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I Love Bright/ Fun colors style for a classroom I feel Positive and warm with the bright colors. School is 8 hours a day i want my students to feel at home and want my classroom to feel safe and comfortable. I want a bored like this in the front of my classroom because it shows what is expected in the classroom and what upcoming task need to be done that week as i will change out the bored every week.

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I will have a reading area with 4-5 bookshelves with a variety of books and comfy chairs. I would also love to have a couch of and lots of pillows that my students can use. this area can also be used for independent reading time and or show and tell if a student brings a book from home or one from the library in our reading area

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Kindergarten Classroom Tour _ Move Mountains in Kindergarten

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Students should always see their work around the classroom as it is a sense of accomplishment. I like this specific idea of having it big and bold on the wall, so they can see the progress they have made at the end of each quarter, or throughout the year

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Pacon® Fadeless® Weathered Wood Paper Roll

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I imagine my students desk in an L Shape because I want to have group work. I like this layout in the picture because it gives me the opportunity to be able to see all of my students while they work and if they need me my desk is close by.

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This is a list of essential oils that work well in the classroom i want to add this small touch to my classroom to not only for it to smell good but have a calming effect on my students while they are working

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When designing my classroom blueprint, I wanted to create a place for my students, where there is a safe, and positive environment at all times. I Like this classroom layout where the teachers desk is in the front corner of the room by the door, and I can see what is going on in each area of the room. At the front of the room is the projector and smartboard which gives the students a good view and easy access when using the smartboard for classroom activities. I decided that i want the seating arrangements are going to be of groups of 3 and 4 as I want them to participate in collaborative learning experiences and team work. This classroom layout has a large storage area for extras. There are also centers such as the circle rug for circle time and computer on the other side of the room. I also have a reading shelf and extra shelf space throughout the room. and as you walk in the door I have a stand where backpacks and coats will be hung when they enter the classroom.

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Materials Needed:
- Various Read aloud Books
- Name tags for students for their desk and cubbies
- Take home packets with everything we went over in class to pass out to the students

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In my Classroom I want every student to feel happy and safe and want to be there. I want my students to know that it is okay to make mistakes both academically and behaviorally, and to be learning opportunities that they can use well beyond my classroom. In life we make mistakes and even when we follow the rules not everything will go as planned I want my students to learn what a good choice is and what a bad choice is not for reward or for punishment, I will not only contribute my values but my students values when I am making the rules of our classroom. I intend to have my students input and i want myself and my students to agree upon what rules they do want and how they can be improved. to ensure my students follow and uphold these rules they will be displayed where every student can see them in big bold colorful words.

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You can simply tell the learners what the rules are - you have complete control in this case, they are YOUR rules and it is your responsibility to enforce them. By letting them decide the rules learners have a greater commitment to keeping them. This latter approach sounds good, but it's likely that the rules won't meet your perceived needs: words like 'silent' and 'respect' and 'on-time' might be missing!

Better that Rules are agreed between teacher and learners, and best that they are established 'up front'. The age, maturity, size and purpose of the group is important in this regard: 'no mobile phones' might be less apposite in a class room of six year olds, than it is in an FE (Further Education, 16+) students, for example.

Rules should be simple (I recently attended a session where rules were no more than four words each, and there were only six of them), thus easy to remember; they should be written up in big letters on a classroom poster, and thus always to mind; and they should be written down as the class discuss what they understand by each, and are thus 'embedded' in each brain as they are accepted by the group.

Ground rules are all there to ensure appropriate behaviour and mutual respect. Key clauses concern not talking over others, listening to the teacher, arriving on time, and turning off phones - the agreed list should be the basis for order in the classroom.

Not talking over others is about respect for other people, its about allowing voices to be heard and enabling teaching and learning to take place effectively. Unfortunately ten minutes listening to Parliament in action or BBC Radio Four's Today Programme might lead one to suspect that talking over one another is the way of things

Listening to the teacher is about respect for other people - allowing classmates to hear, developing a skill sadly lacking in much of society, listening and learning. Listening so that you understand another's point of view, or the content of a teaching session. It's about remembering that we have one mouth but two ears and using the two channels in proportion.

Arriving to a lesson on time is about respect for other people (you see the common thread in ground rules that's unfolding here?). The teacher has a limited time to get a set amount of information across. It takes time to settle a group into a learning framework, and late comers disrupt that delicate dynamic.

Turning off phones is about respect for others too - again about disruption, challenging authority and spoiling the session.

Rules then are about establishing a respectful atmosphere appropriate to learning - the major problem being that we live in a society where the individual is lauded above society, and its all about me, me, me. Respect is a character trait in sad decline in the West, and it's interesting to read reports of the higher academic achievement coming out of schools in countries / societies where respect for others, the older generation in particular, is the norm.

Agreeing the rules together can be used as a good introductory activity with a new group. Writing them up keeps them to hand for frequent referral, and writing them down helps fix them in the learners heads. A well balanced and mutually agreed set of ground rules should enable the teacher to prevent problems occurring in their classroom.

Andrew is a qualified teacher of English as a foreign language (TEFL), has a PTLLS Certificate (preparing to teach in the life-long learning sector); a farmer with twenty years agricultural (mainly Pigs and Research) experience; and worked for fifteen years in the global automotive industry. He's now breeding bait / garden worms and selling quality used cars, driving and talking and writing articles for fun.

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You can simply tell the learners what the rules are - you have complete control in this case, they are YOUR rules and it is your responsibility to enforce them. By letting them decide the rules learners have a greater commitment to keeping them.

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Routines and procedures keeps the classroom running smoothly and help students stay organized and engaged in the classroom 

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Routines and procedures keeps the classroom running smoothly and help students stay organized and engaged in the classroom 

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Starting the new school year is an exciting and stressful time for teachers. This page (which is excerpted from The Cornerstone book) will help you plan and prepare for the first day of school while maintaining your sanity.

Planning for the first weeks of school

If it's any consolation to a stressed-out teacher in August, let me assure you, the start of school is definitely the hardest time, and things WILL get easier as the school year progresses! I think that's good news, because we as teachers get the worst part over with right away. There are days in the beginning of the year in which you want to collapse by noon because you are so exhausted/ That's totally normal, even for veteran teachers! So if you're close to having a nervous breakdown and school hasn't even begun yet, be encouraged. There will be other stressful points in the year, certainly- but by the end of September, you'll be over the first- and biggest- hurdle. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

Two misconceptions

When preparing for their first job, new teachers often talk to people and find resources that guide them to make two mistakes in their thinking:

1. Planning for the very first day is the most important thing

2. Having back-to-school activities is essential

The truth is that creating, introducing, modeling, and reinforcing your procedures and routines is the most critical task you will need to focus on and accomplish in the beginning of the year. You will be setting the tone for your class throughout the first several weeks of school. You will be constantly reinforcing your rules and routines because you can't teach all of your procedures on the first day, and students need lots of modeling and practice. Plan ahead-what will you do on the SECOND day of school? It's important to think out how you will reinforce your routines the following week, and the week after that. (Don't worry, I've created an entire section of my website that's devoted to showing you how to create, introduce, and reinforce routines and procedures).

The second misperception comes from the wealth of resources about what to "do" with the kids on the first day of school. You teach them, that's what! Rules, routines, procedures, and then academics as soon as possible. You don't need a bunch of cutesy get-to-know-you games mixed in with "curriculumlite"-in fact, many principals are cracking down on this tradition and insisting that new curriculum be taught on the first day of school. Whether you think that's too extreme or not, the best teachers do get procedures in place quickly so they can get down to business right away. You only have your children for 10 months- you cannot afford to waste a week or two on back to school activities. The exception to this is when those activities are educational, but that is seldom the case- the purpose is generally to get kids acclimated and ready to learn. If students know your expectations and procedures, and your classroom tone is safe and inviting, students will adjust easily within your regular curriculum and routines.

Preparing for classroom and behavior management

The most important thing you can do is plan out your routines (the regular procedures). All of them. Pencil sharpening, bathroom privileges, passing in papers, even stacking chairs on desks at the end of the day. Figure out exactly what you want kids to do, and how to communicate those expectations to them. The more specific you are, the less room there will be for students to misinterpret or push the limits of what is acceptable. Write down the procedures you plan in case you forget or if you are put on the spot, and leave the list for substitutes so they can reference it when needed. Don't worry, you can always change things later. It's better to say to students, "You know? I don't thinking this way is working, let's try this" than to let the classroom be a free-for-all until you have it all figured out. (By the way, even after thirty years in the classroom, you won't EVER have it all figured out. I still try new procedures and routines every year, looking for the optimal way to make my classroom run smoothly. That's part of the art of teaching- enjoy the possibilities!).

You can't teach it all the first day. You have to prioritize which routines must be taught first thing, which can be taught later in the day, and which can wait for later in the week. How to move about in the classroom (no running), where to hang coats and backpacks, and hand-raising policies are things you will probably cover as the situations arise naturally within the first half hour of the children being in the room. Later, you can practice hall behavior, bathroom expectations, pencil sharpening routines, and rules/ conflict resolution. (With my Pre-K children I would talk about friendship and respect as soon as the class was settled down, so that I could begin to model problem solving, rather than spend the day intervening in conflicts. Young children are in school to learn social skills, so I think that is appropriate. With elementary-aged kids, I generally wait until the afternoon or the second day because they already have some knowledge of what is appropriate and what isn't in school). In the afternoon, you can teach them how to head their papers, homework procedures, and dismissal routines. On the second day, you will explicitly reinforce what you have already taught, and add things such as how to pass in papers, distribute supplies, and participate in teaching techniques you plan to use (think-pair-share, partner reading, noise level monitoring devices, three-before-me, etc.).

On the How to Create Class Rules page, you'll learn the difference between rules and procedures, how to set class rules/goals and introduce them to children in the beginning of the year, and find guidelines for choosing logical consequences.

Guidelines for choosing back-to-school activities

Remember the purpose of your back to school activities- to set up an environment conducive to learning and reinforce procedures and rules so that you can begin to teach the curriculum as soon as possible. If an activity does not contribute to that goal, why use it?

If you are a beginning teacher (or a veteran who gets easily stressed out), keep it very,very simple. You can always try those elaborate lessons later inthe year, or next school year.

Pick activities that require very little planning and prep work on your part, and that use few materials.You don't want to be in the middle of a project and realize you don't have tempera paint or pipe cleaners, because your students will require your constant and full attention on the first day of school.

Choose several activities which your students can do independently, even if it's asimple word search or coloring page.You may not plan to use them, but if an urgent issue comes up, you need to have something to engage the students. You may also need a few minutes of 'down time' for yourself.

The slideshow below features some excellent books to read aloud during the first week of school. Many of them address students' fears, while others help you set classroom expectations. I've also included a few teacher resource books that I think have great back-to-school activities. Also, on the 5 Pro-Active Strategies page, I've included book recommendations specifically designed to help you set expectations-they're great to read during the first few days of school.

When to start teaching academic concepts

You can introduce academic concepts on the first day if you and your students are ready, the second day at the latest. Your activities could be as simple as a Mad Minute addition drill kids that love, a spelling game, or map activities- you don't have to get into the text immediately, but do start working. The children are there to learn, not to get to know each other- after the second day, let that part happen naturally.

Procedures and routines can be built right into academic lessons. For example, plan a shorter-than-normal writing prompt so you can spend fifteen minutes teaching how to head papers. Plan a brief math lesson using manipulatives so you can introduce the items to the children and practice using them correctly first.

When and how to start reading group and center routines

This will depend on your comfort level, how well you have established routines, how mature your group is, and of course, the requirements of your administration. Usually, between the third and fourth weeks of school is about right. However, this is a slow process. It's a critical part of two of the most important tasks you will tackle this year: maintaining order in your classroom and teaching your students to read. It takes considerable time and attention at the beginning of the year to make the process run smoothly. I would advise you not to worry about reading groups before school starts, because you've got more immediate matters to attend to.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I've forgotten to plan for a procedure or routine?

While it's important to plan things out in advance, it just isn't possible to prepare for every eventuality. The good news, whether you realize it or not yet, is that teachers are good at thinking on their feet! Handle newsituations as they arise-it's better to have to change a procedure than to not introduce one at all and let the kids run the show however they want. Just remember that your students will have to un-learn any routines you create (or don't create, and therefore don't enforce) once you know what you want them to do. You can find information about planning for arrival/dismissal routines, bathroom/hallway/water fountain procedures, collecting/distributing papers, and more in the Routines and Procedures section of this website.

How do I prepare when I don't have a classroom or can't access it yet?

Sometimes you won't be able to do much until the last minute because you don't know which school or grade level you'll be in, or you can't access your room for some reason. (One year my school was being painted and the contractors were behind schedule. The estimated completion date was August 16th-the students' first day of school!)

