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8 Anti-Bullying Resources for Parents and Educators
Classroom ManagementSocial-Emotional Learning

Eight Anti-Bullying Resources for Parents and Educators

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

Here at TCEA, we are always trying to write on various topics and provide resources through our TechNotes articles. In searching for a topic for one of my November blogs, I came across bullying. Here in the US, we set aside the whole month of October as National Bullying Prevention Month. You might be thinking, “Well, Peggy, you’re in the wrong month!” But the way I look at it, we need to keep bullying prevention at the forefront of our minds 365 days a year. And in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, Anti-Bullying Week is November 13 -17, 2023. So, from across the pond, let’s join in with the UK.

What is bullying?

CDC Bullying Statistics
Screenshot by Emily Horn: CDC Website, Fast Facts: Preventing Bullying

In their 2014 publication, Bullying Surveillance Among Youths: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements, Version 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines bullying as:

Any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm. (p. 7)

Additionally, the CDC outlines two modes (direct and indirect) and four types of bullying (physical, relational, verbal, and damage to property). I recommend taking a look at this document to get more information on this definition, data, and resources.

Anti-Bullying Resources

1. National Day Calendar

I love these “Five Steps to Take to Stop Bullying” from the National Day Calendar. 

1. Practice what you preach. Children mock what they see, so be a good role model for the little ones around you.

2. Talk to your kids. Ask them about experiences at school, and make sure they feel comfortable and know they can always come to you if something happens.

3. Monitor what your child does online. Right now, cyberbullying is the fastest-growing type of harassment among young people.

4. Form a group in your community or school system that stands for bullying prevention. Some good sources of support for this may be local businesses, PTA’s, local government, and service clubs in your area.

5. Learn more about the issue. The more informed and better educated you are, the better you can make an impact.

2. Stop Bullying Program

Stop Bullying Home Page
Screenshot by Emily Horn: Stop Bullying Home Page

Stop Bullying is a program run by the US Department of Education. It provides resources and support for schools, students, parents, and educators to prevent and address bullying. The program aims to create a safe, inclusive learning environment for all students. It provides tools and materials, such as posters, videos, and educational materials, to help individuals understand bullying, identify signs, and know how to report it. 

The site highlights four sections that are really good resources:

3. 20 Questions Parents Ask Principals

The National Association of Elementary School Principals has an informative handout on the 20 questions parents ask principals about bullying and how you can answer.

4. Ready, Set, Respect

NAESP has also partnered with GLSEN and NAEYC to provide a guide, Ready, Set, Respect, with lesson plans on name-calling and bullying, as well as inclusive teaching, intervening in bullying incidents, and promoting respectful recess time.

5. Free Pledge Resources

Screenshot by Emily Horn: Duck Brand, Be Kind® Stick Together® Page

6. Odd Socks Day

In the UK, Odd Socks Day kicks off the first day of Anti-Bullying Week each year to help raise awareness of bullying. I really like this event as you don’t have to invest in anything extra. Just wear odd socks to school, work, or while at home. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. 

7. TEDEd Blog

This blog features 13 TED Talks to Help You Understand and Prevent Bullying. NOTE: Most of these videos use very strong language and horrendous examples of bullying. Make sure you review each video first to gauge appropriateness since adult subject matter is addressed. I found these to be very important to understanding bullying in today’s world.  

8. Video Resources

Of course, there are many videos on YouTube for anti-bullying, but here are my top three picks!

What is Bullying? | SEL Sketches

I really like this video that introduces BOO, a little ghost that defines bullying as:

  • B – being mean
  • O – on purpose
  • O – over and over 

The video goes on to explain the four types of bullying: physical, verbal, social-emotional, and cyber. 

Lip Dub to “Fireworks” | Magnolia ISD

Check out Magnolia ISD in Texas! They created a not-quite-official lip dub video with Katy Perry’s Fireworks. 500 Magnolia High School created a video welcoming new students with this powerful message, “We are a family at MHS, where EVERYONE is welcome. Believe in yourself, and you’ll do just fine.”

Bullying Prevention: What kind are you? | Arizona Department of Human Services

A very short video from the Arizona Department of Human Services promoting kindness.

The devastating impacts of bullying demand that we take action. By educating ourselves, monitoring children’s activities, modeling kindness, and creating anti-bullying pledges and communities, we can make a difference. We all have a role to play in cultivating empathy, inclusion, and respect. Together, through consistency and compassion, we can put a stop to bullying. Let’s make every week Anti-Bullying Week.

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Conflict Resolution with a Wheel of Choices Feature Image
Classroom ManagementCommunication

A Wheel of Choices for Conflict Resolution

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

One year, when I was working as a principal, a group of 5th graders seemed to have conflicts many times a day. So much so that it made instructional time difficult, and recess breaks were full of incidents, both verbal and physical. Conflict resolution and management were challenging processes that always required the teacher’s attention. Of course, there are some student issues and conflicts that will always need to be handled, managed, and resolved by an adult. But how can we set students up to resolve conflicts on their own (when appropriate), and why is this important?

Students will eventually need to resolve disagreements and issues independently as they get older. However, some minor conflicts are appropriate for younger students to resolve on their own after receiving tools, guidance, and modeling. One way to help them succeed is by giving them choices for healthy responses to conflict. A visual tool, like a Wheel of Choices, can work wonders! Let’s explore how to get started with this tool.

