Strengthening Positive Classroom Management in Elementary Schools

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Strengthening Positive Classroom Management in
Elementary Schools

• Judy Arthur, First Steps to Success Coordinator,
  Tigard Tualatin School District
• Sally Helton, EBIS Coordinator, Tigard Tualatin
  School District

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Goals

• Examine methods for surveying teachers and
  administrators to determine areas where
  professional development is needed
• Show how one district analyzed survey data
  district-wide in order to focus on supporting
  areas that were rated as most in need of support
• Demonstrate a cost effective method for providing
  professional development on classroom management
  throughout a district

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TTSD Demographics

• 10 Elementary Schools, 3 Middle Schools, 2 High
  Schools, 1 Alternative School (12,400 students)
• Elementary student population ranges from 487 to
  656
• 22 Hispanic (Ranges from 4 to 42)
• 35 Free and Reduced Lunch (Ranges from 11 to
  61)
• PBIS in place since 1996
• Counselor at each elementary school, no associate
  principals
• 2 district level behavior coaches.

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Annual PBIS Surveys completed in TTSD

• School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET)
• Outside evaluators interview students and staff
  regarding PBIS systems and practices
• Benchmarks of Quality
• PBIS Teams self-evaluate their own PBIS systems
  and practices
• Self-Assessment Survey
• On-line survey taken by all staff,

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PBS Self Assessment Survey

• Purpose of the Survey 
• Completed on-line by entire staff in 20 to 30
  minutes
• Provides an annual assessment of effective
  behavior support systems in the school.
• Evaluates the status and need for improvement of
  four behavior support systems
• (a) school-wide discipline systems,
• (b) non-classroom management systems (e.g.,
  cafeteria, hallway, playground),
• (c) classroom management systems, and
• (d) systems for individual students engaging in
  chronic problem behaviors.

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Self-Assessment Survey, Continued

• Survey results are summarized and used for a
  variety of purposes including
• annual action planning,
• internal decision making,
• assessment of change over time,
• awareness building of staff, and
• team validation.
• In TTSD, the survey summary is used to develop an
  action plan for implementing and sustaining
  effective behavioral support systems throughout
  the school

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Classroom Systems Survey Questions

• Classroom settings are defined as instructional
  settings in which teacher(s) supervise teach
  groups of students.
• 1. Expected student behavior routines in
  classrooms are stated positively defined
  clearly.
• 2. Problem behaviors are defined clearly.
• 3. Expected student behavior routines in
  classrooms are taught directly.
• 4. Expected student behaviors are acknowledged
  regularly (positively reinforced) (gt4 positives
  to 1 negative).
• 5. Problem behaviors receive consistent
  consequences.

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Classroom Systems Survey Questions, Continued

• 6. Procedures for expected problem behaviors
  are consistent with school-wide procedures.
• 7. Classroom-based options exist to allow
  classroom instruction to continue when problem
  behavior occurs.
• 8. Instruction curriculum materials are matched
  to student ability (math, reading, language).
• 9. Students experience high rates of academic
  success (gt 75 correct).
• 10.Teachers have regular opportunities for access
  to assistance recommendations (observation,
  instruction, coaching).
• 11. Transitions between instructional
  non-instructional activities are efficient
  orderly.

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(No Transcript)
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Spring 2009 Self Assessment Survey
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Areas of Concern

• 5. Problem behaviors receive consistent
  consequences.
• 7. Classroom-based options exist to allow
  classroom instruction to continue when problem
  behavior occurs.
• 9. Students experience high rates of academic
  success (gt 75 correct).
• 10.Teachers have regular opportunities for access
  to assistance recommendations (observation,
  instruction, coaching).
• 11. Transitions between instructional
  non-instructional activities are efficient
  orderly.

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School PBIS Teams created actions to address
these areas

• 5. Problem behaviors receive consistent
  consequences.
• 7. Classroom-based options exist to allow
  classroom instruction to continue when problem
  behavior occurs.
• 9. Students experience high rates of academic
  success (gt 75 correct).
• 11. Transitions between instructional
  non-instructional activities are efficient
  orderly.

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But, where are the resources for this?

• 10.Teachers have regular opportunities for access
  to assistance recommendations (observation,
  instruction, coaching).
• And Why is classroom management important?

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Outcomes of Poor Classroom Management

• More disruption of learning
• More Office Discipline Referrals
• More time spent dealing with inappropriate
  behavior
• Lower test scores
• Less time for instruction

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Academic Learning Time? Typical School
How can Good Classroom Management help with

• 1170 Hours in a typical school year (6.5
  hours x 180 days)
• - 65 Absenteeism (1 day/month x 10 months)
• 1105 Attendance Time (Time in School)
• - 270 Non-instructional time (1.5 hrs./day
  for recess, lunch, etc.)
• 835 Allocated Time (Time scheduled for
  teaching)
• - 209 (25 of allocated time for
  administration, transition, discipline-15
  minutes/hour)
• 626 Instructional time (time actually
  teaching)
• - 157 Time off task (Engaged 75 of time)
• 469 Engaged Time (On task)
• - 94 Unsuccessful Engaged Time (Success
  Rate 80)
• 375 Academic Learning Time

Efficiency Rating 32
Education Resources Inc., 2005
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Academic Learning Time Effective School