In those situations, the best thing to do is gather your ideas and plan your routines. That year, I used my summer to do lots of research on word walls and morning messages, plus I made centers that I knew second graders would need no matter what the curriculum looked like (since I didn't have the documents yet). Try to get in contact with other teachers in your district who can explain things to you. You can also go to your school and school system's website. Take a look at your union contract (which is probably available online) and take some time to get to know the district expectations-and your rights. If you read your contract, you can most likely find out how many hours your workday is, how much planning time you are entitled to, how many mandatory meetings can be held, and other info that is important to keep up with. You won't have time to read that once school starts, so it's a good thing to do early on. There's no point in stressing out or worrying, so take a deep breath and try to relax!

Help! I'm panicking! There is no way I'm going to get this all done before the first day of school

I think every new teacher (and most veterans!) feel this way at the start of the year. Teachers always go around asking each other, "Are you ready? Are you ready?" and we all roll our eyes and say, "No, even if I had another week I would still have a million more things to do." The good news is, not everything has to be done before the first day of school.

Remember: You don't have to grade anything right away. Don't stay after school the first week marking papers-get your room and lessons together! It's important not to let things pile up, but prioritize. You have eight more weeks before grades are due.

What do I do with the supplies students send in?

Children come in on the first day of school with all kinds of cool supplies, half of which weren't on your list. They'll also continue to bring in supplies during the first few weeks of school, especially in impoverished communities in which parents wait to shop until the payday after school starts. Have notebook paper and pencils ready to loan to those who come to school with nothing in their backpacks and decide how you will handle returning supplies you've lent out and the possibility of borrowing from other students.

What if school is starting and I feel like my classroom still isn't set up or organized the way I want it?

That's okay! Everything doesn't have to be in place right away. Setting up takes awhile, and you'll want to change things as you figure out how you want to use materials and space. I like to rearrange all year long. It takes the pressure off me in August because I know nothing is permanent, and I get to adapt things to accommodate the children's changing needs.

Is it normal to develop an eye twitch because I'm on complete information overload?

YES. Even veteran teachers who have been at the same school teaching the same grade for years feel this way every August...if you don't believe me, ask them! Teachers have a TON of information thrown at them during the fall, and between technology glitches, curriculum gaps, and procedural omissions and misinformation, EVERYONE feels like they're getting way more information than they could ever possibly retain. Take good notes and keep your handouts organized and easily accessible (try taking your notebook and teaching guides home at night to review). It won't be like this forever, I promise! Usually by the second week, I feel like I'm in my groove, and most new teachers begin feeling this way sometime during the first quarter. There is an end in sight!

The beginning of the year is the most physically and intellectually draining for everyone, but you won't be falling into bed exhausted EVERY night for the entire year. Be prepared to work extra hard now and you will reap the benefits quickly. And whatever you do, remember that feeling overwhelmed is completely normal, and that even if other teachers aren't showing it, they're experiencing beginning-of-the-year stress, too. You're not an idiot because you're unable to process everything the first time you hear it. It's okay to do things wrong the first time, make lots of inadvertent mistakes, ask questions that have already been answered, have people repeat themselves, and get them to remind you of their names 'one more time'.

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Starting the new school year is an exciting and stressful time for teachers. This page (which is excerpted from The Cornerstone book) will help you plan and prepare for the first day of school while maintaining your sanity. Planning for the first weeks of school If it's any consolation to a stressed-out teacher in August, let ...

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This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View disclosure policy HERE.
10 teacher tips for the first week of school that will help teachers have fun, while saving time. Tons of back to school ideas and organization tips.
Back to school has got to be the most important time of the entire school year. There are so many things to think about in order to have a smooth transition from summer vacation to classroom instruction. From classroom management and organization to choosing curriculum and planning units to getting ready for your students to enter your classroom door, you must be ready and equipped ahead of time for the first week of school! This can be stressful...but enjoyable too! These back to school tips should help.

Adequate preparation for the first week of school is essential for success. I am excited to share with you the most important tips of what has worked for me as you head into and during that all important first week. I hope to help you start the new school year off feeling confident, ready, and at ease! If you are a new teacher just starting out, make sure to also read this post with tons of tips to start you off right and this post with many ways to save time.

Head Into School Ahead of Time

Maybe this is a no-brainer, but it must be said! Setting up a classroom and getting things ready for a new school year takes time. There is a ton to prep and set up. Leaving it until the day before or even during the first week can add unnecessary stress to your week.

Go into your class at the beginning of the week before school begins. You may already be there to have meetings with the staff or your team, and if not, this is a great time to reconnect with your colleagues. Check in with your administrators and let them know you are looking forward to a new school year.

Find some time when you can close your door and stay focused on what needs to be done. Get those bulletin boards ready and set up your furniture and seating plan. Be comfortable with the layout of your classroom and make sure it is organized and ready for kids.

Now I am not telling you to spend the entire last week of your *precious* summer vacation in the classroom! Just make sure that you get some things done so that you can enjoy the time with your new class once the first week hits.

Create An Organized Classroom for the First Week of School

Having a classroom that is organized and ready for students is incredibly important. Making sure the important items in the class have a place and that they are accessible is key. Everything does NOT have to look perfect and have matching colors, labels, bins, etc. While those things are great and nice, they are not necessary.

Having a clean and organized set-up for your classroom books is helpful. I use a standing bookshelf that holds my theme and seasonal books. I also have shelves of books in bins that are labeled to make it easy for students to find what they are looking for. This post HERE outlines how I set up my classroom reading program and how I organize the books my students read. One Sharp Bunch has an amazing classroom set up with tons of great organizational and back to school ideas (check it out HERE).

I suggest also taking the time to organize your classroom resources either in tubs, boxes, folders, or whatever works for you. Keep them together and ready for when that time comes. Organize learning materials for the different subjects in different areas of the classroom. Have an area for school supplies and math manipulatives, have a different space for your centers, and of course, a teacher area with your own personal materials and supplies.

Where do you start? Use the free beginning of the year teacher checklist to help you get organized. Let me also suggest Pinterest. It is a fantastic place to go for ideas and to see what you might like in your own classroom. Check out my Classroom Organization board for a ton of helpful ideas!

If you can get a hold of your class list, LABEL EVERYTHING!

Pick Classroom Management Strategies for the First Week

Decide before the first week of school what your classroom management will look like. If the strategies you choose require certain materials, have those prepped and ready for the first week of school. Spend a good chunk of the first week of school teaching your students those strategies. Practice and role-play different scenarios so they understand the expectations in your classroom.

I am HUGE believer in the power of GREAT classroom management. Classroom management can take on many different forms and it means so many things in a classroom. Without it, our classrooms would probably fall apart and total CHAOS would ensue (kidding, but seriously it's important)! I have my favorite strategies in a MUST READ post HERE.

My 4 favorite classroom management systems are class coupons, class jobs, class meetings, and team points (click to read the posts). I love these approaches to handling children because they are positive, rather than punitive. They encourage kids to be their best selves and work to improve themselves. They encourage kids to be open-minded and responsible. If you are looking for more strategies and ideas, check out the ultimate classroom management resource HERE!

There are many fun class management tools available on the market today that can help and keep things light. I adore the No Yell Bell and the chime!

Choose a Classroom Decor Style

Let me start off by saying that you do not need to have the most beautiful classroom or the most color-coordinated one either. Your classroom will be wonderful no matter what colors you choose for your bulletin boards or your bins. But chances are if you are a teacher, you have an idea of how you want your classroom to look. You have probably searched Pinterest or Teachers Pay Teachers for design inspiration...and there is a lot out there.

I encourage you to choose a theme or a few colors and stick with them. Decorate your classroom like you would a room in your home, with care and consideration of its purpose and who will be in that space. Ask yourself if it will encourage student learning or distract them.

Once you have picked and thought up a style that suits you, you get to GO SHOPPING (kidding)! TpT has a ton of classroom decor products. Some of my favorite looks are OMBRE, rainbow chevron, and neon. There are also a ton of DIY projects out there to get you a certain look (HELLO Pinterest). Amazon and the Target Dollarspot are my ONE-STOP-SHOPS for affordable class decor items.

Plan Out Your Year before the First Week of School

I cannot stress enough how important it is to do some pre-planning. It is an overwhelming task, but one that needs to be done and better sooner than later. Read and know the curriculum for the grade you teach inside and out. Spend some time before the school year begins mapping out the units and themes you will be teaching. Have an idea of what each month will look like in your classroom. With some planning done ahead of time, you will feel much more relaxed and in control during the first week of school.

To organize the school year, I suggest creating a year-long curriculum map with the themes and topics that you will be teaching each month. Jamie from Play to Learn Preschool has some helpful suggestions when planning out your year in PreK. Her ideas and FREE unit planner would work in many primary classrooms.

Once you know what your weekly schedule looks like, create a weekly plan layout with the different subjects in different blocks of time. Enlarge the template and make many copies to leave in your workspace. Keep your plan ready and easy to glance at whenever you need. Below is an example of a weekly planning sheet I used previously.

You may also need detailed plans for your individual lessons. Have a template ready that you can use during your lesson planning. Create a template for the different subjects (i.e. math, reading) you teach daily and attach those to your weekly plan. Stay organized and on top of your daily tasks with a FREE teacher task list template that will help you save time!

Get Your Resources Ready before the First Week of School

If you have a yearly plan ready and know which resources you will be using to teach different themes and topics, prep them ahead of time. Get to the photocopier when no one is there and run off your class sets of booklets. Get those notebooks ready. Prep those unique materials for different subjects. Print those resources that need cutting and laminating (with these amazing laminating sheets) and get them prepped and ready. Set up your centers, gather your materials, and get bins of manipulatives together.

Use that first week of school (and before if you can) to get everything together that you will need for your first few weeks or even months of school. You WILL be exhausted once school is in session and will not feel like creating, setting up, or organizing your resources. Don't be the chicken with your head cut off! DO IT EARLY! ( you'll thank me later)

Prepare Activities for the First Day and Week of School

The first day and week of school will come and go very quickly, but they are super important. Those days and moments with your new class will set the stage for the rest of the school year. It is important to make good use of that time together. Think of what kind of year you want to have and how you want things to run. Plan activities that will help set those plans into motion. Take time to build a community together through community building activities (read THIS POST with tons of ideas).

Have a few activities for each day of the first week of school planned ahead of time. This post with back to school tips suggests a few fun welcome activities, including the name art seen above. Over plan activities that encourage new relationships to form. Be flexible because important topics, discussions, and activities may need more time. Teach and use brain breaks frequently! Go outside to play and enjoy the nice weather before it's gone!!

Teach Classroom Rules, Routines, & Procedures the First Week of School

Spend a good chunk of your first week of school teaching classroom rules, routines, and procedures. There is nothing more important during the first week. Take the time to teach each procedure and routine that you want students to learn one at a time and practice them. Do not assume that they will remember them or do them properly if they are not told, shown, and allowed to try!

Decide early on what your classroom rules will be either on your own or decide together as a class. We spend a few class periods working on our classroom contract. This contract starts as a brainstorm of what we want our classroom to look, sound, and feel like. We vote and choose the ideas that we like best. From there a contract is written that we can all agree on. The contract is something that is referred to often throughout the year. It helps start the year off on the right track!

Each day we recite the Whole Brain rules. They are combined with actions and this encourages students to really develop a connection to their meaning. You can grab a FREE set of Whole Brain rule posters HERE.

Get to Know Your Students during the First Week of School

Get to know your students before they enter your classroom door. Send a note or make a quick phone call home to your new students welcoming them and their families to your classroom. Encourage them to stop by and say hello when you are there prepping your class before school starts.

Read each student's file ahead of time so that you can NOT MAKE JUDGEMENTS, but be better prepared to meet their individual needs. If necessary, set up times to have informal meetings about particular students with the resource and support teachers to be more informed and ready.

Set up a time to chat with the previous year's teacher and see if there is anything you need to know ahead of time. Ask them for any assessments they completed at the end of the year and copy those for your files. PLEASE Stay open-minded! Know that each child responds differently to different people and different styles of teaching. What one teacher may have found to be a problem student, may be a perfect match for you.

Quick Assessments for the First Week of School

Make or find some time during the first week of school to do a quick assessment of your students. Make observations. Take note of how students act in the class, how they respond to you and their classmates, and what basic skills they have or lack.

Create a quick assessment that you can give to students. Assess those skills that they should know from the previous year to see where they are academically. Add also those skills that you plan on teaching to them over the next few months and see what they know. Do what you can to get a basic overview of each student to help you plan the future.

Do not worry too much about what they do and don't know. Focus more on getting to know them during the first week. Make them feel comfortable and at home in your classroom.

More Ideas for Back to School Fun
Community Building Activities for the First Week Lessons and Activities for the First Week of School 30 Back-to-School Classroom Essentials for Teachers
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First Week of School: 10 Teacher Tips You Must Remember - Proud to be Primary

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This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View disclosure policy HERE . 10 teacher tips for the first week of school that will help teachers have fun, while saving time. Tons of back to school ideas and organization tips. Back to school has got to be the most important time of the entire school year.

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1. Create a sense of belonging and purpose. Students are part of a school and a class that are special and for which students' presence and attendance are important.

