For me it all starts with the way class begins. If students start the class off-task and unfocused than it will be very difficult to reel them back in and have a successful class period. It is therefore of utmost importance that the do-now/bellwork portion of your class is a priority. The key to getting a class on task quickly, is to give consequences consistently to students who are not beginning class efficiently. I use a disciplinary/attendance binder(explained in my organization blog) and once the tardy bell rings I immediately look around the room to see if anyone is out of their seat. If a student is out of his/her seat then that student is tardy which is documented in my binder(attendance/tardies section) and the student is given a writing assignment(I keep copies of this in my binder) which is documented in the writing assignments section of my binder. I then check the writing assignments section of my binder which lists students who currently owe an assignment and I circle the room collecting these assignments if necessary(this is Very important; if you always collect the assignments students will be more likely to complete them and they become a more effective disciplinary tool). If a student is off task during the do-now, I inform the student that they will be losing their do-now points for the day and I document this in the attendance/tardies section of my binder(I later referance this when entering do-now grades, and I make sure to write on the students paper that they lost points for being off task).
I continue to carry the binder with me all class so I have easy access to most everything I need to run the class the way I want. For example, if a student is off-task or breaking a rule/procedure, I can quickly give the student a writing assignment with minimal disruption to instruction.
Calling home can be helpful for some students if you address the parents with the proper attitude. The "your kid is horrible" speech usually will not work. It's best to try and mention something positive about the student first, and then bring up the issue, and try and get the point across that you have the students' interest at heart.(Ex. "You love having him in class and don't want to have write an office referral for something we can work together on to correct."
General Keys to improving classroom management:
-make sure your students know the rules/procedures of the class(be very explicit)
-make sure your students know that there are consequences for not following the rules/procedures
-make sure that these consequences are enforced consistently
Always:
-Be consistent
-Be decisive
-Do exactly what you say
Never:
-tolerate disrespect
Organization is everything as a school teacher, especially in a critical needs school. Last year my organization was not up to par and it made my job much more difficult. Some of my biggest problems last year were having efficient ways to: 1)take attendance 2)Keep track of tardies 3)Keep track of students who owed writing assignments(classroom management) 4)Get students on task on their due nows quickly 5)have an efficient way for students to make up work 6)Have an efficient way of grading/returning student work
This year the key to my organization consists of a binder with 5 different sections(seating chart, attendance/tardies, referrals, writing assignments, and miscellaneous). I carry this binder in my hand all class period as it contains most everything I need to run my class the way I want, and I can always have these materials at my immediate disposal.
The seating chart section allows me to take attendance in a matter of seconds so class can begin expeditiously. As soon as the bell rings I look around the room and if anyone is up, they are tardy and receive a writing assignment. I can quickly mark their tardy in the attendance section of my binder and mark their writing assignment down in my writing assignments section. If anyone is off task during the do-now I inform them that they are losing points and can document this in the attendance section of my binder(I can later referance this when entering do-now grades). While students work on the do-now, I glance over the writing assignments section of the binder(which lists students who owe me a writing assignment) and I go around the room collecting the assignments if necessary(this is VERY important, never ever forget to do this; it will ensure that most of your students will actually do the assignment and will give the assignments some disciplinary power). I continue to carry my binder with me throughout the class so if a student is off task or breaking a rule/procedure, a writing assignment can be given quickly without a disruption in instruction.
With regards to make-up work, I have a make-up work binder that is updated daily. I use a template worksheet that includes a notes section and assignment section. At the end of the day I copy the notes from my powerpoint onto the template, and list any assignments they need to complete. I then print out a few copies of the worksheet and place them in my make-up binder. With regards to grading/returning student work, I have a folder for every class period where I keep graded and ungraded assignments. This allows me return work and enter grades quickly and efficiently.
These are a few suggestions on what have worked for me. Hope all is well.
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