Class Calm

Quite a bit of classroom management happens when there are no students around. What this means is that to keep the upper hand, a teacher must be willing to do some amount of follow up work when there is a classroom management problem. In other words, after the students leave at the end of the school day, you need to add to your list of things to do one or two phone calls to parents.

Many teachers are unwilling to do this and they pay for it with problems that get worse and worse. Why do some not follow up? I am not sure but I would guess that it takes time and effort. As well, some teachers view the problem as being caused by someone else (negligent parenting, permissive societal values, administrators failing, and so on) and so they see it as somebody else’s job.

Let’s talk about some basic follow-up strategies that you can implement. Yes, it takes time. But the payoff is that the severity and number of incidents in your classroom will diminish considerably and you will gain a new level of respect.

One guideline is to act as soon as possible when there is a problem. Sometimes I will even let the students sit at their desk while I compose a brief email to the dean, guidance counselor, or perhaps I will even include the parent. Isn’t this a problem, as the students are waiting for me to reengage and teach? No. They see me dealing with the situation immediately and they get the signal that I mean business. The ‘silent majority’ are actually gratified to see that the trouble-maker or the slacker is finally going to be facing some possible consequences. Be clear, the students are not entitled to any kind of an explanation as to what you are doing and you should not waste valuable instructional time providing an explanation. Immediate action is key in that you have taken a big step toward controlling the narrative, a subject that will be explored in my next post. 

As well, in Florida we have what is called an RTIB report. This is a statewide database of all reported discipline incidents in all public schools. Many teachers never get around to completing this form. Some likely don’t even know that this form exists.  There should be some type of official write-up form at your school. Fill it out ASAP.

The above examples involve students. Let’s talk about what was mentioned earlier and taking corrective steps when no students are around. You will never get control of your class without calling home. Never threaten a student that you are going to call home or even mention that you are going to. Simply place the call at the earliest possible moment. Every year I place calls home during lunch at least four or five times. In extreme cases, I have even shut my door in the changeover between periods and placed a call. If you do not have a phone in your classroom simply learn how to block your number on outgoing calls. This feature is available on both Android and Apple. Again, by calling early you are controlling the narrative. You want your version of events to be the first that everybody hears.

Document the call. At my school there is an Xcel spreadsheet form on which teachers are supposed to document all parent phone communications. Fill it out immediately upon completion of the call. This gets easier as the school year goes on because it is often the same students who you will be calling home on, be it for grades or conduct, and you can simply copy and paste the field for name and phone number. If you haven’t already, follow up the call with an email to whoever needs to know; deans, administrators, other teachers, guidance counselors, etc.

A final step one could take after the students have left would be to adjust the seating chart. Although perhaps it is not warranted for every incident, this move can not only improve learning conditions, it provides valuable evidence that you are taking tangible steps to get things on the right track.

As a teacher you are likely held to a high standard. Not only will the above steps make a difference in the atmosphere of your classroom, they will show that you are taking responsibility for outcomes. By letting others at your school as well as parents know what is happening, they can help as their role allows and begin to share in accountability.