The Classroom Connection

Kick off the New Year with tips to create a strong classroom management plan! This newsletter is full of strategies to help you reset your classroom with clear expectations and ideas to keep your students on track and learning.

Mid-year is a great time for a classroom reset, but a reset can happen at anytime during the school year.

• Analyze what worked well.
• Identify times of the day that are the most chaotic.
• When have students learned the most?
• When have students learned the least?
• Identify areas needing improvement.
• Set new goals for the rest of the year.

The goal is to create a plan that focuses on action, not just words.

• Create 3 to 5 overarching rules that encompass all the expectations you have in your classroom.
• Identify procedures that establish order and focus.
• Develop a list of ways you will motivate and encourage positive behavior.
• Choose logical consequences that work for your classroom and campus.
• Plan for what you will say and do when students display an undesired behavior.

Do something tangible that creates the newness of the "first day of school". Some ideas include rearranging the classroom seating, moving supply areas, starting class differently, or lining up students at the door.

Focus on areas that will have the greatest impact.

Focus on accountability. Explain to students that things have not been working and you are making changes.

Discuss with students that you will be teaching and practicing new expectations and procedures during the next few weeks.

What is a silent start? After transitioning from direct instruction to students working, have students start their task in silence. Silent start can last as little as two minutes or as long as five minutes.

Join us for a day of dynamic learning at our Spring Professional Learning Saturday on April 12th. The day will be filled with sessions covering a variety of topics, including clasroom management, student motivation, and engagement. Teachers may earn up to 6 hours of Teacher Choice for attending. The lineup of sessions will be released soon!

• Partner with teachers to develop student-centered goals
• Support teachers in assessing and refining classroom management plans
• Provide tools and strategies to increase student engagement
• Assist teachers with implementing high yield teaching strategies