When the Honeymoon (in the Classroom) is Over
We’ve all heard the expression ‘the honeymoon period is over’, right? When applied to marriage, it means that the initial excitement of the new romance fades away, and reality of sets in. (Exactly who is responsible for putting the cap on the toothpaste tube…huh?) When applied in the classroom it means that the anticipation of the new school year is winding down and everyone’s (children AND adults) true colors start to emerge. This can mean that classroom management may need some tweaking or tightening up before diving into the many months that lie ahead. During this time, which usually hits a month or two into the new school year, buckling down a bit with visual supports, reinforcement of classroom routines, intentionally taught social skills, and effective planning is imperative.
Read on as we share a few behavior management tips that are impactful for kids, and effective for teachers!
- Creating the Classroom Environment
The goal is to set up a safe, welcoming environment with supports to help students develop independence and social skills. What and how much is on the shelves in your classroom is very important. The activities on the shelves need to interest the students, be culturally diverse, and encourage exploration. But be intentional with what you display, remembering that LESS is more! If you’ve already created an atmosphere that might be a bit overstimulating for some of your students, it’s not too late to pare down a bit.
- Adding Visual Supports and Routine Charts
Place picture and word labels throughout the classroom to support students. Teach each routine using visuals, social stories, and children’s books during the first weeks of school and to reteach as needed throughout the year. Don’t forget it is NEVER too late to teach or introduce a classroom routine. If some part of your day isn’t working, teach what you want students to do and use visual supports.
Post and utilize a visual schedule for the entire day in your classroom. A consistent, predictable daily schedule helps students feel safe and secure because they know what is coming next and what is expected. Students learn the sequence of the day and can begin to predict and anticipate what will come next. Before or after each activity, review the schedule.
- Reflecting on Lessons & Activities
The lessons and activities that you plan need to be intentional and at the appropriate level for your students. If the activity or lesson is too difficult or too easy, keeping students’ attention becomes difficult and undesirable behaviors tend to pop up. Students should be challenged, not frustrated.
As you plan your lesson or activity, ask yourself and reflect …
- Can I add movement?
- Can I add sensory?
- Can I make the activity more open-ended?
- Is the lesson fun, hands-on, and engaging?
- Is it developmentally appropriate?
- A Few Final Thoughts:
Have a consistent, predictable daily schedule.
Add visuals to your classroom so that your students can slowly become more independent and understand routines well.
Add movement and sensory to lessons and activities whenever possible!
It is NEVER too late to reflect on your current classroom management strategies and think about what you want to try or change!
Consistently, teachers rave about time-on-task and student engagement during their GrapeSEED lessons. Using visuals, movement, music, student interaction, and the natural language acquisition approach to learning English, GrapeSEED students thrive both in AND out of the classroom.
It’s not too late to learn about GrapeSEED for YOUR students.
Just click here.