8.8.2014.5:52pm
Summer is wrapping up. I'm looking forward to another year of working with students, teachers, principals, and administrators. Join us on Linked In, Twitter, and Facebook. Don't hesitate to share your stories.
4.8.2014.9:49am
I have spoken to teachers all over the world. Most feel they are under paid and under respected. In my life I have worn many hats, teacher, professional musician, businessman, laborer, producer, conference speaker, trainer, etc. I have spoken to thousands of people over 40 years and I have yet to meet a professional anywhere that felt they made enough money and got enough respect. This includes some professionals that are making over $1 million per year (not a misprint). I agree with my colleagues above however that teachers need to be paid better and receive more respect. A friend of mine from the business world said to me several years ago..."Teachers receive pretty good pay considering they only work half of the year. They get off summers, all holidays, and weekends. Most business owners and professionals, like [medical] doctors work 80 to 90 hours a week and over 350 days a year. All teachers have to do to be paid better is fill in the off days with other jobs." I will share my answer to him in a later post but I am interested to see your comments.
4.4.2014.2:22pm
I would never ask someone to put up with another person while they are being abusive, aggressive, or rude. Most teachers have been in a situation where a student or parent thinks they can "unload" on them with impunity. When confronted with a person acting like this we have every right to demand being treated with courtesy or ending the meeting until the other party can deal with us in a civil manner. However I want all students in my classroom to know I have unconditional positive regard for them as people. I will deal with their behavior as necessary using negative consequences whenever merited. If the behavior does not change then the consequences of the students poor choices keep on coming. I still want that student to know that I want the best for them and I am willing to address their poor behavior consistently. I do this not because I don't like them but because I want to see them improve. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a saint that just lets anyone walk all over me and I "love" them any way. I don't like or respect a person's rude and aggressive behavior but a student in my classroom still has the opportunity to turn it around. If they choose to continue acting badly then the bad consequences keep coming.
4.3.2014.11:12am
People cannot be 'controlled' and to try to do so denies them their status as a person. The first moment our students enter the classroom they need to know they are accepted as a part of our group/class. They also need to know they are safe and can trust us. Trust is the key. Concerning students "coming to school ready and willing to learn"....I envy you if you are seeing these attitudes all the time from the first day forward. I do see students that fit this definition but unfortunately I see many students that are initially more interested in their social lives than their school work. Master teachers change this attitude and lead their students to the understanding that education is the key to a happier life. Many students are just waiting for the right teacher to come along and connect with them. We need to have as many of these types of teachers available as possible.
3.26.2014.4:20pm
Two police officers, two principals, desperate calls for assistance over the "walkie talkies" and a parent that had to be warned to settle down before they were arrested. Little did I know the parent was there for me.
Since I retired from teaching I have not had to deal with a situation like this very often. When I was a band director I dealt with these situations several times each year. Even though it was not a pleasant experience today it was good for me to remember what teachers and principals must deal with on a regular basis. I am always encouraging administrators, policy makers, politicians, college professors, teachers, principals, and professional development trainers to go to the classroom to see what really works. Today was an opportunity for me to see if what I teach works.A confrontation like the one I experienced today can devastate a new teacher. Especially if their principals do not back them up. Assuming the teacher has acted correctly the principal must support the teacher. If they don't disaster will follow. Once students know the teacher is not supported by the principal they don't have a chance to control their classrooms. Let me repeat this. PRINCIPALS MUST SUPPORT THEIR TEACHERS! If a teacher needs help in following policy in these situations then by all means work with them in private but always show a united front to students. It took me a while as a young teacher to realize some parents are not interested in truth, logic, evidence, or explanations. They wanted just one thing......CONTROL! Many times the student was controlling the parent(s) but not always. Children learn early if they can manipulate