instead, restate the expectation. If one student is demonstrating a habit of
poor attention, that student should privately be given a logical consequence.
The message to the whole class is, “There will never be a time when I or anyone
else is talking and it will be okay not to be listening.” The message to a
student with a habit of poor listening needs to be “Very soon, you will find a
way to be an excellent listener, let’s start now. Tell me what you are going to
do to make sure that you will always be listening and getting the most from
your learning?”
On a technical level, promoting a high level of attention is
critical to our ability to meet our student learning outcomes. While this is of
great value in and of itself, promoting a culture of listening has a deeper value.
It fosters in each student increased levels of respect for the ideas of others.
As the student grows in the ability to attend and come out of their own
ego-centered thought processes, they increasingly awaken to the world around
them and the present to the moment. Survey research (Twenge, 2006; Yazzie-Mintz
et al, 2007) supports what many teachers report anecdotally -- that is
that students today are increasingly bored, apathetic and self-centered. The
starting point for bringing about positive change is helping them learn the
value of learning to be attentive to the world around them, and creating a
culture of listening and respect in the classroom is a vital tool for doing so.
The skill of attentiveness is one of the greatest gifts that we can give them.
The Use of
Attention Cues
To initiate directions, or signal the need for students to
shift their focus from some other state to 100% attention, it is necessary to
use some type of attention cue. The most effective cues are those that are
symbolic rather than literal. For example, if we wanted to gain the attention
of the class, we could say, “Okay class, it is time for you to stop what you
are doing and give me your attention.” This would work, but it is problematic
for a couple of reasons 1) it takes a lot of time to say all those words, and
2) the more words used, the less likely it will be that the message has an
impact. So instead we can accomplish the same goal more effectively, with less
time, by using a cue. For instance, we might simply say “eyes and ears.” We can
use any word, signal or sound that we prefer to signify the rather involved
message that we need our students to be100% attentive. However, over time the
cue comes to represent all that is involved within the expectation
related to what it means to demonstrate quality attention and to take on the
demeanor of a participant within a culture of listening. For younger students,
clapping a rhythm and having the students respond with the same rhythm can be very
effective. In a physical education setting a whistle is a good choice. Some
teachers find that silently raising their hand can act as an effective cue. At
the secondary level, a simple cue word is typically effective. There are many
types of cues that are used to good effect. Find one that works for the needs
of you and your students. Figure 12.1 below outlines some of the common cues in
use today and their pros and cons.
Chapter Reflection 12-d: The effect of a good attention cue is
a lot like the effect of your cell phone ring. Reflect on what happens to you
physiologically when your phone rings. How does it affect your state of mind?
Compare that state of mind to when you hear someone else’s phone ring. What is
the difference? Have you ever heard a ring that is the same as yours from
another phone? How did your response vary, as compared to if that phone had had
a different ring?
An effective attention cue elicits
a response that is as much on the level of the unconscious as it is on the
conscious mind. Therefore it should possess both autonomic and behavioral
qualities.
Autonomic response: There should be a behaviorally
conditioned response to your cue. The student should respond, in large part,
because it is automatic and unconscious, and less because they are making a
situational choice. The power of the conditioning will come from:
a)
the value associated with what comes after the cue
b)
the consistency of the expectation to listen
c)
the consistency of the consequences for failure to
listen
d)
a positive association with performing the behavior
If the teacher expects
100% attention at all times, gives valuable and brief comments after each cue,
has effective consequences when there is not 100% attention, and does not abuse
the use of interrupting students by repeatedly stopping and starting them,
and/or asking for attention for long or unnecessary explanations, the cue will
have power. However, if the teacher is inconsistent in the expectation of
attention--e.g., they talk when other students are talking, they have few
consequences or resort to negativity when all the students are not listening,
or abuse their power to require attention--the cue will have little power. To
test these principles in action you might compare two classes in which there is
a cue used, one in which 100% attention is obtained and one where it is not. What
is the difference?
Behavioral not linguistic: The most effective cues
will be those that exist symbolically (a word, a sound, or a signal), or
behaviorally (an automatic response such as clapping a response or a chanting a
refrain), and not as verbal information. They should not occupy conscious
energy in the students’ minds. They should prepare the students to raise their
levels of attention, focus and awareness. And they should become antecedents to
a shift in mental state (see Five States below).
