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Effective Teaching...

by Harry and Rosemary Wong

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Elementary ArtSub
A First Day of School Script

Effective teachers have a plan for every day of the year and especially one for the first day of school to start everything correctly. There is nothing that will take students into orbit faster than to suspect that a teacher is not organized. Model disorganization and the students will replicate this behavior and the classroom is soon in chaos.

In our June 2000 column (teachers.net/gazette/JUN00/covera.html) (LINK BELOW), we featured the first day of school script of Melissa Pantoja, who was a brand new teacher about to begin the first day of her professional career. She had a very successful first year as a teacher and one of the reasons was her classroom management skill of being organized with a script for the first day of school.

It is now four years later and Melissa is so effective as a teacher that she can leave directions for her substitute teacher and indicate the procedures that govern the effective operation of her classroom. People have recognized her effectiveness: 1) she serves on the school's improvement committee, 2) she is chairperson of the fine arts festival, and 3) an administrator has recommended that she work on her administrator's degree.

Daily Class Routine
Pantoja-Art
Substitute Teacher's Copy

Here is a list of routines to help you pace each of the classes from start to finish. I have tried to include the routine my students are familiar with.

Melissa Pantoja
  1. Wait at door for each class of students to arrive
  2. Ask students to quietly find their assigned seats at the tables
  3. Explain the lesson for the day
  4. Call out list of supplies needed for the project
  5. Choose a quiet student from each table to be "Table Leader" and gather the supplies needed for this class period
  6. If the class has already started the project their papers will be on the designated shelf (North side of room)
  7. Remind the students of the 5 numbers at the front of the room
  8. Taking care of the supplies: as the class works they may need to be reminded of taking care of the supplies - especially with paints, brushes and supplies that can be used over and over again.
  9. Clean-up -- depending on how messy it gets -- you may need to allow 5-10 min. for clean-up before they leave
  10. Look for tables that all students are sitting quietly
  11. I have students sit on floor, parallel to computer table, as they wait
Now that you're familiar with this
Daily Routine -- Have fun!
The day has just begun!

Melissa

A Middle and High School First Day Script

In June 2002, we featured Sasha Michaels, a middle school teacher, and her first day of school script (teachers.net/gazette/JUN02/wong.html)(LINK BELOW). Sasha was the teacher who the assistant principal did not think would last a week. Without any administrative support, she lasted the year.

Effective teachers are able to see a concept or an example, and then implement a strategy, technique, or activity for their own classrooms. Regrettably, ineffective teachers will whine that things don't apply to them, unless they are shown something specific to their grade level or subject area. Sasha was able to take the script of Melissa Pantoja and apply it to her classroom.

Likewise, John Schmidt, a high school teacher was able to look at Melissa Pantoja's script, understand the concept, and create a script for his own high school classroom. Granted, he had help because his school, the Homewood-Flossmoor High School District of Flossmoor, Illinois, has a three-year new teacher induction program with expert help in training and supporting new teachers to bring out the best in them. John Schmidt became so successful that the Homewood-Flossmoor Induction program used him as one of their demonstration teachers in his second year as a teacher. What a role model!

Script for the First Day of School
John Schmidt
Homewood-Flossmoor High School

Before Class

Greet at the Door
    1. They can find their seat by referencing the seating chart on the projection screen.
    2. They should grab the 3 handouts on the table at the front of the room.
    3. They have a bellwork activity waiting for them at their desks.
Welcome and Introduction Syllabus Explanation (Handout 1) Class Policies Explanation (Handout 2) Class Procedures (Handout 3) Dismissing the Class Class Policies - Mr. Schmidt

A. Note from the Instructor

I will lead a respectful and disciplined classroom. To achieve this I have established a few simple policies. As a student, it is your responsibility to comply with these policies. If you decide not to comply, there will be logical consequences. By enforcing these policies, I promise to you fairness and order in our classroom.

B. Class Rules

Watch Your Mouth- Students will exhibit courtesy and respect toward all other students at all times. Put downs or hateful comments concerning such things as race, gender, sexuality, political views, appearance, or of any other type will not be tolerated; this applies to "joking" comments as well as serious ones.

Keep Your Hands to Yourself- Physical contact of any kind is not permitted. Violation of this simple rule will be punished by the most severe consequences possible.

Stay in Your Seat- Do not walk around during class unless directed to do so. Have everything you need ready before class begins.

Leave the Food at Home- Students may not eat or drink in the classroom. This includes gum and candy. Closable containers of water are permitted.

Nothing Goes Airborne- Nothing will go airborne in class at any time. This includes pens, paper, and other students.

C. If YOU CHOOSE to Break a Rule:
Punishments will always fit the crime. Of course there are behaviors that will warrant a Dean's Referral immediately. Examples of this include gross insubordination or violent behavior. Behaviors that are less severe, but in violation of the basic rules of the class will be dealt with in the manner described below. This format is in no way all inclusive and is subject to change:

1st Incident -- Warning and name on board
2nd Incident -- 30-minute detention and check next to name
3rd Incident -- 60-minute detention, phone call home, and second check
4th Incident -- Dean's referral and phone call home
    Warnings carry over for the entire week. Name and checks will be erased on Fridays.
    However, continued violations will be noted and dealt with appropriately.

D. Detentions
All detentions will be served on Friday. Detentions can be served before or after school. One day notice will always be given. Students receiving a detention on a Friday may serve it the following Friday if necessary.