2. Learn classmates' names and something about them. Keep it simple and age-appropriate.

3. Learn and practice some key routines. Routines provide reassurance and a sense of security for students. Take ample time to cover these and practice them. Remember, what is routine for you is likely still a source of apprehension for many students.

4. Feel excited and motivated about what's to come. Give kids a sense of how what they will learn will help them.

5. Reassure and excite parents. Communicate to parents before and during the first week much more about the exciting things to come and your care for their children than about requirements and tests.

Activities to Assist

Some sample activities to help accomplish the above goals are:

Give students a chance to express their hopes and dreams for the year. Set up a birthday chart for K-2. For older grades, set up a chart showing favorite books, authors, TV shows, or movies.

Give students a chance to share "Something about Me."

Start a Word Wall. Use age-appropriate words your students will learn that open up a sense of excitement and windows to what is coming during the school year. (Some examples of words you can use are: explore, pride, curiosity, creativity, service, scientist, Dr. Seuss, artist/illustrator, classmate, experiment, goal, share, help, cooperate, collaborate, prepare, review, sing, and

Pay Attention to Key Routines

As noted above, routines provide great reassurance and security. From kindergarten onward, some versions of these are relevant to most classrooms:

Signals for quiet attention

Bathroom procedures

Classroom centers, entries, and exits

Desks, cubbies, lockers, books, and materials

Lining up and walking in hallways

Lunch and dismissal

When and how to ask questions, including establishing the importance of asking questions, no matter how small

More Activities for the First Month

Finally, the following are some important activities toward reinforcing the goals that can be used the first month and continued throughout the year.

Provide students with opportunities to learn something about one another's families. Alert parents that this lesson is coming so they can help children have clear answers, especially with complicated backgrounds that some families have. Use a United States and world map to begin to help children develop a sense of location, direction, etc.

Start to work on a brief, age-appropriate project for your students to share their favorite book or song. They can use any medium they wish: posters, digital slide show, written list or paragraph, photos, etc. For young children, it may begin with verbal sharing after a little bit of thinking time. Give children a chance to help one another to the extent possible. This is a tremendously valuable diagnostic activity, as you will see children's multiple intelligence strengths, how they plan, how they take advantage of or give help, how well they verbalize and communicate interpersonally, and their overall emotional intelligence and social-emotional competence.

Set a norm of having students help one another with routines.

Create end-of-the-day routines, like reflections about a happy thing that happened in school today, one thing they learned that they most want to remember, a closing song or chant to end the day, or saying something they are looking forward to in school tomorrow.

Find time for a fun, energizing break at least once a day other than the start or end of the day. Chants, songs, games, brief meditations, Mad Libs, group problem solving, imagination and creativity activities -- all of these add tremendous enthusiasm to children and help them stay positive for a day of learning.

Please share with us your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.

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Elementary Classroom: Making the Most of the First Month

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Create a sense of belonging and purpose. Students are part of a school and a class that are special and for which students' presence and attendance are important. Learn classmates' names and something about them. Keep it simple and age-appropriate. Learn and practice some key routines.

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Welcome to Our 1st Grade Class Website !

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The Unity Tree is a powerful symbol reminding everyone that bullying can be prevented when we all come together - united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

Creating a Unity Tree is an interactive and hands-on activity, a shared experience in which anyone can participate and everyone can watch the tree grow. Each person contributes their own unique experiences, creative ideas, and strategies by writing positive messages on leaves that are attached to the tree. As the number of leaves increases, it creates a visual reminder, demonstrating that when we are united we can create social change.

Option One: Unity Tree on a Bulletin Board

1. On the classroom wall or bulletin board, create the trunk of a tree, along with branches, with construction paper or materials of your own choosing.

2. Next, cut out leaf shaped pieces of orange paper; make them large enough for students to write a message.
Below are three options for types of messages, or create your own:

If you planted a seed, what would you tell your seed about bullying?

What can you do change/impact your school's culture about bullying?

How can you support a friend/peer who is being bullied?

3. Have each student write down their response on a leaf.

4. Attach each of the leaves to the tree.

Option Two: Unity Tree in a Vase

1. Fill the base of a flower vase with the cotton balls, tissue paper, or other materials. Take tree branches, sticks, skinny craft sticks, or another 'branch-like' item and place inside the vase, so the material holds it vertically upward.

2. Cut orange paper into strips of 1 ½" to 2" wide and 11" long.

3. Ask participants to write a message on the orange strips of construction paper, which will represent the "leaves" of the tree.
Below are three options for types of messages, or create your own:

If you planted a seed, what would you tell your seed about bullying?

What can you do change/impact your school's culture about bullying?

How can you support a friend/peer who is being bullied?

4. Tape each response to the end of the slip around a tree branch, so the message is easy to read.

Supplemental Poster

A poster can also be displayed next to the tree that lists the questions that were used in students creating the messages for the leaves.

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Unity Tree - National Bullying Prevention Center

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The Unity Tree is a powerful symbol reminding everyone that bullying can be prevented when we all come together - united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Creating a Unity Tree is an interactive and hands-on activity, a shared experience in which anyone can participate and everyone can watch the tree grow.

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Voted No. 1 tourist destination 2015

effective solutions on STOMP Out Bullying® is the leading national nonprofit dedicated to changing the culture for all students. It works to reduce and prevent bullying, cyberbullying and other digital abuse, educates against homophobia, LGBTQ+ discrimination, racism and hatred, and deters violence in schools, online and in communities across the country. STOMP Out Bullying promotes civility, diversity, inclusion, equity and equality. It teaches how to respond to all forms of bullying, as well as educating kids and teens in school and online. It provides help for those in need and at risk of suicide, and raises awareness through peer mentoring programs in schools, public service announcements by noted celebrities, and social media campaigns.

A pioneer on the issue, STOMP Out Bullying® is recognized as
the most influential anti-bullying and cyberbullying organization in America and beyond.

Our Story

In 2005, STOMP Out Bullying was born with the passion and commitment to help all youths in need. Our founder and CEO, Ross Ellis, never wants to see another child in pain, and she never again wants to hear the words, "I want to die."

15 year-old David, was severely depressed due to being bullied. He had been called every possible name one could imagine. He didn't want to go to school, he quit extra-curricular sports. On the days that he did go to school he stayed in his room when he got home and shut his family and friends out. David was surfing the Web and found STOMP Out Bullying. He started reading our "Are You Being Bullied?" page and read about the comebacks. He learned to successfully use the comebacks which helped to make the bully stop victimizing him. Today, David is empowered and enjoys going to school. This is just one of millions of ways we have made an impact on the lives of America's students.

Our Impact

* Helping over 5.5 million students resolve Bullying and Cyberbullying situations

* Assisting over 100,000 students and saving over 2,000 lives through the STOMP Out Bullying HelpChat Crisis Line

* Through our various support networks we have saved a total of 6,000 lives. These numbers increase daily.

* Working with over 45,000 school partners to raise awareness and educate students

* Over 20 Youth Leaders working to change the culture in schools across the country

Our Manifesto

We have always been an organization for kindness. The types of problems we tackle may have changed over the past decade,
But our passion has never wavered.
Ours is a higher purpose.
We work so that youth may stand tall and be respected. With our help, youth are kinder.
Schools are more inclusive.
Communities have more equality.
Society has more unity.
So that, a culture of cruelty can
become a culture of civility.
So we devote ourselves to breaking down barriers, we give voice to the voiceless.
We give belonging to those feeling left out.
We welcome diversity and inclusivity.
We work shoulder to shoulder in unity.
We empower the fearful to be fearless in this pursuit. And together we will find the answers, to change the culture, for good.

WAYS TO HELP

NEWS

In light of this important day, Billboard, with the support of STOMP Out Bullying, asked artists to send a much-needed message of love and a call to action to end bullying in schools.

Ross was selected as one of "100 Making A Difference" along with notable celebrities and changemakers in a book by celebrity fashion photographer Jon Russo.

Have Made a Commitment to be an UPSTANDER and to STOMP Out Bullying®

It's not just a donation...

When you donate online to STOMP Out Bullying®, you join our cause and directly support kids and teens. No matter how little or big the amount, donating makes a difference in the lives of our youth.

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STOMP Out Bullying® | Cyberbullying & Bullying Prevention

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The leading anti bullying nonprofit, STOMP Out Bullying® is dedicated to changing student culture, reducing & preventing bullying, cyberbullying & other digital abuse. Learn more.

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Bullying in school is often hidden. In fact, it's likely to occur in circumstances which may be out of the adults' sight: before and after lessons, during the breaks, in the corridors, in the toilets, on social media... In addition, bullying can be ongoing for a long time before pupils report it or ask for help.

Bullying's dynamics can be subtle and sneaky, but its social and psychological consequences can be deep and long-lasting, both for the victim and for the bully.

In this article, I mean to draw attention to the phenomena of bullying, providing definitions, clarifications and tips about it, which can be useful for all the members connected to a school community.

What does bullying mean?

"Bullying" is an English word which has been borrowed by many other languages. You have probably heard about it, regardless of your nationality, since this word describes phenomena that are quite frequent in almost all countries. And It is not infrequent to hear stories told by both young and elderly people.

Bullying is an old issue. It is easy to find tales, novels and films of any age which describe situations where, for example, a swagger seeks to harm someone who appears more vulnerable, while a group of followers contribute to the aggression, or laugh about it.

The word "bullying" is sadly famous but there is no widespread, clear awareness about what it is. It's not always easy for educators, students and parents to understand bullying's dynamics deeply, to differentiate it from other occurrences among students and, even more, to do something about it.

Bullying: definition and features

Dan Olweus, a Scandinavian psychologist, and one of the most important researchers on the theme of bullying, has developed a widely accepted definition about it:

" A person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself. "

(Olweus, D., 1993,Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do)

According to the definition provided, bullying includes three key components:

Bullying is intentional, aggressive behavior;

It involves an imbalance of power;

It is repeated over time.

The bully can work alone or in "collaboration" with others - and the latter is actually the most common scenario. Anyway, in both cases, the role of the bystanders is crucial. We are going to discover who they are in the next paragraph.

"Bullying" translations and the difference with "mobbing"

French: Harcèlement
German: Mobbing
Greek: Εκφοβισμός (ekfovismós)
Italian: Bullismo
Polish: bulizm / prześladowanie w szkole
Russian: издевательство (izdevatel'stvo)
Spanish: Acoso Escolar
Turkish: Zorbalık

As you can see, in German (but also in some other countries) "mobbing" is a term that refers to bullying. Anyway, in psychology or sociology, mobbing usually refers to occurrences at the workplace.

If you wish to discover more about the origin of the word "bully/bullying" I suggest this article from wordhistories.net.

The correlates of bullying

Are there any personal features or environmental factors that can increase the probability for bullying to happen?

Obviously, there are no mathematical formulas which can predict the outbreak of unpleasant episodes. Anyway, in certain situations and given certain individual characteristics, bullying could be more likely to occur. Here is a list of observations about this.

6 types of bullying

Bullying can take different forms and happen in many ways. Here is a list of the most common ones:

01 - Physical bullying

That's the most evident bullying kind and it is relatively easy to detect. It involves pushing, hitting, punching, kicking, slapping and other forms of physical aggression. The aggressor often looks bigger and stronger;

02 - Verbal bullying

Verbal bullying uses verbal language to humiliate the victim. It can include insulting, teasing, making inappropriate comments, taunting, and threatening. Verbal bullying often happens without the teacher realizing it, but it can lead to an escalation of offenses and be very harmful to the victim;

03 - Relational bullying

Relational bullying is a very sneaky but dangerous form of bullying. It can consist of isolating the victim, excluding him/her from activities and groups, putting an end to friendships, breaking confidences, spreading rumors etc. It is often ignored by adults since it does not necessarily include obvious aggressive behavior. It is usually more common with girls than boys;

04 - Personal belongings

Damaging, hiding or stealing personal belongings;

05 - Reactive bullying

It's when a former victim of aggressions (at school, at home or in other environments) becomes a bully himself/herself;

06 - Cyberbullying

Last but not least: cyberbullying. It involves the use of the Internet and/or technological devices. It's about sending or posting negative, humiliating messages or information about someone. It can happen via text message, e-mail, on social media, apps, forums, chats, and gaming communities. Bullies are likely to be even meaner online, and they might feel "protected" by anonymity. In cyberbullying, the victim almost has no escape, since it can happen 24 hours a day, and everywhere, even in safe places and pleasant moments. Cyberbullying can involve a big audience, thus having more harmful effects on the victim, but there's also a "positive" side of online attacks. They can be easy to prove when it comes to reporting them.

Of course, bullying episodes can be a combination of the different types described above.

The crew, the bully, and the victim

The bullying "crew"

Bullying does not happen in a vacuum. It is supported by social dynamics, within which the bully and the victim are not the only actors at all. In an environment affected by bullying, most of the people would fall into the category of bystanders. A bystander is anyone who is present during a bullying episode of any kind.

Olweus (2007) has provided a very clear model to describe in detail the different roles of those who take part in bullying, including the ones who "only" witness it.

