Routines! Routines! Routines! Positive Narration vs.Positive Reinforcement Proximity (And Reverse Proximity!) High Expectations Mobility Non-verbal cues Delivering consequences (dun dun dun!) More fun tips!
A procedure is a process you want to achieve a certain goal. A routine is an action you do regularly within a class. Taking out guitars, wrapping up cables, setting up amps. In other words, the stuff you do several hours a day!
Every student should know exactly what to do! Routines needed to be explained, and rehearsed! Teach a lesson on how to put away cables the way you want them! This saves frustration and more importantly time! Spend less time staying late to fix those cables, and spend more time teaching!
Every classroom routine will have a benefit for you and your students Share with them the benefit of practicing the routine! “We put picks away, so we will always have picks! If they weren’t here we wouldn’t have any picks for our school
Guitar picks disappeared the second we started keeping them out. After speaking to the students about it, the problem didn’t change. I went back to keeping the picks in my desk A year later, I tried it again. The same problem occurred. Then I simply said “we need to remember to put picks away, so we will always have picks! If they weren’t here we wouldn’t have any picks for our school.” We practiced dropping off our picks in the pick basket every day the next week. I never lost a pick again.
Make a list of routines for in your classroom: taking out guitars, putting away amps, etc. Every student should know exactly how it should be done (Make a poster if you have to!) Practice it at least three times! Praise EVERY student that does it correctly each time It will become a part of your classroom!
At first, it may seem silly practicing how to take a guitar out of a case every week… Routines build student investment! There is a huge difference between “we do it because…” and “do it because I said so” Students will take the practice with them!
Positive narration is simply the practice of giving positive feedback to a student, as they are doing something correctly! “I can see you (your name here!) is sitting up while he sings,” will not only compliment that student, but every student around them will hear that as a reminder to do it! Make it even more positive! “I can see (your name here) is sitting up while he sings… maybe that’s why he sounds so good?”
Most of what teachers say to classrooms that are noisy and off task is calling out what they see that is wrong Giving attention to negative behaviors will always encourage those Start giving more attention to things when they are done correctly, and keep complimenting it! Start your day (and year) by being positive! Even with (ESPECIALLY FOR!) students who are coming from other places and have been having a hard time
Transitioning between classes is part of the music teaching job! Be at the door to greet them always! Welcome them, and start the positive narration! Take the hand off so that you don’t need to reacquire your students attention “You guys were so quiet coming down the hall” Don’t be afraid to add a teaser: “You guys sound ready to play the drum set!”
Hear a noisy area? Go over and inspect it (without stopping your lesson) Students sound like they’re off task in group work? Take a walk by! Someone chewing gum? The journey begins!
Use mobility to keep students excited and on task! Any time students are working, be circulating and giving good feedback! Students will get used to the idea of being able to show off their good work You will never “catch” students not working, because you’re always complimenting them for being not task!
Technique 1: Have a distance conversation! “That sounds good back there!” - a compliment given/a verbal check in! Eliminates the idea of off task areas Technique 2: If you have a student who is talking to the class, move to make sure the students are hearing THEM! Teach the idea of being a good listener by praising when you see good listeners!
Always assume your students can do it! The reason students succeed is because their teacher envisions their success Tell them the goal, and show them the way! Modeling working hard towards a goal (great life lesson!) Don’t be afraid to dream big!
Always have a goal to be working toward! If there’s a goal, make sure they know what to do to achieve it! Avoid putting students in frustrating situations! Model how to deal with frustration!
Don’t be afraid to take it seriously in front of your students! And more importantly, don’t be afraid to fail. Show them the guitar riffs you’re working on! They can actually see the progress! They’ll join in, and start modeling that behavior too!
Strap on an acoustic guitar and take a lap! You can see clearly who is listening! Students will be encouraged to be on task and attentive If you are talking, they should be listening… that way can all get back to rocking!
Have a silent sign for everything! A simple hand sign to ask for non-music playing things like restroom breaks, water, tissues etc. You can know give a silent thumbs up to say yes to a question that would take up your valuable music time! Now every time you have an off topic question, you can identify it before you call on students!
Sign language letters are simple and fun! TissueWaterRestroom
If there are consequences in your classroom, make sure they are clear When a student earns a consequence, it needs to be clear why, and it needs to happen! Avoid emotionally delivering consequences “…You do that a few dozen more times I might do something about it” (Unclear consequences, no consequence being delivered)
Every K class gets a dance party. When a student breaks a rule, they sit out. Students keep breaking rules, without thinking, oh what to do! Mr. Danielsson joins the dance floor, “accidentally” breaks a rule. He walks over and simply states that he broke this rule, so he can no longer dance. He does it with a smile. He asks the students if he can come back. Of course he can…
Finally, other students are doing the same, and removing themselves with a smile, just like Mr. Danielsson! The party continues, moves are busted. Next week without thinking, a student knocks over his friend, the students are him remind him of the rule, and he walks calmly to sit out or a moment. Four weeks later there are no more incidents
Even in unpleasant situations, remember you are modeling how you want your students to behave Emotionally delivering consequences and redirection can turn phrases like “stop talking” into a shot through the heart, and guess who’s to blame Pictured: You giving love a bad name
Students are so full of excitement that it manifests itself in other behaviors! A student being defiant is seeking the chance to frustrate you Be adaptable, and be firm! “Nobody gunna cramp my style, nobody gunna slow me down!”
Often students bring baggage and complaints to other classrooms. Allow them to unpack that baggage, when the time is appropriate. If they unpack it the wrong way (yelling) show them how you want it unpacked. Often, students will become calm in the process. And always remember that students don’t always need to hear about a time when you struggled too… sometimes they just want to hear “that sounds really unfair.”
Jam hub - more wires, less noise! Other tech options!
Where is the Do-now? Make sure it’s there every time! Job charts: Who is in charge of what? They should know and be able to see it! Less work for your, more music making! Behavior Charts: Visualize how awesome they are! Seating: every student should have their own space, and know where it is. Squares or chairs. Feel free to assign seats, you can always change that rule!