As the school year winds down, students often become more distracted and disengaged due to anticipation of snow days, spring break, changes in routine, and fatigue. The strategies outlined in "Strategies for Getting Students Back on Track" can be particularly helpful in managing end-of-year behaviors. Answer one of the three questions in response to the article.
Choose one question to answer:
- The article suggests strategies for helping students refocus when their attention wanders. Which of these techniques have you tried, and what was the outcome? Are there other methods you've found effective?
- How do you currently teach students to regain focus after being distracted? Can you share an example of a successful approach you've used?
- Reflecting on your classroom management, how do you balance proactive strategies (preventing off-task behavior) with reactive strategies (addressing behavior after it occurs)? Which do you find more effective, and why?
Reflecting on your classroom management, how do you balance proactive strategies (preventing off-task behavior) with reactive strategies (addressing behavior after it occurs)? Which do you find more effective, and why?
ReplyDeleteSuccessful classroom management demands both proactive strategies to stop off-task behavior from arising and reactive strategies to manage behavior when it happens. I focus on applying proactive strategies in my classroom to establish clear expectations and build a structured learning environment. The CHAMPS program enables me to teach students explicit behavior expectations for various activities which helps them see what successful participation looks like across different classroom situations. The class contract that students participate in developing produces their sense of responsibility alongside their ownership of classroom behavior.
Despite well-designed systems, reactive methods occasionally become essential. I ensure my responses remain calm and consistent while reinforcing expectations to prevent behavioral situations from escalating. I start with gentle redirection and reminders as well as private conversations before implementing consequences. When students face repeated behavioral challenges, I work together with parents and students to develop personalized behavior plans.
Proactive strategies work better because they establish successful foundations for students from the beginning. Supportive environments paired with clear expectations lead to a noticeable reduction in students' off-task behaviors. That being said, a strong classroom management system requires flexibility—balancing prevention with thoughtful responses when needed.
I find proactive strategies to work better for my students. For example, I have a student who will randomly shout out things or try to be funny when it's not appropriate and they wouldn't be able to repeat back instructions directly after I said them. When I would try reactive strategies, the behavior would continue. My proactive strategies with this student include letting them listen to music. This has made a big difference and now the student remains on task and doesn't need to be redirected. They know what to do without someone reminding them and finish assignments without causing any distraction to those around them.
ReplyDeleteMs. Hendricks - In response to question 3, I agree with what some of my fellow collegues have said above - most of the strategies that work better for my students are proactive. This works really well with CHAMPS, because students know what they need to be doing ahead of time. I also allow students to listen to music because it does keep the majority of them on task. I also make sure to keep the list of tasks where students can easily see their next task without needing to interrupt the entire class. I tend to use reactive strategies when students are very clearly off task. While I feel that both strategies are needed, proactive is more effective. If students aren't given the opportunity to engage in off-task behavior then the odds of them doing something that requires a reactive strategy decreases.
ReplyDeleteAs an educator I believe that everyone has a voice and wants to be heard. But there is a time a place for everything. When dealing with off task behavior I bring the situation back to the student and let them know that their choices on off task behaviors can bring certain consequences. I tell them all of the time that you have good and bad consequences for every decision that you make. With this method I am proactive and reinforcing reactive choices. Most students just want to be heard or don't know how to ask for help. This gives them a chance to get the help that they need.
ReplyDeleteHow do you currently teach students to regain focus after being distracted? Can you share an example of a successful approach you've used?
ReplyDeleteI see this within my classroom sometimes. How I help students to regain focus is first recognizing that fact they are getting distracted. This could be them looking around the room of fidgeting with a pencil or object they are holding. I do know this does not always mean they are losing focus but are focusing, but this is getting to know your students to know when this is happening. To help the students get back to focusing is either removing them away from the individual that is leading them to be unfocused in the first place. I also have sat next to a student before to help them focus on the task I am asking them to do. I have a specific student currently that I am able to just sit with them to help them focus on the task. Sometimes I will have student stand up and do stretching breaks to help them get up for a second, do a movement and had them sit back down. This seemed to help a lot with my students who have ADHD.