Setting the Stage for Instruction (Part 2)

High School Case Study/Vignette

You have started to dread your fifth period history class. It is made up entirely of seniors who are counting the days until graduation and seem to care very little about learning. Most of the students are obviously members of one clique or another. Whenever they think your back is turned, they start passing notes and text messaging. Worse, three boys have started disrupting those engaged in learning. No matter what you say, they laugh at the students who present their group projects to the class. Yesterday, Tony, Jeff, and Morris started rough housing; then all three of them refused to sit down and follow the class procedures that the classroom community agreed upon at the beginning of the year. Although you have been using a set approach to handling infractions of rules, you decide it is time to change these procedures.

My intervention:

     First, I would set aside class time to discuss the issues at hand. I might tell the class the day before what was going to happen to emphasize the seriousness of the situation. When the students entered the class on the chosen day, I would have a new seating arrangement and possibly a list of basic classroom rules on the board or on a handout.
     At this level of continued disruption, I would have to make sure that my own frustrations were in check beforehand and that my approach was as depersonalized and neutral as possible. As these are "older" students, I would approach the class in less of a lecture format and more of a discussion. I would try to empathize with the students by discussing their approaching graduation date and how it is "normal" and common that they become impatient and disinterested in the curriculum. I might even share a personal experience of my own or allow time for appropriate venting. Of course, I would also stress the importance of success in the class as failure to meet requirements could hinder their graduation.
     Next, I would revisit what a classroom community looks like and invite their input. Again, I would try to depersonalize the conversation and encourage all feedback. Finally, I would review all rules for the classroom including those for cell phone usage and general expectations. Then, I would go over the procedures if classroom rules are not followed: i.e. 1) warning 2) conference 3) referral to AP, etc. I would try to end the discussion in a positive manner relaying the full expectation that I believe that they can rise to the occasion and self-correct.