Why is conflict resolution important?

Conflict and disagreement are a normal part of being human. Unfortunately, we all know this doesn’t go away or decrease with age. And (unpopular opinion alert), it’s important for students to know that they don’t have to like, play with, or be friends with everyone in their class. However, regardless of friendship status, we must treat people respectfully and work through conflicts and disagreements in healthy ways. So, let’s teach conflict resolution skills early on! Learning to effectively navigate conflicts sets students up for more success in life. It helps them:

  • Deepen relationships
  • Build resilience
  • Identify their feelings
  • Acknowledge the feelings of others
  • Gain confidence
  • Build leadership skills
  • Grow in empathy
  • Broaden perspectives
  • Achieve goals
  • Build active listening skills
  • And more

What is a Wheel of Choices?

A Wheel of Choices is a visual chart that provides students with healthy ways in which they can respond to and work to resolve conflicts. When a dispute arises, students can reference the wheel and choose a response to try. The goal of the Wheel of Choices is for students to eventually be able to resolve minor conflicts independently, confidently, and successfully. Here are ideas for introducing the wheel to students:

  1. First, talk with your students about conflict. What is conflict? What conflicts have they experienced (without naming names)? How did they work through them? You can also discuss healthy and unhealthy responses to conflict.
  2. Then, reiterate that conflict and disagreement are normal, and they aren’t necessarily “bad”! When issues arise, it’s an opportunity for growth that can help us learn about each other and ourselves.
  3. Next, introduce the Wheel of Choices as a reference tool for students. You can introduce the whole wheel or add one strategy at a time, explaining each strategy and modeling them in brief mini-lessons. You could also brainstorm your own strategies as a class to add to the wheel!
  4. As conflicts arise, begin prompting students to use the wheel. Work with them on choosing strategies to support them in resolving issues together. It may take trying several choices from the wheel to solve a disagreement, and that’s okay!
  5. After some practice and time working under your guidance, the students might be ready to try using the wheel independently.

Tips for Using the Wheel of Choices

After using a Wheel of Choices with the 5th grade students I mentioned at the beginning of this article, here are some things I’d recommend:

  • Role-play the different strategies with students.
  • Remind students that respectful dialogue is imperative.
  • Place a wheel in areas where conflicts tend to happen (playground, cafeteria, etc.).
  • Give each student their own mini-wheel.
  • Talk to parents so they can encourage using these strategies at home, too.
  • Be there for students during conflicts to guide them.
  • When appropriate, encourage independence.
  • Celebrate successful resolutions!

Example Use of the Wheel: Jose and Cassandra are arguing over whose turn it is to kick during kickball. Things are getting heated and escalating. Cassandra suggests they look at the Wheel of Choices to help them reach a resolution. Cassandra chooses “Make a deal.” Jose has an idea! Since the two have different opinions, they could play Rock, Paper, Scissors (best two out of three) to decide who kicks first. Cassandra agrees to the deal. Jose wins two out of three. He kicks first, and Cassandra will go next.

Strategies on the Wheel:

Colorful infographic with the strategies from the Wheel of Choices explained.
Created by the author: Linked in the Wheel of Choices template below.

The strategies shown on my wheel are not at all set in stone. Feel free to access the editable template and add your own strategies or ones that you and your students think of together! Let’s explore the choices I included on my wheel:

Share. Listen. Restate. Explain how you’re feeling. Listen to how the other person is feeling. Restate what they explained about their perspective to make sure you understand how they feel.

Take responsibility. Apologize. Make a change. If you make a mistake, own it. Say that you’re sorry, but sorry isn’t enough! Explain how you’ll make a change.

Ask, “How can I help?” If a student shares how they’re feeling, ask how you can help. Then, listen to what they say.

Give a bug and a wish. Share what’s bugging you and then what you wish the other student would do. “It bugs me when you won’t let me have the ball. I wish we could take turns!”

Brainstorm a solution. Work together to problem solve! Brainstorm ideas and pick one to try.

Ask an adult for help. If you need help solving a problem or are hurt, uncomfortable, or unsafe, go to an adult you trust immediately. Tell them what happened.

Use an “I feel” statement. Tell the other student how you feel and what made you feel that way. “I feel angry when you won’t let me have the ball.”

Decide to let it go. Think about what happened. Sometimes, if it’s a small thing or an accident, you can make a choice to let it go and move on.

Make a deal. Work together on a compromise! Find a win-win deal that will work well for everyone.

Cool off! Then, come back to the wheel. Sometimes, taking a break and some deep breaths is good before trying to resolve a conflict. If you need a minute to think and cool down before you can speak respectfully to a student, take the time you need!

End with a… Once a conflict is resolved, choose how you will show it! End with a high five, a hug, or a handshake to show it’s over and you worked it out.

A colorful wheel full of strategies for students to try for conflict resolution.
Created by the author: Edit or Download (Strategies are explained on page 2.)

We saw a lot of success in resolving conflicts using the Wheel of Choices! Every resolution was celebrated, and students were proud to take ownership and become more independent problem solvers. It’s very brave to be vulnerable and share feelings with another person, whether you’re an adult or a child. However, learning to do so at a young age can build confidence and resilience when students recognize they can overcome difficult situations. What do you think? Is this something you might try with your students? Are there any strategies you would add to the wheel? Share them in the comments!

