Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher E-Book

Julia G. Thompson

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Serie: J-B Ed: Survival Guides
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 718

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

Ideas for creating an orderly classroom where learning can thrive This unique, hands-on book is packed with tested ideas and strategies to help you create a classroom environment where good conduct and high achievement are the norm and where students become self- motivated and take responsibility for their actions. The second edition is fully revised and updated to reflect changes in the past decade. * Puts the focus on the teacher as a leader and coach who encourages students to buy into a classroom management approach * Offers information about setting limits, safety issues, and protecting student's privacy * Covers topics including technology; disruptions in the classroom form i-pods and cell phones; computers in the classroom; motivating, engaging, instructing students; and communicating with students and parents This must have resource offers a comprehensive and accessible guide to disciple in the school setting, complete with handy forms, checklists, and self-assessments.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Series

Jossey-Bass Teacher

Title

Copyright

About This Book

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Dedication

Introduction

SECTION ONE: Successful Discipline Rests with You

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

WHY PUNISHMENT AND OTHER INEFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE TECHNIQUES DO NOT WORK

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ADOLESCENTS

HOW MUCH AUTONOMY SHOULD YOU ALLOW?

THE BEHAVIORS YOU CAN EXPECT FROM YOUR STUDENTS

PROACTIVE ATTITUDES THAT CAN HELP YOU CREATE A POSITIVE DISCIPLINE CLIMATE

SECTION TWO: Adopt a Comprehensive Approach for a Successful Discipline Climate

BEGIN THE PROCESS WITH A BROAD VIEW

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A WELL-MANAGED TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY CLASSROOM

FIVE COMMONSENSE STEPS TO A PRODUCTIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