The core of the "attack" is composed by the bully (the person who starts and leads the bullying) and his/her followers. Rather than starting the bullying, the followers accompany the bully, actively contributing to the harassment of the victim. Then, around the scene there's a whole audience, whose role is also crucial. Within the "audience ", we can find:

supporters who, for example, laugh at the bullying or cheer it on;

students who "silently" rejoice at it;

the ones who are completely disengaged and don't care about doing anything about it;

the ones who do not like what's going on.

Feeling disapproval for the bullying is not enough to be an actual defender, since very often the witnesses are afraid of contrasting the bullies, and they do not know how to help. Taking defensive action might imply a strong dose of courage.

If you think about some bullying situation, it will be quite easy to infer which role(s) each person involved is taking up.

The involvement of the bystanders is crucial. Bullying episodes can somehow be nourished or hindered by the people who can see or know what's happening.

Who is prone to become a bully?

According to the American Psychological Association ( APA), two important and frequent correlates to bullying behaviour are:

Academic troubles;

Lack of social problem-solving skills.

Clayton R. Cook, professor of Educational Psychology and leader of an interesting research carried out in 2010 in collaboration with a group of scholars from University of California, says: " A typical bully has trouble resolving problems with others and also has trouble academically. He or she usually has negative attitudes and beliefs about others, feels negatively toward himself/herself, comes from a family environment characterized by conflict and poor parenting, perceives school as negative and is negatively influenced by peers. "

Kids or teenagers who are more likely to start bullying are also the ones who:

Have strong leadership;

Feel tough and powerful;

Want to become popular or maintain their social standing;

Have problems they need to escape.

"Common" victims: the different

Easier target of bullying could be the ones who are considered different due to:

Sexual orientation;

National origin;

Special needs;

Social belonging;

Economic status;

Appearance;

Clothing;

Interests...

The following subjects could also be at "risk":

The "weaker": who is shy, who lacks social skills and self-esteem, who tends to be depressed or have negative thoughts;

Newcomers into a formerly established classroom or group;

Who arouses envy or jealousy (for example, due to good academic achievement, physical appearance etc.).

The consequences of bullying

When talking about the effects of bullying, we usually tend to focus more on the victim. The bullied ones undoubtedly need to be taken care of but, perhaps unexpectedly, the bullies may also experience the negative consequences of their own behaviour (and I am not just referring to the possible disciplinary measures taken against them).

Everybody who has exerted, received or, even, witnessed bullying attacks may have to deal with their long-lasting consequences.

Bullying consequences for the victims

Consequences for the victims:

they may feel afraid, angry, anxious, ashamed, helpless... and sometimes guilty;

their self-esteem decreases;

isolation;

mood changes;

they may withdraw from activities;

deterioration of academic performances;

they might become secretive and avoid talking about school;

engage in absences;

school change (enrolling in another school);

physical consequences: headaches, changes in appetite, digestive problems, sleep troubles.

If the bullying continues for long periods of time, the consequences risk becoming more and more serious. Long-lasting effects on the victims: anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, troubles in establishing trusting relationships, and suicide attempts.

Bullying consequences for the bullies

Short and mid-term consequences for the bullies are diverse, too, and they may vary from criminal reports to school drop-out. In addition, it has to be noticed that bullies can experience a deep sense of guilt when they realize how harmful their behaviour has been.

There's often some dysfunction or difficulty behind bullying behavior. If not properly addressed, bullies are as likely as victims to carry their problems into adulthood.

Former bullies tend to have difficulties on many levels: health, psychological, social and relational. Being a bully in childhood seems to be associated with:

Abuse of alcohol and drugs;

Early sexual activity;

Abuses towards partners and children;

Low education;

Difficulties in finding or maintaining employment

Antisocial, aggressive behaviour;

Police records.

How to deal with bullying?

There's not just one answer to this question. Not only managing, but also detecting bullying situations at school requires knowledge, skills and training.

Needless to say, it takes time and a lot of effort to eradicate bullying once the situation has become chronic.

Bullying is certainly a complex and multi-faceted issue and intervening requires having an idea of the reasons behind it and, once bullying situations are identified, appropriate protocols should be followed by the school.

I also have to say that, in severe bullying situations I witnessed, the happy ending usually consisted of a "ceasefire" rather than a "kiss-and-make-up". According to what I have seen so far, in most cases the bullies and their victims have not made friends - having the aggressors interrupt their disruptive behaviour was a very good result already.

Prevent bullying rather than deal with it

Anyway, facing bullying means, first of all, implementing good practices to prevent it!

For example, KiVa, which is probably the most famous Finnish anti-bullying program, includes prevention, intervention, and monitoring. Each of those phases is fundamental to limit and control bullying at school.

Preventing bullying means favoring a healthy school climate. That's a big notion, not easy to define. We can say that, in a positive-climate school, there's a shared sense of belonging to a good community. The school environment feels safe for all the people that are part of it, and everybody feels they can count on other members to collaborate, to solve problems and to grow up together.

A school with a positive climate:

Provides the students with opportunities to develop their social and emotional intelligence, that is to say skills of self and social awareness, responsibility, decision making, self-management and relationships management, kindness and respect;

Actively involves the students in the definition of the norms that favour good coexistence;

Keeps the line of communication open and encourages everybody to feel at ease about sharing possible difficulties or to tell about negative happenings they might witness (remember that the role of bystanders is crucial both to detect and hinder bullying phenomena!);

Makes sure the students know that there's somebody who can support them, who they are, when and where to find them;

Aims at teaching kids how to limit prejudice and discrimination, replacing them with positive acceptance and cooperation;

Promotes meaningful learning activities, to teach both curricular and extra-curricular topics;

Encourages the students to discover their talents and to do things they love; certain activities and hobbies can boost self-esteem and provide pupils with good chances to make friends;

Checks out the national anti-bullying protocols and/or involves the school staff and the students in designing taylor made, useful guidelines;

Educates students, the school staff and the wider community (including parents!) about what bullying is.

It's important to share a clear and effective definition of bullying. Everyone should have an idea how to detect it, how to differentiate it from "physiological" conflicts, how to contribute to prevent or face it.

Everybody should be aware of the sad effects bullying can have and feel motivated to give their own contribution to fight against it.

Conclusion

Would you like to share your experiences?

What are your experiences with bullying? Did you enjoy reading this article? What did you find interesting or what made you reflect? Please share your impressions and experiences in the comments below! Feel free to express your ideas for bullying prevention or questions.

Our experience at Europass

We have been a member for several years of GRITFIS, an international Erasmus+ project about bullying. Its goal is the sharing of good anti-bullying practices implemented by teacher training centers and schools of different levels and nationalities.

Discover our teacher training courses around how to deal with and prevent bullying:

Bibliography and web references:

Olweus, D., 1993, Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do

Olweus, D., 2007, Olweus Bullying Prevention Program: Schoolwide Guide

American Psychological Association, 2010, Who Is Likely to Become a Bully, Victim or Both?

stopbullying.gov, Effects of Bullying

Cyberbullying Research Center, 2010, Social Norms and Cyberbullying Among Students

Teacher Trainer for our courses in Verona, Florence and Italian Language Teacher

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How to Deal with (and Prevent) Bullying in the Classroom

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Bullying in school is often hidden. In fact, it's likely to occur in circumstances which may be out of the adults' sight: before and after lessons, during the breaks, in the corridors, in the toilets, on social media... In addition, bullying can be ongoing for a long time before pupils report it or ask for help.

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Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect

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Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect

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A recent study found that 1 in 8 U.S. children will experience abuse or neglect that is serious enough to be officially confirmed by the government by the time they are 18 years old. If you teach a class of 24 students, that statistic means 3 of those children are currently experiencing or will experience harmful abuse or neglect by the time they are an adult. This is a sobering statistic for anyone who cares for or works with children. The continued prevalence of child abuse and neglect in the United States makes many people question what can be done to better prevent and respond to cases of child abuse.

At Kaplan Early Learning Company, we strive to provide you with quality resources and materials that will help you appropriately respond to suspected and confirmed child abuse cases. Whether you're a teacher, principal, or other ECE professional, understanding the different types of abuse and knowing what to look for and who to contact can help victims of child abuse escape those situations and feel more comfortable at school. Please browse our free information, resources, and related materials below for more information about child abuse and neglect.

What You Can Do

Before you can properly address the issue of child abuse, you need to understand the different types of abuse that occur. A child that experiences one type of abuse is likely to experience other types as well. There are currently four types of abuse children may experience:

1. Physical Abuse - Personal injuries that result from hitting, punching, burning, and any other way to physically harm a child (intentional or not). Physical abuse injuries can range from bruises and broken bones to death.

2. Sexual Abuse - Contact or interaction between an adult and child that is sexual in nature.

3. Emotional Abuse - Words or actions that negatively affect how children think of themselves. People who emotionally abuse children try to bring them down by doing things such as humiliating, shaming, and criticizing them.

4. Neglect - The failure of a parent or caretaker to provide for the needs of children to the point where children's safety and health are in danger.

Be sure to check federal and state policies and definitions to ensure that you know what constitutes child abuse and neglect in your specific school or center.

Remember that all four types of abuse can range in severity and cause a variety of consequences for abused children. You may not even know children are abused in some cases. Also keep in mind that some types of abuse can be difficult to prove, especially if you're trying to address child abuse as an individual. The Crisis Manual for Early Childhood Teachers describes child abuse as a 'community problem which requires a community response to support families, so they will stop their abusive ways of handling stress and solving problems.' Even though child abuse requires a community response, educators and early childhood professionals play a vital role in responding to child abuse.

Preparation is Key

One of the best ways you can respond to child abuse cases is by preparing yourself and other staff members to appropriately respond:

Regular trainings should be held to help educators recognize all types of child abuse.

Reading about child abuse laws in your state and finding out everything you need to know to report abuse (i.e., who should report, who to contact, what needs to be reported, and the type of information needed) should also be a priority. Your state or local law enforcement agencies, Department of Child Protective Services, Department of Social Services, and other similar organizations are all places that can help you respond to child abuse and neglect.

Ask representatives from child abuse agencies to come speak on what happens when a report is filed and the procedures that follow.

Knowing the appropriate actions to take when you suspect child abuse can make the response more effective and help ensure that you don't do anything to jeopardize any evidence of child abuse.

Appropriate Responses to Child Abuse and Neglect

How you respond to a suspected or confirmed case of child abuse and neglect can influence whether or not a child gets the help they need. Your response can also affect how an abused child will recover from their traumatic and painful experience. To help increase the likelihood of a positive outcome, here are a few tips for you to remember when responding to child abuse and neglect:

Report suspected child abuse immediately. As long as you have a sufficient reason to make a report, you are legally protected and cannot be sued. Be sure to give the person or agency you make the report to as much information as possible.

Do not act shocked or disgusted if a child reveals something about his or her abuse to you. Children are inclined to think that you are responding that way because of them, which can have a major impact on their healing and recovery.

Be supportive in your response and let the child know it is not his or her fault. Also remember that you can't promise not to tell since you're legally required to report any suspicion. The Crisis Manual for Early Childhood Teachers suggests the following response: 'I'm glad you told me. You did the right thing. I'm sorry this happened to you.'

Make sure children who are abused have plenty of ways to express themselves. Drawing, painting, and writing are all excellent creative outlets for children to express their thoughts and feelings about what happened to them.

Treat all children with kindness, respect, and empathy. This will help you build positive relationships with children and will also show abused children that a person does not have to use violence or humiliation in their interactions with others.

For more information about these and other responses, check out The Crisis Manual for Early Childhood Teachers and The Neglected Child. Both books are great resources to help you understand, prevent, and respond to child abuse and neglect.

Free Resources

Online Articles

Child Abuse'Neglect: Recognizing, Preventing, and Reporting Child Abuse
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm

Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect
https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/preventingcan.cfm

11 Facts About Child Abuse
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-child-abuse

Child Abuse (KidsHealth®)
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/child_abuse.html

10 Signs of Child Abuse'Neglect
http://www.safehorizon.org/index/what-we-do-2/child-abuse--incest-55/10-signs-of-child-abuse--neglect-305.html

The Role of Educators in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect
https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/educator/

Relevant Websites

Childhelp®
http://www.childhelp.org/pages/what-is-child-abuse

TMedline Plus (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childabuse.html

Child Welfare information Gateway (HHS)
https://www.childwelfare.gov/can/

Child Maltreatment Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/violencePrevention/childmaltreatment/

Kids Matter Inc.
http://www.kidsmatterinc.org/

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Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect | Kaplan Early Learning Company

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A recent study found that 1 in 8 U.S. children will experience abuse or neglect that is serious enough to be officially confirmed by the government by the time they are 18 years old. If you teach a class of 24 students, that statistic means 3 of those children are currently experiencing or will experience harmful abuse or neglect by the time they are an adult.

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It's not uncommon for children in the classroom to do things to get your attention. Too much attention-seeking can be disruptive, causing trouble and creating distractions. The attention-seeking child will often interrupt a lesson by blurting something out. Their desire for attention is almost insatiable, so much so that the child often doesn't seem to care whether the attention they receive is positive or negative. In many cases, it doesn't even seem to matter how much attention you give them. The more you give, the more they seek.