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countdown timers
ChromebooksClassroom Management

A Countdown Timer for Every Occasion

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Keeping track of time can be a full-time job for some students in a group. Why not make that job easier with a countdown timer? Even as an adult, when leading workshop sessions and classroom activities, one app is close at hand for me: either the iPhone Stopwatch or a Google time keeper. Let’s take a look at several free timer options you can use in the classroom. FREE is the key word for all time trackers on this list. Paid countdown timer solutions abound, like CountingDownTo or CountDownKings, but this list will give you quite a bang at no cost.

Hot Tip: Video Countdown Timers

Running a slide show and need an embedded counter? Give these YouTube videos a spin. You can insert them into your slide deck and play them as videos. Whether it’s a 5 minute Mario Roller Coaster Countdown with Music, a simple 5-min timer, these are easy to use. Younger students may prefer this minion timer with…farts. There are many more of differing lengths.

1. Aftel.net

Koos Looijesteijn (@koos@octodon.social) created Aftel. It comes with a wealth of features! This countdown timer is adjustable, even after you start it. Need more or less time added to the count? Click on the plus or minus symbols. Need to pause the count? Use the PAUSE button or RESET to start over. This countdown timer is so well thought out that it will soon become your favorite.

countdown timers

Although it comes in stock grey, you can adjust the colors and make the background flash, play sounds, and enable dynamic background colors. What’s more, you can start with a green background, then when a quarter of the total time elapses, it switches to orange. When a tenth of the time remains, Aftel will switch to red. While more features are present, it also stops your device from dimming or locking the screen. This can be a lifesaver in a workshop or class setting where you are walking the room.

Try Aftel

2. Online Stopwatch

Online Stopwatch brings you their countdown timer. This colorful countdown timer offers full-screen mode, advertisements (ugh!), and numbered buttons. You can SET and CLEAR time presets. It also features a PAUSE button to make halting time easy peasy.

countdown timers

The only issue with this timer? Banner ads appear on the screen when you first arrive at the site. What’s more, a banner ad continues to appear when the full-screen countdown timer is at work.

Try Online Stopwatch

3. Live Countdown Timer with Animations

Wish you had something interesting happening on the screen during your countdown? Some may see this as a distraction, but Time and Date’s countdown timer offers animations:

countdown timers

Once you select the theme from the thumbnails shown, you can customize components. Those components include Countdown Title, Month/Day/Year, Hour:Minute:Second, and Event Location. What’s more, you can detail the font style as well.

countdown timers

This makes counting down to a date far in the future easy. Take a look at this birthday countdown:

countdown timers

This timer offers popular countdowns, too. Those include a countdown to the New Year, to an eclipse, or for a season (e.g. fall). This makes this timer one of the most versatile. While banner/side advertisements are present, full-screen mode eliminates most. You are also able to share links to timers on social media.

Try Timers with Animation

4. Tick Counter

Tick Counter offers countdowns to dates or time periods. It also makes it easy to load a background of your choice and change the color of the timer name, border, and digits.

countdown timers

After you make your countdown timer, you will be able to share a link to it. What’s more, an embed code allows you to place it on a website. Instructions for other types of websites and platforms are available.

countdown timers
Try Tick Counter

Various Web-Based Timers

As you might imagine, there are many timers that offer a wide variety of features. Here are a few of my favorites. Be aware that most, if not all, have advertisements. You will have to decide what is appropriate for your teaching and learning situation.

countdown timers
  • Toy Theater’s Timer. This timer allows you to specify the shape of your timer. Shapes can be any geometric shape you choose, each a different color.
  • Egg Timer. With no built-in ads, this timer offers preset times for 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes. It also offers a few customization options.
  • Dayspedia. This website offers a stopwatch, online clock, timer online, and countdown timer. Other features appear on the website.
  • User-Configurable Countdown Timer. This timer from Harvey Mudd College is a javascript that runs in your browser. This means you could save it the HTML page for offline use.

While there are many other timers available for free, these are a few that jumped out at me.

Chrome Extension Timers

Let’s take a look at some Chrome Browser Countdown Extensions. Here are a few you can try:

Of course, you can always rely on Google Search’s built-in timer in a pinch. Or if all you have is your smartphone, ask Siri to set a timer or open the clock app (works on Android) to set a timer. I hope you find one (or more) from this list that serves you well!

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high school students sitting around a table
Classroom ManagementGood Teaching

From Chaos to Calm: Effective Classroom Management Strategies

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Dealing with difficult students can be extremely frustrating when you have to alter class lessons or activities. And, if we aren’t careful, bad behavior can spread by empowering other students to misbehave and add to the off-task or inappropriate behavior. While there are many research-based classroom management strategies to consider using, let me highlight a few to incorporate, if you are not already doing so.

1. Build Relationships

One of the best classroom management strategies you can employ to minimize student disruptions is to build relationships with students. Get to know students’ hobbies, preferences, and interests. Include these in your content when possible. When you see students between classes, engage in small talk. Don’t try to be “one of the students,” but also, don’t ignore them when you are with peers. Building relationships with students can help create a positive classroom environment where students feel comfortable and respected. This can lead to fewer disruptions and a more productive learning experience for everyone. Additionally, by getting to know your students, you can tailor your teaching methods and content to better meet their needs and interests, which can increase engagement and motivation.