THE MOST COMMON DISCIPLINE MISTAKES THAT SECONDARY TEACHERS MAKE

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE PRACTICES

PUT YOUR HIGH EXPECTATIONS TO WORK

HOW TO COMMUNICATE YOUR HIGH EXPECTATIONS

SECTION THREE: Cultivate Your Role as a Classroom Leader

BECOME AN EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM LEADER

STUDENTS SHOULD COME FIRST

VIEW YOURSELF AS A COACH

THE IMPORTANCE OF ASSESSING YOUR PERFORMANCE

HOW TO GATHER OTHER DATA ON YOUR CLASSROOM COMPETENCE

AVOID UNREASONABLE EXPECTATIONS

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR STRESSFUL CAREER

THE PROMISE OF PROFESSIONALISM

HOW TO BE PREPARED FOR CLASS EVERY DAY

HOW TO MAKE YOUR STUDENTS PAY ATTENTION TO YOU

SHOW RESPECT TO GAIN RESPECT

WATCH YOUR BODY LANGUAGE

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

BE CAREFUL ABOUT YOUR LANGUAGE

SECTION FOUR: Foster a Positive Classroom Environment

ESTABLISH A POSITIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

SAFETY MUST COME FIRST

HOW TO DETERMINE IF STUDENTS ARE STRESSED INSTEAD OF CHALLENGED

PROTECT YOUR STUDENTS FROM BULLIES

MAKING YOUR CLASSROOM SAFE BY ENFORCING SCHOOL RULES

ESTABLISH A PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING

SEATING ARRANGEMENTS

SHARING CLASSROOM SPACE

OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS

DEALING WITH NOISE LEVELS

PROMOTING CLASSROOM OWNERSHIP

CREATE A STUDENT-CENTERED CLASS ATMOSPHERE

STRUCTURE YOUR CLASS TO USE TIME WISELY

QUICK TIPS TO MAKE EVERY MINUTE COUNT

THE FIRST TEN MINUTES OF CLASS

REDUCING DISRUPTIONS THROUGH EFFECTIVE TRANSITIONS

ACTIVITIES TO KEEP STUDENTS ENGAGED IN LEARNING DURING TRANSITION TIMES

THE LAST TEN MINUTES OF CLASS

SECTION FIVE: Promote Self-Discipline

MOVING BEYOND CROWD CONTROL TO PROMOTE SELF-DISCIPLINE

BECOME A CONSISTENT TEACHER

TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO MONITOR THEMSELVES

FOCUS ON YOUR STUDENTS’ STRENGTHS

INCREASE POSITIVE INTERACTIONS WITH YOUR STUDENTS

HOW TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING

HOW TO HELP IMPULSIVE STUDENTS

HOW TO ASSIST STUDENTS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDERS

HOW TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO ARE UNDERACHIEVERS

HOW TO HELP STUDENTS MAKE UP MISSED WORK

PROMOTING SELF-DISCIPLINE THROUGH IMPROVED SELF-IMAGE

TEACH YOUR STUDENTS TO SET AND ACHIEVE GOALS

TEACH STUDENTS TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS

CREATING SELF-DISCIPLINED STUDENTS THROUGH PROBLEM-SOLVING ACTIVITIES

BEHAVIOR MODELING THAT CAN TRANSFORM YOUR CLASS

USE BEHAVIOR CONTRACTS TO PROMOTE RESPONSIBILITY

HOLD STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR OWN SUCCESS

SECTION SIX: Use Classroom Management Systems

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT DECISIONS YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE

HOW CLASSROOM RULES, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES PROMOTE SELF-DISCIPLINE

A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE TO MAKE RULES, PROCEDURES, AND POLICIES EASY TO REMEMBER

SETTING LIMITS AND ABIDING BY THEM

HOW TO SAY “NO” WITHOUT BEING NEGATIVE

CREATE CLASSROOM RULES

HOW TO TEACH CLASSROOM RULES SUCCESSFULLY

ENFORCE CLASSROOM RULES

POLICIES THAT GUIDE YOUR STUDENTS

ESTABLISH CONTROL THROUGH CLASS PROCEDURES

SECTION SEVEN: Create and Maintain a Partnership with Students’ Families

WHY ALL TEACHERS NEED THIS POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP

POSITIVE ATTITUDES TO HELP YOU WORK WITH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

AVOID CONFRONTATION WITH A TRANSPARENT CLASSROOM

HOW TO GENERATE A POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM YOUR STUDENTS’ PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

WHAT YOUR STUDENTS’ PARENTS AND GUARDIANS SHOULD EXPECT FROM YOU

HOLD BENEFICIAL CONFERENCES

DOCUMENTING HOME CONTACTS

MANAGE ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE

MAKE PRODUCTIVE PHONE CALLS

MAINTAIN A CLASS WEB PAGE

HOW TO MAINTAIN STUDENT PRIVACY

SECTION EIGHT: Establish a Cooperative Classroom Climate

THE SYNERGY OF A COOPERATIVE CLASSROOM CLIMATE

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR SCHOOL’S CLIMATE IS NOT POSITIVE

CONNECT WITH YOUR STUDENTS

THE BASICS OF A GOOD TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP

HOW TO GET TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS

HOW TO LET YOUR STUDENTS KNOW THAT YOU CARE

BOUNDARIES IN TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS

SEEKING FEEDBACK FROM YOUR STUDENTS

TEACH SOCIAL SKILLS

WHAT TO DO WHEN A STUDENT CONFIDES IN YOU

THE IMPORTANCE OF MODELING COURTESY

USE CONFLICT RESOLUTION STRATEGIES TO CREATE A PRODUCTIVE CLASSROOM

CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY BY HELPING STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER

USE INTERVIEW PROJECTS TO HELP STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER

ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF A DIVERSE CLASSROOM

BUILD A POSITIVE CLASSROOM CULTURE

SECTION NINE: Maintain Order with Effective Instruction

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INSTRUCTION AND DISCIPLINE

PROVIDE ENGAGING INSTRUCTION

ACTIVITIES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS

BUILD IN RELEVANCE

PACE INSTRUCTION TO KEEP EVERY STUDENT ON TASK

WHAT TO DO WHEN WASTED TIME CAUSES PROBLEMS

DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTION TO ENGAGE YOUR STUDENTS

