Hacking classroom management revisited. Last year I posted a four part series book review on “Hacking classroom management” by Mike Roberts. This post will give my perspective on the 10 hacks after working to incorporate many of them into my classroom.
Big winners
The biggest winners from the 10 hacks are hack number 8, 9 and 10. These three are:
- 8 Email early and often
- 9 Fist bumps, high fives and shout outs
- 10 Celebrations, games and field trips
Email early and often
I sent a positive email home nearly every day at the beginning of the year. I printed out roll sheets from each class and highlighted the student that I emailed. This allowed me to see if I was focusing on one class and neglecting others.
Sometimes I noticed that a class had a relatively small number of kids that had received an email. I’d focus on that class the next day. Now my energy was directed toward finding positive behavior that I could encourage. That, in and of itself, was a game changer in the classroom.
And, the parents loved the emails. I received responses from parents saying that my email made them cry. One parent saw me later in the week and told me how much the email meant to her. To be honest, I couldn’t remember what I had said. The emails I sent out were short, popcorn emails. I didn’t labor over them. But, they meant the world to the parents.
None of the 10 hacks came even close to this hack. And, by the way, I expanded this hack to fellow faculty, staff and administration. This was a great way to make the year more positive. You will receive a massive blessing if you genuinely use this approach.
Fist bumps, high fives, shout outs, celebrations, etc
I’m combining hack number 9 and 10 because I believe they both go in the same direction. Have fun and be positive!
Start with the door to your room. Greet the kids with a smile and a fist bump, or high five, or whatever the kids want as a greeting. This gives you an immediate connection. You can’t teach a student that is disconnected from you.
I have found that starting the year with this rhythm pays huge dividends. I had several students that began to be encouraging to me. And, I TOLD THEM! Let the students know how much their positive encouragement means to you.
As I type this I’m thinking about a student I had for first period. He made me smile sometimes when I was having a lousy morning. I can’t wait to see him again in the fall!!
During your class time, don’t be afraid to share a personal story or chase down a rabbit trail. I’m not advocating that you share inappropriate personal stories. You’re a professional, you can figure out what is ok to share. I find that the students get drawn in with stories and then they are easier to teach.
I haven’t been great at celebrations, but I look forward to getting better in that area.
Biggest loser
Hack number 1, “It’s a classroom, not a bootcamp” was a huge loser for me. Let me be specific.
In this hack the author indicates that the kids should be involved in the rule making. This works for some classes, but if you have a bunch of kids that don’t want to be in your class, they tilt the rules in their favor and it just doesn’t work.
The author indicated that students should be allowed to get up and use the bathroom when they need to. I tried it. It was terrible. I won’t do it again. The older kids did ok (not great). The young kids rode the potty train all year long. It was frustrating and I’m sorry to the book’s author, but the classroom is a bit more like boot camp at times. The kids need someone to moderate their desires.
Also, the idea of going without a seating chart gave me problems. First off, I need a chart as soon as possible in order to learn names. And, the kids in certain classes gravitated to their talkative friends. I spent the whole year chasing problems created by this initial policy.
Now, there were aspects of this hack that were very good. He suggests putting up a daily schedule. YES! He also suggests that you refrain from cold calling on students. That’s not too bad, but there are times that you have to call on the kid who’s not participating.
Honorable mention
Hack number 2, “Expect their best in and out of the classroom”. This should be an obvious hack for teachers. If you are not expecting your students to give their best, you are a depressed and depressing teacher.
Students will disappoint you at times, but stay with it. Many of the kids will discourage you, but don’t give up! You set the bar with your attitude.
Wrap-up
I encourage you to read Mike Robert’s book and implement his 10 hacks. Try them yourself and evaluate the results. Classroom management is a vital skill for a classroom teacher. You can’t teach in a chaotic, unmanaged environment.
To the teachers out there that are reading this, Good Luck! Please feel free to comment below with your own “hacks” that work for classroom management.