#wischat Archive
#wischat is a great way for Wisconsin educators to share teaching strategies, educational resources, and more.
Sunday September 25, 2016
8:00 PM EDT
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Welcome to the latest edition of . Tonight's topic is focused on Classroom Management and Behavioral Support
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We will be following a Q1, Q2 ... A1, A2 format. Remember to include in all of your tweets.
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Please begin by introducing yourself and let us know where you are joining us from tonight.
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Hello I'm Steven, a Middle School Assistant Principal from Missouri!
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John Gunnell, middle school Principal from Baraboo, Wisconsin. Looking forward to tonight.
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- Thanks for joining us tonight on
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Brian from Jack Young MS, Baraboo, WI.
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- Thanks for joining us tonight on
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- Hi Brian. Thanks for joining us tonight on
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Thanks John, excited to be here and connect with awesome educators in
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Q1: What are some of the biggest classroom management challenges impacting educators today?
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Hi Rita from St. Croix Falls, WI here! Looking forward to the chat
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A1: Managing the extreme differences in levels is challenging. Finding the time to differentiate well.
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A1: In many ways the challenges we have today are the same as they ever were, but the scope is much wider and far more diverse.
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A1:I think the challenges haven't changed, just more things/requirements/mandates on Ts today than compared to the past
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- hi Rita. Thanks for being a part of tonight.
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A1: We are dealing with more and more split family situations, increased amounts of poverty and significant mental health issues.
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A1: There is a growing # of students w/AODA issues. More cutters. More students who start out far behind their peers from day one.
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A1: I have been in my district for 20+ years and the demographics have shifted considerably over time.
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A1: Getting all SS working towards a common goal. Hard in todays society. SS need more face to face time with each other.
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A1: Schools are being asked to provide more and more services to families with fewer and fewer resources. Perfect storm scenario.
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https://t.co/UzsxLaJAa5
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A1: I saw this when I was at the JH level. Now at the ES (6 yrs) the problems w/ starting far behind are HUGE.
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A1: SS need more support with social skills and how to interact with each other & on handling differences.
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Q2: How can we best support students who are struggling with classroom behavior?
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This resonates w/ me. Lots of online forms, documentation, goal-setting that aren't real or at least are forced.
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A2: We need to get to the root cause of the behavior,if there is 1 cause then we can help them.
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A2: 1. Give them challenges in their ZPD U focus on success. 2. Build relationships w/ sts & families. 3. Be proactive.
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Exactly, more and more are put on our plate, have to be able to prioritize
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A2: Know your kids. Create a culture that results in systems of support. Build relationships with kids and families.
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Meredith joining a tad late. I would like to read your thoughts about student behavior. From SW Florida - Intervention Specialist
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AMEN! I LOVE Albert's Cooperative Discipline, focus on mtg std need behind the behavior & proactively meet the need
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A2: late in for me- relationships, relationships, relationships.
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A2: It's important to frame the right conversations. When you put kids first, it will at times make some adults very uncomfortable.
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- Hello, thanks for joining us on
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A2: Be patient. Unconditional support. Model expected behavior as a T. Build a growth mindset.
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- Thank you for joining us on
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A2: "People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.”
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Classroom behavior is usually linked to something else, struggling with content ... maybe they don't like you ... bld relationship
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Am I correct that you work in a HS setting?
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Q3: What's the best way to support teachers who are struggling with classroom management issues and/or challenging groups of kids?
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Agreed. Hard to do with all the mandates that alluded to. But necessary.
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Not different, easy to read and effective. 4 needs b/h misbehavior: attention, revenge, power, avoidance of failure
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A3. Recently met with a teacher about this topic. We discussed creating 3 goals for the student and having 1-to-1 conversation.
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I used to ... now in Middle School ... it is a PreK-8 school
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A3: Guidance. Coaching. Listening. You can't just swoop in and solve everything for them. You have to build their capacity.
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A3:Have a veteran T observe the class and give ideas, talk with previous Ts who were successful with that S
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Great idea! https://t.co/F9XU5rk8TW
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A3:Have a veteran T observe the class and give ideas, talk with previous Ts who were successful with that S
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A3: coach 'em up, on the job training, pay for an in-house obs. day via a sub, one step at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day
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A3 must find the "why" to the struggle ... is it them ... their presentation ... the content ... the kid's home life
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A3: Ts like Ss need support if they are struggling. Chances to visit other classrooms. Ts need peer role models.
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A3: The telephone is one of the best tools in the classroom management toolkit. Communicate.
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Hunger, sleeplessness, family issues, etc. If you don't "know" your students, you'll nvr know. https://t.co/7JOYLRybmX
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Classroom behavior is usually linked to something else, struggling with content ... maybe they don't like you ... bld relationship
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A3: Behavior can be a complex puzzle to try and solve all on your own. It's important not to work in isolation.
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A3: I would like to think that all Ts need support at some pt in time with classroom management. Ts need to keep adding tools.
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I agree, but we need to make sure that T is trained how to talk to Ps on the phone, don't want them to fail
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Hi all! Sorry I'm a little late... thought it started at 8pm cst! Sarah, 5th grade teacher, Thanks for having me! :)
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what are some of the people's roles that you have reached out to that were the most successful?
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Q4: Exclusionary discipline (detention, suspension, expulsion, etc.) has not proven to be effective. Why is it still widely used?
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A1: Understanding what mental health issues come into your classroom. Students' backgrounds and experiences affect behavior. 1/2
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- True. That is certainly part of the coaching aspect.
