An Overview: �Effective Teaching & Learning Practices:

“The Great Eight!”

November 15, 2022

Intended Outcomes

At the end of the session, you will be able to…

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• Explain to others the power of positive and proactive strategies in establishing an effective classroom learning environment.
• Describe the eight Effective Teaching and Learning Practices.

Typical School Day

17% Direct Instruction

33% Seatwork

20% Transitions

30% Discipline & Other�Non-Instructional�Activities

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Reinke, Herman & Stormont, 2013; Walberg, 1988

Academic Learning Time

There is no doubt academic learning time–the amount of time that students are actively, successfully, and productively engaged in learning–is a strong�determinant of achievement.

Academic Learning Time

Instructional Time–the amount of the allocated time that actually results in teaching.

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Engaged Time–the amount of instructional time students are actively engaged in learning.

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Academic Learning Time

Instructional Time–diminished by unclear procedures, disruptive student behavior, disciplinary responses, lengthy transitions, etc.

Effective Classroom Practices to Increase Instructional Time:

• Classroom Expectations
• Classroom Procedures & Routines
• Encouraging Expected Behavior
• Discouraging Inappropriate Behavior

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Academic Learning Time

Engaged Time–diminished by inactive supervision, limited opportunities for students to respond, poor task selection, etc.

Effective Classroom Practices to Increase Time of Student Engagement:

• Active Supervision
• Opportunities to Respond
• Activity Sequencing & Choice
• Task Difficulty

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Think, Pair, Share

• Think to Yourself:
• When do I lose Instructional Time?
• When do I lose Engaged Time?
• Pair with a partner.
• Share your thinking.

Effective Classroom Practices

1. Classroom Expectations
2. Classroom Procedures & Routines
3. Encouraging Expected Behavior
4. Discouraging Inappropriate Behavior
5. Active Supervision
6. Opportunities to Respond
7. Activity Sequencing & Choice
8. Task Difficulty

Teacher Standards (alignment)

Intended Outcomes

At the end of the session, you will be able to…

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• Explain to others the power of positive and proactive strategies in establishing an effective classroom learning environment.
• Describe the eight Effective Teaching and Learning Practices.

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Effective Positive Classroom Environments

“The goal of effective classroom management is not creating “perfect” children, but providing the perfect environment for enhancing their growth, using research-based strategies that guide students toward increasingly responsible and motivated behavior.”

(Sprick, Knight, Reinke & McKale, 2006, p. 185)

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1. Classroom Expectations

1. Develop a few behaviors/rules aligned with each school wide expectation (Example: Be Respectful—Follow Directions)
2. Post Expectations & Rules in prominent place and refer to them frequently
3. Teach rules explicitly
4. Recognize students when they follow rules

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2. Classroom Procedures

• Develop explicit steps to follow for common classroom activities (e.g. handing in papers)
• Post classroom procedures in a prominent place and refer to them frequently
• Teach classroom procedures explicitly
• Recognize students when they follow the procedures

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3. Encouraging Expected Behavior

1. Provide high rates of responses to students who comply with classroom rules & procedures through:
• Specific Positive Verbal Feedback
• Nonverbal Recognition
2. Ideal rate of responses when students follow classroom rules & procedures is 4 to 1 response to correct students.

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“In classes with person-centered teachers, there is more engagement, more respect of self and others, fewer resistant behaviors, more student-initiated and student-regulated activities and higher achievement outcomes.”

Hattie, J. (2009)

4:1 Ratio

• Establishes a predictable, positive environment
• Ensures appropriate behavior receives more attention than inappropriate behavior.
• 4:1; four comments in response to desired student behavior to one response to student misbehavior

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(Reavis, Jenson, Kukic & Morgan, 1993)

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Benefits of Specific Positive Feedback

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• Helps adults and students focus on positive social behaviors and actions.
• The most powerful behavior change tool teachers have in their repertoire.
• Increases likelihood students will use the recognized behaviors and skills in the future.
• Decreases inappropriate behavior, and reduces the need for correction.
• Enhances self-esteem and helps build internal locus of control.

Effective Specific

Positive Feedback

State the expectation, describing the behavior you want to

continue using the words of your expectations (matrix).