Causes of Attention-Seeking Behavior

The attention-seeking child is in need of more attention than most. They seem to have something to prove and don't take as much pride intrinsically as they do extrinsically. This child may not have a sense of belonging. They may also suffer from low self-esteem, in which case they will need some help building their confidence. Sometimes, the attention-seeker is simply immature. If this is the case, adhere to the interventions below and the child will eventually outgrow their craving for attention.

Interventions

As a teacher, it is important to remain calm in the classroom even in the face of frustration. The attention-seeking child will always present challenges, and you must deal with them in an even-handed way. Remember that your ultimate goal is to help the child become confident and independent.

When a child's attention-seeking becomes disruptive, sit down with them and explain that you have a number of children to work with each day. Provide them with a period of time that is just for them. Even a two-minute period before or after recess (a period where you can devote your attention exclusively to them) can be very helpful. When the child begs for attention, remind them of their scheduled time. If you stick with this strategy, you will find that it can be quite effective.

Promote intrinsic motivation by asking the child to describe what they like about their work or how they performed. This is a great way to encourage self-reflection and help the child build confidence.

Always commend the child on their improvement.

During the child's special time, take time to boost their confidence by offering some inspiring words.

Provide the child with responsibilities and a leadership role from time to time.

Never forget that all children need to know that you care about them and that they can contribute in a positive way. It took the child a long time to become an extreme seeker of attention. Be patient and understand that it will take some time for them to unlearn this behavior.

Remember that students, especially young students, don't always know what appropriate behavior is. Take time to teach them about appropriate interactions, responses, anger management, and other social skills. Use role-play and drama to help students understand other people's feelings and perspectives.

When you notice bullying, take the students involved aside and ask the bully to apologize directly to the victim. Hold students accountable for their harmful behavior.

Have a zero-tolerance policy in place that is well understood.

As much as possible, recognize and reward positive behavior.

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Do You Know What to Do About an Attention-Seeking Child in Class?

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It's not uncommon for children in the classroom to do things to get your attention. Too much attention-seeking can be disruptive, causing trouble and creating distractions. The attention-seeking child will often interrupt a lesson by blurting something out.

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Why do children misbehave? To communicate? To control? To manipulate? This four-part series will describe the goals of misbehavior, what they mean and how you can effectively respond to them.

Why do children misbehave? Is it because they are being disobedient on purpose? Do they not know better? Are they not capable of following rules? Is it just to push your buttons? Are they pushing boundaries? Testing limits? Is it just fun?

Sometimes when children misbehave it feels personal, like your child is purposely doing something to you in order to make your life more difficult. In the hustle and bustle of family life, these acts of misconduct might feel like someone is adding fuel to the fire. Many parents do not understand what motivates their children to act this way, especially after they put so much effort into raising hardworking and respectful children. So, why then, do children misbehave?

Think about misbehavior as a method of communication, a child's way of reaching out. Adults have a lot of practice in decoding their own feelings and have learned many different ways of managing and expressing those feelings. Young children are still learning these tools for communication so, instead of saying they are lonely or bored, toys are thrown. The behavior is negative or undesired, but the reasons behind it are not. It's important to remember negative behavior does not make your child "bad." There's a difference between how your child behaves and their character. What they dois not who they are.

Understanding why children misbehave can be a crucial step in positive discipline. Knowing the why will help you figure out the how -how to respond. Just like it is important to recognize an infant's specific cues indicating hunger, tiredness or overstimulation, it is important for parents and caregivers to recognize older children's cues. These cues, often shown through actions instead of words, will tell you how to meet their immediate needs and help teach them positive and effective ways of expressing themselves. Children use behavior to communicate something to you and understanding their reasons behind their behavior can help you not only care for and nurture your child, but help teach them to regulate their own behavior.

One reason children misbehave is power. When children seek power through their behaviors, they are feeling like they don't have any control. To get this need met, children behave in ways to make sure to try to exert their control. They scream "No!," refuse to comply, or throw themselves on the ground when you ask them to put their shoes on.

Whether or not we choose to admit it, everyone wants power. Truthfully, this is not a bad thing. We often associate the word "power" with overbearing, manipulative actions often occurring at the expense of others. In the context of children, power means control.

Children do not yet have the skills and knowledge to have complete power over their lives, otherwise they'd be eating ice cream for dinner every night and wearing flip flops in a blizzard. Control over self is an intrinsic drive, a strong desire to make decisions and complete actions on our own. Take toddlers for instance; with "Me," "No," and "I do it!" as regular parts of their vocabulary, they are verbally expressing this desire for power. As children grow older, they find more direct ways of seeking out control.

Misbehavior for power usually pops up when children feel like they have very little control over what is happening around them. To make up for feeling powerless, children use their behavior to either demand control or simply take it. Examples of these behaviors include ignoring a request, pushing the limits or boundaries or outbursts of anger.

Parents often feel and show strong emotional reactions to displays of power-oriented misbehavior. These actions usually end up with parents feeling angry and they may feel a strong desire to punish the child or to fight back. It is very easy to react quickly to power struggles with strict punishment, scolding or yelling. This is a natural attempt to reassert your control.

Managing power-seeking behaviors

Oftentimes when children seek power through their misbehavior, we dig in and refuse to give it to them. Instead of focusing your energy on protecting your control over your child, try thinking about ways you can give them the power and control that they seek in appropriate and constructive ways.

Try these tips from the Michigan State University Extension to manage power-seeking behavior.

Make it a win-win. Give up the notion of "winning" these situations. When there's a winner, there's also a loser. Do we really want our children to lose, or do we want them to learn? Instead of a competition, think of these as opportunities for teamwork, collaboration and compromise. This is a great chance to teach your child valuable life skills, foster a healthy relationship with open communication and teach them self-control.

Bow out. A tug of war takes two participants. If you refuse to enter into a power struggle with your child, they'll have no one to fight against. Instead of getting sucked into an argument or pushed into reacting, which effectively gives your child the power they are searching for, try these tips for avoiding power struggles.

Give them what they want. Children need opportunities to have control and make choices for themselves, so let them! When you share this power with children on your own terms, you can avoid power struggles. Let them have a vote in what to make for dinner, let them decide whether they want to clean their room or do their homework first. When children have control, they feel useful, valuable and yes, powerful.

When children initiate these power struggles they are seeking out a perfectly acceptable and understandable goal, they are just working towards that goal in the wrong way. When we engage in powers struggles, children get a sense of power from the outcome but they miss out on an opportunity to practice positive and effective life skills necessary for true power, like communication, compromise and collaboration. While we can't let children have complete control over the decisions that affect them, as parents and caregivers it is our duty to help them learn how to use their power wisely.

Remember that misbehaviors are opportunities to listen to, care for and teach your child. Responding appropriately will help you model and reinforce positive behaviors patterns, strengthen your communication with your child and increase the quality of your interactions.

For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.

To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our impact report. Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities, can be downloaded from the Michigan 4-H website.
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Why do children misbehave? To communicate? To control? To manipulate? This four-part series will describe the goals of misbehavior, what they mean and how you can effectively respond to them. Why do children misbehave? Is it because they are being disobedient on purpose? Do they not know better?

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Why do children misbehave? To communicate? To control? To manipulate? This four-part series will describe the goals of misbehavior, what they mean and how you can effectively respond to them.

Why do children misbehave? Is it because they are being disobedient on purpose? Do they not know better? Are they not capable of following rules? Is it just to push your buttons? Are they pushing boundaries? Testing limits? Is it just fun?

Sometimes when children misbehave it feels personal, like your child is purposely doing something to you in order to make your life more difficult. In the hustle and bustle of family life, these acts of misconduct might feel like someone is adding fuel to the fire. Many parents do not understand what motivates their children to act this way, especially after they put so much effort into raising hardworking and respectful children. So, why then, do children misbehave?

Think about misbehavior as a method of communication, a child's way of reaching out. Adults have a lot of practice in decoding their own feelings and have learned many different ways of managing and expressing those feelings. Young children are still learning these tools for communication so, instead of saying they are lonely or bored, toys are thrown. The behavior is negative or undesired, but the reasons behind it are not. It's important to remember negative behavior does not make your child "bad." There's a difference between how your child behaves and their character. What they dois not who they are.

Understanding why children misbehave can be a crucial step in positive discipline. Knowing the why will help you figure out the how -how to respond. Just like it is important to recognize an infant's specific cues indicating hunger, tiredness or overstimulation, it is important for parents and caregivers to recognize older children's cues. These cues, often shown through actions instead of words, will tell you how to meet their immediate needs and help teach them positive and effective ways of expressing themselves. Children use behavior to communicate something to you and understanding their reasons behind their behavior can help you not only care for and nurture your child, but help teach them to regulate their own behavior.

One reason children misbehave is because they are feeling inadequate, like they aren't enough. Everyone feels down once in a while, even young children. Children might misbehave in situations where they aren't feeling good about themselves. They may act out passively by withdrawing or avoiding, like refusing to complete a requested task or participate in an event. To cope with these feelings, many children show a hesitancy to engage because they don't feel like they are good enough.

When children experience these feelings, they might feel unworthy or inferior to others. In order to avoid these uncomfortable feelings and the vulnerability that comes with them, children often act out by displaying withdrawal behaviors, a pessimistic attitude or by putting themselves down.

Children may not have the words or tools necessary to communicate or address these feelings and because no parent or caregiver wants to watch their child feel this way, these situations often make parents feel helpless or discouraged.

Managing behaviors stemming from feelings of inadequacy

Try these tips from Michigan State University Extension to manage behaviors stemming from feelings of inadequacy:

Be responsive and present. Presence and proximity are powerful when it comes to parenting children. When children know you are not only physically close, but that you show them you are present and responsive they feel safe and cared for and they can take advantage of opportunities to seek help or comfort. It's also important for children to know that sometimes it's OK to be alone and address uncomfortable feelings. If your child needs some space, instead of making it a punishment like at time-out, make it a retreat. Suggest they read a book, draw a picture, take a walk or do another activity they find soothing.

Build them up. Remind children why they are so special, important and loved. We don't want to fill children up with false praise, but by noticing and noting the positives - character traits, behaviors and actions - we can help children develop a strong sense of worth. If we help create situations where our children can be successful, we can help them build feelings of self-worth. Try seeking out their expertise by trusting them with an important job or assignment. Help them regain their sense of success and value.

Accept them. No one is perfect, so when we set very high standards for children, they inevitably fail to measure up. Create an environment where it's OK to fail, make mistakes and it is OK to not be perfect. It took Thomas Edison 1,000 failures to invent the light bulb; remind your child that it's OK to fail because that is how you grow and learn.

Sometimes this requires a lot of patience on your part because it is tempting to swoop in and try to solve the problem. By giving your child an opportunity to recognize, feel and understand their emotions, you are preparing them to handle bigger situations they will face as they grow up.

Remember that misbehaviors are opportunities to listen to, care for and teach your child. Responding appropriately will help you model and reinforce positive behavior patterns, strengthen your communication with your child and increase the quality of your interactions.

For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.

To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our impact report. Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities, can be downloaded from the Michigan 4-H website.
Did you find this article useful?

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Goals of misbehavior - Part 4: Inadequacy

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Why do children misbehave? To communicate? To control? To manipulate? This four-part series will describe the goals of misbehavior, what they mean and how you can effectively respond to them. Why do children misbehave? Is it because they are being disobedient on purpose? Do they not know better?

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When faced with difficult situations, children may occasionally lose their temper or experience emotional outbursts. Behavior issues, such as uncontrolled tantrums, aggressive physical behavior, and repetitive emotional outbursts, may interfere with children's ability to function in school and may cause turmoil at home.

Targeted behavior interventions tailored to meet each child's needs can prevent these challenging behaviors and teach children to use communication through positive behaviors in response to challenges. Effective behavior intervention plans can effectively minimize negative behaviors and ensure a healthy educational environment that optimizes learning and can improve family interactions.

This article presents examples of positive behavior intervention plans and strategies. It describes applied behavior analytic assessment and intervention, including the ABC model of behavior assessment. It also outlines the benefits of earning a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis to prepare for a career in applied behavior analysis.

What Is a Behavior Intervention Plan?

A child who struggles in school may require an individualized education program (IEP) that describes the goals that a team of educators have established for the child during a school year. Key to the IEP's success is identifying any special support required to reach specific goals. The plan's special support needs often include a behavior intervention plan that is designed to teach and reinforce positive behaviors.