E. Tardies and Late Arrivals
A Student who is not in the classroom when the bell sounds, is considered either late or tardy. A student is tardy if he is without a pass after the bell. A student is late if he arrives with a pass after the bell. Tardy and Late students need to sign-in at the clipboard by the door, and are not to disrupt the class. Late students need to pin their pass to the wall above the clipboard. There is no penalty for arriving late with a pass. The tardy penalty is explained below:

Definition: A student is tardy if he is not inside the classroom when the bell stops ringing and does not have a pass.


F. Academic Honesty
It is expected that students will use genuine, sincere, and fair means for the accomplishment of the tests, tasks, or projects from which evaluations of progress shall be determined. Students found cheating in any way will receive automatic zeros and have phone calls made to their parents. In addition, a write-up of the incident will be given to the student's counselor. Flagrant or repeated offenses will result in a failing grade for the quarter or semester depending on the nature of the incident.

G. Attendance
If a student has an excused absence from class he or she is responsible for the assignments/ homework that was missed. The student has as many days as he or she was absent to make up the assignments. It is up to the student to inquire about missed work and tests. Zeros will be given if a student fails to make up work within an acceptable time frame. Unexcused absences void all make-up privileges.

H. Late Work
Homework assignments may not be turned in late. Papers and projects may be turned in late with a penalty of one letter grade for each day late.

I. Make-Up Tests
If a student has an excused absence for a test day, he may make up the test in the morning or afternoon on Fridays. Arranging a make-up requires signing in with the instructor. A missed make-up appointment without notice will result in a zero. Quizzes are not to be made-up. Instead, the previous night's homework will be handed in and graded in place of the quiz.

Class Procedures - Mr. Schmidt

A. Note from the Instructor
As an instructor, I pride myself on an efficient and smooth running classroom. To achieve this I have established a few simple procedures. As a student, it is your responsibility to learn and perform these procedures. Through these procedures, I promise to you a more organized and effective learning experience.

B. Most Common Procedures

Entering the Classroom
You are to enter the classroom in an orderly manner. Students who do not do this will be asked to leave the room and reenter as expected. It is expected that as soon as you enter you first go to the center table and pickup any handouts or hand in homework in the appropriate tray. You should then get anything you need around the room (grade check, pencil sharpening, tissue, etc.). Once seated, check the front screen for the day's bellwork. You should also check the side chalkboard for the day's assignment (write it down so you don't forget). You can also use this time to briefly speak with me or make an appointment to make-up a test or get extra help.

Bellwork
Everyday will begin with bellwork. You will find the bellwork on the front screen. Bellwork should be started before the bell rings. Most bellwork will involve specific instructions for preparing for a daily quiz. Other times the bellwork may be to answer a question or fill out a form. Bellwork is required.

Picking up Materials for Day
Any handouts that you will need on a given day will be found in the tray, on the middle table marked "Please Take One". If the tray or sign isn't there, you don't need to pick up anything, just begin the day's bellwork. If you arrive late and picking up the handouts will cause a distraction, sign-in, go to your seat, and raise your hand when it is appropriate to do so.

Handing In Homework
If there is an assignment that you need to hand in, place it in the tray, on the middle table, marked "Please Deposit Homework Here". If the tray or sign isn't there, keep the assignment and begin the day's bellwork. If you arrive late and handing in the homework will cause a distraction, sign-in, go to your seat, and raise your hand when it is appropriate to do so.

Coming to Attention
When I need to quiet the class, I will raise my hand. When you see this you are expected to stop your conversation, look at me, and raise your hand. This is only complete when all hands are up and the class is quiet.

Arriving Late
When you enter the room late (with or without a pass) you need not disturb the class. Simply sign your name and the appropriate information on the clipboard by the door. Print clearly and sign only your name. Signing a name other that your own will result in immediate referral to the dean's office. If you have a pass, pin it to the wall above the clipboard. If you must speak with me, sign-in, go to your seat, and raise your hand when it is appropriate to do so.

Leaving the Classroom
The bell does not dismiss the class, I do. Do not pack up until I dismiss the class. Do not leave your seats until I dismiss the class. "People who pack fast shall leave last."

Absences
On the day you return from an absence you should arrive early to class. The first thing to do is check the Class Log on the student center. The log will likely answer any questions regarding "what we did" when you were gone. If there are any questions beyond the log, speak with me before class begins, after class, or during office hours.

Extra Handouts
If you need a handout, because you were absent or just lost your first one, go to the appropriate "extras box" on the bottom shelf, next to the student center. Do not ask me for handouts, go straight to the box.

Make-Up Tests
If you are absent for a test day (not the day before a test) you will have to arrange for a make-up test. Make-up tests are done on Fridays in the morning or afternoon. You will sign-up for the test and receive a green reminder slip. Make these appointments before class begins, after class, or during office hours.

Detentions
As indicated in the Class Policies, you will receive one warning if you choose to behave inappropriately and have your name put on the board. If you continue to choose to behave inappropriately, you will have a check placed next to your name and I will remind you to see me right after class. There will be no conversation or debate regarding detentions. When class is dismissed, you will see me, sign-up for the detention, and receive a pink reminder slip. Failure to speak with me after class will result in immediate dean's referral.

Using the Bathroom
The bathroom may only be used in emergencies. A pass is needed for leaving the class. Do not ask to use the washroom or go to your locker before class begins; just go before you get to class. Anyone late for any reason is late.

How To Create Your Own Script

The last two first day of school scripts were each presented in June. By presenting it this time in March, this will give you time to create your own script before the present school year is completed.

