The Classroom Connection

Our latest edition is bursting with frightfully effective tips and tricks to transform your classroom into a structured, captivating, and productive space this school year. You'll find spooky-good strategies for deep student engagement and smooth classroom management. Get ready to have a spooktacularly successful learning environment!

As we enter October, the air fills with the scent of pumpkin spice, but often the "newness" of the school year wears off, and the reality of classroom management sets in. If you're feeling the need to reset expectations, you're in luck! Cult of Pedagogy's Jennifer Gonzalez interviewed educator Claire English to discuss what to do when your classroom routines go off the rails.

• 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 accountability.
• Explain to students that things have not been working and you are making changes.
• Provide the "why" for the changes.

• Focus on areas that will have the greatest impact.
• Create a clear picture in your mind of what you expect.
• Teach the expectation using words, visuals, or role-play.
• Take time to practice and be sure to reinforce and redirect.
• It can take up to two weeks of consistent practice to build the routine.

• Remember that change takes time.
• Introduce new routines and procedures gradually.
• Discuss with students that you will be teaching and practicing new expectations and procedures during the next few weeks.

When you ask a question to your class, chances are only a small handful of students raise their hands. It is likely they might be the only students truly engaged.

On the other hand, when you task, all students are responsible to think and have the accountability of doing something.

Tasking is having your students do a task to show their answer. It engages everyone. It is not simply asking a whole class question and calling on one student.

As teachers we want to reinforce the behavior we want repeated in the classroom. Edutopia provides a list of ways to impact your classroom using praise.

Join us for a great morning of learning on November 8th! The schedule of sessions are linked below.

The Office of Professional Learning’s Planting Seeds for Successful Classroom Management is a two-day professional learning experience designed to deepen teachers’ understanding of the 7 Keys to Effective Classroom Management. Throughout the session, participants will explore practical strategies to help them establish clear structure and foster a positive, student-centered classroom culture.

Attendance requires campus approval, so please reach out to your admin to register. See the upcoming sessions below:

Elementary

Day 1 - October 30

Day 2 - November 18

Secondary

Day 1 - October 28

Day 2 - November 13

• 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