HOW TO HAVE SUCCESSFUL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

TEACH THE PROCESS OF LONG-TERM PROJECTS

STUDENT NOTEBOOKS: ORGANIZING FOR SUCCESS

ASK PRODUCTIVE QUESTIONS

PLAY GAMES WITH YOUR STUDENTS

HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE INSTRUCTION

HELP STUDENTS STAY ON TASK WHEN WORKING WITH COMPUTERS

TEACHING STUDENTS TO WORK WELL TOGETHER

SOME QUICK COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

SOME QUICK COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES WITH TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

MONITORING STUDENTS’ BEHAVIOR

QUICK MONITORING TECHNIQUES

USE A SYLLABUS TO PREVENT PROBLEMS

WHEN YOU NEED A SUBSTITUTE

SECTION TEN: Promote Achievement and Learning

THE ROLE MOTIVATION PLAYS IN A POSITIVE DISCIPLINE PLAN

MAKE SURE STUDENTS KNOW HOW TO DO THEIR WORK

STUDY SKILLS APPROPRIATE FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

USE ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAISE

HOW TO USE ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAISE EFFECTIVELY

EMPLOY EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION

TECHNIQUES FOR INCREASING INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

AROUSE STUDENT CURIOSITY

BUILD CRITICAL-THINKING SKILLS

QUESTIONS THAT SPARK CRITICAL THINKING

TASK STEMS TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS THROUGH CRITICAL-THINKING ACTIVITIES

ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR ACTIVE STUDENTS

USE INDUCTIVE LEARNING TO ENGAGE STUDENTS

ANOTHER USEFUL METHOD OF USING INDUCTIVE TEACHING: CASE STUDIES

APPEAL TO YOUR STUDENTS’ ALTRUISM

INTERNET RESOURCES FOR SERVICE PROJECTS IN YOUR CLASSROOM

SHOW STUDENTS HOW TO BENEFIT FROM FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

ENLARGE THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

CREATE A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE IN YOUR CLASSROOM

SECTION ELEVEN: Prevent Discipline Problems

CREATE A POSITIVE CLASSROOM WHEN YOU PREVENT DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS

WHEN YOU ARE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM

WHEN WHAT YOU SAY CAUSES PROBLEMS

CONDUCTING USEFUL STUDENT CONFERENCES

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL STUDENT CONFERENCES

MAKING DETENTIONS BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR STUDENTS

ESSAY QUESTIONS THAT WILL HELP SOLVE DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS

HOW TO HANDLE THE DIFFICULT CLASS

WIN OVER YOUR DIFFICULT STUDENTS

HOW TO INCREASE THE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR IN YOUR CLASS

HOW TO DECREASE THE NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR IN YOUR CLASS

SECTION TWELVE: Cope Successfully with Discipline Problems Once They Occur

THE DIFFICULT TASK OF RESPONDING TO DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY INVESTIGATE A BEHAVIOR PROBLEM

