The Classroom Management Equation Part I: Expectations & Time

Teaching is classroom management...

I’ll say it again.

Teaching is classroom management with a big slice of curriculum on the side.

For new teachers, it is never too early to start thinkinging about developing their classroom management strategies. And truthfully, there is no getting around the plural nature of the management strategies you will have to grow and develop over time. 

Last week I introduced the Classroom Management Equation (CME) as a working framework for new teachers. 

It looks something like this: 

Classroom Management 

=

(Expectations Time) / ( Consequence Space) 

____________________________________

Consistency

This week we are going to be looking at the first chunk of this equation. That is the relationship between expectations and time.

Setting Your Expectations 

As a teacher your school should provide you with a code of expectations both for you and for what is expected of your students. This can usually be found in a student handbook which should be available to you either on your school’s shared drive or as a physical copy. 

The tricky bit about the expectational guidelines laid out for the students by the school is that they are often too broad to be either applicable or useful within the classroom context. 

This is why new teachers need to be able to take the spirit of the expectations found in the student handbook and transform it into something which works for them. And, and this is a big consideration, integrating them into the classroom environment in a way that is clear and easily accessible to students.

In my own classroom this took the form of laminated flip books which covered everything from food, to asking questions, to submission guidelines, to podcasts worth checking, to what they could expect from me in terms of escalation, conflict resolution and problem solving. And perhaps most importantly, the skills, aptitudes, and tools for personal growth that I want my students to walk away with at the end of the course.

If you don’t have the budget for creating a series of flip books consider creating a QR code which you can post around the classroom. 

No matter what form your expectations document takes, the important takeaway here is that it needs to be easily accessible, easily visible, and framed in a way that is aspirational, and easy for students to comprehend. 

Understanding The Importance Of Time

When it comes to setting expectations and enforcing them, the time component is actually somewhat counter-intuitive.

How?

Consider this: You should aim to embed classroom management strategies and the expectations of your classroom management strategies into everything that you do. So as to reduce the number of unique instances where you have to deal with specific issues. 

Is this always possible?

Nope!

However, there are a number of time scales to consider when implementing your classroom management strategies. Especially when it comes to setting and implementing your expectations.

Managing Time: Start With The Block

The best place to start is your block. Set expectations around what will be happening at different points and explain the ‘why’ and ‘what’s in it for you/me’ to the students. 

For example:

• Skill Builders: Silent Reading, Work Time, Typing, Student Check-ins

• Intro: Recap, Outline, Concept To Think About

• Work/Instruction:

• Close: Planners, Check-ins, etc

No matter what class I was teaching, my students knew what they could expect and what I expected them to be doing at any given point in the class. 

Managing Time: Consider The Term Or Semester

At the beginning of each year I let my students know that I will intentionally be setting aside time both before and after major points in the semester. These usually coincide with the weeks before report cards, the midpoint of the course, and the end of the course. 

Generally these blocks would be set aside to get students to reflect on their goals, to examine their growth, and to come up with strategies they can use moving forward. In addition, to discussions about how the class is doing in relation to my expectations of them as a teacher, and the expectations they set for themselves. 

Managing Time: Giving Students Time To Help Set Expectations & Provide Input

Depending on your class composition, giving students consistent times to help set expectations & provide input can seem like a daunting task.

And I am not going to say that it isn’t a daunting task. Because good intentions and implementing ‘best practice’ strategies can only go so far as your students are willing to let you.

However, letting the students know that their input is valued and that being able to exceed their own expectations of themselves is valuable.

From a practical standpoint, this is because when students feel like they have some input on what goes on in the class, and they can agree with the aspirational nature of the expectations’ outcomes– they tend moderate their behaviour to a higher degree then those who don’t. 

Does this mean your classes will become seamless from a classroom management perspective? 

No!

However, getting the students invested in the ‘why’ and ‘what’s in it for them’ of your classroom expectations, will mean that within the context of the students of your class, you’ll spend less time having to deal with unique classroom management issues. 

And if you can do this consistently, what you’ll find is a trend towards better outcomes over time. 

The Big Takeaways Of Classroom Management As An Expression Of Expectations & Time

It might sound like old hat, but when it comes to setting expectations in your classroom, the clearer you can be, the more accessible you can make them, and the greater the frequency you can tie them into your day-to-day interactions with your students will pay dividends.

In the same way, being consistent in setting aside consistent time for classroom management scaffolded by clear expectations will reduce the total number of times you have to engage in explicit interventions. Within the specific framework of the needs of the students in your class. 

So remember, when it comes to planning out your school year, start with classroom management and treat the curriculum as if it were a nice slice of pie on the side.