Chapter 7

1
Chapter 7 Getting off to a good start

• What do we know about how effective classroom
  management is first established?

2
What the research says

• All research points to the beginning of the
  school year as the linchpin for effective
  classroom management.
• Most effective teachers not only planned for
  classroom management before actually beginning
  the school year, but they also spent more time
  ensuring that management activities were
• Understood by all students
• Generally accepted by students
• Practiced until they became routine

3
Action Step 1

• Arrange and decorate your room in a manner that
  supports effective classroom management

4
Quote

• Remember that the classroom is the learning
  environment for you and your students Your
  students will be participating in a variety of
  activities and using different areas of the room,
  and they will need to enter and leave the room
  rapidly when classes change. You will get better
  results if you arrange your room to permit
  orderly movement, few distractions, and efficient
  use of available space.

5
Classroom arrangement suggestions

• You can easily see all students.
• Students can easily see all presentations and
  demonstrations.
• Frequently used materials are easily accessible.
• Pathways facilitate traffic flow.
• It is easy to organize students into pairs,
  triads, and small groups.
• The room does not provide or highlight
  unnecessary distractions.

6
Things to think about

• Elementary

• Secondary

• Whole group instruction (desk, presentation
  equipment)
• Cooperative learning possibilities
• Small group meeting place
• Learning centers

• Whole class instruction (desk, presentation
  equipment)
• Desk arrangement (closeness, cooperative
  learning)
• Small group meeting place
• Labs and work stations

7
Decoration considerations

• elementary

• secondary

• Calendar
• School announcements and information
• Expectations for assignments
• Daily agenda and schedule
• Posters and information on current topics
• Rules and procedures
• A place to display student work

• School announcements and information
• Daily agenda and schedule
• Posters and information on current topics
• A place to display student work

8
Action Step 2

• Begin with a strong first day of class

9
Critical things to do on the first day of class

• elementary

• secondary

• Name tags
• Greet them!
• Seating chart
• Dont allow students to wander around and become
  confused
• Tell students something about yourself and do a
  brief get-acquainted activity.
• Present and discuss classroom rules and procedures

• Stand at door and greet
• Begin with administrative tasks
• Tell students your name and something about
  yourself
• Do a brief get-acquainted activity
• Do brief activity that conveys content and
  activities
• Course outline and expectations
• Written copy of rules and procedures
• End class with end-of-class procedure

10
Other ideas

• Send a letter home to parents before school
  begins.
• Send a letter home to students before school
  begins.
• Number one concern Am I in the right room?
• Post information next to door Your name, room
  number, grade level or subject, a greeting

11
Seating chart and first assignment

• Help students find their assigned seats
• Have names on place cards
• Have names on seating chart projected on screen
• Give them an index card (B5, A8) and ask them to
  find their seats based on projected chart
• Have a first assignment on board or projector.
  Tell them to start to work on it immediately.
  Should be short, easy to complete, and successful
  for all students.

12
Action Step 3

• Emphasize classroom management for the first few
  days

13
Ways to emphasize classroom management

• Introduce new students
• Review and provide rationales for rules and
  procedures
• Practice classroom routines. Be explicit.
• Go over grading procedures.
• Get to know everyones names and something about
  them.
• Begin communicating with parents.