• 1170 School Year (6.5 hours x 180 days)
• - 65 Absenteeism (1 day/month x 10 months)
• 1105 Attendance Time (Time in School)
• - 270 Non-instructional time (1.5 hrs./day
  for recess, lunch, etc)
• 835 Allocated Time (Time scheduled for
  teaching)
• - 125 (15 of allocated time for
  administration, transition, discipline-9
  minutes/hour)
• 710 Instructional time (actually hours
  teaching 710 vs. 626)
• - 71 Time off task (Engaged 90 of time)
• 639 Engaged Time (639 vs. 469 On task)
• - 64 Unsuccessful Engaged Time (Success
  Rate 90)
• 575 Academic Learning Time

Efficiency Rating 49
Education Resources Inc., 2005
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The Difference Typical vs. Effective Schools

• Unallocated Non-Instructional Time
• 75 vs. 85 84 more hours
• Difference in 15 minutes vs. 9 minutes/hour
• Employing PBS strategies in your school Teaching
  expectations, teaching transitions and routines,
  managing appropriate and inappropriate behavior
  efficiently
• Engagement Rate
• 75 vs. 90 86 more hours
• Management of groups, positive acknowledgement
  systems, group contingencies
• Success Rate (Rate and Level!)
• 80 vs. 90 30 more hours
• Appropriate placement, leveled instruction,
  effective teaching
• So what?
• 200 hours more academic learning time (575 vs.
  375)
• Equivalent of over 43 more days in school!!

Education Resources Inc., 2005
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Effective Behavior Management Practices

• Define and teach 3-5 behavioral expectations
  (rules)
• Establish Routines (Build a Predictable
  Environment)
• Engage in Active Supervision (Move, Scan,
  Interact)
• Design a Functional Physical Layout for the
  Classroom
• Maximize Academic Engaged Time
• Promote Academic Success by Matching Curriculum
  to Student Skills
• Establish an Effective Hierarchy of Consequences
  for Problem Behavior
• Vary Modes of Instruction
• Have a System for Teachers to Request Assistance
• Establish a positive environment (5 praises for
  every correction)
• from Sugai, Colvin, Horner Lewis-Palmer

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District Provided Support

• Annemeike Golly presented 2 hour training on
  Classroom Management for all elementary teachers.
• Three Half-day trainings provided for classified
  and certified staff
• Training provided for music, PE, and
  library/media teachers

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But More Support is Needed!
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Achieving Training Outcomes Joyce Showers
(2002)
OUTCOMES OUTCOMES OUTCOMES
Knowledge (thorough) Skill Demonstration Use in the classroom/ school
Theory Discussion
Demonstration/ modeling
Practice Feedback in Training
Coaching (ongoing follow-up support)
0
0
5
95
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Coaching Defined

• Coaching is the active and iterative delivery of
• (a) prompts that increase successful behavior,
  and
• (b) corrections that decrease unsuccessful
  behavior.

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Goals of Coaching

• Fluency with trained skills
• Adaptation of trained concepts/skills to local
  contexts and challenges
• And new challenges that arise
• Rapid redirection from miss-applications
• Increased fidelity of overall implementation

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The Plan Part 1

• Identify Master Teachers
• Principals/Counselor nomination
• Invitation to Master Teachers to participate
• Schedule the filming
• Film Master Teachers
• Create Video training DVDs
• Create Feedback tool

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You have been nominated by your administrator!

• Were looking for
• Strategies for continuing classroom instruction,
  even when problem behavior occurs.
• Positive environment is maintained (5 positive
  comments to every correction, first comment
  positive, etc.).
• Classroom expectations and routines are taught
  and re-taught.
• Academic engagement is maximized (student have
  opportunities to respond -0.5/min).
• Self-management routines are established
  (students know what to do when they enter in the
  morning or what to do when they finish work).
• Varied modes of instruction are used.

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The Plan Part 2

• Identify schools with the most need (pilot
  schools)
• Determine with principal best approach to
  sharing training
• Options total staff training, team level or
  individual teacher
• Targeted group Completes Pre-Assessment using
  Horner et. al. Classroom Management Self
  Assessment Tool

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Self-Assessment Tool
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The Plan Part 3

• Targeted group views the video and uses the
  feedback tool to identify the classroom
  management strategies they observed the Master
  Teacher using.
• Individual teachers target one area to focus on
  in their classroom for the coming week.
• We recommend that targeted teachers video
  themselves and use the feedback tool to identify
  their strengths and areas for development. Upon
  request, a coach will review the teachers video
  and feedback tool with the teacher and provide
  additional support.
• A month after viewing the initial training
  video, targeted teachers will complete the post
  assessment using the Horner Self-Assessment Tool.

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Feedback Tool
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Our Next Step

• Piloting of staff development using video
  vingnettes of master teachers will begin in April
  at Byrom Elementary
• Chosen because self-assessment survey results
  were low and principal was very supportive and
  interested in offering this support to his staff.
• Pilot Approach Chosen by Principal Offer
  training to all staff, but personally ask the
  most respected staff as well as teachers on
  probation to participate

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Sample Training Video
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Questions?

• Contact us
• Judy Arthur jarthur_at_ttsd.k12.or.us
• Sally Helton shelton_at_ttsd.k12.or.us