If you have never organized your classroom with procedures, this is what you may want to do:

  1. Decide on what one thing you would like the students to do that would start to make your classroom run smoother. Do not say to yourself, "If they would only behave this way, I would be happier." Procedures have nothing to do with behavior. Behavior falls into the realm of discipline, whereas procedures fall into the realm of classroom management. If you are not familiar with the difference between discipline and classroom management, please read chapter 20 in The First Days of School.
  2. Teach that one procedure every day for a week until it becomes a routine. If you do not know how to teach a procedure, read chapter 20 in The First Days of School or read our September 2000 column, "The Problem Is Not Discipline." (teachers.net/gazette/SEP00/wong.html)(LINK BELOW)
  3. The following week and every week thereafter, teach another procedure.
  4. Save each procedure and when school is over in the next two or three months, you will have a battery of procedures similar to those that used by John Schmidt.
Each of you, we know you have the capacity, talent, and commitment to do it and become even more successful as an effective teacher.
 

TEACHERS.NET GAZETTE
JUNE 2000
Volume 1 Number 4


Effective Teaching
by Harry and Rosemary Wong
Your First Day

Bob Marlowe is fresh out of college, clueless but excited over being a new teacher. With 17 boxes of activities he can't wait to make learning fun. So he starts the first day of school with his most favorite fun activity and then spends the rest of the school year chasing after the class.

Melissa Pantoja scripted her first day of school. She is like a coach who scripts the first 25 plays of a game. A teacher would not "wing it" in a classroom any more than a coach would "wing it" on a football field or a pilot would wing it on a flight from Baltimore to Kansas City! The successful and effective teacher goes in with a plan and modifies that plan if conditions change.

Melissa began the first day of her first year of teaching with a plan. She scripted the first day of school as follows:

Art Teacher's
First Day of School
1999-2000
Mrs. Melissa Pantoja

Greet each student at the door:

Welcome students to class and introduce myself: Arriving and leaving class: Explain rules and daily procedures: Number assignments: Respecting the classroom and the art supplies: Teachers things and students things: Explain thematic lessons and such: Art centers: Portfolios: Notebooks: At the end of her first year as a teacher, Melissa Pantoja writes:

"My first day of school was a success. Each of my students had a place to sit and an art number, which they would use for the duration of the year. The overhead projector was ready with seatwork on the board and they worked quietly until I was ready to introduce myself. I let them know what I expected and that each of them would be successful.

"Classroom management and having a procedure for everything is a key factor in success, but I have also found that having a place for everything and everything in it's place is also very important. The longer it takes to find a paper or get out work for students who have been absent, the more distracted other students become.

"I feel that studying The First Days of School and using the suggested strategies was a key factor in the overwhelming joy I feel when thinking about this first year."

If you do not plan, the students will plan for you.

The effective teacher organizes and structures the classroom for his/her success, but most importantly, for the success of the students.

Past Gazette Articles by Harry & Rosemary Wong:

TEACHERS.NET GAZETTE
JUNE 2002
Volume 3 Number 6


Effective Teaching
by Harry and Rosemary Wong
Teaching Procedures Is Teaching Expectations

 

In real estate, the three magic words are location, location, location.

In teaching, the three magic words are prepare, prepare, prepare. Then prepare some more! And finally expect the unexpected, as it will happen. The good news is that when the unexpected occurs, it is the prepared who will best survive and succeed. The unsuccessful teacher begins the first day of school, the start of a lesson with little notion as to what the sequence of the event or lesson will be. And then when things go wrong, the teacher is flustered because there is no backup plan.

A First Day of School Script

The effective teacher is prepared. We had the pleasure of writing our first teachers.net column two years ago in June 2000 http://teachers.net/gazette/JUN00/covera.html (LINK ABOVE). We shared the story of Melissa Pantoja and what she did to begin her first day as a brand new teacher, and the success she had.

Reflecting on her first day of school as a first year teacher, Melissa Pantoja shared with us,

"My first day of school was a success. Each of my students had a place to sit and an art number, which they would use for the duration of the year. I let them know what I expected and that each of them would be successful.

"Classroom management and having a procedure for everything is a key factor in success, but I have also found that having a place for everything and everything in its place is also very important. I feel that studying The First Days of School and using the suggested strategies was a key factor in the overwhelming joy I feel when thinking about this first year."

 The source of her joy and success is very simple. Melissa had a script ready for her first day of school. Football coaches go into a game with a script of their first 15 to 20 plays. Meeting and wedding coordinators have a script of what needs to be done. And effective teachers have a script that helps them to organize the first day or days of school.

If you do not structure your classroom,
the students will structure the classroom for you.

Melissa's success and your success can be summed up with the single word - PROCEDURES. The effective teacher

  1. develops procedures for every possible circumstance,
  2. teaches those procedures,
  3. practices those procedures, and
  4. enforces those procedures.
Teaching Procedures Is Teaching Expectations

A student said, "I like coming to this school because everyone knows what to DO. No one yells at us and we can get on with learning." The key operative verb is "DO."

Students who know at the onset of school how the classroom is supposed to run will be much more successful in their studies. These procedures also prevent problems related to teacher absences, fire or severe weather drills, storm days, and any other interruption in the normal classroom routine.

Students will perform better when they know what the teacher expects of them. Students have a right to know their teacher's expectations. Be prepared and life will not be a series of excruciating events. Rather, life will be happy and stress-free. http://teachers.net/gazette/FEB02/wong.html

Teaching procedures is teaching expectations.

The Essential Question to Ask

It was Plato who said,

"It is how you begin that is the most important."