EMPLOY THE STEPS OF THE PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH

THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY INTERVENTION

THE CHOICES TEACHERS HAVE WHEN DEALING WITH DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS

HOW TO REFER A STUDENT TO THE OFFICE

THE IMPORTANCE OF ANECDOTAL BEHAVIOR RECORDS

HOW TO PRESERVE YOUR STUDENTS’ DIGNITY

HOW TO HANDLE CHRONIC MISBEHAVIOR

HOW TO MANAGE STUDENTS WHO WANT TO SLEEP INSTEAD OF PARTICIPATE IN CLASS

WHAT TO DO WHEN STUDENTS LACK MATERIALS

HOW TO HELP STUDENTS WHO DAYDREAM

HOW TO MANAGE STUDENT CELL PHONE USE IN CLASS

HOW TO MANAGE HALLWAY MISBEHAVIOR

HOW TO HANDLE REQUESTS TO SEE THE SCHOOL NURSE

HOW TO HANDLE VANDALISM

HOW TO MANAGE PROFANITY

HOW TO INTERVENE WHEN STUDENTS ARE TARDY

HOW TO INTERVENE WHEN STUDENTS ARE TRUANT

HOW TO REDUCE EXCESSIVE TALKING

HOW TO AVOID POWER STRUGGLES

HOW TO INTERVENE WHEN STUDENTS CHEAT

HOW TO COPE WHEN STUDENTS STEAL

WHAT TO DO WHEN STUDENTS ARE DEFIANT

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

WHAT TO DO WHEN STUDENTS ARE VIOLENT

WARNING SIGNS YOU SHOULD NOT IGNORE

Index

End User License Agreement

List of Tables

SECTION SIX: Use Classroom Management Systems

Table 6.1. The Interaction of the Three Elements of a Classroom Management System in a Laptop Classroom

List of Illustrations

SECTION TWO: Adopt a Comprehensive Approach for a Successful Discipline Climate

Figure 2.1. Putting Your High Expectations to Work

SECTION TEN: Promote Achievement and Learning

Figure 10.1. How to Use Case Studies in Inductive Learning Instruction

SECTION ELEVEN: Prevent Discipline Problems

Figure 11.1. Chart Behaviors You Would Like to Increase

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

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More Praise for the Second Edition of Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher

“In my first year as a New York City Public School teacher, I utilized Thompson’s helpful thoughts on how to be a more effective educator. Her common-sense advice for teachers is a breath of fresh air. Applied consistently, the principles in this book will help every teacher perfect their craft by addressing the most important factor in teaching: classroom discipline. If you are looking for real tools that you can use to make the most of your and your students’ time, this book is for you!”

—Adam Kofod, classroom teacher, Petaluma, CA

“After a tough power struggle with a student in my classroom, Julia Thompson helped me calmly implement different methods based on student behavior to cool the situation, rather than have it escalate beyond repair. Her book provides a series of different strategies to engage in with students, since in many cases the first strategy used may not work. Thompson also teaches us to find the positive in students. When I let students and their parents know about the positive aspects of their work and behavior—instead of just problems—it creates a better working relationship.”

—Michele Sambiase, secondary teacher, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

“Julia G. Thompson has packed so much valuable information about student discipline into her new book that it could stand alone as the only resource a teacher needs.”

—Jill Hare, editor, TheApple.com

Praise for The First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide

“Julia Thompson earns an A+ for her practical and comprehensive First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide. This veteran educator skillfully provides effective classroom-tested strategies to guide the new teacher through the possible problems and potentially stressful situations often encountered during that memorable first year of teaching…. The First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide should be required reading for all new teachers!”

—Jack Umstatter, veteran teacher of thirty-five years and educational consultant, Islip, New York

“I can’t think of anything this guide doesn’t have! … Thompson’s The First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide will prove to be an invaluable tool for new teachers. Seasoned teachers will love it for its new and innovative ideas. I would have one available for each teacher on opening day!”

—Gloria Smith, early childhood staff developer, District 7, Bronx, New York

“This book is like having a personal mentor to guide new teachers through the demanding process of becoming educators. Experienced teachers will also find fresh insight that can transform effective instruction from instinctive to intentional.”

—Elisabeth H. Fuller, coordinator of grants, budget, and resources, Isle of Wight County Schools, Virginia

Jossey-Bass Teacher

Jossey-Bass Teacher provides educators with practical knowledge and tools to create a positive and lifelong impact on student learning. We offer classroom-tested and research-based teaching resources for a variety of grade levels and subject areas. Whether you are an aspiring, new, or veteran teacher, we want to help you make every teaching day your best.

From ready-to-use classroom activities to the latest teaching framework, our value-packed books provide insightful, practical, and comprehensive materials on the topics that matter most to K–12 teachers. We hope to become your trusted source for the best ideas from the most experienced and respected experts in the field.

Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher

SECOND EDITION

Julia G. Thompson

Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by Jossey-BassA Wiley Imprint989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741—www.josseybass.com

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the publisher or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax [phone], or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax [phone], or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Permission is given for individual classroom teachers to reproduce the pages and illustrations for classroom use. Reproduction of these materials for an entire school system is strictly forbidden.