• “Hey Oscar, thanks for using materials appropriately by putting them away at the end of the project. That shows respect for our classroom.
• “You followed directions and got started right away. That shows you are being responsible!”
• “Jasmine, I noticed you were being responsible by being on time to class. That’s important at school and when you are on the job.”

Effective Specific Positive Feedback

Can include a positive consequence:

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• When behavior requires a great deal of effort, consider pairing verbal feedback with a tangible, a celebration or an activity for additional reinforcement.
• When using a positive consequence, always pair with Specific Positive Feedback.
• Promote ownership; student earns, teachers do not give.

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4. Discouraging Inappropriate Behavior

1. Use an instructional approach when students make social behavioral errors similar to when students make academic errors.
• Use professional tone and demeanor
• Correct errors by telling students what to do, using language of the classroom expectations and rules
2. Use a variety of response strategies (e.g. re-direct, re-teach)

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Proximity,

Nonverbal Cue, Ignore/Attend/Praise

Redirect

Reteach

Provide Choice

Conference

Start Here

Power of Encouragement

*Clarify & Teach Expectations*Notice *Interact*Specific Positive Verbal Feedback*4:1 Positive Ratio*Pre-Correct

Guiding Hand-

For encouraging appropriate and discouraging inappropriate behavior

Continuum for Discouraging Minor Inappropriate Behavior-

If misbehaviors arise after you have deployed the strategies in the palm, use the continuum (finger strategies) to discourage inappropriate behavior.

5. Active Supervision

1. Continually monitor students by scanning, moving and interacting frequently and strategically.
2. Design classroom floor plan and lessons to consider ease of movement, student groupings, activity levels, etc.
3. Provide positive contact, positive and corrective feedback while moving.

Active Supervision in the Classroom

• I can move around the classroom easily
• I can see all areas of the room
• I continually monitor all areas of the room by scanning and interacting
• I consider student groupings, location, and activity levels
• I provide positive and corrective feedback while moving around the room

6. Opportunities to Respond

1. Design lessons to provide a variety of strategies to increase students opportunities to respond and there, increase engaged time.
2. Strategy examples:
• Various strategies to track students being called on
• Choral responding
• Non-verbal responses (e.g. thumbs up)
• Response Cards
• Guided Notes

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Response Strategies

• Varied and creative strategies exist.
• Verbal strategies–students respond orally to teacher prompts or questions.
• Non-verbal strategies–students use a signal, response card, writing or movement to respond. (playing cards, 4 corners, This Side,That Side, human bar graph…)

Stand up, Sit Down Strategy-Share a favorite OTR strategy you have seen used or use in your setting

7. Sequencing and Choice

1. Design lessons and assignment to sequence tasks by intermingling easy/brief tasks among longer or more difficult tasks.
2. Design lessons and assignments to offer a variety of choice options, for example:
• Give students choice of partners
• Offer locations in classroom to do work
• Offer a variety of ways students can demonstrate their knowledge

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SEL Choice Boards

8. Task Difficulty

1. Set students up for success by ensuring instruction, independent work and reading assignments are at students’ academic level.
2. Design lessons and assignments to address a variety of assignment lengths, response modes and increased opportunities for instruction or practice.

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Task Difficulty

Discussion:

Academic Learning Time

Discuss with a partner:

• What do we currently do to ensure uninterrupted learning time?
• What do we currently do to ensure engaged time (e.g., practices to ensure that students are on task, responding frequently, and producing quality work matched to their ability)?

Effective classroom managers are known, not by what they do when misbehavior occurs, but by what they do to set their classroom up for academic success and to prevent problems from occurring.

Activity: Implementation of Effective Teaching and Learning Practices -

1. Classroom Expectations
2. Classroom Procedures and Routines
3. Encouraging Expected Behavior
4. Discouraging Inappropriate Behavior
5. Active Supervision
6. Opportunities to Respond
7. Activity Sequencing and Choice
8. Task Difficulty

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Have-a-Go!

“Positive Opposites”

Questions?

Contact Information:

• Andrea Rockney
• arockney@missouristate.edu
• Jordan Politte
• Jpolitte@missouristate.edu
• Susanna Hill
• SusannaHill@missouristate.edu

“Misbehavior Doctors”