We would like to share another first day of school script with you. For this we thank Sasha Michaels, who teaches just outside of Seattle, for sharing her script and her experience with us. Like Melissa Pantoja, she was a first year teacher this past year. While preparing to be a teacher, she worked at Domino's Pizza. Even though she had left Domino's years ago and stayed home to raise a child, she could recall explicitly the Domino's induction program for training their drivers. It was a ten-day program.

Thus, when Sasha went looking for a teaching job, she just assumed that the school or the school district would have a training program, too. After all, in every aspect of the real world, people are trained. Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and American Airlines train their employees. Every local small business---real estate office, dentist, and grocery store---trains its new workers. Compare this with many schools where training is non-existent. It's little wonder that the teachers don't succeed---and that their students don't succeed either---resulting in the teachers not staying. What happens? Administrators, who do not know what to do, hire yet more unsupported teachers or just assign teachers a mentor. As a result, many promising new teachers leave the profession after only a few years. The classroom becomes a revolving door with teachers constantly rotating in and out of the profession. Soon the spinning gets out of control and the door abruptly stops sending everyone slamming and grabbing and holding on for dear life. We are at that juncture in education today. We have a pile up in the door and seemingly no means to take command of the jam. We need to spend more time training, supporting, and retaining teachers to quell the mass exiting from our ranks.

All too commonly, new teachers are hired, handed a key, given an assignment, and told to go forth and teach. Many are never introduced to their colleagues, nor even walked to their room. As one teacher said,

"I walked to the other building in a daze. Wasn't somebody going to walk over with me and tell me a little bit about what to expect? Wasn't anyone going to show me where the bathroom was or tell me what the other teachers do for lunch? Wasn't I going to get a few words of encouragement, or, for heaven's sake, an idea of what time the first period started? I felt very alone. I started to really understand that I was totally on my own." Sasha was alerted to the great possibility that schools commonly give no support to their new teachers. On the other hand, she also knew that effective schools and school districts, who cared that their teachers succeed, have an induction program. She knew this because she's our cousin.

So, we spent two years preparing her for her first year as a teacher.

We also told her to ask at the interview if the school had an induction program, much like Domino's or any business would have a training program for new employees. After all, administrators who wanted their teachers to succeed would teach their teachers how to succeed, like Bridget Phillips in Las Vegas http://teachers.net/gazette/JAN02/wong.html, Kathy McCollum in Medford http://teachers.net/gazette/MAR02/wong.html, and Joe Majchroicz in Illinois http://teachers.net/gazette/APR02/wong.html (LINK BELOW). That seemed like common sense to her.

At her interview, the principal said, "Yes, we have an induction program."

With that reassurance, Sasha Michael started teaching mid-year in a newly formed class and was given a mentor, who turned out to be a buddy from the same department. The so-called mentor had no clue as to what a mentor was to do, having received no training, compensation, or released time. She simply was acting on behalf of the principal. Sasha found her to be a nice person, but got nothing tangible or pragmatic that she could use.

No induction program ever materialized and she soon discovered a not too supportive administration. In fact the vice-principal joked that she did not think Sasha would last the week. That was the expectation of the administration.

Sasha taught in Washington and from a Washington State Public Policy survey conducted in 1999, it was learned that 75 percent of mentors observed their beginning teachers only 2 hours or less last year, and almost half never saw their novice teach.

Another First Day of School Script

We present Sasha's script because using another teacher's script as an example will help you hone your own script for the start of the next school year. Even with the best of preparation for the first day of school, not every day will go smoothly for you. Accept that there are some circumstances that truly hinder your success. But being prepared is the best strategy to use to prevent problems.

If you have a script, please share it with us at the address shown at the end of this column. It can be E-mailed to us or sent to us at Harry K. Wong Publications, 943 North Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA 94043. We'd honor the opportunity to share your success with others.

When Sasha began her teaching career, this was her first day of school script.

seventh

First Day of Class
Mrs. Sasha Michael's 7th Grade Core Class

Before class prep

Greet each student at the door Welcome students to the new 7th grade core class Introduce myself Entering and leaving the classroom; end of day dismissal Rules and procedures Core lesson assignments and expectations Notebooks Language Arts Social Studies Math Science
Sasha Michaels exceeded the vice-principal's expectation that she would not last a week and finished her first year of teaching.

She explained that had she not had her beginning of school script, she would have left that first week and the profession would have lost a very valuable asset!

Wisely, she is moving on to another school district where she can find more support. She surmises now that the principal either had no clue as to what was a new teacher induction program or thought that assigning a mentor was considered sufficient induction.

As she moves on, this time she will be a lot smarter. When she asks if the district or the school has an induction program, she will ask the ten questions about a true induction program listed in last month's column http://teachers.net/gazette/MAY02/wong.html. The issue for new teacher success is support. Support begins with a comprehensive, district induction program.

The Smoothest Beginning of School

Sharyn Appolloni, a staff developer in Reno, Nevada, says, "I was asked to speak to a high school faculty to help them prepare for the first day of school. The principal wanted me to give them suggestions about tardy policies, etc. I decided to spend the two hours showing parts of the video, The Effective Teacher, and explaining how to 'teach' procedures and practice them, including tardy and dismissal procedures, among others.

"Three days after school started, the assistant principal called me to say it was the smoothest beginning of a school year he had witnessed in 26 years of being an educator."

Procedures and routines established early in the school year free up the rest of the year to be devoted to teaching and learning in the content areas. More on this can be found in Chapter 20 of our book, The First Days of School.

