WEBVTT

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[Music] Welcome to the Overview

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on Modifying the Classroom Environment

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to Reduce Behavior Problems.

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Vice Principal Rosenthal finds classroom

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observations to be a little depressing.

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Everywhere she looks,

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teachers are engaged

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in discipline instead of instruction,

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students are acting out or detached

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and distracted.

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She knows her teaching staff,

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and knows how committed

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and talented they are.

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She knows the kids, too,

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and knows that every child has the

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ability to learn.

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"If the problem isn't the staff,

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and isn't the kids," she thinks,

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"what needs to change?"

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Many things can affect a student's

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capacity for learning,

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and while there is little a school can

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do about a student's environment

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off-campus, a positive classroom climate

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can have an enormous impact

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on student learning.

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Making behavior expectations clear early

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in the school year

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and revisiting those expectations

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regularly creates a space

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where students feel safe, cared for,

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and respected by others.

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In this kind of environment they are

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better able to focus and learn.

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To promote a sense

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of responsibility among students,

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teachers can work with them

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to identify a few classroom

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behavior rules.

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Teachers need to clearly explain what

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these behaviors look like

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and provide reminders throughout the

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school year.

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When teachers continually model positive

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behaviors, students are given concrete

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examples of appropriate behavior.

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For example, teachers can model the

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vocabulary and respectful tone they

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would like students to use

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when addressing their fellow students,

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school staff, or other adults.

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They can also provide practice

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opportunities through role play

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and regularly provide feedback

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to reinforce appropriate behavior

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in their classroom.

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The way a classroom is arranged can

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impact student behavior.

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Clutter and disarray can send the

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message that "order is not kept

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in this classroom."

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Alternatively, a clean,

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organized classroom can signal

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that it's time to focus and work.

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Rooms can be set up in ways

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that reinforce awareness

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of positive behavior,

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such as a corner dedicated

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to conflict resolution or a section

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of wall for acknowledgment

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of good class citizenship and/or

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academic achievement.

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Where students sit can also affect

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their behavior.

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For example, some students may get

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easily distracted if seated next

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to high traffic areas such as the door

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or the classroom library.

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Even before the school year begins,

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teachers should identify parts

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of the day that take away time

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from instruction

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so that students can get organized.

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These may include the first half hour

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of the school day,

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transitions from whole class

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to small group activities,

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and time spent in getting

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and putting away books

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and other materials.

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Transition periods have a great deal

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of potential for disruptive behavior,

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and can become very time consuming.

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Maintaining consistent,

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orderly routines can be highly effective

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at minimizing "off- track" time.

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Teaching students how to signal

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when they want to speak,

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go to the restroom,

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or ask for help is one way

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to minimize noise interruptions."

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Specifying orderly class exit

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and entrance procedures,

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establishing standardized sequences

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for small group task assignments,

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and maintaining well-specified places

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for materials can keep things moving

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swiftly and with a minimum of incident.

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Teachers should establish routines

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for these transitions and practice them

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with students early in the school year.

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In some cases,

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students act out because they are bored.

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To engage students,

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teachers can incorporate hands-on

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activities and opportunities

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for students to get up from their seats.

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They can spice up their lessons

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with new materials such as visual aids,

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manipulatives, art, music,

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and science experiments.

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Another common reason

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for disruptive behavior is instructional

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pace that is too fast

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or too slow relative to students' level

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of knowledge and skills.

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Differentiating instruction

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by providing tasks aligned

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with student ability can help increase

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student engagement.

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Another way to help students remain

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interested and engaged throughout the

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class period is embedding tasks

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that involve group work

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or peer tutoring.

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Research has shown that giving attention

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to positive behavior through praise

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and reinforcement can result

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in increased positive behavior.

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Teachers may choose

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to reward a single student or a team

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of students or the entire classroom

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for specific instances of good behavior.

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This kind of feedback signals

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that teachers are paying attention to--

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and providing rewards for--

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good behavior.

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It also highlights role models for peers

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and provides examples

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of how the teacher expects all students

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to behave inside

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and outside the classroom.

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Ms. Rosenthal worked with her teachers

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and staff on a consistent set

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of behavior guidelines,

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and had teachers spend time role-playing

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different scenarios to practice focusing

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on positive student behavior,

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even in the midst of a disruption.

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She worked with individual teachers

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on identifying physical issues

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in their classrooms,

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and several of them have made

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significant changes

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in how their rooms are arranged.

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She looks forward

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to classroom observations now

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and can feel the change

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in attitude everywhere she goes.

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To learn more about modifying the

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classroom environment

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to reduce behavior problems,

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please explore the additional resources

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on the Doing What Works website.

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[Music]