LEARN NC

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The First Year

By Kristi Johnson Smith

2.7 James and the Giant Pencil: Lessons in classroom management

Originally posted November 13, 2005

“James, as soon as you pick up that pencil, we’ll continue with class.”

I said it with authority and with the best of intentions. James needed to take notes. That required having a pencil in his hand. Instead, he had dropped his pencil — eraser down — on the floor. Apparently, he wanted to see how high his big pink eraser would make that small pencil bounce.

“James, did you hear me? I said as soon as you pick up that pencil, we’ll continue with class.”

Well, James never did pick up that pencil. Instead, he resisted, and that resistance turned into agitation. Eventually, the situation escalated to the point that I had to get another adult to escort him out of class.

James was not a model student that day. He had not been paying attention. He had distracted other students who were trying to learn. But what had I done? The truth was, while attempting to manage his behavior, I had created a horrible moment. I had focused the entire class on our situation, and framed that situation in such a way that one of us was going to come away looking powerless and unworthy of respect. I had issued an ultimatum. Class would not continue while that pencil was lying there. James refused to lose face by retrieving it. And the only way I could pick it up while maintaining any sense of authority was by first having James removed from the class.

What should I have done?

It was a learning moment for me — one of many that forced me to reconsider my approach managing the classroom. Below, I have listed the basic principles that now guide my approach to addressing daily management moments, and I have illustrated them by reflecting on how I could have better managed the situation with James.

Issue choices, not ultimatums.

I needed to know James was learning. I should have offered him a choice that highlighted that goal and (carried a consequence that supported, rather than undermined the academic environment in my classroom. For example, “James, either begin taking notes, so I can see that you’re paying attention, or you’ll need to write two pages summarizing our discussion for homework so I know what you’ve learned.”

Make the right choice the easier for your students.

I should not have stood at the front of the classroom, looking at James to see what he was going to do. It made him the center of everyone’s attention, and he began thinking more about how his classmates would respond than the consequence of his choice.

I have since learned to speak to students about behavior issues, then quickly refocus my attention on teaching. James can make his choice after I, and the rest of the class, have moved on. As a result, the class as a whole maintains its academic momentum, and James can make a decision outside of the spotlight. In other words, I have found that students are much more likely to pick up the pencil if you ask them to do so, then re-engage with other kids in the classroom. Students will do the right thing more often if they feel respected by you and can make a good choice without completely losing face.

When appropriate, use positive manipulation.

Serious misbehaviors deserve serious attention, but minor missteps can be addressed in more lighthearted ways. Sometimes the positive approach is the best way to deliver the subtle message that you noticed a problem and want to ensure that it does not become a recurrent issue. If your students already see you as a positive person, this approach will feel even more natural.

For example, my students know I am a little goofy, and I tell them how smart they are all of the time, so I could easily have said, “Oh James! You dropped your pencil! Let me get that for you. I don’t want one bit of your brilliance lost because you weren’t able to write it down!” If it works with your personality, give it a shot sometime. James still gets the point, and you quickly get back to class.

Don’t let management distract from learning

Always remember, management should improve focus within your classroom, not become a distraction. Address an issue — or make an appointment to address it individually later — and then move on. We cannot control our students, but we can offer them choices and steer them toward the right one. In other words, when James makes the right choice, the experience should enhance, rather than undermine, his sense of personal dignity. And the encounter should improve, rather than threaten, the culture of our class.