Classroom Management

Grade 1 and 2 students are always a bit wiggly and chatty - that is to be expected.  However, if you can barely get through a lesson without interruption (or some other drama taking place on the other side of the carpet that took students' focus away from the conversation) then it's time to reach out for some help. 

When I had this sort of year, my approach was to try every behaviour management system I'd ever used, plus a few new ones I found this year, layering one of top of another. 

1. I started using Whole Brain Teaching. This program has a great set of rules and techniques that I found easy to apply, so long as I added each one gradually. 

2. I also used the Mind Up program, which is based in neuroscience and that teaches mindfulness awareness skills. Our school staff was trained with this program, and it's very useful for teaching self-regulation, optimism, empathy and self-awareness. However it was not enough on it's own to improve management.

3. I also tried a program called "How Does Your Engine Run", which helps students become more aware of their own emotional state by drawing attention to how their body was feeling. For example, when they are excited, their engine is running too high for the situation. It also uses common language, so you can discuss "turning their engines down" by taking some deep breaths and playing soft music before a lesson. More self-regulation, which is what they needed desperately.

4. More noticeable improvement came when I started implementing the Second Step program in conjunction with the other programs. This program contains large picture cards depicting situations that occur often at school. On the back of each card is a teacher's script, guiding students through a discussion about what's going on and how they can relate. 

The topics were just what I needed: 
*impulse control
*conflict resolution
*anger management
*assertiveness
*self-talk 

Topics of discussion were, for example: 

*how to react appropriately to typical conflicts with peers
*how to handle waiting for your turn
*how to count down from five when you are angry 


5. Because most lessons were interrupted by peer conflict, I felt it necessary to spend time on creating a more empathetic environment. Many times each day we would discuss aspects of inclusion and empathy; I collected many different books that explored these same themes, such as Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed and Have You Filled A Bucket Today? Spending time with these books each day reinforced the importance of these topics, as did the extension projects and class discussions. 

6. To work on their ability to focus on their work, I created routine work times during which all students were required to sit quietly, focus and not get up for a few minutes. I know this seems like a normal thing to do in class, but it was a massive challenge some students. I had a silent visual timer on the wall (a red section slowly shrinks as time runs down), and just for two minutes they had to focus on their work without distraction. They'd use self-talk to stay focused, and we created personal offices to help prevent distraction.  

When they were successful in focusing attention for that few minutes, we went outside for 10 minutes to play. I realized how much benefit there was to taking those small "brain breaks" with fresh air and movement.

Going outside for short periods was a meaningful incentive for them, and as they all became successful, I gradually lengthened the quiet work time. After much practice and praise for "being good concentrators" and how great it was "that their brains were growing every time they focused"...soon every one of them could sit through a seated activity and get it done. 

Even those of us who have twenty years of experience will have to continuously adapt to new situations, constantly search for new resources, and most of all share our discoveries! 

The more we share, the less we will be tying ourselves in knots over management stress!

Do you use any of the programs I've mentioned, or do you have others that have worked well in your class? I'd love to hear about them.