2. Set Clear Expectations and Consequences

It is easy to assume that the students understand the rules and consequences as well as you do. But, that may not be the case. Even if it isn’t an issue of “cheating,” students may have a vague idea of what a particular rule looks like or the nuances of the rule. A student may have another or previous teacher who did not enforce the rule/consequence, so the student believes that the rule/consequence isn’t really valuable or expected. Regardless of the grade level you teach, reviewing the rules and consequences is a good thing. Ask students to participate in setting the rules and consequences. In doing this, I found that the students could be harder on the group than I would have been in which case I had to temper the expectations to be less punitive and more realistic.

3. Use Restorative Justice

Restorative justice in the context of a classroom is an approach to discipline that focuses on mediation and agreement rather than punishment. It aims to get students to take responsibility for their actions, understand the harm they have caused, and make restitution to those affected. This approach can help create a positive classroom environment where students feel comfortable and respected, leading to fewer disruptions and a more productive learning experience for everyone. Restorative justice is not just a tool to use in a crisis, but can be used proactively to build and nurture meaningful relationships and a strong sense of community within the classroom. This setting doesn’t create a teacher versus student environment but instead uses positive peer pressure to help maintain order and promote a classroom environment that all students enjoy.

4. Establish Earned Empowerment

Some students respond well when they are allowed to make choices. Initially, you may be making assignments such as the seating arrangement, groupings, etc. As students demonstrate on-task behavior and respect for you and others, consider moving to an earned empowerment environment. This is one in which students have earned the ability to make choices because they have previously demonstrated good choices (doing homework, supporting peers, following classroom rules, etc.). When you move to this philosophy, be sure that you are fair and equitable as to how various levels of empowerment are earned. 

5. Document, Document, Document

As educators, documenting student behavior and progress can be extremely time-consuming. However, a lack of documentation can actually undermine your success and your students’ ability to receive help based on trends or habits that they may be exhibiting in your classroom. Consider creating a Google Form that you can fill out as you walk around the room to document when needed. Include fields for student name, period, student behavior, and any notes. If you want the students to complete the form (highly advisable), then also include sections for them to identify what the expectation was and how they plan to correct the behavior or behave next time. Once students show you the completed form, you then approve them to click the Submit button for it to be added to the documentation spreadsheet. This helps you know that it was filled out correctly and holds them accountable to truthfully telling what happened.

6. Get Feedback from Others

Sometimes we have students who are difficult, and we have no clue how to help them. Our personalities might be completely different or we lack the experience to pull up the strategies that are needed to help those students. In these times, consider talking with the parent(s), a peer teacher, and/or the school counselor for input. Sometimes solutions can be very simple, yet we fail to see them for some reason. For example, a student may be struggling with a subject because they are not getting enough sleep at night or they are dealing with personal issues at home. By communicating with the parents and other professionals, we can gain insight into the student’s life and find ways to support them. Additionally, seeking advice from experienced teachers can provide us with new strategies and techniques to try in the classroom.

Photo of a classroom with six classroom managements from the article listed on top of it.

The challenge of handling difficult students in the classroom isn’t isolated to any one educator; it’s a universal experience that teachers confront at various stages of their careers. The classroom management strategies highlighted in this article, from building genuine relationships to consistently documenting student behaviors, offer a comprehensive approach to fostering a positive classroom environment. As educators, it’s our duty not just to impart knowledge but to shape the environment in which learning occurs. Each challenging moment is an opportunity for growth—for both the student and for you. Always stay curious, remain empathetic, and be proactive in fostering a classroom where every student feels valued and understood.

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Colorful infographic listing the five strategies from the text with an image of a parent-teacher conference.
Back to SchoolClassroom ManagementCommunication

Strategies for Mastering Parent-Teacher Communication

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Communicating with parents can be a little like showing up to a dance and finding out that there are multiple variations of the Texas Two Step. And who doesn’t love a good Two Step every now and then! Identifying the dance your new partner knows helps you in leading the dance and making it enjoyable – or at least bearable. The same is true when it comes to communicating with a wide variety of parents; quickly identifying their preferred style of communication and tone can assist you in getting early buy-in to having them on your side and open to conversations and ideas throughout the year. Now is the time to start establishing good practices for parent-teacher communication, so that when and if difficult conversations need to happen, parents are more likely to see you as an ally instead of an enemy. Here are a few tips and strategies to consider as the new year starts.

Build a Relationship

Photo of a teacher showing a parent student work with a quote from the text.

Building relationships with students is very helpful in making them feel included and taking ownership of their learning in your class. In the same way, building relationships with parents helps establish that you are on their side when it comes to being committed to helping their child succeed. Knowing that there will be hard conversations that may need to happen in the year with a parent or two makes it even more important to start early in building the relationship.

Building a parent-teacher relationship doesn’t mean that the goal is to become BFFs, connect on social media, or get together outside of school. Building a relationship means establishing your presence in their life for the duration that you are their child’s teacher. And doing so in a way that helps them understand that you have their child’s back, even if it means having hard conversations. Don’t be pushy, but do be consistent in communicating.