Chapter Reflection 12-e: What attention cues have you observed
teachers using? Were they effective?
Figure 12.1. Some Common Attention Cues and
their Pros and Cons
|
Type of
Cue |
Grade Level |
Pros and
Cons |
|
Any |
+ Works really well to
develop an autonomic response. – need to carry it with you, or move to where
it is. – relatively artificial. |
Whistle
|
Any (great for PE or other
Specials) |
+ Works really well to
develop an autonomic response. – need to carry it with you, or move to where
it is. – relatively artificial. |
Hand Clapping
(e.g., teacher claps a rhythm whereby students respond in
kind) |
P-4 |
+ Works really well to
develop an autonomic response. + the student response adds the dimension of
recognition and being “tuned in.” + easy to do. – less appropriate for older
students. |
Chanting
(e.g., teacher chants a phrase, such as “1,2,3 eyes on |
P-4 |
+ Works really well to
develop an autonomic response. + active on the part of the student. + easy to
do. – less appropriate for older students. |
|
Turning off and on the lights |
P-6 |
+ Works really well to
develop an autonomic response. – lights are not always readily available. –
relatively artificial. |
Counting Down
(e.g., teacher needs students to attend, so begins to
count down from five to one) |
P-8 |
+ clear signal. + can be
good for transitional changes. – why give students five seconds to do
something they could do immediately if they wanted to, such as stop and
listen? |
Hand Raised
(e.g., teacher raises their hand and waits and/or students
also raise their hands to show they are ready) |
Any |
+ clear signal to anyone
who can see you. + symbolic. + active. + relatively natural interaction. –
may not be visible to all students. |
Cue Word
(e.g., eyes, eyes and ears, listen up) |
Any |
+ Works really well to
develop an autonomic response. + easy to use. – not as interactive as
clapping or chanting for younger students. |
Use time warnings to help students shift their
mental energy from one state to another (e.g., “In two minutes, we will share
what our groups came up with.”)
Five States of Student
Attention:
There are at least five
states of attention that we ask our students to exhibit. Students can only be
in one of them at any particular time. Each has its own mental state
requirements. The use of a cue helps us shift from one state to another.
1. 100% attention. In a fully functional culture of
listening, whenever the teacher is giving explicit directions or another
student is volunteering ideas, all members of the class should be listening
attentively.
2. Casual (optional) attention: Often the teacher or a
student spontaneously makes a comment while the class is engaged in a task, the
comment has value to the whole, but it was not seen by the teacher as worthy of
stopping the class formally.
3. Students are free to talk at a reasonable level about
the learning task.
4. Students are free to talk about anything that is
considered appropriate for a classroom.
5. Students are required to be quiet so that others are
able to work in peace, but are not necessarily required to be attentive.
It is essential that
students know exactly what the expectation is for their state of attention and
what appropriate behavior is for that state. It may be assumed, but you might be
surprised how many students are not sure what level of attention or interaction
is appropriate at any given time. Early in the year, it may be useful to be
very explicit when you change state, and add expectation language to any set of
directions. For example, “[Give directions], and since we are working
independently, I should hear only occasional quiet voices when you are asking
each other questions; other than that it should be pretty quiet.”
Chapter Reflection 12-f: Observe a class where there is a
great deal of anxiety and confusion when students are working independently, or
the teacher is making casual comments. Would you say that the students are
clear as to what the expectation is for the required state of attention?
Observe a class where there is a great deal of ease and focus. Do these student
have a clear sense of the expectation for their state of attention?
Use of cues:
Attention cues only work
if they are used purposefully. Here are some recommendations for employing them
effectively:
·
Use cues to move
from #2, 3, 4 or 5 to #1 only.
·
Never use a cue
to gain attention during state #1. The expectation is that there is 100%
attention already. The use of a cue indicates the change of a state of
attention, so when there is no change in state, the use of a cue is not only
redundant, but weakens the power of the cue and the person facilitating the
action. If there is an expectation for 100% attention and one or more students
are talking, what is called for is a consequence, not another cue. We will
discuss effectively redirecting attention in the next section.
