Discipline Answers

QUESTION: This is my first year of teaching first grade.  I’ve brainstormed a list of classroom activities and now I want to make procedures for each one.  I’m not sure how to go about it though.  Can you give me an example? RESPONSE: Sure!  Let’s take the example of planning procedures for Show and Tell. [...]

QUESTION: I will be teaching 1st grade in a month!   People tell me I need to plan my procedures but I don’t really know how to get started.  HELP!!! RESPONSE: You’re very smart to be thinking ahead to the procedures that you want to teach in the beginning of the year.  It’s a very [...]

QUESTION: I usually involve the students in the creation of classroom rules.  To me, we are just agreeing upon how we can make our classroom a safe and fun place to be. I don’t know if it’s really so different from a DWS approach of having procedures, but “no rules.”  Isn’t this just a matter [...]

  In his book, The First Days of School; How to Be an Effective Teacher, classroom management guru, Harry Wong, quotes research conducted by Madeline Hunter.  He asks us to consider the following information: For a child to learn something new, you need to repeat it on the average 8 times. For a child to [...]

A couple of summers ago, I attended a Smartboard workshop for teachers in our district.  The presenter from the company had an effective signal for getting everyone’s attention.  For two years since, I’ve used the idea successfully with my grade ones. I don’t use this particular signal when I’m in a rush to get everyone’s [...]

RESPONSE: When there is a discipline issue, my first course of action is to return to the DWS Teaching Model.  Guided by the first step, I review my procedures: Have I taught/practiced this particular procedure enough times for this child to be successful? Can I offer this child a chance to find his own procedure or [...]

QUESTION: I’m looking for some different things to try to control the student voice level during centers. I really don’t believe that whispering is a natural thing for anyone, adults included. That said, in order for me to work with small groups I need them to be quieter than their regular talking voice level. I [...]

QUESTION: I’m trying to get a handle on this whole concept of guided choices and procedures.  I guess I don’t really understand what a procedure is or how you would use a procedure when a student is misbehaving.  Can you give me an example? DR. MARSHALL’S RESPONSE: Teaching procedures is teaching expectations. Here is an [...]

QUESTION: I am a Computer specialist working with over 500 students a week.  I see most students only once a week for 45 minutes at a time. I’d like to try using  Discipline without Stress. From the Teaching Model I know I should begin by establishing classroom management procedures.  Can you help me with this? [...]

QUESTION: I have a first grade girl who, no matter how many times she is asked about what level she is on and how she can change to Level C/D, will not change her behavior. At what point would you give a think sheet?  It was a VERY long first day of school! RESPONSE: During the [...]