Consider the Parents’ Schedules

Photo of a parent-teacher conference with a quote from the text

We’ve all had those years when parent-teacher communication could have easily become a full-time job in and of itself. It’s easy to expect all the parents to accommodate our schedules and our preferred methods of communication. But, what I’ve found to be true is that differentiation is good when working with parents just as it is with students. Knowing parents’ schedules and trying to accommodate them helps achieve the goal of positive parent-teacher communication. This may mean talking with a parent in the evening when they are available, even though it isn’t during your conference period time. Or it could be scheduling virtual parent-teacher conferences to make sure they can attend.

TIP + Tool: If doing virtual office hours or virtual parent conferences, I’d recommend using Whereby. You can sign up for free and have the benefits of video conferencing without the technical hassle. Parents only need the link to your Whereby room; they don’t need to have their own account. On the free version, you can have:

  • Up to 100 attendees per meeting
  • Unlimited meetings
  • Group meetings for up to 45 minutes
  • The ability to lock your room for privacy
  • A waiting room area for those waiting for their meeting 

Don’t Wait Until There Is a Problem

Photo of a man on his cell phone with a quote from the text

Touch base with parents on a regular basis to let them know how their child is doing. And offer up a few good points. If needed, create a Google form that allows you to tailor an email to their child. Ok, that may sound impersonal, but I would offer that it is efficient and meaningful because it lets you communicate with more parents while still sharing truthful, personal points about how their child is doing. And with AI on the scene, generating a list of positive things to say is something a third-grader can do.

Create a parent-teacher communication form that allows you to identify the child’s name from a drop-down (and class period if you are not self-contained), choose from a list of positive things to say, and choose from a list of “things to be aware of.” Once you submit the form, you have the content in a spreadsheet that you can easily copy/paste into an email. Then, you can quickly massage the message to cater it to a particular parent. Plus, if you are just a little nerdy, you can add a vlookup formula to pull the parent’s email into the form submission so that you don’t have to even go dig that up.

Freely Share Your Personal Phone Number

Photo of a person dialing a number on their cell phone with a quote from the text

Sharing your phone number can help when it comes to open parent-teacher communication and building positive methods of communication. If you have mixed feelings about sharing your personal phone number with parents, then consider getting a free Google Voice phone number to share. You can direct the Google Voice number to ring your cell number or landline. The person calling you will not know the number you have directed to; they will only know the Google Voice number you shared.

When someone calls your Google Voice number, it will ring on the phone(s) that you’ve designated and even assist in screening the call. If they leave a voicemail, it will send an email of the voicemail and transcript to your email address. You can access Google Voice from the web or app. OpenPhone gives you the details of Everything You Need to Know; even though they aren’t writing to educators, you will definitely be able to understand the benefits of having a Google Voice number. 

Document, Document, Document!

Photo of a teacher documenting at her desk with a quote from the text

Yes, just like location is key to real estate, documentation is key to establishing good records, which may come into play later in the year. If you are old school, then have a 3-ring binder with a page for each student which you can add to as needed. If you are digital, then start a Google Form or spreadsheet to collect and organize instances that need to be documented. Some teachers have a Google Form that students complete if they don’t turn in an assignment or if there is a behavioral problem. The form has the student identify what happened, what the rule was, how they plan to correct the instance or behavior, and why it is important to do the right thing.

Having students participate in documenting their infractions greatly reduces parents seeing you as the enemy. It puts the responsibility and accountability more on the students to own their behavior and actions. Hopefully, you won’t have to document much, but there are times when documentation shows a trend that is beneficial in helping students get additional services and support.  

Colorful infographic listing the five strategies from the text.

While parent-teacher communication may not be as fun as going to a dance, hopefully, these tips and strategies will help you step on fewer toes throughout this school year and allow you to focus on more of why you teach. Feel free to leave a comment on additional tips and strategies that you found helpful for good parent-teacher communication. We’d love to hear from you.

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Classroom Management

Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Are you looking for some classroom management strategies to try in your classroom? One of the biggest challenges many teachers face is classroom management, and it’s not automatic. In fact, it’s a skill that teachers build on over time. Teachers are constantly refining their classroom management strategies to find what works best. Here are some strategies for managing your ideal classroom environment.

Establish Clear Expectations

It’s important that clear and consistent expectations for behavior be set. One way to do this is to get your students involved in the process. Ask your students to brainstorm ideas for their own classroom expectations. This will allow your students to take ownership of their environment and will show them you value their thoughts. In addition, you might want to post the classroom rules visibly. It’s easy to create posters in Google Slides or Canva. A visual display will help you to easily refer to them when needed so expectations remain clear.

Build Positive Relationships

Research supports the idea that early relationships and interactions, including those with teachers, play a central role in shaping a student’s behavior. You can develop positive relationships with your students by showing interest in their lives. In order to get to know your students better, consider creating an interest survey in Google or Microsoft Forms. Listen to your student’s concerns and treat them with respect. You’ll find that creating a supporting and caring classroom environment will help foster a sense of belonging among your students.

Establish Classroom Routines

Establish clear routines and procedures for your classroom. Routines can come in many forms, beginning before students even walk into your classroom. For example, consider how you want to manage the traffic flow in and out of your classroom. What should your students do once they arrive in your classroom? How will you dismiss your students? Some other things to consider are:

  • How will you gain the classroom’s attention?
  • How will you handle bathroom breaks?
  • How will students turn in assignments?

