Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1017146
Manage your classroom Melissa West MELISSA WEST, Fruitvale Teachers Association, transitional kindergarten: "I have found that focusing on the positive as much as possible has brought about the best behaviors in my students. Your most challenging students need to hear the positive even more than those students who are well-behaved — this will benefit you and the rest of your class the most." CHARQUITA ARNOLD, Mare Island Technology Academy Education Association, middle/high school drama, social studies, language arts: " Think about the culture of the students you are teaching — it has implications on what behaviors occur and how to properly respond. Let's say a student blurts out or is loud. It's not necessarily the right response to get angry. Approach every behavior calmly and try to have an ABC method — Antecedent-Behav- ior-Consequence — where you analyze what happened before the behavior took place and what happens as a consequence because of that. " Think about the most logical range of steps to take with a student, such as different warning methods, documenting what they did, and having them look at the documentation. Have many conversations with them. Contact a parent before writing a referral. This gives the student the sense that ' You're trying to work with me.' Good resources are Intervention Central for RTI (Response to Intervention) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)." Charquita Arnold ALEXIS WEINER, Burbank Teach- ers Association; ninth-grade language arts: "Don't beat yourself up if things aren't going as smoothly as you imagined. Classroom man- agement is developed over time and with experience. Reach out for help. Veteran teachers have seen it all, and generally are more than willing to offer suggestions and guidance. Remember, though, that one person's style doesn't always work for another. Find what is true for you." THERESA WETHERHOLD, Solana Beach Teachers Association, speech-language pathologist: "Be adaptable and able to quickly shift gears throughout the school day. My job requires me to individual- ize my therapy resources as well as my approach with students of varying ages. Getting into the mindset of students by taking their unique perspective guides me in motivating them to do their best." ANGELA NORMAND, Brentwood Teachers Association, special edu- cation: "I have a special day class with 15 different students on 15 different levels. Every one of them needs something different. It's important that I take a day and map out, plan out, what it is that I want to accomplish, and then backwards-plan. Starting off with a goal, planning backwards from there, and then having everything organized helps me moving in a very fluid direction." ANGIE PEREIRA, Union Hill Teachers Association, transitional kindergarten: "Know what your essential goals and expectations are, [so you] can develop plans and strategies to move forward. My rule is that I can only change one thing at a time, whether it be challenging students or program- matic elements. Involving families is critical when children are strug- gling. Reach out to colleagues and for administrative support. "I am also a huge follower of Love and Logic, and Positive Discipline when it comes to class- room management." ANTHONY VILLARREAL, Mon- terey Peninsula College Teachers Association, sociology: "Get to know your students as human beings on a first-name basis. That rapport will get you through difficulties you might find as a classroom teacher. Before you even think about your content and all the things you have to cover, think about getting to know your students in a way that will allow them to open up to your goals as an educator. We teach stu- dents, we don't teach discipline." " Have a plan, do as much lesson planning as you can, but don't be afraid to deviate from those plans, because things hardly ever go as planned. Be flexible." — Sergio Nolasco, Keppel Union Teachers Association, 8th grade 37 A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 018