What is a behavior intervention plan? BIPs, which are also called positive intervention plans, are customized to the needs, abilities, and skills of the child:

The BIP has many distinct components:

Skills training to promote appropriate behavior

Alteration of the classroom or learning environment to minimize or eliminate problem behaviors

Strategies to encourage appropriate behaviors that replace problem behaviors

The support the child will need to behave appropriately

Collection of data to measure the child's progress

Types of Behaviors the Intervention Plan Aims to Minimize

Teachers understand the importance of setting classroom rules and expectations. The rules and expectations must be clearly communicated to students and enforced when necessary. The intervention plan is intended to guarantee that all children benefit from a safe, nurturing learning environment. The behaviors that an intervention plan addresses may include some of the following:

Making noise in class

Disrupting other students

Talking out of turn

Intentionally creating a power struggle with the teacher

Distracting the learning process by repeatedly arguing over minor issues

Brooding, rudeness, or negative mannerisms in class

Overdependence on teachers or other students

Preventive Strategies: Encouraging Positive Behaviors

To manage their classrooms, many teachers tend to focus on problem behaviors. Another way to prevent and reduce challenging behaviors is by acknowledging correct behaviors and praising small successes.

Vermont-NEA (The Union of Vermont Educators) describes strategies for effective behavior management in educational settings:

Stay calm at all times, and demonstrate to the students that the teacher is in charge.

Give instructions as simple, direct statements rather than in the form of a question or request.

Make sure that students know when it's time for them to give the teacher their full attention.

Use the student's name when giving praise and when disciplining, and make sure the student understands which action triggered the praise or discipline.

The Personalized Nature of Behavior Intervention Plans

The success of a BIP depends on the participation of the students in crafting plans that address their unique situation, character, and personality. Encouraging the student to participate in planning may help build rapport and motivate the student to agree to pursue the plan's goals. The right plan will be something the student looks forward to rather than something seen as a chore or an embarrassment.

Ask the student about the goals to be achieved, and include those goals in the plan along with the goals set by parents and educators.

Make sure that the student understands which behaviors to exhibit in specific situations, so the student will be able to recognize behavioral improvement.

Provide highly motivating reinforcers, such as items or rewards that would motivate the student, for appropriate behaviors to encourage participation.

Include in the plan graphics or other elements that represent the student's interests, such as favorite movie or cartoon characters and other items that the student will respond favorably to.

How Applied Behavior Analysts Collaborate to Devise Individualized Strategies

In a paper published in the journal Behavior Analysis in Practice, researchers Collin Shepley and Jennifer Grisham-Brown identify gaps between research and practice in the application of behavioral analysis in schools. The researchers point out that more than 25% of applied behavior analysts work in schools, which is the second-largest employment sector for applied behavior analysts after health care.

However, the emphasis on blended practices that individualize education for all students requires the participation of many different parties, including educators, behavior analysts, and parents. A curriculum framework that supports blended practices combines data-driven decision making; professional development; and a leadership plan involving teachers, children, and families.

The role of behavior analysts in such team settings entails several activities:

The researchers emphasize the importance of collaborative working relationships to the long-term success of positive behavioral interventions. Elements of success include agreeing on roles and responsibilities, understanding the goals of the interventions, and establishing criteria for terminating or reevaluating the relationship.

Applying Strategies at Home in Extraordinary Circumstances

A key to the success of positive behavior interventions is consistency. Disruptions in students' routines, such as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, make it even more difficult to implement and maintain intervention plans. In addition to requiring drastic changes in children's daily routines, the pandemic creates anxiety and uncertainty that can discourage positive behaviors.

The Texas Education Agency provides a checklist that parents and educators can use to support challenging behaviors at home:

What Is a Positive Behavior Intervention System?

A positive behavior intervention system integrates data, support systems, and intervention practices with the goal of improving social and academic outcomes for individuals with behavior issues. This proactive, systematic framework drives the success of the intervention.

Integrating Data, Support Systems, and Intervention Practices

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) describes the three-tiered evidence-based framework designed to ensure the social and academic success of all students:

Tier 1, Universal Prevention, applies to all students and emphasizes prosocial skills and expectations by teaching appropriate behaviors.

Tier 2, Targeted Prevention, applies to some students and focuses on supporting students who are at risk of developing more serious behavior problems.

Tier 3, Intensive, Individualized Prevention, applies to the small proportion of students whose behavior doesn't improve after applying Tier 1 and Tier 2 support. The students in this group include those with developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and emotional and behavioral disorders.

All three tiers combine three components to achieve their desired outcomes:

Improving Social and Academic Outcomes

Just as IEPs are geared to individual students, the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) involves the entire school community in improving behavioral and academic outcomes. The goal of the MTSS process is to provide every student with early access to individualized academic and behavior interventions based on the student's specific needs.

Ensuring effective social and emotional functioning requires positive behavioral supports to increase academic engagement, minimize problem behaviors, and improve academic outcomes. Achieving this goal requires strong leadership and collaboration among educators and behavior interventionists as part of teams that include principals, classroom teachers, school psychologists, social workers, and guidance counselors.

Examples of Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies

Positive behavior intervention strategies include designing routines, implementing silent signals, assigning tasks, and setting expectations. These strategies help encourage positive behaviors from individuals while simultaneously suppressing negative behaviors.

The goal of intervention strategies is to understand that the problem behaviors are a means of communicating and to respond with compassion. This establishes a trusting relationship between students, families, teachers, and behavior analysts that shifts from fixing students to understanding them.

Designing Routines

Routines are a component of every successful classroom, but they're also effective in addressing inappropriate behaviors in home settings. Routines provide students with more time to spend on learning by reducing the time required to transition from one task or activity to another.

Classroom routines describe the procedures for many common activities:

Turning in work

Passing out materials

Making up for missed work

Establishing arrival and dismissal procedures

Providing options to occupy students when they finish an assignment

Transitioning between activities

Using Silent Signals

The use of silent signals to discourage problem behaviors in the classroom provides many benefits:

Examples of silent signals include returning the student's attention to the current activity or assignment, redirecting misbehavior, helping students who struggle to talk in front of the class, encouraging reluctant students to participate, and praising students when they behave well or succeed at a task.

To use silent signals, teachers should meet with the student individually to explain their tacit communication methods, allow the student to decide the methods whenever possible, set a cue for the student to use when wanting to participate, and use as many positive and encouraging signals as negative ones.

Applying Task Assignments

The curricula and assignments can be modified in many ways to promote positive behaviors in students:

Ensure the material is appropriate for the students and properly motivates them to learn.

Change the number or difficulty of assignments to avoid overwhelming students.

Divide difficult assignments into several parts.

Assign tasks that require the active participation of the students.

Shorten lessons or change the pace of the instruction.

Help students maintain a planner for their assignments.

Use multiple modes of instruction, such as video, audio, and hands-on exercises.

Increase the amount of reinforcement and the frequency of task-related recognition.

Setting Expectations

Before teachers can set expectations for students, they must have a plan for operating the classroom. They must understand the characteristics of their students, and they must know what the school expects students to achieve. The expectations communicate to students how they're required to act toward other students and school staff. They also let students know the standards they're expected to live up to and the structure in which their education will be provided.

The expectations should be developed with input from students to increase their sense of ownership and make it more likely they'll behave as the guidelines describe. The expectations must be appropriate to the grade level and abilities of students. They must be posted prominently and communicated clearly and regularly to students. The consequences for failing to meet the expectations must also be clear to students.

Resources for Creating a Positive Behavior Intervention System

Here are some resources for developing and implementing PBIS strategies:

The Three Tiers of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Strategies

The tiered nature of positive behavior intervention and support strategies is designed to accommodate the education and social needs of all students in school and at home. Particular systems and practices correspond to how the three tiers meet the needs of students in general, students who exhibit skills deficits, and students who need IEPs:

Applied behavior analysts work with educators and parents to implement each of the three support strategies in classroom and home settings as part of comprehensive positive behavior intervention plans.

Strategies and Goals Between the Three Tiers

Tier 1 serves as the foundation for Tier 2 and Tier 3 by creating a school-wide program that identifies students who need additional support.

How Applied Behavior Analysts Implement Each Support Strategy in a Classroom

Applied behavior analysis studies the environmental events that are critical to understanding and changing children's behaviors in the classroom and in the home. It examines behaviors based on the relationship between antecedents and consequences:

Antecedents describe what happened just prior to the behavior.

Consequences describe what happened immediately after the behavior.

For Tier 1 and Tier 2 students, the support strategy can be integrated with standard instruction and may require occasional instruction in small group settings. Tier 3 students in particular are likely to require supplementary aids and services in education settings. The services must be effective in reaching the student's education and behavior goals without stigmatizing the student.

The skills taught to Tier 3 students focus on adjusting to classroom learning:

Participate and learn in a group.

Initiate and sustain reciprocal peer interactions.

Complete seatwork assignments.

Communicate needs clearly.

Follow classroom routines.

Reduce problem behaviors that interfere with learning.

Self-regulate, make inferences, and consider the perspective of others.

How Applied Behavior Analysts Implement Each Support Strategy in Homes

Applied behavior analytics has proven effective in teaching skills that are useful in the home and community. Instruction may take place one-to-one or in groups using techniques like positive reinforcement to encourage appropriate behaviors in various settings.

What Is a Positive Behavior Intervention System?

Applied behavior analytic intervention strategies are used to treat challenging behaviors that may be displayed by individuals on the autism spectrum. Behavior analysts typically start by assessing these challenging behaviors. The information collected during an Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) assessment is integrated in applied behavior analytic intervention strategies. Once an intervention protocol is designed, targeted and consistent treatment can be implemented. Early intervention is key to successfully reducing such behavior problems.

Applied Behavior Analytic Intervention to Treat Individuals with Autism

The primary concern of behavior intervention strategies for students on the autism spectrum is to individualize the program to the education and behavior goals of the student. The process begins with a detailed assessment of the student's abilities, interests, preferences, and family situation. Goals are based on the student's age and level of ability.

Communication and language

Social skills

Self-care (e.g., hygiene, independent living skills)

Play and recreation

Motor skills

Learning and academic skills

Each skill is reduced to small, specific steps that the analyst teaches one at a time using various techniques. The analyst tracks the student's progress and communicates with the family and other program team members.

The Importance of Early Intervention to Address Disruptive Behaviors

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights the importance of early intervention to address disruptive behaviors in all children, including neurotypical children and children with ASD. The agency cites studies that link disruptive behavior disorders present in all children to a higher risk of such long-term problems as mental disorders, violence, and delinquency.

The most effective treatment approaches are group parent behavior therapy and individual parent behavior therapy with the child's participation.

Certain situations increase the likelihood of a child exhibiting disruptive behaviors. Applied behavior analysts, teachers, and parents can prevent and minimize such behaviors by anticipating the times, occasions, and activities that are most likely to precede disruptive behaviors. Similarly, by identifying children who are most likely to have small or occasional behavior problems become more serious, intervention teams can steer the children away from negative behaviors and toward positive alternatives.

Educators and analysts can help parents spot the signs of behavior problems in their children by encouraging parents to perceive situations from the child's perspective. This helps parents prepare children for future situations and activities that the children may struggle with.

Integrating the ABC Assessment Tool in Applied Behavior Analytic Intervention

An ABC assessment is used to help intervention teams understand why certain behaviors occur and which consequences are likely to affect whether the behaviors will be repeated.

Children have abundant opportunities throughout the day to learn and practice skills that promote positive behaviors. Parents, family members, and caregivers are trained to support learning and skills practice whenever the opportunity arises. The intervention plan emphasizes positive social interactions and enjoyable learning.

Striving Toward Positive Behavior

The work of applied behavior analysts helps educators, families, and communities ensure that all children receive the assistance they need to achieve their academic and social goals. Programs such as Regis College's online Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis prepare applied behavior analysts for careers helping children, families, and educators gain maximum benefit from the educational opportunities that are available to them.

Learn more about how the Regis College online Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program helps students pursue their professional goals.
Recommended Readings How Parents Can Support Children with ASD or Other Behavior Issues While Under Covid-19 Quarantine What Are Some Examples of Positive Behavior Supports in the Classroom? What Is a Behavior Intervention Plan, and Why Is It Important in ABA Therapy? Sources: Autism Speaks, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) BookWidgets, "Handling Challenging Behavior Problems in the Classroom" Child Mind Institute, Disruptive Behavior: Why It's Often Misdiagnosed Classcraft, "How to Use PBIS Strategies in the Classroom" Crisis Prevention Institute, "Top 10 Positive Behavior Support (PBIS) Online Resources" Henry-Stark Counties Special Education District, HSCGED Guidelines for MTSS Implementation for Social/Emotional and Behavioral Concerns Indiana Department of Education, Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) KidsHealth, Individualized Education Programs National Association for the Education of Young People, "Reducing Challenging Behaviors During Transitions: Strategies for Early Childhood Educators to Share with Parents" National Center for Biotechnology Information, "Applied Behavior Analysis in Early Childhood Education: An Overview of Policies, Research, Blended Practices, and the Curriculum Framework" Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, 4 Resources to Support Students During the Pandemic Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Getting Started Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, A Commitment to Racial Equity from the Center on PBIS Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Tier 1 Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Tier 2 Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Tier 3 Ohio Department of Education, PBIS for Educators PBIS World, Non-Verbal Cues & Signals ASERT, Using Applied Behavior Analysis to Educate Students with Autism in Inclusive Environments Project IDEAL, Developing Classroom Expectations Social Emotional Workshop, "Personalize Behavior Plans for Student Buy-In" STAR Autism Support, Applied Behavior Analysis for Your Classroom TeachHub.com, "Classroom Management: Develop Clear Rules, Expectations" Texas Education Agency, COVID-19: Supporting Challenging Behaviors at Home U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Findings: Treatment of Disruptive Behavior Problems - What Works? U.S. Department of Education, IDEA U.S. Department of Education, OSERS Understood, "Positive Behavior Strategies: What You Need to Know" Vermont-NEA WeAreTeachers, "Ways to Encourage Good Behavior, Without Junky Prizes or Sugary Sweets" Wrightslaw, When Does the IEP Team Have to Develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)? , Behavioral Intervention Guide

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Behavior Intervention: Definition, Strategies, and Resources - Regis College Online

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When faced with difficult situations, children may occasionally lose their temper or experience emotional outbursts. Behavior issues, such as uncontrolled tantrums, aggressive physical behavior, and repetitive emotional outbursts, may interfere with children's ability to function in school and may cause turmoil at home.