It is the procedures that set up the class for success to take place.

When the Students Succeed, Everyone Succeeds

Christine Neilson teaches at Holy Name of Jesus Middle School in Indialantic, Florida. She writes and tells us that she developed a new way to bring her class to attention when class begins.

A student from Taiwan, new to America, was placed into her classroom. The students all learned in Chinese how to say, "How are you?" (Ni how ma) and "Fine" (How).

She says, "We begin each class the moment the bell rings when I greet them by stating, 'Ni how ma.' They reply, 'How,' and we are off and learning, not wasting one minute. We finished our textbooks in four classes today (May 18) and the children applauded with much pride---they worked so hard.

"Our school has also gotten quieter as our principal, Mrs. Scriver, simply rings a set of chimes for assembly to begin in the morning on the pavilion, as suggested at your in-service when you came to speak at our Diocese. The children quiet down immediately and it is such a nice way to begin the day.

"Most importantly, we were notified today that our school was awarded the National Blue Ribbon award. Yes, when the students succeed, I succeed, and the school succeeds. What a nice life!"

Procedures definitely set up the class for success to take place.

Our Expectations of You

First and foremost, find a school that will support you with an organized induction program. If you are fortunate enough to be in a school or district with a true induction support program, take advantage of all of the learning opportunities that will exist. If you are not in a school with an induction program, start looking now for a new place to practice your talents.

If you are returning to the classroom, use your new-found wisdom and experiences to help other novice teachers in your building. Remember, education is a sharing profession.

Enjoy your time away from the classroom. Use it as a time to reorganize yourself personally and professionally so you can look forward to an even better school year. Focus on the start of school and be able to visualize how smoothly it will flow. Tweak all of the problem areas you had last year. Go into chat rooms here at teachers.net to discuss with your colleagues different approaches to the situations in your classroom.

Prepare in June, Prepare in July, Prepare in August for an even better school year. Life is exceedingly nice when you are prepared and the class runs smoothly. Expect it. You deserve nothing less!



TEACHERS.NET GAZETTE
APRIL 2002
Volume 3 Number 4

Effective Teaching
by Harry and Rosemary Wong
Even Superintendents Do It
When you walk into Wal-Mart you are usually greeted by a precious, mother-like lady who hands you a cart and says, "Welcome to Wal-Mart." You buy, not because the cart is large, but because the lady who greeted you established a relationship. When Sam Walton began Wal-Mart years ago in Arkansas, he went to his suppliers and said, "I want to develop a partnership with you." That same philosophy has been transferred to how Wal-Mart treats its customers and may explain why Wal-Mart is so successful.

Ask any second-career teacher who has been in the business or sales world and that person will tell you that company meetings endlessly drilled in the importance of "relationship." Relationships hold marriages, friendships, teams, work forces, and businesses together. People buy when they believe that a relationship has been developed between the buyer and the seller.

Watch an effective teacher. They know this simple but powerful fact too. There is an assignment on the board (the shopping cart) and the teacher is standing at the door greeting every student (the lady who hands you the cart), establishing a relationship every day. Whereas, the ineffective teacher is in the room yelling at the students to "sit down," "find your seat," and "stop talking," while blaming the students (the customers) for the day's problems.

Leaders Are Seen and Are Accessible

So, it was a breath of fresh air when we received a school district newsletter recently and all it said at the top was

Effective Teachers = Quality Schools

This powerful truism came as the headline of the Newsletter from the Sunnybrook School District 171 in Lansing, Illinois, where Dr. Joseph J. Majchrowicz is the superintendent and instructional leader. He, personally, leads a 10-hour staff development training program for his staff. Before we talk more about the Sunnybrook Schools and its superintendent, let's look at some knowledge that is well known.

This we know:

It is the administrator who creates a good school.

And it is the teacher who creates a good classroom.

It is unfortunate when we hear from teachers who tell us that their superintendent talks to them over a television set. Or, even worse, they have never seen the superintendent, much less met him or her.

Leaders are seen. Leaders are accessible. Leaders lead and they lead by caring enough about the success of their teachers that they will roll up their sleeves and model instructional leadership. This brings us back to Dr. Joe Majchrowicz of the Sunnybrook School District in Lansing, Illinois. He personally leads and teaches a 10-hour class on effective schools. He also chairs the 18 member District Quality Review Team that annually analyzes and evaluates staff practices in the area of effective schools research.

Sunnybrook is a district that is 25 miles south of Chicago next to the Indiana border by Hammond. Originally, it was an agricultural community of Dutch onion farmers. Today, it is a typical suburban area of primarily residential homes. The student population is about 50/50 Caucasians and African-Americans with a small percentage of other groups. Approximately 47 percent of the teachers have a master's degree and the average teaching experience is 17.5 years, so a culture of well educated, experienced teachers capable of producing excellent results is present.

In past columns we have talked about teacher leaders, staff developers, and principals who are instructional leaders. In this column, we share with you that even superintendents do it!

In the Flowing Wells Schools of Tucson, Arizona, state superintendent of the year, Dr. John Pedicone, accompanies a bus tour when the new teachers begin their induction program. He acts as a "tour guide" on a chartered bus trip throughout the school district. A Trivia Contest is part of the planned activities, which includes historical, interesting, and relevant information about the district. This activity demonstrates the culture of the district and allows the teachers to experience and become a part of the Flowing Wells community. A relationship is built with the induction program leaders, the community, and each other on this bus tour.