Readers should be aware that Internet Web sites offered as citations and/or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Thompson, Julia G. Discipline survival guide for the secondary teacher / Julia G. Thompson.—2nd ed.   p. cm.—(J–b ed: survival guides; 161)  Includes index.  ISBN 978-0-470-54743-4 (pbk.)   1. Classroom management. 2. Education, Secondary. 3. Teacher effectiveness. 4. Teacher-student relationships. I. Title. LB3013.T56 2010 373.1102'4—dc22

2010013835

SECOND EDITION

About This Book

If you teach, you will have discipline problems. In fact, discipline problems in today’s secondary classrooms are so prevalent and disruptive that in survey after survey teachers report that their frustrations with discipline issues are the most unpleasant part of their profession. The failure to manage a classroom successfully is often the reason that even the most dedicated teachers leave education for a less stressful career.

If you are a teacher who has faced challenging and discouraging discipline problems, the second edition of Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher has been written specifically for you. You will find valuable, classroom-tested advice on how to adopt a comprehensive approach to discipline as you work to create a positive classroom environment. You will learn how to help your students become self-disciplined, goal-oriented, successful learners as you hone your skills and enhance your charisma as a classroom leader.

Each section of Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher offers a variety of sound ideas and teaching tools designed to enable you to apply the most up-to-date theories and research about crucial topics such as student motivation, classroom management systems, teacher-student relationships, effective instructional techniques, student safety, and the importance of high expectations. This book also provides workable suggestions about how to prevent discipline issues from disrupting the learning climate in your classroom. As you work through each section, you will also find reproducible activities for your students, forms to help you efficiently organize your school day, and opportunities to reflect on your strengths as an educator. The realistic support and invaluable guidance within each section will enable you to create an orderly, positive, productive classroom where all of your students can learn and succeed.

About the Author

Best-selling author Julia G. Thompson has been a public school teacher for more than thirty years. She has taught a wide variety of subjects, including English, reading, special education, math, geography, home economics, physical education, and employment skills. Her students have ranged from reluctant seventh graders to gifted college students. Thompson currently teaches in Fairfax County, Virginia, and she is an active speaker and consultant. Author of The First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide and The First-Year Teacher’s Checklist, she also publishes a Web site that offers tips for teachers on a variety of subjects. As a classroom expert, Thompson also provides discipline advice as “Dear Julia” at TheApple (www.theapple.monster.com) and at [email protected]. To learn more, go to www.juliagthompson.com.

Acknowledgments

I am especially grateful to my editor, Marjorie McAneny, for her insight, guidance, and patient support during the preparation of this book.

Special thanks to the teachers who take time to write e-mails that share their struggles and triumphs as they strive to help their students reach for a bright future. Their unshakable belief in the power of an education serves as inspiration for us all.

For Phil, with gratitude, admiration, and love

Introduction

A great deal has changed in secondary classrooms since Discipline Survival Kit for the Secondary Teacher was first published. In the intervening years our classrooms have expanded to include an increasingly diverse population as immigrants from across the world send their children to schools unprepared for a large influx of nonnative speakers. The troubling decrease in the literacy rate continues to cause concern as educators strive to help students whose inadequate reading and critical thinking skills result in record poor standardized test scores and low graduation rates. The global economic downturn has also had a detrimental effect on schools as funds for much-needed improvements, training, and equipment have all but vanished in many districts. In perhaps the most heartbreaking turn of events, incidents of horrific school violence have instilled an unprecedented sense of fear in teachers and students alike. And not surprisingly, in recent years the teacher shortage has become more and more severe as educators opt for less-challenging careers.

In spite of the troubles that our profession has weathered since the first publication of Discipline Survival Kit for the Secondary Teacher, there have also been many noteworthy positive changes. Dedicated researchers have teamed with classroom teachers to develop instructional strategies that focus on reaching the needs of all learners. Ongoing research has taught us a great deal about how to apply the knowledge that we now have about how the human brain functions and how we can help our students learn. Even with a lack of funds, teachers still involve themselves in professional development activities. With professional reading, online courses, study groups, online forums, and independent studies, we strive to learn as much as we can from our colleagues and other experts in our profession. The rapid growth of personal technological resources has made it easier for us to access information easily. With just a few keystrokes, we can discuss classroom issues with teachers in other parts of the world, find innovative lesson plans, research the best way to decorate our classrooms, and even share stress-relieving laughter over humorous classroom incidents. Finally, the Internet has become an indispensable classroom tool as more and more students have access to computers.

