World-Class Teacher

Allen Dobkin

Southern Association of Colleges & SChools

Association of Independent Schools of Florida

Kentwood Preparatory School Principal

What makes a Great Classroom?

A Great Classroom is one where prepared students work together to meet learning goals under the caring guidance of an outstanding teacher.

A World-Class Teacher accepts their students as they are and teaches them the skills they need to get that much closer to their full potential.

All of us are World-Class Teachers In Progress

Only 2 Rules

Rule #1

Rule #2

It is 10x easier to KEEP students on track than to get them BACK on track.

DOWNTIME
The True Enemy

CLassroom Time wasters

• Finding materials
• Distributing and collecting papers
• Student Disruptions
• Teacher Disruptions
• Paperwork
• Transitions

Rule #2

Teaching while boring is like trying to push string. You make much more progress pulling a line taught with attention. Also, it is boring!

Rule #1

Always Be Prepared

• Mentally
• Emotionally
• Physically
• Organizationally

Mental Preparation

• Know Your Plans
• Know Your Routines
• Know Your Students
• Keep Your Personal Mission in your mind

Emotional Preparation

• Don't take anything PERSONALLY
• Have and USE simpler back-up lesson plans when your emotional state requires it
• Your students need you in a healthy emotional state to feel safe and learn

Physical Preparation

• Well-Rested
• Excercised
• Well-Fed
• Hydrated
• Bladder Empty

Organization Preparation

• Supplies and papers organized in same way and place
• Use same simple systems for classroom operations
• Plans A, B & C ready ahead of time***
• Know and Use Your Support System
• Filing, not PILING

Files

Disruptions: They Happen

Have, Know,
Use
Your Plan for Handling Disruptions

Teach Classroom Skills

Classroom Skills

• Raising Hands
• Staying In Seats
• Respectful Language
• Ignoring Distractions
• Cooperating with Peers
• Following Directions

Plan to TEACH and TRAIN your students HOW to meet your expectations.

Teach = Explain for understanding
Train = Guided Practice for Mastery of Skill

Cooperative Students do what they THINK you want so make sure they actually KNOW!

Don't make the "Rookie Mistake" of thinking students already KNOW how to behave.
Some don't!

Be on the lookout!
Different cultures have different rules of behavior. Teach your rules. Accept that other rules exist too and aren't automatically wrong.

Tip: Use schoolwide systems so students only have to learn ONE set of expectations!

Pro Tip #1

Plans A, B & C

Why???

Requires LESS, not more TIME

Plan A

• Most complicated and specific.
• Most suited for rigorous learning.
• Can't be done on the fly - must be planned.
• Labs and demonstrations are As.
• SHOULD BE MOST FUN & PREFERRED BY STUDENTS

Plan B

• Simpler than Plan A.
• Less work for you.
• More work for students.
• Students should prefer Plan A over B.
• Should be something you don't need special preparation for such as textbook work.

Here is where it gets good!
When the students aren't cooperating, you say...

"It is a lot more work for me to run this lesson. It doesn't seem like you guys are feeling it today AND THAT IS OKAY. I do have these worksheets and it will be a lot easier for me to just have you guys do these instead. What would you rather do? The activity or the worksheets? Either one is okay with me, but if you want to do the activity, I need more cooperation. What do you want to do?"

Plan C

• Suitable for Substitute Teacher Plans.
• Easiest for teacher, most work for students.
• Keeps students busy without them needing the teacher's help. Least rigorous.
• Not tied to where you are in curriculum sequence.
• All preparation done in advance. Think worksheets.
• USE THIS FOR MENTAL HEALTH DAYS WHEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT EASY

Pro Tip #2

Example Lesson Plan Types

• Interactive Discussion
• Note Taking
• Lab or Demonstration
• Individual work/Practice
• Working in Groups or Pairs
• Lecture and Summarize

Your mix of students will determine how advanced and how many types of lessons you can use.

The students want your approval. Adjust your expectations to put success within their grasp.

Laziness is a character flaw and a way to blame the child instead of helping them.

Learned Helplessness develops when everything you've tried has always failed. World-Class Teachers can cure this!

Pro Tip #3

DISRUPTIONS

Make clear distinctions about when students should be silent, can talk quietly, or have permission to call out.

DON't SAY "SHHH!"

Teach the expectations in advance of actual problems.

Eschew Obfuscation

Stating Expectations

• Be clear and effective
• Get 100% of their attention FIRST
• Phrase as WHAT TO DO
• Keep a neutral or positive tone of voice
• Don't be vague: "Stop" "Cut it out"
• NEVER: "You know what you did wrong."

Visual Cues

• Save your voice
• Save your patience
• No need to yell over students
• Color code or number code work well

Always
Be
Consistent

Consistency

• Collect papers the same way
• Distribute papers the same way
• Apply rules equally - no favorites
• Explain variations in advance to faciliate transitions

Classroom RULES

If you want students to take ownership for following rules, you must include them in establishing the rules.

Doesn't Mean

How to include student Input

• How many disruptions before a student should be removed from the room?
• Penalties for late work
• Makeup policies for homework
• Do this in advance of problems

Empowered students will help enforce the rules and see you as fair.

MORE IMPORTANT than teaching content.

You must master redirecting students without making them feel bad.

Teachers who act respectfully towards their students are the ones who are respected.

Be A. B.o.s.s.

Actively look for ways they can be right, or have made a mistake. Give second and third chances.

This does NOT

You Keep a Behavior Journal

Only 1 Journal

In Your Behavior Journal

• Document unusual behavior.
• Have them initial next to your entry.
• Establish a PLAN for what will happen NEXT time they do this.
• THIS EMPOWERS YOU

Students see you handle things yourself instead of just passing them along to someone else.

Psychologically, students don't dispute written accounts but will argue with what you recall happened.

Less Paperwork

Other Benefits

• No dispute when behavior repeats
• Empowers you to track patterns of behavior and hold students accountable at a much higher level
• Minimal time used - loads of time saved
• Empowers you to deal with situations later, outside of irreplaceable class time.

Emotionally Prepared

at your best

Take care of yourself - mental breakdowns don't achieve learning goals.

TAKE THEM

THIS is not

Use your Plan B and Plan C Lessons to give yourself some breathing room.

Look for progress, not perfection, in your students and yourself!

Work on your secret goals - why you became a teacher in the first place.

Help for your Weaknesses

Group Consequences

awesome

Group Consequences

• Set students against each other
• Punish good students for nothing
• Increase teasing and bullying
• You don't want to do it, so you don't and you lose some of your authority

Learn to redirect your class

• Without chastising them
• Use one effective technique
• Teach the students the cues
• Practice with them whenever they get rusty
• Don't let students blackmail you by using your desire to teach the material against you.
• Be willing to spend class time on these skills

Group Rewards

• Get students to work as a TEAM
• Gives them a reason to set aside conflicts
• Makes you a hero
• Good kids are helpful to "bad" kids so bullying reduced
• Empowers "bad" kids who "know" they will never succeed on their own.
• Be willing to compromise but not a welcome mat.