Dr. Kathryn Robbins, superintendent, of the Leyden High School District in Franklin Park, Illinois, personally leads the training of the new teachers in their new teacher induction program. They have created "Leyden University," which is the district's continuing staff development program.

Bridget Phillips, principal, at Goldfarb Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an instructional leader. She and her staff train the student teachers for one semester and the other semester is used to train the first year teachers. At Goldfarb there is a community of learners who learn and grow together. The staff agreed on a set of school-wide procedures and these are listed in our January 2002 column. (Hyperlink to January 2002).

Creating a New School Vision

In the spring of 2001, the Sunnybrook School District 171 formed a broad-based panel to analyze the systemic effectiveness of its schools and to define future goals for the district. The committee's work was completed and its findings reported to the Board of Education. Many goals were identified and action plans were developed that cover all aspects of education. A new vision for the district was created, which states

The welfare of children and the development of quality schools being our primary responsibility, the vision of Sunnybrook School District 171 is to create a community-based environment dedicated to the pursuit of life-long learning and the development of socially responsible citizens. In a safe learning environment, students, staff, parents and other community members will be actively involved in learning together. The curriculum will involve standards-based, real-life, multidisciplinary tasks that will include problem solving and critical thinking as well as seek to encourage cognitive and affective development. To help implement the vision, The Effective Teacher video series was chosen as a vehicle for building the effective schools philosophy. One of the important aspects of this work states that in every classroom, and in every aspect of school life, specific procedures for behavior must be clearly defined and maintained. These procedures would then become routine practices that are necessary for a school of quality.

Dr. Joseph Majchrowicz, explains, "Our goal is to develop a quality organization where teachers will be managing systems based on routines, which will make for a more efficient system. The development of routines will increase the likelihood of Sunnybrook being successful within our curriculum and instruction framework. The effective school philosophy is a formula for long-term success that is enduring, not a short-term achievement which may not be lasting."

Throughout the district, specific procedures for behavior in common areas are now in place. These include the appropriate and expected behavior for arrival, dismissal, passing periods and hallways, playground, locker areas, assemblies, lunchroom, bus, washrooms, and even the drinking fountains. These procedures define proper behavior and tell children exactly what is expected of them in these situations. When children learn and follow these procedures---when they know what is specifically expected of them in various situations---there is less time spent on disciplinary actions and more time on education.

Student Expectations and Procedures - School Rules

Working with a Quality Review Team of administrators, teachers, and parents, they finalized and implemented a set of school-wide procedures when school began this past fall. All of the teachers instructed the students on the following expectations and classroom procedures so the teachers could begin instruction.
 
 

SUNNYBROOK SCHOOL DISTRICT #171

COMMON AREA PROCEDURES

Bus

  1. Find seat quickly and quietly
  2. Remain seated at all times
  3. Talk quietly and appropriately
  4. Keep hands, feet, and belongings to self
Arrival
  1. Arrive no earlier than 7:45 a.m. at Heritage and 7:45 a.m. at Nathan Hale
  2. Assemble and/or line up in assigned area quietly and appropriately
  3. Walk, single file, quietly and appropriately to classrooms or lockers
Passing Periods and Hallway
  1. Walk in lines on the right side, keeping space between self, others and walls
  2. Keep hands, feet and belongings to self
  3. Talk appropriately using inside voices
Playground
  1. Keep hands, feet and belongings to self
  2. Talk appropriately
  3. Use playground and equipment in a proper and safe manner
  4. Line up quietly and appropriately when bell rings
Drinking Fountain and Washroom
  1. Keep hands and feet to self
  2. Take turns waiting quietly and patiently
  3. Flush and leave washroom clean
  4. Wash hands with soap and water
  5. Respect yourself, others, and school property
Dismissal
  1. Follow intercom directions
  2. Follow hallway procedures
  3. Go directly and quickly to waiting areas, lockers, bus, car, home, or after school programs
  4. Use inside voices
Locker Areas
  1. Talk quietly in an appropriate manner
  2. Keep hands, feet, and belongings to self
  3. Gain permission before going to locker area between classes
  4. Take care of your school business at your locker only and move on to your next destination---no visiting at other lockers allowed
Assemblies
  1. Enter and exit in a quiet and appropriate manner
  2. Sit flat in an appropriate, quiet manner on floor or bleachers until assembly is over and you are dismissed
  3. Follow signals given by adults
  4. Applaud in an appropriate way to show appreciation
Lunchroom
  1. Enter and exit in an appropriate manner
  2. Follow signals of adult supervisors
  3. Speak in inside voices
  4. Clean your table and wait to be dismissed
  5. Stay seated at all times except to get milk and/or lunch. Use of washroom will be limited to last five minutes of lunch at Heritage

Core Values

Effective schools can be easily identified because the people subscribe to a set of core values. When this happens you have a school culture. Culture is defined as the practice and values of a group of people.

The key words are "a group of people." You cannot have a culture of individuals existing in isolation from each other. Thus, Core values give life purpose, vision, and a mission. It is the procedures that are practiced by a group that will see that the core values are reached.

So, what is your district or school's vision? If you have one, then articulate it with a structure of procedures so that people can reach the vision. If there is no vision or culture, the district or a school proceeds, year-after-year, like a rudderless boat.

Research has shown that organizations or schools that strive to achieve quality development of its people (staff and students) are able to identify and emphasize their core values.

