Summary
This YouTube video discusses effective classroom management strategies for teachers, specifically focusing on establishing a positive classroom culture from the very first lesson. The speaker advocates for prioritizing the creation of a functional learning environment over immediately teaching subject matter, suggesting a brief, focused explanation of only three key rules: seating plans, immediate engagement with starters, and appropriate social interaction. The speaker emphasizes consistent enforcement of these rules to maintain a productive classroom throughout the year and stresses the importance of school leadership in supporting this approach, particularly for new teachers. The long-term benefits of this approach, including improved learning, outweigh the short-term sacrifice of content coverage.
Time-stamps
- 0:38-1:43: The speaker emphasizes the importance of establishing a positive classroom culture from the outset. He suggests that teachers should aim to dedicate 100% of their instruction time to the subject matter and 0% to managing behavior, though this is an ideal that’s difficult to achieve in practice. He argues that students need clear expectations and explanations of desired behavior to succeed.
- 2:15-3:00: The speaker explains that the first few lessons should prioritize establishing the right classroom culture, even if it means sacrificing some content coverage in the short term. He believes that focusing on culture early on will lead to more efficient and effective teaching in subsequent lessons.
- 3:00-4:40: The speaker details his approach to setting classroom rules. He advocates for focusing on three key rules: seating plan, starters, and social skills. He outlines the rationale behind each rule and emphasizes the importance of consistent follow-through in enforcing them.
- 5:11-5:50: The speaker acknowledges the challenge of prioritizing culture-building in the context of packed schemes of work and lesson objectives. He recommends that teachers have conversations with their mentors or heads of department to address concerns and ensure support for their approach.
- 5:50-6:26: The speaker suggests that going through the three classroom rules should take no more than 10-15 minutes. He reiterates that establishing these expectations early on allows for a quicker transition to teaching the subject matter.
- 6:26-7:36: The speaker advises against explicitly revisiting the classroom rules in subsequent lessons, especially with older students. Instead, he suggests consistently addressing any deviations from the established expectations. He shares an anecdote about effectively handling a student’s call-out by immediately referring back to the agreed-upon social skills rule.
- 7:36-8:31: The speaker highlights the importance of protecting the first few lessons from interruptions. He shares an experience of turning away colleagues who attempted to borrow materials during these crucial culture-setting sessions. He emphasizes that this demonstrates to students the priority he places on establishing a conducive learning environment.
What are the key implications for teachers in the classroom?
- Teachers should prioritize establishing a positive classroom culture in their initial lessons. The goal should be to minimize the time spent addressing behavioral issues and maximize the time devoted to teaching the subject matter. While this may involve “sacrificing content in the short term,” it ultimately leads to more efficient and effective teaching in the long run.
- Instead of focusing on specific academic objectives in the first few lessons, teachers should prioritize creating the right culture for learning. This may involve explicitly stating classroom expectations and procedures. The speaker recommends setting clear expectations for behavior and consistently enforcing them.
- It is essential to keep the initial behavior lesson concise, aiming to complete it within 10-15 minutes. The speaker suggests focusing on three key rules: seating plan, starting procedures, and social skills. Students should be required to write down these rules to emphasize their importance.
- Teachers should consistently reinforce expectations and address any deviations from them. This includes responding to minor infractions to demonstrate that expectations will be enforced. The speaker emphasizes the importance of “following through” on established rules to maintain a positive learning environment.
- Teachers should protect instructional time, particularly during the initial lessons, by minimizing interruptions. This includes sending away colleagues who are seeking to borrow materials or engage in non-essential conversations. Such actions send a clear message to students that establishing a positive classroom culture is the top priority.
- Heads of departments and mentors should provide support to teachers in establishing classroom routines and managing behavior, particularly for new teachers. This includes recognizing that new teachers may be more concerned about behavior management than teaching specific content and providing guidance and resources to help them establish a positive classroom climate. The speaker suggests that schemes of work could explicitly incorporate time for “classroom routines and setting culture” during the first week to alleviate pressure on teachers to immediately cover academic content.