·
Use consequences
to help reinforce cues, such as stopping and waiting, proximity, and personal
consequence implementation for those who demonstrate a habitual problem with
attention. Remember, stopping and waiting or starting over is a consequence if
done calmly, but if you add disappointment, a lecture or any other forms of
negativity, they become punishments. Adding punishment elements shifts the
locus of control away from the students, and creates a negative association
with the act of listening – neither of which we want.
·
The cue will
work to the degree that the teacher project absoluteness. Assume that it will
take time for the cue to become part of the conditioning of the class. It may
require practice, deliberateness and the repeated use of consequences, but
eventually the cue will be a natural part of the class procedure.
Redirecting Attention in State #1
The average teacher spends a great deal of time addressing
students who are not listening when the expectation is that there is 100%
attention. Common sense tells us, that when a student is not listening, or is
talking to another student, we need to point them out and tell them to stop and
listen. This natural inclination is understandable, but will most likely
perpetuate the problem. Likewise, interventions such as saying “Sh-sh” or
“asking” for attention will prove ineffective. The result is usually the
increase in the assumed need, and subsequent increased use of these types of
responses by the teacher to the point that they become unconscious reactions.
We keep asking, but they keep talking.
If we examine the dynamics of the situation, the
ineffectiveness of these types of efforts to redirect attention becomes
apparent. Recall our discussion of how expectations are intentionally developed
in Chapter 6. Expectations develop as a result of clarity and a positive
association. What we are doing when we redirect students who are supposed to be
attentive is essentially reinforcing the expectation. When we use a negative
recognition such as “Lalanna, stop talking and listen,” it has a number of
negative effects: it sends out negative and weak energy to the group (we did
not take any action, we essentially just complained about Lalanna publicly); it
is distracting and wearing to the others; and it does not change behavior.
Likewise, when we say “sh-sh” we are in essence saying “Shut up, I am out of
ideas and am not going to take action, but listen anyway.” When we use these
types of negative recognitions to “put out fires” we feel like we are doing
something, but the evidence in front of us is that the fires keep popping up.
Exploring our efforts within the social/indirect learning dynamic, it is clear
why. We are not taking positive action or promoting the quality of the
expectations.
So how do we effectively deal with cases in which we need to
redirect attention? It may be helpful to begin by taking on the internal
mindset and projecting the external expectation that soon the need for
redirecting attention will become increasingly less necessary: “In this class
we are all respectful listeners.” Next, we need to make an assessment of the
level of legitimate power that we are projecting. Is there a feeling of
inadequacy holding us back from being able to lead? Do we fear the discomfort
of confrontation with some of our students? Finally, we need to take effective
action:
- Use
simple active consequences. Stop and wait for 100% attention. This is
especially important when one student is talking and the others are
expected to be attentive. To support this expectation, ask the student to
wait for the others to be attentive (or start again, if they were
interrupted) and comment to the class, “Hold on Janus, lets wait until
everyone is listening attentively to your answer. Thank you. Try again.”
- Use
clarifying statements. Instead of negative recognitions (“____ is not
listening,” clarify the expectation with statements such as, “We are all
listening attentively right now.” It is also effective to use positive
recognitions such as “We are all (or almost all) doing a great job of
tuning in right now.” But avoid personal praise for students who are on
task. Comments such as “I like the way Jennifer is listening,” sound like
positive recognitions, but they are not. When we use the words “I like the
way,” we shift the locus of control (externally) to us, and what we like
or do not like. The result is a weakening of the expectation as well as
the social contract.
- Use
proximity. Move around the room. Proximity is not a consequence and should
not be used to intimidate students. However, it will help. It is a
reminder and shows that you are “with it.”
- Use
substantive logical consequences. Students who do not get the hint from
clarifying statements, proximity, and actions such as your stopping need
to be held accountable for their choice to violate the social contract. Items
one through three are all essentially hints and favors to students to do
better. They project positive action and absoluteness, but they are
limited. Recall our discussion in the previous two chapters. Students who
violate the contract by showing a lack of respect for others by their
inattention need to accept responsibility for that choice.
Chapter Reflection 12-g: In your estimation, what percentage
of students in the typical classroom (or gym or art room), listen to,
understand, and then carry out the teacher’s directions effectively?