their parent to do their bidding. When they can I must admit it is a formidable weapon. However truth, logic, and evidence matter and effective teachers and administrators discipline accordingly. There is always a temptation to take the debate bait and try to argue with the parent and/or the student. There is also a temptation to just give in to their demands. These responses will make the situation worse.So what can one do??? Let them have their say, stay calm and remember it isn't personal. Many times allowing them to 'blow off steam' allows them a chance to calm down. They might even become reasonable after this. However most don't. I would never ask anyone to allow another person to treat them disrespectfully. Having a disagreement does not give someone the right to be rude and aggressive. If they are abusive you have every right to end the meeting and reschedule it at a time when everyone can treat each other with respect. Sitting in the conference room today watching this parent lose control, in front of their child, reminded me where the child learned social skills. It is good to let these children see how professional educators respond to this type of behavior, assuming we act calm and professional.So what happened??? We sat in the conference room. The parent, student, police officer, two principals, and me were in attendance. When we started I was vilified. I have not had my professionalism attacked like that in a long time. It's not fun to listen to but to take the debate bait would have made the situation much worse. Everyone in the room was calm except for the parent. After several minutes the parent calmed down... but they did not back down. So what happens now??? Time will tell. They might pursue the situation until they get their way or they might drop it. The principals will check all of their information and document what happened. They might also talk to some students in the room. I can't control what other people do. But I can control what I do. I can stay calm, remember 29 out of 30 students acted fine today, not take it personally, document the event, treat the child with respect the next time I see them, and continue to look for opportunities to reach out to that child. I now know this child has few social skills and they are not learning them at home. As a teacher I will look for opportunities to teach them those skills as well as my subject matter. And life goes on........................
3.21.2014.4:10pm
Do teachers and principals have the tools they need to have safe, happy and successful schools?
I talk to hundreds of teachers and principals across the country. Some feel very comfortable taking care of discipline problems. However I am sorry to report that most do not. I have seen a huge variety of approaches. Most are 'hit and miss.' Many have no idea what to do. In the last several years the problem has been given more attention and awareness of the challenge is growing. With 50% of all new teachers quitting within the first five years at an estimated cost of $7.3 billion per year it is no wonder colleges and school districts are addressing the problem. Unfortunately practical, proven classroom management is still not a part of college curriculum. School districts across the country are finding excellent programs such as PBIS, Time To Teach, Love and Logic, and others that are coming to the rescue. When I train at professional seminars, in-service, and professional development clinics I emphasize that it is possible to make every class safe, happy and successful...and then I provide the tools, (strategies and techniques), to do just that. How can they know if no one teaches them?
3.21.2014.3:40pm
When can a teacher justify giving up on a student?
Is there ever a time when a teacher can justify giving up on a student? "Of course not!" But does that mean we allow a disruptive student to keep us from being able to teach other students? Again..."Of course not!" I have seen students that seemed to be completely lost come back from the brink to graduate and go on to be productive citizens in life. In fact I was one of those children. I was advised by my high school counselor not to consider going to college....I disregarded her 'expert' advice. I was advised by my primary college music instructor to not compete in national concerto contests...I disregarded his 'expert' advice. Both of those educators had given up on me and if I had listened to their advice I would never have received my doctorate and I never would have won several concerto competitions. As teachers we are always looking for opportunities to reach our students. Some are open to instruction all the time and others may never give us the opportunity to share our knowledge. However if a student keeps us from teaching and other students from learning we have to act. By not shutting down a disruptive student we deprive all students from the education they deserve. But we continue to look for the opportunity to reach out to those disruptive students in the hope they "see the light".
3.14.2014.11:12pm
Protection under the law applies to teachers in the classroom....