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Tips for building Parent-Teacher Relationship

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Tips for building Parent-Teacher Relationship

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Having a positive relationship with your students' families lets you share concerns and work together to help students who learn and think differently thrive. Here are eight effective ways to start a trusting relationship with parents or caregivers.

1. Imagine yourself in their place.

Building a relationship with families starts with empathy. Consider the perspective of a parent or caregiver whose child was recently identified with a learning disability or ADHD. The family might be uncertain about what this means for their child's future. They might be fearful that their child won't receive the right support. Or they might still be processing the news, and unsure of how they feel.

When students have struggled in school for years, their families may have had many negative experiences with the education system. They may have felt overwhelmed or judged by teachers in the past. Keeping that in mind can help you understand why a student's parent or caregiver might be on the defensive from the start. Make sure they know that you're there to support them.

Remember that some learning and thinking differences run in families. Biological parents may come to the parent-teacher relationship with emotions about their own struggles and experiences in school.

Consider too what families may be experiencing during the coronavirus pandemic and unrest due to racial injustice. Families may be dealing with job loss, food insecurity, trying to balance the demands of distance learning, or experiencing other setbacks.

From the series: Back-to-school for educators: Start with relationships

Learn the research behind relationship building, download a printable to share with families, and get tips for connecting with students and families.

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Articles in this series: Back-to-school for educators: Start with relationships

2. Begin with a positive interaction - and then keep it up.

When you first reach out to families, start with something good. Introduce yourself, share something you enjoy about their child, or simply let them know you're available if they'd like to speak. But the good news doesn't have to stop there. Aim to share a piece of good news with each student's parent or caregiver at least twice a month.

3. Find out how families prefer to be reached.

Not all people are comfortable talking by videoconference. Others don't have time for a phone call at certain times of day. Ask if families have a preferred way of communicating and at what time of day. Then honor that preference. In cases when email is appropriate, consider that your tone may be hard to interpret in an email. Learn how to write an effective email that helps you get a positive response.

4. Gather your thoughts in advance.

When it comes time to talk with families about your concerns, draft what you want to say before the meeting or phone call. A bulleted list of notes can help you prioritize and keep track of your thoughts.

Consider sharing a high-level version of this list with families before the meeting so they can gather their own thoughts, too. This list can help you both remember what you want to talk about if the conversation becomes emotional or moves in an unexpected direction.

Frame what you say from your perspective by using "I" statements. You can start sentences with "I noticed," "I am concerned," or "I feel." These statements are an empathetic way to share your thoughts. They may help family members not take the concerns personally.

For instance, saying "Why isn't your child turning in assignments?" may put a parent or caregiver on the defensive. This may shut down the conversation. Instead, you could say, "I notice your child hasn't turned in assignments for the last few weeks. Has your child spoken to you about it?" This explains your concern and allows for more conversation.

6. Set boundaries together.

Let families know you'd like to establish a two-way relationship that honors the parent or caregiver's knowledge of the child and your knowledge of education. Share that you'd like both parties to be able to talk candidly in a way that promotes productive conversation - all with the shared goal of ensuring their child's success in school.

Sometimes that's easier said than done, so establish boundaries for conversations. Try these suggestions:

Agree to start and end your meetings and calls within the time you've allotted.

Encourage families to share their perspectives. Show respect and appreciation for their knowledge.

In return, ask families to consider your point of view as a professional.

Explain that you assume everyone comes to the discussion with the best of intentions.

Suggest that you're both allowed to speak without being interrupted.

Agree to discuss commonalities you both know about the child. But also be open to hearing information you didn't know.

Ask families if they have any boundaries around the conversation they'd like to follow, too.

7. Communicate clearly and be solutions-oriented.

When you begin a conversation, be up-front about what you want to talk about and what your expectations of the family are. If you simply need to share information or voice your concerns, make sure that's clear.

Or, if you're looking for solutions to a concern, let the parent or caregiver know you're asking for input to find the best solution together. Share your own ideas for solutions, too. For example, if you know of an accommodation you think might help, suggest it and ask if the family has tried something similar at home.

8. Send a follow-up email if needed.

A follow-up email after an important conversation can serve many purposes. First, it gives you the chance to thank families for their time. It can also help both you and the family process your discussion and summarize any decisions and takeaways. And it gives parents and caregivers a chance to add any lingering thoughts or ask questions.

Reflect on your practice: What have you done to successfully build a positive relationship with a student's family?

From the series: Back-to-school for educators: Start with relationships

Learn the research behind relationship building, download a printable to share with families, and get tips for connecting with students and families.

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Articles in this series: Back-to-school for educators: Start with relationships

About the Author

About the Author

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of Amanda Morin The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Mark J. Griffin, PhD was the founding headmaster of Eagle Hill School, a school for children with specific learning disabilities.

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How to begin positive relationships with families: 8 tips to try

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Having a positive relationship with your students' families lets you share concerns and work together to help students who learn and think differently thrive. Here are eight effective ways to start a trusting relationship with parents or caregivers. 1. Imagine yourself in their place. Building a relationship with families starts with empathy.

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When children begin school, ideally, their parents and educators enter into an 'educational partnership'. International studies have shown that parental involvement has a positive impact on children's academic progress. Therefore, it has long been recommended that schools and preschool facilities encourage these partnerships with families. However, there are significant barriers that need to be broken down so these partnerships can thrive.

Parents have considerable influence on children's educational outcomes, as well as teachers, since parents are responsible for the education that takes place in the home. Whether it's helping their children manage their time as they do their homework, discussing topics of relevance to the material covered in school, motivating a child to learn, or communicating with a child's teachers, all families can be involved at various levels in supporting their children's educational development.

"For an educational partnership to be successful, it is crucial that all parents contribute their expertise."

However, the degree to which parents feel able to participate may be affected by many factors, including their personal levels of education or their level of fluency in the local language. This has become a focus of education research lately. For an educational partnership to be successful, it is crucial that all parents contribute their expertise, no matter what their family backgrounds, and work together with teachers in shared responsibility for children.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected educational partnerships?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, students have spent considerably more time learning at home, due to school closures - and in certain cases, quarantines. This has meant that more often than ever, parents are finding themselves in the role of a 'substitute teacher' as they support their children. In addition, it has highlighted the need for efficient communication channels and trust-based relationships between schools and families, to ensure a student's successful education.

Challenges within the partnership between teachers and parents can occur on a regular basis. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, teacher training and professional development programs were often criticized for failing in their effectiveness, and as a result, teachers lacked the skills they needed to work with and advise parents. Studies have also shown that parents are often hesitant to help their children, as well as to seek direct contact with teachers.

"In terms of education policy, schools bear a particular responsibility for reaching out to families and forging successful educational partnerships."

There may be several reasons for this hesitancy from parents; perhaps they are unsure of their own knowledge and capabilities, perhaps there are language barriers, or perhaps parents are reluctant to get involved because of what they perceive to be an "expert-layperson" hierarchy. Our working group's survey of parents' experiences and attitudes toward distance learning while schools were closed has also revealed that overall, the frequency of communication between parents and teachers was low, while the perceived quality of communication differed between parents.

Once again, the current situation demonstrates how important it is to raise the awareness of teachers, through training and professional development, of the needs of their students and students' parents. In terms of education policy, schools bear a particular responsibility for reaching out to families and forging successful educational partnerships.

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Caregivers and teachers should work together in 'educational partnerships' - Child Development

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When children begin school, ideally, their parents and educators enter into an 'educational partnership'. International studies have shown that parental involvement has a positive impact on children's academic progress. Therefore, it has long been recommended that schools and preschool facilities encourage these partnerships with families.

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How to Keep Parents Involved in the classroom

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How to Keep Parents Involved in the classroom

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Parental involvement plays a critical role in students' academic success. When you work with parents, you get the extra support needed to help struggling children turn around their performance. You also encourage a lifelong love of learning in every student, creating more engaged and excited learners. By opening the lines of communication, encouraging parental presence in the classroom and offering opportunities for home enrichment, teachers can bring parents on board as partners in education.

The Value of the Parent Advocate

Parents that are advocates for their children's education spend more time on school projects, assist with homework and volunteer at schools. Their children perform better on standardized tests, earn higher grades, enjoy school more, develop better social skills and are more likely to complete higher education, according to " A New Wave of Evidence," published by the National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools. A study published in Educational Psychology: An International Journal of Experimental Educational Psychology in 2010 also noted a positive correlation between student engagement and motivation with parental involvement. With all of the benefits of parental involvement, teachers have an obligation to make it a priority.

Tips for Clear Communication

Both teachers and parents are invested in the success of the child, and an open dialogue between teachers and parents can lead directly to better academic results. A child who is struggling with math can get some extra drills at home, while a child who is having trouble with reading comprehension might have a few extra exercises that are led by their parents. To get parents involved in supporting academics at home, they need to be informed about their child's specific needs. To open up the lines of communication, consider sending out weekly progress reports, scheduling phone meetings, having face-to-face meetings and sending home extra materials for parents to keep at home.

Opening the Classroom to Parents

Teachers can always use an extra pair of hands to pass out papers, organize supplies, help with line monitoring and complete many daily tasks. This can make a parent assistant a valuable tool in creating an encouraging and comprehensive learning environment. Invite parents to volunteer in the classroom to give them extra exposure to current teaching methods and curriculum. They can then use consistent vocabulary when discussing schoolwork with children at home. To organize volunteers, teachers can send out regular invitations or post a volunteer schedule that allows parents to see what teachers need and when.

Send the Classroom Home

Many parents spend considerable time at home going over homework and offering other instructional activities. To make the best use of this time, be sure to stay in touch with parents. Send home packets with suggested school-home connections, enrichment activities and tip sheets for ways to integrate classroom learning with daily life. The more parents know, the more they can support their children's education in appropriate ways. Give them the necessary tools to translate academics to home life.

Build a Long Term Relationship

The more comfortable parents are talking to teachers, the more likely they are to devote time to volunteerism, fundraising, PTA organizations and other school activities. Parent volunteers can be essential in the continuation of after-school activities and academic improvement. Volunteerism from parents allows schools to provide services that would be impossible without their assistance. The Minnesota Reading Corps is a stellar example of what volunteers can accomplish. Each student receives dedicated time with a tutor to work on reading skills through the Reading Corps program. By building relationships with parents, teachers harness an opportunity for their students that can last for years, as children advance from kindergarten through school graduation. Teachers are the first line of communication between parents and the school, so it falls to you to communicate often, ask for help and engage parents as an active part of the learning process.

Sources: http://eric.ed.gov/?q=+School%2c+family%2c+and+community+partnerships&id=EJ767721 https://www.michigan.gov/documents/Final_Parent_Involvement_Fact_Sheet_14732_7.pdf http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01443410903353302

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Keeping Parents Involved in the Classroom

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Parental involvement plays a critical role in students' academic success. When you work with parents, you get the extra support needed to help struggling children turn around their performance. You also encourage a lifelong love of learning in every student, creating more engaged and excited learners.

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Use Parent Communication Logs to improve classroom management and relationships with families. Look for the link to grab your FREE Parent Communication Logs.

I did it all wrong in the beginning.

When I think back to my first couple of years of teaching, I remember how excited I was to finally come up with an organization tool to help me keep up with my parent contacts.

For the years before that, I struggled to remember which parents I had called. By some miracle, if I did remember which ones I called, I then forgot why exactly I contacted them - good or bad. You know, when you document your communication with parents, you are also keeping yourself in check. It's like magic. I tend to make more parent contacts when I know I'm going to be writing it all down. I have to look good for myself, you know. JK

NOT carefully documenting your communication with parents can really come back to hurt you for a few reasons.

Why should you document parent communication?

1. You can look back at the entries for patterns in the student's behavior or results of learning.

2. If something major happens with a student, you have proof that parents were aware of what was happening with their child.

3. The police won't visit your classroom... keep reading. This will make sense in just a minute.

Now as I said, it took me a few years to create a set of forms that were effective for parent communication in the classroom. My first year of teaching was in first grade. I was so excited about this opportunity because I had a specialization in reading, and that was going to be just perfect!!

While I was kicking butt in teaching beginning reading to my firsties, I was not kicking butt in keeping the parents informed about what was happening at school. I don't know why they spend some time on this when you're still in college.