Effectively Giving Directions
Having an effective process for giving directions is
critical. Most teachers hold the belief that there is no way to expect all
students to hear and then follow directions, so they settle for a relatively
ineffective process in which they give directions, repeat them to those who
were not listening, and they go around and discover that several students did
not understand the task correctly. As the starting point for achieving 100%
attention is the believe that it is possible to achieve and maintaining an
absolute commitment to it, the same is true for expectation that directions can
be followed correctly by all students all of the time (with the exception of
students who have substantial processing disabilities). We need to approach
giving directions with the expectation that they happen once, all students make
the effort to understand them, and there is an expectation that they are
followed.
Here is a systemic procedure for giving directions that will
lead to more students on task more of the time, and support our culture of
listening.
Part 1: Always begin with a cue to gain 100% attention.
Part 2: Use a finish word (e.g., Go! Now! Start! etc). After
gaining 100% attention, explain that the students need to listen and be still
until they hear the finish word (e.g.,
“Eyes! When I say “Go”, I need to have ___). The finish word allows the
students to relax and listen and to know that they do not have to move until
they understand fully, and it provides the teacher the assurance that they will
listen and not start moving before you have completed the directions. Until the
finish word, they need to be in processing mode, in the moment, not too far off
in the future just yet.
Part 3: Give the directions. Be clear. Give both the
purpose and the specifics necessary to execute the task. (i.e., keep both the
abstract (what is the point?) and concrete (what do we do?) students’ needs in
mind). Your directions and your cue will be strengthened by your ability to
make your directions concise and imbued with a sense of urgency and positive
expectancy.
Part 4: Call for any questions. This seems like a
formality, but it is a critical step in this process, and it is paramount in
your effort to develop a culture of listening. Students typically do not
ask questions when they have them. You need to send a consistent message
beginning on the first day of class that when you ask for questions, you really
expect them to ask until each and every student understands. This will likely
take time and an adjustment in their thinking. Most students have learned that
it is better to have to ask later than to look stupid in front of the whole
class. You must remove the threat from asking questions and send the message that
all members of the class community need to be patient and respectful of those who
are asking questions. An effective message to send the students is, “I must not
have explained the directions perfectly, help me know what I did not explain
very well.” A clear expectation should develop that everyone wins when the
group as a whole comprehends. It will help to send the message that “It is
likely that if you have a question, others will have that same question, or
will at least benefit from you having asked it.” One of the many practical
strategies to support the process of confirming what we understand and what we
still need to understand is to have students explain the directions to a
neighboring student. As they attempt to explain them, they will better recognize
what is clear and what is still fuzzy.
Part 5: Use random checks to enhance accountability. For
example, after giving the directions, and then asking for and responding to all
questions, we might randomly select one student to check their understanding by
asking a question such as “Okay, Bao, what are the groups supposed to do
first?” In this example, let us assume that Bao’s response reflected good
understanding. At that point we have a reasonable assurance that Bao’s level of
understanding reflects the whole group’s, so we can move on to the finish word
(e.g., “Good! OK, Go!”). If Bao does not know or struggles to explain the piece
of the direction, we simply assume that the process of explaining the
directions is not yet complete. Bao’s lack of understanding gives us the
information that we need to be effective as we try to explain the confusing
parts again, and it sends the class (O in the social learning model) that they
may be the student who is asked in the future (S) and they need to be ready.
These checks should be shame-free and truly random. If the
student (S) whom we ask for an accountability check does not have the
information, we need to avoid the temptation to add negativity (external) to
their sense of irresponsibility (internal). So we can say something to the
effect, “Not quite Bao, I must not have done a very good job of explaining that
part, I will try again.” The power will come from the effect this strategy will
have on each student’s sense of accountability--adding shame will only create
needless fear. A student that cannot answer correctly indicates that they did
not understand the directions fully, yet more importantly it indicates that
they did not ask about the part that they did not understand. A failure of understanding
is not the student’s fault, but the failure to ask is. In a culture of
listening, students learn that it is not about trying to avoid looking dumb
(e.g., a failure orientation), it is about making the effort to get what is
needed to learn (e.g., mastery-orientation).