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now that is something not covered in the textbook ... parent convos ... how to talk to angry parents
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A1: If I know my learners, I can better understand their behaviors and create a classroom that welcomes them. 2/2
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I agree. Ts need to be trained in dealing with Ps who may be uneasy with a given situation.
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Gotta go, HUGS! Have a great week!
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A2: Listening and learning from the students. If we take the time to listen and process, we can understand what Ss are telling us.
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- It depends. Coaches, Counselors, community supports. Try to find a connection point, or create one.
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A4: Because we still think of need for consequence first.
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A4: Honestly,a lot of schools dont have the resources/training for alternatives like restorative practices
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strange that it always seems to be the same group of kids ... maybe we need a different approach for them
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A4. Sometimes there are District handbooks that outline these and principals feel they must follow
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A4: old habits die hard. Some is T expectation for punishment, some is archaic SB policy, some is just plain old silly.
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A3: Observing and giving meaningful feedback. Listening and understanding why Ts are making management decisions in the classroom.
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A4: I think it's widely used becuase it's ingrained and feels easier instead of trying something new or non-traditional.
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A4. At times people continue to do something that they know isn't working and look for excuses to justify their actions.
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many times the Principal does not have a choice ... it is laid out in the manual
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A4: Sometimes those approaches are necessary in the short term, in actuality, those forms of discipline rarely change behavior.
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A4: Do we use them because it is what is expected? Hard to change and easy to use.
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A4. Once I decided I was not going to suspend Ss out of school except for HUGE incidents (guns/drugs). We need them in school.
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A4. Until recently we didn't have all of the data to use in making decisions that are more effective for Ss.
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A4: It's "culturally acceptable" to assign detentions and suspend kids because it gives the impression that you're doing something.
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A4: I know at times both the S and T need a break from a given situation. Time to analyze what happened.
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- I think that is a really key point.
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Seems ironic that we ask them to leave the place that we as educators most want Ss to be. In the classroom.
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I agree. Both need to understand where the other is coming from.
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A3: Focus on the perceived strengths/positive areas first. Then, challenges. I've found that they are often very similar.
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A3: For example, last week I worked with a T - positive was "kids wanted to get started right away"...that was also her concern
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Sometimes we crave consistency more than effectiveness. We believe consistent consequences = better discipline. Not always true.
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When Ss understood they were not going to be sent home for infractions - behavior improved and achievement soared.
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Q5: What are some of theinnovative approaches to behavior management currently being used in your school/district?
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Wondering if those in this chat think current practices-detention, in/out of school suspension will continue for decades to come?
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A5: Love having "student scouts" who nominate students who exemplify the social skills we are working on. Then, + phone calls home!
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A5: Also love the "class story" on Class Dojo! Having a positive, proactive relationship with parents/families is KEY!
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A5: We are several years into PBIS. We are also increasingly using Restorative Practices. It is always a work in progress.
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A5: we're tracking behavior as data. This is new for us. It's may cause a lot of finger pointing if not managed properly
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A5: Many Project GLAD strategies work incredibly well for behavior management because students are engaged and all voices are heard
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Q5 using citizenship grades to identify students that need more support and providing targeted interventions to address the needs
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A5: has been doing a lot with restroative practices and teaching behaviors. We've leveraged PBIS more this year too.
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A5: We use positive referrals with phone calls home to promote/recognize the Ss who are going above and beyond
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A5: Advisory hour not only for academic but behavior intervention
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A5: When we changed our grading practices, I feel it also changed the way that we viewed student behavior. More focus on growth.
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Q5 educating staff about growth mindset and using that frame of mind in all actions to help students use mistakes as learning opps
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A5: We have placed a greater emphasis on positive communication with parents and on problem solving as opposed to punishment.
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A5: Love building social skill charts w/ Ss. Ex: What does + leadership look/sound/feel like? S scouts look for these examples.
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A5: card home to parent with what S did well. Weekly celebration to acknowledge S's and T's doing good things. Change in culture
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A5: I've also found that teaching Ss mindful practices and intentionally building community have been key to managing behaviors.
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Across the county we moved toward PBIS but the discipline manuals continue w/ punishment mindset. This is puzzling.
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A5: Family literacy nights...math nights...food/friendship/laughter...parents and students should feel/be loved
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Q6: What is the best classroom management advice you've ever received?
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A discussion about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to change/manage behavior is something many educators mull over.
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I think it is because it is different than what we were originally trained, more punitive than a teaching moment
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A6: Treat everyone as if they are good. - Todd Whitaker
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A6: Be youself. Love your students.
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A6: Relationships are the most important thing in the classroom.
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A6: QTIP, quit taking it personally
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A6: Focus on the why. All behaviors occurs for a reason.
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A6: at the end of the day, you can't let behavior get to you-it gave me the confidence to let go of the small stuff.
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A6: You have 2 ears and 1 mouth. Be sure to listen twice as much as you speak. Hear a S out. Give them a chance to explain.
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A6: Compassionately listen to understand why.
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A6B:Call home, because if the S talks to the P first, it will be a completely different story
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A6: Be yourself. Stay positive. Lead with love.
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Kids need discipline. The best ISS/OSS program is to make kids do community service for the day.
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I'm seeing a lot of great advice about listening. I think that is extremely important. Listen to hear, not to simply respond.
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Thanks for being a part of tonight. Spirited conversation. That was fun! Have great week.