Click here to read about how to use Behavior Forms for Students to improve classroom management.

I will never forget a certain little boy I had in my class that year. Guess it was about the third or fourth day of school when I overhead my new little friend telling another six year old that he had set a bale of hay on fire somewhere behind his house. He then proceeded to say that all seven huge hay bales burned to the ground. Wow!

7 Burning Hay Bales Helped Me Learn About Parent Communication

I had no idea if this really happened or not, but I immediately tried to contact his mom. No answer. I tried to contact his dad. No answer. I thought I had better tell someone, so I told the school counselor about what I overhead. She said that she asked around in the community and hadn't heard anything about hay being on fire around there.

The counselor said it was probably just his vivid little imagination. Interesting side note: This was not a rural community. I don't know why hay bales would have even been in that neighborhood.

For the next few days, I tried calling his parents at home and at work. No one picked up the phone, no one returned my messages. I even called his grandmother from the emergency card, but no answer. That first year of teaching was so crazy, that somehow, the whole hay going up in flames just escaped my mind.

How the cops got involved...

Fast forward about eight weeks. A police officer came to the school and asked to speak with me. Yep. It is EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.

The very first thing the principal wanted to know was why I hadn't contacted his parents about the fire story. Of course I told her that I had tried to call on numerous occasions.

The officer needed that information from me, because there were other concerns with his parents not being involved enough in this little guy's life. Needless to say, I felt so bad. I felt like a failure. I had no idea what days I called, which numbers I dialed, or how many frantic messages I had left.

So, as you can imagine, I needed a good way to keep up with documenting my communication with parents.

No more visits from the police, please!

I wanted the form to be very simple, but at the same time have every little bit of information I needed to contact the parents.

I don't know about you, but I am in LOVE with Flair Pens. These are what I use to write on my Parent Communication Logs... well actually, I use Flair Pens on EVERYTHING I write

NOTE: Some links are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I make a small commission on those purchases.

What contact information to include on the Parent Communication Log?

1. parent or guardian's names

2. email addresses

3. cell phone numbers

4. work phone numbers

When I made this form soooo long ago, I actually had home phone numbers instead of cell phone numbers, but most people I know don't even have a home phone anymore. I added in the email a little later too.

Email is actually one of my favorite ways to contact parents. It gives me documentation of exactly what I said to parents. You do have to be careful about your wording when sending emails though, as parents will also have proof of exactly what you said.

What to document on the Parent Communication Form?

1. Write the student's name.

2. Make sure to write the date. This is important. You can also jot down the time in that same section.

3. Include the person you communicated with. With stepparents and grandparents thrown into the mix, it can be difficult to remember who you contacted.

4. Mark the method you used to make the contact: email, call / text, note home, or meeting in person.

5. Check the concern you have with the student. Is it behavior, academic, a daily routine (like homework), or something else?

6. Write down notes. You don't need to write down a bunch, but documentation is super important.

I always copy these forms back to back. You'll notice that the second page right above gives you more space to document parent contacts. It leaves off the guardian info because it's on the front side. Just go ahead and copy these front to back from the get go. It will save you some time later on.

Parent Communication Binder:

Using a large three ring binder is my favorite way to organize these forms. Each student has their own pocket tab divider with at least one copy of the Communication Log behind it. The pocket tab dividers are my fav because I can also include notes from parents, etc. for each student.

One of my teacher friends was using my forms, but she thought it included too much parent information for her situation. She wanted an even simpler form with more room to write about what was discussed and decided on, during the parent contact. I created the one above just for her, but it might work for you too, so I've included it.

You'll see the example above that only includes the date, name of student, and notes from communicating with guardians. The space to write notes is much larger. This space will give you plenty of room to document everything.

This last form is the Parent Meeting Log. If you have been documenting all of your contacts with parents and you feel like you need to move forward with a more formal meeting, you may want to use this form. It focuses on face to face meetings.

What to include in a Parent Meeting Log?

1. student name

2. date of meeting

3. parent or guardian name

4. who the meeting was requested by

5. purpose of the meeting

6. outcome of the meeting

Quite a few people have asked me why I included the "requested by" information on my Parent Meeting Log. This might be important depending on your situation. You don't always have to be the one, but hopefully the teacher is noticing an academic or behavior issue before the parents do. You will want to make the first move in setting up a meeting with parents. This shows you are being proactive, before things blow up. Of course there are certain situations where parents will need to set the meeting first.

I'm going to leave you with just a few last helpful hints on parent communication.

Tips for better communication with parents:

Contact parents as soon as possible in the school year. Let them know your expectations and plan for the upcoming year.

This one can be difficult at times, but the first contact MUST BE POSITIVE! If you start off telling them something negative about their child (no matter how true it might be), there may always be tension there.

Keep conversations with parents discrete. Don't share information in the teacher's lounge. You'll thank me later.

If you tell parents you will contact them at a certain time or for a certain reason, do it! If you don't think you will be able to hold yourself to that discussion, don't promise them.

Have a plan in mind when it comes to discussing concerns with parents. Parents will appreciate it and this will help them build confidence in you.

Document, document, document! Document each time you contact parents. Make sure to write down the positive communications as well.

Do you have any suggestions for improving parent communication? I am gathering ideas for another blog post, and I would LOVE to use YOUR SUGGESTIONS. I will give you credit.
Like this Teacher FREEBIE? Pin it!! Click here to access your FREE Set of Parent Communication Forms. Check out these blog posts on CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Student Behavior Reports Digital Resource Organizer
Thank you for reading!

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Parent Communication Logs: FREE Classroom Management Forms - Teacher KARMA

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Use Parent Communication Logs to improve classroom management and relationships with families. Look for the link to grab your FREE Parent Communication Logs. When I think back to my first couple of years of teaching, I remember how excited I was to finally come up with an organization tool to help me keep up with my parent contacts.

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Google’s service, offered free of charge, instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.

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Website localization involves adapting online content to meet the social and cultural preferences of your target market. This allows you to better engage your readers by connecting with them on a more personal level. And the first step to implementing a localization is to translate your entire website.

In this article, we'll show you how to translate your entire website in a few easy steps. Before we begin, let's take a look at the basic options for translating websites.

Basic options for translating a website

When it comes to translating your website, there are two main options available to you: human translation and machine translation.

Human translation

Human translation is when professional human translators translate webpages from one language to another. Many agencies provide human translation services in exchange for a fee.

The key benefit of human translation is that it takes the context, structure, and language nuances into account. In addition to this, human translation typically involves procedures like proofreading and quality assurance.

Machine translation

Machine translation, also called automated translation, translates the content on a page from one language to another using artificial intelligence. Google Translate, for example, uses a neural machine translation system to convert text on a page into other languages.

Unlike human translation, machine translation doesn't take context or language nuances into account which often leads to inaccurate translations.

How to translate a website with Google Translate

You're probably most familiar with Google Translate as an option for translating the whole of your website. It lets you translate your entire website into different languages in a few simple steps:

1. Launch Google Chrome and go to the Google Translate website i.e. translate.google.com.

2. Type the entire URL of your website in the text box on the left.

3. Select the new language you wish to translate your website into.

4. Click the Translate button.

You should be able to view the translated version of your website from the native language (e.g. English) into a foreign language and the Translate toolbar on the top lets you quickly change the translation language using the dropdown menu.

However, you may notice that some words and phrases stay untranslated. This happens because Google Translate only translates the actual text on a webpage and ignores any text that appears in an image. The same goes for Google Chrome's automatic Translate option.

While Google Translate offers a simple and quick way to translate your entire website, it's not an ideal solution for several reasons. The website translations you get with Google Translate aren't accurate and the service doesn't offer any support. In addition to this, Google Translate doesn't offer human translation.

The good news is that there are other ways to translate your entire website without any of the issues that Google Translate has. Weglot, for example, offers both machine and human translations and comes with support.

Introducing Weglot

Weglot is a complete multilingual solution that lets you automatically translate your entire website into over 100 languages. It uses a combination of Google, Microsoft, DeepL, and Yandex translation services depending on the language pair - to deliver the most accurate results.

The Weglot translation solution offers a mix of both human and machine translation. It translates your entire website content using machine translation and then lets you manually edit the automated translations using its in-context editor or translations list - depending on your preference.

In summary, Weglot provides:

Automatic and human translation

Access to professional website translators

Translate website content in minutes

Simple plugin to integrate and easy to use

Manage entire webpage translations in one place

Compatible with different website technologies

SEO optimized

How to translate your entire website online using the Weglot translation solution

As the most popular CMS out there, we'll show you how to translate your entire WordPress website using Weglot.

But, if you've used a different CMS or built your site without the help of a CMS you can check out all our integrations here. All our integrations have been created so literally anyone can add multilingual capabilities to their website - there's no need for the help of a developer.

Step #1: Install the Weglot plugin

Search for the Weglot Translate plugin and install and activate it to your WordPress website.

If you haven't done so already, create a new Weglot account. You'll need to enter your email address and create a password. Once this is done, you'll receive a confirmation email to verify your account and get your API key.

Step #2: Configure the plugin settings

Go to the Weglot menu item from the WordPress dashboard sidebar menu.

Enter the API key you received in the API Key box.

Choose the Original Language i.e. the language (for example, English) your website content is published in using the dropdown menu.

Set the Destination Languages i.e. the languages you want to translate your website's content into (for example, Portuguese).

From the same screen, you can configure additional options for language switcher widget style and location based on your preferences.

Additionally, you can also choose to exclude certain pages from being translated or choose to enable auto-detection of visitors' language based on their web browser settings.

Click the Save button to continue. When you preview your website's front-end, you'll see the language switcher widget that lets visitors translate your entire website at the click of a button.

Step #3: Create and manage your translations

Weglot automatically generates the first round of machine translation for your entire website. However, you can edit and manage the language translations using Weglot's built-in editing interfaces.

The Visual Editor offers a live preview of your WordPress website. This allows you to modify your translations as you view them on the webpage while keeping in mind the context and design.

You can edit translations by clicking on the blue pencil icon. This will open a pop-up window which lets you edit the translation.

The Translations List editor provides a side-by-side view of your original content along with machine-generated translations for the chosen language. Any changes made to the translations are automatically saved.

The search bar on the top allows you to quickly find translations and content you would like to modify. You can also click on the Translation options button to set up rules for your translations.

It's also worth mentioning that Weglot helps you connect with professional translation agencies directly from within the web app as an add-on service. Simply select the pages you want to have professionally translated to get started.

Conclusion

Localizing your website for different target audiences is a great way to expand into new markets and boost sales. For this, you'll need a user-friendly translation tool like Weglot that lets you translate your entire website into different target languages.

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How to translate your entire website online

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Website localization involves adapting online content to meet the social and cultural preferences of your target market. This allows you to better engage your readers by connecting with them on a more personal level. And the first step to implementing a localization is to translate your entire website.

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Adoption and usage

Simple, effective, and surprisingly easy to use

With nearly 30 million users in 80% of US schools, the numbers speak for themselves: students, families, and educators love using Remind.

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Remind | Communication Platform for Education

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Remind is a communication platform that reaches students and families where they are and supports learning wherever it happens. Millions of educators, students, and parents use Remind to connect with the people and resources that help them teach and learn.

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ClassDojo helps teachers, parents, and students build amazing classroom communities.

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The 2012-2013 UC Campus Climate survey noted a generally positive working environment for many Berkeley students, faculty, and staff, and indicated various opportunities for improvement. Below are potential strategies to best support the learning and well-being of all students.

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Promoting an Equitable and Inclusive Learning Environment

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The 2012-2013 UC Campus Climate survey noted a generally positive working environment for many Berkeley students, faculty, and staff, and indicated various opportunities for improvement. Below are potential strategies to best support the learning and well-being of all students.

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Teachers need to provide students with a safe and supportive classroom environment that facilitates active participation and engagement of all students.

How to create a supportive learning environment

Creating a supportive and understanding learning environment is particularly important when discussion activities deal with sensitive issues in relation to mental health and wellbeing. In order to provide a safe and engaging learning environment for students, it is important for teachers to:

collaborate with students to develop a group agreement that sets the parameters for class discussions

reflect on their own role in discussions - acting as a facilitator of the conversation to help to generate many viewpoints

value all student contributions and make this known

use a range of questioning techniques which open up discussion rather than trying to get to a quick right answer

recognise that some students may not feel comfortable sharing

explore ways of dealing with this such as using think, pair, share activities

explore ways to ensure that all students get an opportunity to speak, such as using talk tickets.

Reflection

How can these tips be translated to your staffroom?

How will you share this information with your colleagues?

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Creating a supportive learning environment

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Teachers need to provide students with a safe and supportive classroom environment that facilitates active participation and engagement of all students. Creating a supportive and understanding learning environment is particularly important when discussion activities deal with sensitive issues in relation to mental health and wellbeing.

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Plan For Developing a Supportive Classroom Environment 

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Plan For Developing a Supportive Classroom Environment 

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Planning for a Supportive Classroom Environment