While these questions have obvious answers to you, it’s important to communicate them to your students. Furthermore, you will want to teach and practice these routines early in the school year and reinforce them consistently. Routines will help students feel secure and will minimize disruptions.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Recognize and acknowledge student behavior and achievements through positive reinforcement. Praise students for their effort, progress, and good behavior. Praise is one of the simplest and most powerful tools to engage and motivate your students. When used effectively, praise can turn around behavior challenges and improve students’ attitudes about learning. You can praise your students in several ways. For example, praise them verbally, give them a reward or certificate, or even have a classroom celebration.

Engage Students Actively

Incorporate active learning activities in order to keep your students engaged. Students who are engaged in meaningful and interactive activities are less likely to be off-task. One way to incorporate active learning is to replace long lectures with more hands-on activities. Have students work in groups, use technology, create hands-on projects, or have classroom discussions.

Remember that effective classroom management is an ongoing process that requires consistency, flexibility, and a student-centered approach. Tailor your strategies to fit the unique dynamics of your classroom and the individual needs of your students.

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Blended LearningClassroom ManagementContent Creation

The Benefits of Using Interactive Videos in the Classroom

by Lucia Soto
written by Lucia Soto

Don’t you wish you could multiply yourself in the classroom? Interactive video is more than showing a YouTube in class! This teaching strategy can be used at all levels and in different ways to build independence, free yourself up for teacher-led small group instruction, and give students the opportunity to learn at their own pace.

Research on Interactive Video

Interactive video currently has an effect size of .58. This means that it has the potential to have a positive effect on student achievement. The VisibleLearningMetaX website defines Interactive Video as: 

“A digital video technology that allows students to review segments of a recording in a non-linear way, as many times as they wish. Interactive video has been linked to reduced cognitive overload, greater attention, and greater reflection.” 

All things that we want to afford for our learners! Think about how many times you have watched a video to learn something new or get a refresher on a topic. Being able to visually see and understand something allows for clarity and a deeper understanding. Personally, I use YouTube to learn more about new technology and to learn new recipes while cooking. More on that later!

A Reinforcement, Not a Replacement

“I’ve never had to repeat directions to students,” said no teacher, staff member, or central office personnel EVER! When creating an activity in the classroom, consider how you can utilize interactive video to enhance your instruction and essentially multiply yourself for your students. Weston Kieschnick says in his book, “Bold School: Old School Technologies + New School Technologies,” that: 

“to enhance the effectiveness of this strategy, it should come after teacher-delivered core instruction.” 

I understand this as “don’t let interactive video replace you, instead, let it reinforce what you have already taught to your learners.” Interactive video allows you to “interact” with multiple learners at the same time and in different locations, but it is not a replacement for your instruction. 

An Example of Interactive Video

When working with 2nd graders on an author study project, the teacher I was coaching utilized interactive video. Using video, she provided directions for one part of the project that included project expectations. She also recorded a brief re-teach of her mini-lesson for another part of the project, including the same visuals she used in her whole group lesson. Throughout this project, her understanding and use of interactive video in her classroom grew. Each student could clearly see the teacher’s expectations and could re-watch videos as needed without interrupting the teacher. The teacher was then able to facilitate the learning, helping any students who were struggling or needed more scaffolding, while others continued to learn from her through video.

Image of student watching a video during the author study project.
Student watching a video during the author study project.
Image of two students working together to complete part of the author study.
Students working together to complete part of the author study.

Boost Independence During Small Groups

When interactive video is implemented in the classroom, it increases the chances that students can learn something while away from the teacher. If a station rotation model or playlist model is implemented in the classroom, especially with elementary students, there are many times when students are required to be on task while away from the teacher. 

In these models, the teacher is usually working with a few students in small groups on a specific skill or providing intervention. We know this small group instruction is where the powerful teaching moments happen. But oftentimes, this is the exact moment when the students who are not working with the teacher, decide that they can not function independently, and they HAVE to ask the teacher a question about what they are supposed to be doing independently. 

Image showing an example of interactive videos during independent work
Students working independently during small group rotations.

With interactive video, or even video directions, included in station tasks, students are less likely to disrupt the teacher and small group instruction. They can also revisit instructions if needed. In other words, how can you maximize your small group time, and they can maximize their time on task.

Tools for Creating Videos for Stations

One tip for providing interactive video or video directions is to utilize Flip. With this platform, teachers can record task directions, generate a QR code for the video (on the site itself), then print the QR code and include it at the station/ task.

For those that have a Learning Management System (LMS), maximize what you already have access to! Use folders to organize the station tasks and record the videos directly in your LMS. This is a quick way to organize and house videos that students can refer back to.

Offer Self-Paced Learning 

In addition to boosting independence, incorporating videos leads to empowering students to learn at their own pace. Providing interactive video for students to watch and then respond to, or offering videos with directions, allows students to pause, play, rewatch, and/or digest content at a pace that works for them. 

Students working independently at their own pace.
Students working independently at their own pace.

If a student needs to take a bathroom break, they won’t miss the important content when it is in a video format. For example, I am no expert chef in the kitchen! When I am learning how to cook a new recipe, I turn to good old YouTube. With video directions on YouTube, I can understand measurements, pause and rewind to seek clarity on a step, and rewatch to see what my meal should look like. 

