Module 19: Acknowledging Students' Lack of Adherence to Classroom Rules & Procedures (pgs. 235-247)
Please discuss your thoughts on the recommendations for Classroom Practice:
- Being "with it"
- Using direct-cost consequences
- Using group contingency
- Using home contingency
Question 7-Module 19
ReplyDeleteI really dislike when I have to have assistance with a student that doesn't adhere to rules and procedures. I do everything I can before asking for assistance. It sends the message to the student that I am not in charge. I feel it is a failure on my part to ask for assistance.
The strategies in Figure 19.1 are good ones to review. I especially try to use part of strategy 8...be calm. The concept of interdependent group contingency seems to extinguish most negative behaviors. Of course, there can always be the student that has severe issues and not many strategies are effective. These are students that I must try harder to develop a positive relationship with. Being consistent with positive and negative rewards is vital. I have had many failures, but I will continue to try as hard as I can.
My absolute last step is to bring in assistance or send a student out for assistance and I try to only do this if it is one of the automatic behaviors that require a referral. I use the "with-it" strategy in my room and students know with one look to get back on task. I've also just tapped their desk to redirect their attention/actions to the lesson without having to disrupt the class as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI do have a time out area in my room and when I send students to it, they have to fill out a "Think Sheet" about their behavior before they can return to the class. I also have some students who know when they are reaching their point and remove themselves to that stop for a cool down. I allow them to do this freely without the "Think Sheet" because they were responsible in responsible with their own behavior. When they are better under control they move themselves back to the group. I do everything in my bag of tricks to keep them in my room with my consequences. I feel that that is really the only way to have consistency with my rules and procedures. My goal is to keep them in the room as much as possible.
I was a teacher similar to you two. I did not like to send my students to the office. I felt that I was giving away my power. Now that I am on the other side of the problem, I see how sending some may have not given up my power but shared my power. The students may have seen that we were working together.
ReplyDeleteI am not big on group contingency. I don't believe in punishing the group if it was just a few that needed to have a consequence. For example, have the whole class stand by the wall at recess because a few wouldn't be quiet in line. Instead have those who had trouble practice walking quietly in the hall. However, as I read this I was thinking our Tardy and Absent program is exactly this. We punish the whole class when one is late, gone all day or leaves early. We do reward the whole class when we work together and all come to school on time and stay all day.
I agree with Valerie on Figure 19.1, Strategies to Communicate Withitness has some great ideas.