Sunnybrook School District #171 identified four such common values that will be woven into the culture of the district. They are at the very heart of doing "What's Best for the Kids." It is expected that everyone will do their best and expect others to:

  1. BE POSITIVE
  2. BE RESPECTFUL
  3. BE POLITE
  4. BE PREPARED
 Does It Work?

Richard Larkins, principal of Nathan Hale School in the Sunnybrook district, reports:

The Effective Teacher video series was the motivation behind setting up both school-wide and classroom procedures within Nathan Hale School. We have a staff (certified and non-certified) of over seventy employees, who in the first week of school all stated to a person that they could see a difference in student behavior. From the time the bell rings to enter the school, to walking to their classroom, to walking to and from lunch and to walking to the door at dismissal, there are procedures and expectations that students follow.

Teachers have said that as a result of these procedures, students come into their classrooms in a calm state of mind and ready to learn. As an example, this "ready to learn" mentality has helped 83% of our students reach their grade level quota in our Reading Incentive Program.

We have also seen a drop in school detentions and suspensions. Within the classroom, procedures are posted in every room and beginning routines are established. For instance, in a 3rd grade room there is a "good morning" greeting by students and teacher, the "give me five" phrase is spoken, the pledge is recited, a chant is recited by students, and the 4 B's are said (Be Positive, Be Polite, Be Respectful, Be Prepared). This takes only one minute to do. A reflection statement is then given to the students by the teacher to which they respond and then they all begin a bell work activity.

With our school and classroom procedures established, we have seen a marked improvement in our school climate and atmosphere.

 Another principal in the Sunnybrook district, Bruce E. Christensen of Heritage Middle School, reports that In all classrooms, we can observe all students working within one minute of the bell. We are able to get the attention of 150 students in a lunchroom by raising a hand and have silence in 10 seconds. We can ask a student, who has been sent to the office for a discipline issue, what value has been violated, and the student can respond with one of our four values.

These are all possible when standard processes, procedures, and values are implemented within a school culture. In our first year of implementation, it was time consuming, tedious, and repetitious at times, but we are now experiencing successes beyond our expectations.

The best validation of our success comes from Jacques Jones, an eighth grade student, who says,

 
"The use of procedures helps our brains get ready to work earlier than before."


With our implementation of school wide procedures, more class time can be devoted to instruction and student activities.

 It's Really Your Choice

Since last September we have presented a series of articles showcasing effective teachers, principals, schools, staff developers, and superintendents who truly know what effective teaching is all about---the kids and their success and achievement. Repeatedly we have said

It is the teacher who makes the difference in the classroom.

You can blame and accuse everything and everyone else for why you're having a hard time, but remember; you chose to become a teacher.

It certainly wasn't the pay that lured you into the schoolyard, nor was it the promise of weekends off. You signed on the dotted line because you firmly believe you can make a difference in the life of a child and, more than ever, make this a world better place because of who you are and what you represent to your students.

Some school districts are the Lexus of learning institutions---always in the relentless pursuit of perfection, spending dollars on teachers and kids to create a vehicle that just hums on the roadway of life, out performing the competition year after year after year.

And then there are other institutions that are just that---institutions. . . .

We've given you the keys to test drive success. Review our past articles to select elements of effective teaching to implement in your classroom. It's never too late in the school year to take a victory lap with your students.

So, esteemed colleagues, it's time to Start Your Engines!

Past Gazette Articles by Harry & Rosemary Wong:


TEACHERS.NET GAZETTE
SEPTEMBER 2000
Volume 1 Number 7


Effective Teaching
by Harry and Rosemary Wong
The Problem Is Not Discipline

Bob Marlowe is typical of the millions of devoted and committed teachers who fret about their next day's lessons. His major question every evening is, "What am I going to teach tomorrow?" So, he plans what he will cover or what activity he will do in class the next day. He thinks this is teaching because

  1. most teachers cover or do activities,
  2. then they discipline when things go wrong.
And when things go wrong, Bob Marlowe frets again the next evening wondering
  1. what he can do to get the students to pay attention to their lessons and,
  2. thus, have fewer behavior problems in the classroom.
He asks that perennial, but incorrect question, "What can I do to motivate my students?" thinking that motivated students will be more attentive and better behaved.

But the next day, the cycle repeats itself and Bob Marlowe continues to

  1. cover and
  2. discipline.
The problem is that most teachers do not spend any time managing their classrooms. If classroom management procedures were taught, most all class discipline problems would disappear and more time in the classroom could be spent on learning.

THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE PIZZA

Let's look at Bob Marlowe as if he owned a pizzeria. Every night, Bob would ask himself

  1. What kind of a pizza can I make tomorrow?
  2. Then when customer problems occur, he fires an employee.
As his business gets worse and worse, he frets over what he can do to motivate the diners to return to his restaurant. He wonders, "What new kind of a pizza can I serve tomorrow-Thai, eggplant, shellfish?" But, still the problem of having no customers occurs.

The problem with Bob Marlowe's restaurant is not his fabulous pizzas; it's his lack of management skill. He pays little or no attention to such things as teaching his employees the procedure for how to take an order, how to cook a pizza, how to store leftover ingredients, how to clean the pizza paddle, or how to clean the restroom. He thinks that all he has to do to run a successful pizza restaurant is to have a great menu featuring fun, creative, and exciting pizzas.

Bob Marlowe, the teacher, is no different. He thinks that all he has to do is cover the material-maybe even make the lessons fun and exciting. He pays no attention to such things as procedures for getting student attention, heading papers, entering the classroom, taking lecture notes, passing papers in, absences and tardies, maintaining a current grade-record book, what to do if a student finishes early, and a myriad of other procedures that happen on a daily basis in a classroom.

