Be A Classroom Management Rock-star In High School
Do you ever find yourself asking these questions about your students…What can I do so that students will think class time is so valuable they choose to attend each day? How can I get my students to turn in their work on time and completed? How can I make assignments meaningful enough to motivate students to work hard on them? It’s all about your Classroom Management.
Yes…Classroom Management
Let’s start here first…Is teaching your desire? Desire is something you love to do with an expected result and when you see that result you are fulfilled. Because teaching is my desire, I cannot move on until I know that a student has learned (If you want to learn more about Passion/Desire, Click Here)
And that used to be a problem. You see, I teach writing to college-bound seniors in high school. For some reason, these silly teens thought they could just not turn things in. Or, that they could turn assignments in half done just so they could get a passing grade. And the one that drives me most crazy, that students answer questions the quickest way possible just to turn it in for any grade.
The struggle was real! I couldn’t figure out if they actually didn’t know how to do the work and needed help, or if they were just lazy and didn’t really care. Those methods just weren’t going to work with my style of teaching.
The answer? Stronger Classroom Management Strategies
Since I had (have) to see solid results before moving on, I quickly realized that some changes needed to be made. I had to completely re-work my classroom management. Yes, I needed to help my students. I needed to know that after I taught a concept, they got it. I needed to know exactly where they were in their knowledge as far as their writing went.
BUT, before I could actually help them with their writing, I needed to get them to raise the bar and work their hardest so that I could identify their areas of need.
What could I do with my classroom management so that students would think class time was so valuable they would show up every day? How could I get these kids to re-learn a pattern of turning in poor quality work to just get a grade? Or, turning in work so late that the learning opportunity has passed? How could I make assignments meaningful enough to motivate students to work hard on all of them?
Conquering this would mean that I would have to change my students mindsets and learned behaviors. And, that was a tough one.
I had some serious work to do and I have worked on this classroom management system for the last 12 years. Some ways are different than the way that we are taught to handle kids these days. Some would say I’m harsh at times. But, I’ve had proven success. For instance, just recently, of 119 students, 115 turned in a 7-page paper on time and met the requirements for acceptance. Those of you who also teach amazing teens know those are solid numbers!
I’ve also had many students come back to me and say Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for pushing me, for showing me how to write, for making me a better person, for keeping it real and for preparing me for college and life.
The Most Important Tips to Successful Classroom Management
Setting up the foundation is crucial and there is some groundwork to do before your students will want to do their best work and to perform for you. Whatever system you come up with, it is so important to start from Day 1. You have to establish what is going to happen in your room from the moment they walk in the door.
No matter how strong the house…If you don’t first build it on a solid foundation, you can’t expect a house that will stay up. So, today let’s talk about that foundation.
Prep Work Before You Meet Students
Before your new students even walk in your door, you need to have some things set up.
You also want your room to feel homey and like it is their room too…they will respect the space more.
Keepin’ it Real with Mama Blevs
I keep things very real in my classroom from day one. Part of being given the name Mama Blevs by my students comes from me being very honest with my students. I’m that honest mom – that mom who would rather show/tell my kids the way the world works now and not have them learn the hard way…there will be enough of that for them already.
And, to be good at it, you can keep it real while adding humor. When it’s delivered in a humorous way, it’s received in a humorous way. For example, I have an area of some really funny eecards about grammar and language up in my room (they are up from day one).
Some people might say these are harsh, but here is the thought process I watch them go through…The student looks at them, has that aha moment of omg that’s wrong? Then oooooh I say that, and then the realization that a lot of other people must say it too if it’s a card, then lol that’s funny and really doesn’t make sense and now I know.
In like a Lion…
Students need to know that you mean business from the moment they walk in the door.
Another aspect of successful classroom management is that from day one, your students have to know that you have high expectations for them.
On days one and two of implementing your classroom management, focus on expectations of what you expect from them and what they can expect from you and the class that you teach.
Students need to have goals and high expectations for themselves.
If you’d like Goal Setting Worksheets specifically for secondary students they will love, Goal Setting Lesson you can purchase them using the link below. You can also purchase both at a discount. These lessons/worksheets are ready to go, no prep needed on your end. Students love these.
Show each student that you care
Students need to buy what you are selling
Reaping the Rewards
Teaching is so much easier and more pleasant if, as part of your classroom management, you take the time at the beginning of the year to establish norms and let students know your expectations for them.
When you hold them to higher standards you are telling them, I believe you are smart enough to do this.
It only takes a few weeks for kids to get it. You will rarely have issues after this period of students getting used to life in your class. Your students will come ready to go. They will care. Your students will respect each other. They will feel safe in your room. There are no surprises and they take ownership of themselves and your room.
So, you have taken the most important step in laying the foundation of your home – setting up and implementing your classroom management. Now it’s time to start framing, setting up the framework, establishing the boundaries around your room and keeping that momentum going all year. For that, you can read the next blog in the series on classroom management by clicking below or by Clicking Here
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