When really bad things happen at school we must remember that our rights to protection under the law does not end when we enter school property. Assaults, bombs threats, drugs, weapons and the like fall under legal jurisdiction as well as school policy. There are also liability issues that each school district must consider. I have been in school districts that have experienced these problems. On one campus I was told there were five murderers walking the halls of the high school. Needless to say I was very concerned but I was informed that because of privacy issues the names of the students could not be revealed. This put a whole new perspective on enforcing discipline. Metal detectors, bomb and drug dogs, and armed police officers are common in some schools. So what is one to do??? First of all take a deep breath........... and then consider how many students are doing the right things. These students far out number students with severe discipline problems. I have been around a long time and seen almost every type of school situation. An elementary school in east Dallas comes to mind. If any school has an excuse to fail this school is it...but they don't fail. In fact they are very successful. The students attending this school are poor, English is their second language, many of the students have one or both parents in prison, and a host of other problems. So why are the students, teachers, and principals smiling all the time? Because several years ago a principal brought strategies and techniques into her school that worked. For example: teaching classroom expectations at the beginning of each school year, assuming students do not know how to act and must be taught our expectations, caring about each child, unconditional positive regard, systematic approach to teaching classroom expectations, individual responsibility for actions enforced with consequences good and bad, not engaging in "combat" with anyone, and other strategies. This principal models each of the characteristics expected from her staff and students. It is amazing what can happen when students are a part of something they can trust to keep them safe, help them improve their lives and reach for their goals. Trust is the key. With it we have an opportunity to improve lives. It is possible to have a safer, happier, and more successful classroom.
3.6.2014.12:07pm
Ivory tower vs. "real world" classroom management techniques!
The majority of policy makers, ( politicians, government officals, parents, administrators, school boards, college professors, and in-service trainers), I speak to are excellent at what they do. They want the best for those they are responsible for. They want to provide a happy, safe, successful school for students and teachers. However I often hear from frustrated teachers that the expectations, techniques and strategies of most policy makers is not effective or practical in "real world" classrooms. Principals, trainers, professors, etc. reply to this concern by pointing out how overworked they are. They might say "I don't have to be a mechanic to know how to drive a car." Maybe so but the CEO of a major auto maker would be foolish not to have first hand information from every phase of a vehicle's manufacture. A successful CEO will make policy, use techniques and strategies that are not based on theory. They use proven, practical, and application based techniques.
A knowledge of the "real world" classroom is vital to establishing effective policy. If unable to experience the classroom first hand policy makers should rely heavily on those working in the classroom every day. Many feel that in general this is not happening. Policy makers may depend on "experts" for input but many of these so called experts are not in the classroom either. How many of us would enjoy seeing a state senator try to teach a classroom of 4th graders for one week? With all due respect most school administrators began their careers as classroom teachers and they have had to deal with the challenges of the classroom but even so is their experience current? I encourage policy makers to visit the classroom as a teacher on a regular basis. To have a "real world" classroom experience they must not be known to the students. I have seen this done and it has always proved to be an eye opening experience.
So what is the solution? Obviously everyone has a job to do. We all want the same thing....a student that is well rounded, educated, skilled, responsible member of society. We want our classrooms to be safe, happy, and successful. Three things need to happen. First teachers must communicate to policy makers what is needed and what works. Second policy makers must seek input from those in the classroom before making decisions. Third techniques and strategies must be proven to work, i.e. not based on theory.
3.4.2014.11:37am
Arrogance in the classroom??? NO!
Consider the following definition from the FreeDictionary.com:
********ar·ro·gant (ăr′ə-gənt)adj.1. Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance.2. Marked by or arising from a feeling or assumption of one's superiority toward others: an arrogant contempt for the weak. See Synonyms at proud.
*********
Some of you wondered about the event that motivated me to start this discussion. It was very short. The conversation was in an elevator. There were two of us. Both of us were teachers. The information shared by the person being arrogant was nothing special and it was correct. He was responding to a question I asked. In a very few moments this man exhibited an air of superiority that took me by surprise. The doors opened....I said "Have a nice day." He said nothing....doors closed, and the rest is history. I will limit my discussion here to the world of education. In my "humble" opinion arrogance has no place in the classroom. It sends a message that the student is not cared for. In my presentations the founding principal of teaching is - "Caring is key" Anything that gives a student the impression I don't care about them will keep me from building the trust necessary to teaching. Once they believe I care about their well being and they trust me then I have an opportunity to teach them. All people have worked with or under arrogant people. Most of these in my experience have been average or less than average in talent, intelligence, or ability. In these instances arrogance was a cover for an inferiority complex. I have been around a few that were incredibly talented and/or intelligent people that were arrogant. Their arrogance did not enhance their ability to teach. In fact I tolerated their rudeness and arrogance to learn whatever they had to offer. Children would never do this. If they encounter an arrogant teacher they will spend every minute of the day making that teacher's life miserable. Needless to say no teaching or learning is taking place in this environment. Whenever possible I stay away from people that are arrogant. Anything they have to offer can be found elsewhere from someone that is pleasant. If per chance I meet the man that spawned this discussion I will be polite but I would not give him another opportunity to exhibit his arrogance. Life is too short. “He that is proud eats up himself: pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle.”― William Shakespeare
2.27.2014.9:59am
50% of all teachers are quitting within the first 5 years
Why are so many teachers leaving the profession so soon after receiving their teaching degrees? There are several reasons but the top reason according to Forbes, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, The Atlantic, and many others, is stress and anxiety brought on by classroom discipline problems.