An effective teacher is a master at classroom management skills. The effective teacher knows that student achievement will only occur when the student's work environment is organized and structured so that learning can take place. When students are engaged in the learning process, there is a concomitant reduction in behavior problems.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE

Classroom management and discipline are not the same thing. Owners don't discipline a store; they manage a store. Coaches don't discipline a team; they manage a team. Likewise, teachers don't discipline a classroom; they manage a classroom.

No learning takes place when you discipline. All disciplining does is stop deviant behavior, which must be done, but no learning has taken place. Learning only takes place when the students are at work, or as we say in education, on-task.

DISCIPLINE: Concerns how students BEHAVE
PROCEDURES: Concern how things are DONE

DISCIPLINE: Has penalties and rewards
PROCEDURES: Have NO penalties or rewards

We have been getting many questions about what to do with the behavior of certain students. We regret that we cannot respond to each situation because we have no background on the student, the classroom environment, and, most importantly, the specifics of how the classroom is managed.

We suspect that the great majority of what teachers call behavior problems in the classroom have nothing to do with discipline. The number one problem in education is not discipline. It is the lack of procedures and routines resulting in students not knowing what to do-responsibly-in the classroom.

WHY PROCEDURES ARE IMPORTANT

Students readily accept the idea of having a uniform set of classroom procedures, because it simplifies their task of succeeding in school. Efficient and workable procedures allow a great variety of activities to take place during a school day, and often several activities at a given time, with a minimum of confusion and wasted time. If no procedures are established, much time will be wasted organizing each activity and students will have to guess what to do. As a result, undesirable work habits and behaviors could develop which would be hard to correct.

Procedures are the foundation that set the class up for achievement. Student achievement at the end of the school year is directly related to the degree to which the teacher establishes good control of the classroom procedures in the very first week of the school year.

When a class is managed with procedures and the students know these procedures, they will more willingly do whatever you want them to do. You can then be an exciting, creative, and informative teacher with a well-oiled learning environment.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES

There must be procedures in the classroom. Every time the teacher wants something done, there must be a procedure or a set of procedures to accomplish the task. Some procedures that nearly every teacher must teach include the following:
  TEACHING CLASSROOM PROCEDURES

Most behavior problems in the classroom are caused by the teacher's failure to teach students how to follow procedures. Teachers must learn how to effectively convey the procedures just as students must learn how to follow the procedures. Below is a summary of an effective method of teaching classroom procedures.

The Three-Step Approach to Teaching Classroom Procedures

  1. Explain: State, explain, model, and demonstrate the procedure.
  2. Rehearse: Rehearse and practice the procedure under your supervision.
  3. Reinforce: Reteach, rehearse, practice, and reinforce the classroom procedure until it becomes a student habit or routine.


Please refer to Chapter 20 of The First Days of School or the video series, The Effective Teacher, to see how the three-step technique is used to teach selected procedures.

I AM SO EXCITED TO GET TO SCHOOL EACH MORNING
(A letter written to Harry K. Wong)

I began teaching in 1992 fresh out of college, 21 years old, single and no clue as to what I was getting into. I opened a new high school teaching three classes of Consumer Math and two classes of Algebra II.

I went through a year of TOTAL hell! I gave serious thought to not returning in the Fall of 1993. I had no order in my classroom. I posted the rules but did not put much emphasis on my rules and policies.

The next three years were no better. Last year was awful! Pregnant with my second child I found myself sick and put to bed 31 weeks into my pregnancy. My students suffered greatly. When I was able to return part time I found there was NO organization present in my classroom. Needless to say when my students completed the semester I truly believed I was a failure as a teacher.

I was not looking forward to returning in August until I heard you speak to our county teachers at our preschool meeting. I decided to make some major changes in my classroom structure. I never knew what one simple thing I was missing until your session in August. I went home that night and started writing. By the time I finished, everything I expected was written out and ready to give to my students on the first day of class. I spent the first two days doing nothing but discuss and practice my policies and procedures. Then, I reinforced them the next full week.

We are five weeks into this school year (as I write this letter) and I have to say I am having a wonderful year! My students follow my policies and procedures without any gripes. The greatest thing is that my students are really learning this year! They walk in the door on task and stay there for 90 minutes every day. My first block students are even in class before the first bell; they do not wait until the second bell anymore.

Plus, we were on a testing schedule last week and my students were disappointed they were not going to be in class those days. Can you believe students being disappointed to miss Algebra II?!

I am totally sold on the technique of procedures and routines! They work! You saved my career as a teacher! I can't wait; I am SO excited to get to school every morning and start teaching my students.

                Jamie Davis, Math Teacher
                North Laurel High School

PLEASE SHARE WITH US

Your kindness in sharing your classroom procedures with us will be most appreciated. It can be e-mailed to us or sent to us at Harry K. Wong Publications, 943 North Shoreline Boulevard, Mountain View, CA 94043.

We hope all of you followed our summer columns and you had as successful a start to a new school year as Jamie Davis did and that you were able to present yourself to your students as a person worthy of that noble title . . . Teacher.

Harry & Rosemary Wong products: http://harrywong.com/product/
Email Harry Wong: harrywong@teachers.net
Harry & Rosemary Wong products: http://harrywong.com/product/
This printable version is provided for the convenience of individuals.
Reproduction of multiple copies requires permission from editor@teachers.net.



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First Day of School Scripts - Published by Harry and Rosemary Wong

Elementary - Art Teacher
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Middle and High School Class Procedures
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