Prevent Frustration

When delivering professional development, I love to use this Fold the Cheese clip from Schitt’s Creek. This is about the frustration you feel when you don’t fully understand something. And then someone else is getting upset with you because you don’t understand. Let’s avoid having students go through this frustration!

As a teaching strategy, interactive video works best when leveraged to enhance instruction. This consumption of materials is best maximized when the video is created by the teacher who students have the privilege to learn from every day. How will you implement interactive videos to boost independence, offer self-paced learning, and prevent frustration? 

Lucia Soto is one of our 2023 Elementary Technology Conference (ETC) presenters! Don’t miss her session with Gilbert Barrera on “A Balanced Approach to Building Independence While Leveraging SeeSaw.”

ETC is coming in hot this June 11-13 in Galveston, TX. But don’t worry, it’s the coolest conference around. If you work in any role in elementary education, there’s something for you at ETC this summer. Don’t miss it!

Register now!
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Classroom ManagementSocial-Emotional Learning

Digital Calming Rooms with Wakelet

by Dyann Wilson
written by Dyann Wilson

Do you find yourself at times navigating the emotional journey with students or staff? How can we ground students in the present moment and teach them how to use healthy coping skills when needed? Through digital calming rooms, or reflection rooms, in Wakelet, we can better support not only our students but our staff. If you’re not familiar with Wakelet, take a look at this article to learn about its user-friendly and robust content curation capabilities.

What Is a Digital Calming Room?

Calming rooms are one of my favorite things to create in Wakelet. Curating videos, messages, graphics, and more into one space for students to center and ground themselves can be life-changing for some and even realign the path they are on. When students feel out of control, they can act on emotions in an unhealthy way; but what if we gave them tools to regulate their emotions in a healthy way? This is where calming or reflection rooms become so important to the social-emotional well-being of our students and staff. Think of them as a vision board for emotions! With these digital spaces, students are offered something they have control over and a way to manage their emotions.

Screenshot of Willis ISD Elementary Counselor's Digital Calming Room
View of the Willis ISD Digital Calming Room

In our digital calming room, we have curated resources for the following. But you can choose whichever categories you’d like when creating your room.

  • Sound and Music
  • Guided Meditation
  • Visual Relaxation
  • Mindfulness
  • Visual Relaxation
  • Mindfulness
  • Live Animal Cams
  • Virtual Tours
  • Exercise
  • Coloring
  • Puzzles and Activities

The Three Rs

Connecting with the students on an emotional level can have way more impact than focusing solely on discipline. We never want a child or an adult to push away the emotion they are feeling. They need to receive it, reflect on what they are feeling, name that emotion, and release it back into the universe. This will allow them to build the coping skills they need when high stress or emotions arise. I love the three Rs, and I believe the calming rooms created in Wakelet help students do just that: Recieve, Reflect, Release!

Personalizing Digital Calming Rooms

In my experience with digital calming rooms, I have discovered that the only way for students or staff to own their journey is if they have complete ownership of their digital calming or reflection room. I can create a calming room all day, but in the end, is it really showing what the individual student needs?

For our students, the “Calming Room” became a “Reflection Room.” Students and staff can create their Wakelet collection and add to it as much as they want. The great thing about Wakelet? It’s a living document and can always be edited and adapted. Using the reflection room, they can take a brain break, go to their collection, and reset.

Here is an example of a digital Calming Room created through Wakelet.

Willis ISD Elementary Counselor's Digital Calming Room Featured Image
Explore the Calming Room

Allowing staff to create a calming room for themselves or for their students to use when a reset needs to take place is a great activity for a staff meeting!

Three Additional Resources

  • One of the things my students have fallen in love with is the Canva integration piece in Wakelet.  They not only get to design their reflection room, but they also get to put their creativity to work and make the collection their own. 
  • An app that my students love is called Window Swap. This allows students and staff to open a window into different places around the world. I have watched the stress melt away on students when they use this site. 
  • Weave Silk is another one my students love to access! It is simple moves with the finger on the mousepad that helps the students be in the present moment. 
  • Gather more resources from this already curated calming room!
Screenshot of Wakelet Templates

Please see my Wakelet profile for more ideas and inspiration on how to meaningfully reach your students and your community. Not only do we have these rooms to use, but we also have the Wakelet Template Library for school counselors, administrators, educators, and more! 

Want to learn more about the three Rs and Wakelet? Don’t miss Dyann at TCEA 2023! She’ll be presenting about how Wakelet transformed her school counseling program. Register now through January 10 for discounted pricing!

Register for TCEA 2023
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Classroom ManagementCommunicationGood Teaching

Four Ways to Show Your Teacher You’re Paying Attention in Class

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Metacognition is the science of paying attention to how we learn so that we can learn better. It’s easy to assume that students know how to pay attention because they are, in fact, students and go to school. But how often do we talk to our students about actual steps they can take to increase their productivity as a student? So with that in mind, consider sharing this article with your students for a class discussion. I’d recommend highlighting the post, starting with the next paragraph through the question section, and pasting it into a Google Doc for your students to access. Besides sharing aloud, students can add comments to the documents with their thoughts and ideas.