Even though a great deal has changed for secondary teachers both for better and worse in the last few years, much has remained the same. Many teachers across our country are coping beautifully with the recent, anxiety-provoking changes in education. These teachers manage their students’ difficult behavior with skill and grace. Their students are successful, and they themselves find a great deal of personal satisfaction in the positive learning environment that they have established in their classrooms. The dreams that they had when they chose education as a career are everyday realities. These secondary teachers have found successful ways to help their students become self-motivated and self-disciplined.

The Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher provides a useful desktop reference filled with essential techniques and strategies necessary to manage the wide range of problems and responsibilities related to discipline in the secondary classroom. It serves as a practical guide to solving many of the behavior management problems that secondary teachers encounter each day. The timely, school-tested solutions in the Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher help you develop a classroom climate where cooperative students can focus on positive behaviors rather than negative ones. Experienced and novice teachers alike will find strategies, activities, tips, and tools that provide solutions to many of the frustrating problems involved in managing student behavior.

Specifically, the goals of this Guide are to

Allow you to be in control of your class

Help you create the kind of motivational environment where mannerly conduct and successful learning are the order of the day

Use the technological resources available to you and your students

Provide some solutions for the problems caused by the rapid changes brought about by technology

Use instructional strategies appropriate for all learners

Help you develop your classroom leadership skills

Provide you with up-to-date solutions to some of the most common discipline problems that are unique to secondary classrooms

Save you time with an array of easy-to-use charts, forms, checklists, and reproducible materials

Help you guide students toward more successful collaborative relationships with you and with each other

Help you create a productive learning environment where you and your students can feel a sense of safety and belonging

Enable you to reduce disruptions and effectively manage student behavior

Help you motivate your students to take the initiative for their own learning

Increase your confidence in your ability to find the satisfaction that a career in education can bring

Within the Guide are a broad range of topics designed to help teachers move beyond controlling a crowd of unruly adolescents to teaching a group of self-disciplined students who love learning. The information in each section helps you meet the challenges that your students bring to school each day. For example:

Section One:

Accept responsibility for creating the positive discipline climate that you want for your students.

Section Two:

Begin the process of designing your personal discipline plan using the most effective discipline practices available to you.

Section Three:

Develop your full potential as a classroom leader.

Section Four:

Use three key elements to establish a positive classroom environment.

Section Five:

Begin the process of moving your students toward becoming self-disciplined learners.

Section Six:

Develop and implement effective classroom management systems.

Section Seven:

Establish a productive relationship with the families of your students.

Section Eight:

Cultivate a classroom climate where students work in harmony with each other and with you.

Section Nine:

Design and deliver effective instruction that encourages students to stay on-task for the duration of the class.

Section Ten:

Use a variety of motivational techniques to help students achieve.

Section Eleven:

Prevent discipline problems with a variety of strategies.

Section Twelve:

React appropriately once misbehavior has occurred in your classroom.

Busy secondary teachers can use this resource in many ways. You can browse through it section by section, gathering ideas to fit your own classroom situation. You could use the table of contents to find advice quickly in a particular section that addresses a concern you have at the moment. Or you can use this Guide to analyze the discipline problems happening in your classroom. The most effective use of the information in these pages, however, would be to enable you to create the kind of positive classroom environment where the teacher is in control and where students are engaged in the enjoyable process of becoming lifelong learners.

SECTION ONESuccessful Discipline Rests with You

In this section you will learn

How to accept responsibility for establishing a positive discipline climate

How to select effective discipline strategies

How to allow students to make appropriate choices

How to anticipate student behavior patterns

How to use proactive attitudes to help students be successful