Part 6: When all questions have been asked, and the
accountability checks have produced evidence that they really do understand, it
is time for the finish word (e.g., Ok, Go!).
The overall direction giving sequence should progress something like the following:
- Eyes””
(wait for 100% attention)
- “When
I say Go!”
- “I
need you . . . “(give complete directions)
- “Are
there any questions?” (answer all questions)
- “So, Bao,
what is the second thing we need to do?” Correct answer, move to #6. Incorrect
answer: restate the directions, and repeat random accountability check.
- “OK,
Go!”
So what about the times
when after doing all of that, as we are circulating, a student says, “I don’t
get it” or “What are we doing again?” Again the message should not be about
your anger, disappointment or shame that the students was not listening, it
should be about accountability. So we should not display anger. However, it is
damaging to our long-term efforts to support self-responsible students and a
culture of listening if we enable the problematic behavior by giving students
the directions later. They had a chance to ask earlier, and they did not take
it. To give them the directions (that is unless they do have a special
difficulty with auditory information) is to send them and the whole class the
message that if you do not listen the first time, the teacher will bail you
out. So instead we might suggest gently that they ask another student (e.g., a
student who was listening).
Expect this process to be effective rather quickly, but it will
take time to change old habits. So it may be a month before you sense that they
trust that you are not going to go back to what they may have been used to
and/or that they have to be truly accountable and attentive. As the expectation
for accountability and quality membership in a listening culture grow, you will
notice that students will begin to increasingly support one another to be
attentive and respectful. They will increasingly take on the role of stewards
of the culture of listening.
Because not all students process directions verbally, the
degree of on-task behavior and the quality of learning will be better if you
have directions and procedures in writing before you begin any activity.
Clarity and accountability will be greatly improved if you post directions
outlining the task at your regular class procedures as well as for learning
centers, computers, group projects, lab stations, and anything else that would
be may be misunderstood. Written words are not a substitute for the process of
creating shared expectations, but they will certainly be an asset to that
effort.
Figure 12.2 – Roots of Negativity: Sequence of Events Related to Why We Feel Either Negativity or a Sense of Resolution
Sequence A.
Problem – inaction –
problem remains - distress – negativity
Sequence B.
Problem – action taken – change – ability to positively recognize behavior
In our efforts to promote more effective behavior in our
students it is useful to examine our internal reactions for clues for what is
working and what we need to change. As you examine the sequence of events in Sequence
A (Figure 12.2), you will notice that it ends in some form of negativity. It
could be disappointment, anger, frustration, or self-doubt, and it could remain
internalized (e.g., feeling distressed and guilty), or might be externalized it
to our students (e.g., shaming, lecturing, punishing, withdrawal of affection).
In nearly all cases, when we find ourselves being negative, we will discover
that we can trace it back to an earlier inaction on our part. As we examine how
best to shape students’ more effective and functional behavior, it is useful to
maintain a mentality of positive-active (e.g. Sequence B) rather than
negative-inactive (Sequence A).
Chapter Reflection 12-h: Recall a situation in which you or a
teacher you observed felt disappointed or frustrated by the behavior of group
of students. Was there a point in time earlier in which you or they could have
had the students practice, redo, or learn to do a better job of the skill that
was lacking?
Transitions,
Routines and Procedures
The keys to smooth
stress-free day-to-day procedures and transitions from one activity to another
are to 1) practice and shape the desired behavior and 2) rely primarily on
positive feedback. The routines, procedures and transitions in your class can
be as efficient and effective as you wish, but it will depend on how
intentional and dedicated you are. Following these guidelines will help you
achieve your goals.
1. Create a routine for each kind of transition. When it
is time to go from one location in the room to another, or to change from one
activity to another, the students assume that it is supposed to happen in a
certain way, in a certain amount of time, with a certain outcome. Most of the
stress for teacher or student comes from differing expectations. If a situation
presents students with the need to make an interpretation for what is expected,
they will make them. Don’t be disappointed by behavior resulting from their
interpretation for what to do, if the expectation was not clear. Instead make
it clear. Create a familiar routine for each regular procedure in the class.
2. Practice your procedures and transitions. The time
that you spend practicing routines and transitions will pay for itself many
times over the course of the year. As much time as needed in the early part of
the term should be spend practicing procedures.