It is safe to say that no one becomes a teacher bcause they want to deal with classroom discipline problems, (CDP). Teachers enter the profession because they love to teach, like people, like helping people have better lives, and/or they love the subject matter they impart. CDP is something teachers have to deal with in order to have the opportunity to teach. The problem is that unless a teacher learns the techniques and strategies necessary to maintain good classroom discipline then CDP begins to take over the classroom. Once it does then conflict, stress, and anxiety soon follow. Next comes the meetings with principals, parents, paperwork, phone calls and other time consuming activities that eat up not only time but energy. Even in the best of situations there is not enough time or energy to do everything a teacher wants to do. CDP begins the spiral towards frustration, anger, confusion, stress, and finally resignation.
There is hope however. Administrators all over the country are beginning to address classroom management and CDP by bringing in experts and trainers. There are many good programs such as Time To Teach, PBIS, Love and Logic, and others that really help. Some are expensive and difficult to impliment but when fully implimented they work wonders in teacher and principal morale. Colleges are beginning to recognize the need for this type of training and are turning from a theoretical to an application based approach to classroom management. Classroom management will always be a challenge but it is a challenge that can be overcome with some time and effort.
2.26.2014.2:58pm
Do arrogance and sarcasm have a place in education?
NO! I was speaking at an education conference recently and encountered an educator that was clearly sarcastic and arrogant. Luckily I run in circles that never act arrogantly or sarcastically and I was taken aback when this person spoke to me this way. This type of behavior has no place in the classroom or any where else for that matter. Such behavior will turn off a classroom of students immediately. Teaching and learning will come to a complete halt and discipline problems will spring up everywhere. All of the super star teachers I have experienced in my life were brilliant and talented but they were also honest, caring, and humble. We would all benefit to do the same.Visit my blog at Http://williamcollins444.wix.com/williamcollins
2.25.2014.11:25am
Does fair mean equal?
Fairness is important to all of us. How can we be as fair as possible to each student? Fair does not mean equal. We can provide each student with an "equal" opportunity to succeed. We establish a goal and then we provide the means, skill, knowledge, information, etc. for each student to reach that goal. These will be different for each student as each has different ways of learning and communicating. Each student will also have different strengths, and weaknesses. As teachers we access each student and provide them with what they each need. This does not mean however that we do the work for them...."That wouldn't be fair." Teachers are the "ultimate multitaskers."
2.25.2014.9:22am
Are false assumptions killing teacher morale?
YES!!!
Everywhere I travel I find teachers that believe three false assumptions:
1. Students should know how to act in school
2. All Teachers should know how to manage a room full of children
3. Students come to school ready to learn
Teachers that hold these to be true are shocked when they experience the reality of the classroom. If they continue to hold these assumptions as fact they must come to conclusions that are also detrimental:
1. If a student acts badly in class it shows defiance.
2. Since I cannot maintain my classroom I must be stupid.
3. My teaching is lacking since my students don't show interest
Maintaining good morale in the face of these false conclusions is difficult to say the least. It is my great pleasure to let these teachers know their assumptions are false and there is a way to acquire a safer, happier, and more successful classroom.
2.25.2014.8:44am
Why am I starting a blog?
I get lots of questions about classroom management and I needed a format to address them. I decided to use the blog format to do so. I hope this is helpful information.