ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Needs Assessment/Rational

Learning happens best in a positive environment where students feel safe and free to explore. As the teacher it is my job to gain and keep the attention of my class or I need to change my approach.  I find myself focusing on negative situations or behaviors instead of the positives. This book stresses that by focusing on positive behavior, positive behavior increases and students feel respected and an important part of the learning process.

Equipment/Materials Needed

List of praises that are authentic and specific.
Phrases that I can use for inappropriate behavoirs
Reflection page to reflect on praise and situations

Understandings & Goals

I will listen to students and respond with respect and understanding.
I will control and keep my voice at a calm and assuring level.
I will use empathy with my students and never sarcasm.
Students will feel they are a great part of my class and a joy to have.

Questions Answered

How can I praise students in an authentic way?
What can I do to quickly and quietly handle inappropriate behavior?
How can I keep my focus on the positive actions in my classroom?
Am I creating negative behaviors by being critical of everything some students do?

Assessment

1. Reflect each day to see if I was successful and if I reached each child.
2. Mrs. Hansen will observe.
3. See positive things start to happen in my class.
4. Notice that praise and respect become natural for me.
5. Have closer relationships with the hard to reach children.
6. Complete an observation sheet reflecting on my teaching for a week.
7. Complete chapter journals.

Instructional Strategies

I reflected on my teaching ability to reach each student. I saw that some students were hard for me to reach. I used the strategies from the book study as well as Love and Logic statements and strategies to reach my students. I also gained advice and support from other teachers in this book study. I created and carried a list of praises or saying that I could use to praise a child or respond to an inappropriate behavior. Reflecting on which students I praised or how I redirected a behavior helped me pinpoint which students I was focused on and which did not receive my attention.  The list of praises I carried helped me from becoming redundant with my praise. I learned different ways to praise students that were meaningful and specific to the student. The Love and Logic phrases helped control different behaviors. Using these phrases in a calm voice kept expectations clear and enforceable while showing respect and control to my students.

Procedures

1. Compile a list of praises and phrases that I can use in my classroom for different situations.
       
2. I will find times to notice and praise my students for different things during the day.
          Use names on sticks and draw to keep track of who I am calling on in class.
          Use a boy – girl pattern when asking for volunteers for an activity.
          Keep a simple check sheet to check off when I have praise or noticed a student.

3. I will focus on keeping the praise true, specific, immediate, and private for each student.

4. I will also be looking at behaviors and deciding if it is trivial or does it need my attention. If it needs my attention I will decide if it needs an enforceable statement, a touch,  a delayed consequence, or a more serious action.

5.  By creating a list of praises and phrases that I can use will help them come natural to me and valuable to the student. 

6. I will work on keeping my voice and tone at a normal level to show control and respect. This will show those students and others that I value each student in my class.