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Quick and Easy Classroom Management Tips!

 


When you think about the perfect classroom, what comes to mind? What does it look, sound and feel like? What are the students and teachers doing?

Classroom management plays an important role in every classroom. Students cannot learn if there is not an effective management system in place. Managing classrooms has become even more difficult in the digital age. As Turner and Hicks (2017) state, students are using technology at increasingly younger rates. According to Dowd and Green (2016), our classrooms and resources have drastically changed, but the needs of our students have not. They say students need caring teachers, a safe environment, high expectations, and clear boundaries. Having these things will allow students to take risks and be the best they can.

The book Classroom Management in the Digital Age by Heather Dowd and Patrick Green can help teachers of one-to-one (1:1) classrooms create an environment conducive to student learning (Dowd & Green, 2016). This book was written in a manner that is very easy to understand. The tips and strategies are very practical and will be easy to implement into any classroom.

Classroom Procedures

Studies have shown that students have several concerns about being a 1:1 classroom (Ge et al., 2021). According to Dowd and Green (2016), effective classroom procedures help decrease misbehavior and disruptions by utilizing time effectively. The authors point out that effective procedures take time and practice, but the time spent is well worth it. By having classroom procedures in place, teachers can be proactive in preventing unwanted behavior.


Dowd and Green (2016) give many examples of effective classroom procedures. The two procedures shared below are a few that I have implemented in my classroom.

Attention getters can be used to quickly get students’ attention when they are working or focused on an activity or assignment. Students need to know the expectations of what to do after the attention getter - eyes on teacher, hands off device, screen out of view, and headphones off (Dowd & Green, 2016).

Morning work allows the teacher to attend to individual students as they enter the classroom and to focus on the necessary tasks to start the day. Morning work also allows students to transition to a learning mindset (Dowd & Green, 2016). Education to the Core gives some ideas that can be implemented into the classroom. In my classroom, each student picks an individual morning greeting - hug, high five, fist bump, dance, or wink, unpack, and then check the Interactive Whiteboard for their activity. 

Classroom Rules and Expectations
Ge et al. (2021) reported that students worried about being distracted by devices which could lead to behavior problems. In order to deal with distraction, Dowd and Green (2016) discuss that multitasking is a myth. When we shift from one task to another, it “requires effort from our brains; therefore; we take longer to complete a task, and we make more mistakes” (p.35). They suggest teachers should discuss this with students and help them manage their own distractions by coming up with strategies like, closing all tabs except for the one that’s needed, disconnecting from wi-fi, locking the students to an app, and making sure your lesson is engaging.

Dowd and Green (2016) emphasizes the importance of clearly communicating your expectations, being consistent, and having fair consequences. They give examples of rules you could implement in your classroom such as an acceptable use policy, how/when to charge devices, caring for devices, and when to use headphones. I like the idea Dowd and Green (2016) gave about having a technology “boot camp” where students learn the skills and resources needed to successfully and responsibly use their devices.

They also discuss the importance of posting rules and procedures in your classroom so everyone has a visual reminder.

Teaching Tips and Strategies
Another tip given by Dowd and Green (2016), is to analyze your room and seating arrangements. Teachers should think about the type of learning, teacher mobility, and how to monitor behavior. Ge et. al (2021), said students made it clear that they expected teachers to closely monitor technology. According to Dowd and Green (2016), “teachers must arrange their rooms so they can monitor all screens while enabling maximum productivity” (p. 41). They give examples of different arrangements and when to use each one.

Teachers need to be organized, personalize student learning, have engaging lessons, allow students to be “techxperts,” and have a sense of humor (Dowd & Green, 2016). As Dowd and Green (2016) state, “when students feel a sense of flow during their classroom activities, misbehavior is not an issue” (p.45).

Partnering with Parents 
It is important to communicate with parents. Dowd and Green (2016) discuss the need and give some examples of ways to communicate digitally with parents. According to the authors, communication is needed so that parents know the expectations, understand the value of devices, and to build rapport between parents and the teacher.
Conclusion
Don’t be afraid of being a 1:1 classroom. Dowd and Green (2016) say, “having the right attitude is the single most important trait for navigating, progressing, and learning in a connected classroom” (p. 69). 




References

Dowd, H., & Green, P. (2016). Classroom management in the digital age: Effective practices for technology-rich learning spaces. Dowd Green EDU.


Garcia, E. (2016, August 28). Morning Work: 26 Practical Ideas and Routines. Education to the Core. https://educationtothecore.com/2016/08/morning-work-routine-ideas/


Ge, J,. Smyth, R. E., Searle, M., Kirkpatrick, L., Evans, R., Elder, A., & Brown, H. (2021). Perspectives from students: How to tame the chaos and harness the power of technology for learning. Brock Education: A Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 30(1), 74-94. 


Giphy. School tech sticker. https://giphy.com/stickers/computer-cloud-wifi-mAZf4H4Pi0wwlj3ZAw


Great Schools Partnership. (2013, August 29). One to one. https://www.edglossary.org/one-to-one/


TikTok: Thatweirdchoirteacher. (2021, April 22). Middle school attention getters [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKlj5U52MDY


Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts: Argument in the real world. Heinemann.