1. Participate.

One of the most common ways to demonstrate to your teacher that you’re paying attention in class is to participate. Participation in class allows you to provide feedback to your teacher and helps him or her understand how well you are doing. Generally, teachers seek student input on certain topics, which can help them design the lessons more effectively. The process can also encourage you to prepare for class. If you come prepared to class, you will be more likely to engage in active participation. Another way to demonstrate participation in class is to speak up during class discussions. You can share ideas by writing on the whiteboard or posting thoughtful comments on a discussion forum such as Padlet or YoTeach if the teacher permits.

2. Raise Your Hand.

A raising of the hand by the teacher can be used as a signal for students to stop what they’re doing and raise their hands. If they’re unable to respond, the teacher can hold up their hand in a silent gesture. This signal is best used when the teacher wants the entire class to stop what they’re doing.

Raising your hand to show your teacher that you’re paying attention in class is a simple way to get the teacher’s attention. During a discussion, raising your hand is an effective way to show that you’re paying attention and also to respect classmates, or the teacher, who may be currently talking. Raising your hand is a great way to avoid interrupting others, keep the discussion open, and allow everyone to speak.

3. Eliminate Distractions.

One of the easiest ways to show your teacher you’re paying attention is to eliminate all forms of digital distractions from your study area. This includes switching off your cell phone or placing it face-down on your desk. In addition, it’s helpful to avoid sitting near window seats, where you can see activities outside the classroom. Suppose the distraction is actually another student that is near you. In that case, you may have to put effort into ignoring them, let them know that your learning is important to you, ask them to discontinue whatever it is that’s distracting, or move spots in the classroom. By minimizing your distractions, you’ll be able to focus better on class material.

4. Take Notes.

Taking notes in class is a great way to let the teacher know you are paying attention. Instead of taking word-for-word notes, consider summarizing what the teacher is saying every so often and writing that information down. You may find it easier to do quick sketches or doodles to represent the information being discussed. If needed, ask the teacher to repeat important information so that you can get it correct in your notes. And if something is confusing, likely, your teacher would rather you raise your hand and ask for clarification now instead of waiting until the end of class so that other following information makes better sense. If you need clarification, someone else in class likely needs it as well. Writing information down means you’ll be more likely to recall the information later on.

Follow-up Questions for Class Discussion

Here are a few questions to ask your students once they’ve read the previous information. You may find that additional questions are relevant based on the engagement and interaction of students on this topic.

  • As the teacher, what is something I might see you doing that indicates that you are paying attention? It might be one of the four things mentioned above, but it may also be something else.
  • What are some of the distractions in class? Any suggestions on how you (or we) can help eliminate those?
  • What about our classroom environment (the room arrangement, the way I structure lessons, etc.) helps you pay attention? Is there anything that we need to consider tweaking that would make it easier for you to pay attention?
  • What about our classroom culture (how we interact with each other, how I talk with/to you, etc.) helps you pay attention and enjoy the class? Is there anything about our classroom culture that we might need to change or adapt?

Let Us Know

Let us know if you try this with your students and how it goes. Does it spark good (and possibly ongoing) discussions that empower students to more likely take ownership of their learning? How did your students react to having a conversation about paying attention? Did they mention that other teachers were asking them similar things in order to make their classroom even more meaningful? Let us know in the comments below.

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Back to SchoolClassroom ManagementDigital CitizenshipLeadershipLibrariesPlanning and PreparationSocial-Emotional LearningSTEM/STEAMWeb 2.0 Tool

Back-to-School Roundup

by Sara Qualls
written by Sara Qualls

Where did the summer go? With the start of a new year, I’ve gathered back-to-school resources from our amazing PD team and staff here at TCEA. Check out this categorized list full of ideas to create a successful school year.

You can skip to a section by selecting a category below:

Icebreakers

Bellringers

Leadership

In the Library

STEM

Social Emotional Learning

Activities

Templates

Lesson Planning

Choice Boards

Tools

Classroom Management

Classroom Walls

Coaching

Artificial Intelligence

Icebreakers

Bellringers

Leadership

Image of a bingo card for a Staff Summer Bingo Game

In the Library

STEM

Social Emotional Learning

Activities

Templates

self-reported grades

Lesson Planning

  • 2000+ Lesson Plan Templates and Ideas for K12
    Discover a wealth of lesson plan template resources and treasures in this searchable collection for grades K-12 in all subject areas.
  • Back to School Apps for Lesson Planning
    Looking for tools to make lesson planning easier? Look no further than these three free apps that can assist you in designing amazing learning experiences.
  • Lesson Planning: 5E Model + Technology
    Lesson planning remains a tool for teachers to use to make sure they are covering the required material. If you follow the 5E Model for planning and add technology to it, you end up with a very powerful way to bring the curriculum to life for all students.

Choice Boards

Tools

Classroom Management

Classroom Walls

Coaching

  • Ten Ideas for Tech Coaches to Help Their Teachers Grow
    Explore creative and fun ways for tech coaches to encourage teachers in their growth with technology integration. Ready, set, ed tech!
  • Conference for Educational Coaches
    Sign up for the Conference for Educational Coaches (CEC) to discover the latest in professional development, best practices for coaching, and even more ideas for supporting educators. Attend in person in Austin, Texas from October 12-13, 2023, or online.

Artificial Intelligence

I hope these strategies, activities, templates, and more get the brain flowing with ideas to create a successful start. Have a wonderful new school year!

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