3. Use time to help structure the expectation of the
transition. First, giving students a time warning shortly before the end of the
activity will help them mentally transition and better prepare for an efficient
physical transition. Second, use a time limit to help clarify the expectation
for how long things should take. For example, you might ask the students, “How
long should it take for us to put what we have away and be ready for ________?”
Here you might take suggestions from the class, but choose one that helps
support a reasonable goal. In this example we may determine that one minute is
plenty of time for all students to carefully but purposefully complete the task.
So our direction may sound something like the following, “[Cue], we need to
stop now and move on to doing ______. We should be able to do that in one
minute. Any questions? (process questions) Go!”
4. Mete consequences for when the procedure does not
meet the expectation. The best consequence by far is having the students do the
procedure again. When you redo, repeat or practice what needs to improve, you
are being active and just as importantly are in the position to be positive and
recognize the achievement. Success will come from being active and positive. So
that means there are some major mistakes to avoid:
·
Being
disappointed if the students do not make the transition within the allotted
time. This is passive and hostile.
·
Doing nothing
and ignoring that the class did not meet the goal. It sends the message that
you do not follow through.
·
Telling the
class that they better do it better next time. Remember a lecture is not action
(see Chapter 6), and is not only empty, but is weak.
- Recognize
the class’s accomplishments. Especially early in the year, it is critical
that you show them that you appreciate that they are taking care and
making the effort when lining up, transitioning, cleaning-up, rearrange
things, going from place to place, putting away equipment, or any of your
routine tasks that need to be done on a regular basis. As time goes on you
may want to shift your focus from how well they are meeting your expectations
(2-Style approach) to how valuable it is for them (1-Style approach). For
example, after the students have just transitioned from one activity to
another quickly and efficiently, instead of saying something such as
“Great job, that was our best transition yet,” which defines the 2-Style approach
and would be an excellent phrase at the start of the year, a more 1-Style
phrase might be, “Did you notice how effectively we just transitioned from
A to B? That really shows that you are becoming a self-directed group of
people and it really helps us get more done in a day.” Notice the
difference in the messages? In the first message, it was focused on the
teacher, in the second, it was focused on the students. We will follow up
on this idea in more detail in Chapter 17.
Chapter Reflection 12-i: Recall a situation where you or a
teacher you observed asked students to transition from one activity to another
without any guidelines or expectations. What happened? Did you see any evidence
that the students took the opportunity to meet some of the basic needs that had
gone unmet (e.g., power, love, fun, freedom, etc.)?
An effective technique
for promoting urgency and positivity into one’s transitions is to make them
into a game. This is especially effective with younger students. One graduate
student described how she has her students move from place to place as “fast”
animals, such as “fast turtles.” This infuses the activity with a sense of
creativity, urgency and fun.
For more mature students
we might challenge the group to take ownership of the efficiency of their
transitions, procedures, and routines. We might ask them what they could do to
make the time more effective. It will likely be essential, especially early in
the year, to let the students know what benefits their increased efficiency
will have. This may start as a tangible incentive (e.g., something fun at the
end of the period, with the time saved) but ideally move to more intrinsic
values such as a show of respect for one another and their learning and the joy
of solving a problem collaboratively.
Procedures
To achieve an effective system for our common procedures, it
will be useful to use the same logic that we have discussed above: 1) teach the
procedure, 2) practice it until it is sufficiently demonstrated, 3) use
positive recognitions of any behavior that is close to the desired goal to
shape and guide the effort toward achieving the “complete behavior,” 4)
celebrate successes with genuine positive appreciation when it is done well,
and provide more opportunities for practice if it not done well (always
followed by positive recognitions when they get there). Let’s examine two
examples of procedures that we might commonly face in our classes, at the
elementary level the need for student to line up and travel in a line
efficiently, and at the secondary level a preparation exercise for a lab
activity.
Asking students to line up to go somewhere can be a
continuous headache or a rather enjoyable experience. Figure 12.3 compares case
examples of two very common classes and how lining up is dealt with in each.
Figure
12.3 Contrasting Two Classes Where the Effectiveness of Lining Up Strategies
Leads to Either A Positive or Negative Classroom Climate Condition
|
Negative
Condition |
Positive
Condition |