Comments

  1. Katie MaddoxJune 29, 2021 at 10:28 AM

    Dana, I love your final statement of not being afraid of the digital classroom. It is now such a normal occurrence for students to carry cell phones, so it is natural for most students to feel welcome in a 1:1 classroom (Murray, Luo, & Franklin, 2019). Many schools have also adopted Bring Your Own Device (BOYD) policies that would allow students to utilize technology if the school itself could not provide it. The article I read about a BOYD program emphasized that teachers in their study school were "technology evangelists" in modeling skills to their students (Murray, Luo, & Franklin, 2019). I believe our PLC book was a great way to help those "old school" teachers incorporate technology into everyday skills... one baby step at a time.

    I like that you welcome your students each day with a gesture and then direct them to follow directions on the interactive whiteboard. Our book addresses utilizing technology when the students walk in the room to allow some independent work time, such as a daily agenda (Dowd and Green, (2016). I often use a Google Slide with directions for my students as they enter the classroom, whether it be a countdown timer for their time to Typing Club or directions on where to find a document I want us to work on.

    Glad we shared this book together!
    Katie

    References

    Dowd, H., & Green, P. (2016). Classroom management in the digital age: Effective practices for technology-rich learning spaces. Dowd Green EDU.
    Murray, A., Luo, T., & Franklin, T., (2019). Embracing a technologically enhanced environment: teachers' experience educating students in an always-on and connected bring your own device (BOYD) classroom. International Journal in E-Learning 18(1), 53-78.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Hi-Tech Teacher, Valerie MatsonJune 29, 2021 at 12:38 PM

    Hi Dana,
    As I was reading your post, I noticed that it focused on the importance of setting up routines and procedures that are NOT related to technology, as well as the technology management strategies. I love the idea of building positive connections with your students by having the personalized greeting for each student as they come into the room in the mornings. Merrill and Merrill (2019) also discuss this same idea in their book, The Interactive Class. They state by individually greeting students you "set the tone for the day, boost their overall engagement, and contribute to their individual sense of belonging in the class (Merrill & Merrill, 2019, p. 53). By building these positive relationships with our students, they feel valued and want to be active participants in class.
    You also mentioned the importance of communication with parents. I agree that it is necessary to communicate with parents so they are included in their child's learning progress. There are so many ways to do this. In my PLC book, the authors gave a variety of ideas from paper newsletters, to video updates (Merrill & Merrill, 2019). What is important is to consider what is best for the parents, and to not overwhelm them with information in too many places. I have some families who do not have access to the internet at home. I still send home a paper copy of my weekly newsletter and translate it into Spanish in Google Docs. I also email and use the Bloomz messaging app. I send the same information out three different ways to ensure the parents have at least one way to access the information. By using a messaging app like Bloomz or Remind, parents are getting the information they need in a timely manner, and allows them to be engaged in the day-to-day activities of the classroom without feeling left out (Provenzano, 2016).

    References

    Miller, J., & Miller, K. (2019). The interactive class: Using technology to make learning more relevant and engaging in the elementary classroom. ElevateBooksEdu.

    Provenzano, N. (2016, August 30). Tech-enhanced parent engagement. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/tech-enhanced-parent-engagement-nicholas-provenzano

    ReplyDelete
  3. Laney Graham June 29, 2021 at 7:23 PM

    Dana,

    I find it so interesting that even though our PLC books were different topics, I was able to find a few connections from your post with the book I read with my group. After reading my PLC book, The Interactive Class by Joe and Kristin Merrill, classroom management is a key component to carrying out an engaging classroom environment. Merrill and Merrill (2019) state, “Being positive can benefit your classroom in numerous ways and building relationships with students is one of them” (p. 48). What is important to consider is that technology doesn’t matter if the relationships with individual students haven’t been established.

    I also love how you mentioned seating arrangements. Seating arrangements are a great way for students to have choice in the classroom. I am a very big advocate for flexible seating in the classroom! I feel that students should get the choice to sit where they learn best. Merrill and Merrill mention that giving students a survey at the beginning of the year is a great way to hear the kind of space that works for each individual student (Merrill & Merrill, 2019, p. 32). I agree with the idea that the classroom should be organized in a way that technology can be closely monitored. There are many different ways teacher can arrange their classroom to maximize classroom space.

    I enjoyed reading your post. Thank you for sharing!
    Laney

    References
    Merrill, J., & Merrill, K. (2020). The Interactive Class: Using Technology to Make Learning More Relevant and Engaging in the Elementary Classroom. Elevate Books Edu.

    ReplyDelete
  4. April ManerJune 30, 2021 at 6:58 PM

    Hey Dana,
    I loved reading about your group's PLC book and reading the tips! My group focused on the "The InterACTIVE Class" by Joe and Kristin Merrill and one of the things they mentioned throughout the books was the importance of building relationships with students and how these relationships can make or break an interactive classroom (Merrill & Merrill, 2020). In fact, they state, "classroom should offer specific parameters to help guide and support students learning, giving students a deeper and richer learning experience while empowering them to discover their passions" (Merrill & Merrill, 2020, p. 14). Classroom management goes hand-in-hand with student engagement. The more students are engaged, the are less disruptive, negative behaviors (Merrill & Merrill, 2020). I also agree that setting boundaries and expectations from the very beginning lead to a much more collaborative learning environment and can also lead to students learning how to understand one another's differences and viewpoints. Students must be able to do have conversations in order to be successful when it comes to digital writing and arguments; they need to understand boundaries and how what they say can influence someone else (Turner & Hicks, 2017). Thank you for sharing! I think I want to read this book now!

    Merrill, J., & Merrill, K. (2020). The interactive class: Using technology to make learning more relevant and engaging in the elementary classroom. Elevate Books Edu.

    Turner, H. K., & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts. Heinemann.

    ReplyDelete

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