Imagine a teacher just a few days into the school year, when BAM! Trouble.
Kids blurt out constantly. They don’t stay in their seats. No one follows directions. This once enthusiastic educator walks into work feeling more discouraged and unsupported every day. Her students’ engagement and motivation take a nose dive.
Sound familiar?
Classroom management problems can be more than a headache. For tens of thousands of teachers, these everyday frustrations erode the desire to teach. Disruptive behavior from just a few students can negatively affect learning for an entire class.
Today Dr. Alexis Filippini shares her expertise on how to turn around everyday classroom challenges. She shares research-based approaches that support effective teaching, boost student achievement, and create a positive school climate.
Dr. Filippini distills decades of research into easily actionable strategies. Her recommendations are effective in the classroom, small group, or one-on-one setting. She shares the art and science of how to create a calm, organized learning environment.
Listen to this episode, subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher, or stream the episode below:
You can right-click here to download an mp3 of the show.
In This Episode, Dr. Filippini and I Discuss:
- How Positive Behavioral Support helps teachers refine a proactive, preventative approach to behavior management.
- How common behavior challenges become opportunities for teaching self-regulation.
- How to reduce referrals and suspensions for all children.
- How to set class expectations that lead to behavioral success.
- How to reframe behavior as a method of communication.
- How the Responsive Classroom model can be used hand-in-hand with Positive Behavioral Support.
- How to find research-based resources.
- How to take advantage of your classroom space to promote positive behaviors.
- How experienced teachers can take their classroom management skills to the next level to promote student autonomy, engagement, and purpose.
- How this aphorism might be true: “The best classroom management plan is a good lesson plan.”
Free Materials from Dr. Filippini:
- The Behavior Reset Template – A straightforward, 4-step plan for rebuilding classroom community. Available for download right here, so you can end the school year strong.
- Classroom Management Checklist – Visit Dr. Filippini’s website to download this practical resource. Use the checklist to tap into the research and tools to help you be more effective. Reaffirm what you’re already doing well and uncover some new ideas to tune-up your teaching.
Links and Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:
- Responsive Classroom Blog – A fabulous resource for teachers who are interested in implementing the Responsive Classroom approach. You can access newsletters, blog posts, videos, and book recommendations from Responsive Classroom.
- Responsive Classroom YouTube Channel – A treasure trove of teaching tips you can watch!
- Rules In School – by Kathryn Brady. A great resource for implementing Responsive Classroom strategies.
- IRIS Center at Vanderbuilt University – a national center dedicated to improving education outcomes for all children. IRIS provides learning modules for teachers including Classroom Management (Part 1): Learning the Components of a Classroom Management Plan.
- Classroom Management Based on Respect: Get What You Give – Dr. Filippini’s upcoming webinar. (Part I: Wednesday, February 11, 3:30 – 4:15 pm PST / Part II: Thursday, March 19, 4:30 – 5:15 pm PST)
- Mindset – by Carol Dweck. Have you heard about growth mindset versus fixed mindset? This is the book that describes Dweck’s seminal research. It’s a powerful way to think about how we teach our students and how we can become better teachers.
- Also, we thought you’d like to know some of Alexis’ favorite reads:
- Teasing, Tattling, Defiance, and More – by Margaret Berry Wilson.
- Managing Classroom Behaviors – by James M. Kauffman, Patricia L. Pullen, Mark P. Mostert, Stanley C. Trent.
- Getting Classroom Management Right – by Carol Miller Lieber. This is Alexis’ go-to resource for middle and high school teachers.
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Want to See How Your Behavior Management Skills Stack Up?
Where are you rocking in your classroom management? Where can you continue to refine your craft? For Exceptional Educator listeners, Dr. Filippini is sharing her simple Classroom Management Checklist.
Do you know a teacher or parent who’d benefit from Dr. Filippini’s practical, effective strategies? Please share the podcast with a friend.
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Algozzine, B. et al. (2012). Effects of multi-tier academic and behavior instruction on difficult-to-teach students. Exceptional Children, 79, 45-64.
Brady, K., Forton, M., Porter, D. (2011). Rules in School: Teaching Discipline in the Responsive Classroom. Northeast Foundation for Children.
Recently, one of my boisterous students started shouting during a game. I realized that I hadn’t reset expectations about noise.
Together, we reviewed our five positive expectations. One of those expectations is to use a quiet voice in the office. Then we practiced using our quiet voices. The next week, as we were playing ball toss, he says to me, “Anne-Marie, we’re doing such a good job with our volume!”
We both had big grins on our faces! He’s a student who’s still developing his self-monitoring skills, so I was delighted that he was regulating his (and his ed therapist’s!) behavior.
Can you think of a time when you encountered a tricky situation? How’d you handle it?
This was awesome. Reaffirmed my own thinking on the subject and connected the dots. Thanks!
Diana, thank you so much for commenting! I’m glad you found Dr. Filippini’s talk useful.