Discipline Survival Kit for the Secondary Teacher »

Julia G. Thompson has been a teacher in the public schools of Virginia, Arizona, and North Carolina for over 25 years. She has taught a wide variety of courses, including English, reading, special education, math, mining, geography, home economics, physical education, and employment skills. Her students have ranged from reluctant seventh graders to gifted college students. Currently she teaches English in Greenville, North Carolina.

This practical, hands-on resource is packed with tested tips, techniques, tools, and activities such as "27 Power-Packed Time-Management Tips for Students," "Monitoring On the Run: 20 Quick Techniques," "Missing Work Reminder List," and "50 Sponge Activities to Keep Students Engaged in Learning All Period Long." Includes over 50 ready-to-use-or-adapt forms, checklists and letters.

About this survival kit.
Section 1.
The discipline dilemma: crowd control or self-discipline?
The discipline dilemma.
The historical view (the good old days).
Today's schools: problems we all face.
Why punishment alone just doesn't work.
Moving beyond punishment to better discipline practices.
Facts every teacher should know about adolescents.
The basics of a good teacher-student relationship.
Teaching the basics of a good teacher-student relationship.
The characteristics of today's well-disciplined class.
Reproducible: how well-disciplined is your class?
The introspective teacher.
Reproducible: 5-day self-assessment for negative behaviors.
Reproducible: classroom leadership self-assessment.
Reproducible: setting goals for improving your classroom leadership.
Positive teachers attitudes that promote student success.
Becoming a proactive teacher.
SECTION 2.
Getting ready to make a good impression.
Getting ready to make a good impression.
What your students really want from a teacher.
Reproducible: design your ideal teacher.
Reproducible: organizational task checklist.
Enforcing school rules.
Creating classroom rules.
Teaching classroom rules.
Enforcing classroom rules.
Reproducible: student checklist for rules, procedures, and expectations.
More than moving furniture: creating an environment for learning.
The hows and whys of seating charts.
The first day of class: face to face for the first time.
25 Activities for the first day of class.
Reproducible: student information form.
Reproducible: student checklist for the first day ofclass.
The first week of school: Five successful days.
Quick tips for learning your students' name.
Starting off right: teaching the text.
Reproducible: textbook survey.
Creating a student-centered class atmosphere in any room.
A sound mind in a well-rested body.
SECTION 3.
Door to door: using class time wisely.
From door to door: why every minute counts.
Taking a minute-by-minute approach to class time.
Reproducible: student time-use self-check form.
20 ways to make every minute count.
Establishing control through class routines.
Reproducible: student sign-out sheet.
How classroom routines promote self-discipline.
The first ten minutes of class.
Reproducible: self-check for improving class time management (first ten minutes of class).
Reducing disruptions through effective transitions.
50 "sponge" activities to keep students engaged in learning.
All period long.
The last ten minutes of class.
Reproducible: improving time management with transitions.
Reproducible: self-check for improving class time management (last ten minutes of class).
What to do when wasted time causes problems.
Promoting self-discipline through teaching time-management skills.
Reproducible: 27 power-packed time-management tips for students.
Reproducible: a monthly planner.
Reproducible: student time schedule/planner.
Reproducible: you are in control!
SECTION 4.
A partnership approach to discipline.
Why cooperation with other professionals is important for effective discipline.
Why we can't do it alone.
Working well with your supervisor.
Joining forces with colleagues.
Building a strong relationship with parents.
Sample letter to parent.
Reproducible: parent-teacher-student progress checkup.
How to have beneficial parent conferences.
Documenting parent contacts.
Reproducible: parent contact documentation form.
The teacher student link.
20 actions that let your students know you care.
The importance of modeling good behavior.
What to do when a student confides in you.
Getting feedback from students.
Reproducible: teacher-effectiveness report card.
Conducting useful student conferences.
Breaking barriers by breaking the ice.
Reproducible: student inventory: impressions.
Reproducible: student inventory: attitudes.
Reproducible: student inventory: reactions of others.
Reproducible: student inventory: study skills.
Class leaders and the power struggle.
The importance of teaching courtesy.
Arming our students: teaching the art of the alternative response to rude classmates.
The interactive class.
SECTION 5.
Preventing discipline problems.
Why prevention is better than the aftermath of trouble.
Skillful teaching prevents misbehavior.
Evaluating your lesson plans for successful teaching.
Building critical-thinking skills.
Questions that spark critical thinking.
Perfecting the art of questioning.
Successful contracts.
Reproducible: sample behavior contract # 1.
Reproducible: sample behavior contract # 2.
Reproducible: sample group contract.
Behaviors that may be improved with behavior contracts.
Creating a safe environment for your students and yourself.
The "up and at 'em" approach: monitoring students' behavior.
Monitoring on the run: 20 quick techniques.
Reproducible: group-monitoring form.
Teaching students to work well together.
Keeping it to a dull roar: helping students learn to control the noise level.
How to make your students pay attention to you.
50 actions that will grab your students' attention.
Averting disaster: helping students "make the grade".
Teaching your students how to track their grades.
Reproducible: grade-tracking form for student success.
An assortment of evaluation techniques.
Using a syllabus to prevent problems.
Reproducible: blank syllabus form.
Handling homework hassles.
Reproducible: homework questionnaire for students.
Reproducible: parent-teacher-student homework notification form.
Teaching the process of long-term projects.
Student notebooks: organizing for success.
Teaching students to make good decisions.
Getting students involved: some innovative activities.
How to avoid an awful day at school.
SECTION 6.
Dealing with problems once they occur.
Dealing with problems once they occur.
What your options really are.
Reproducible: behavior modeling chart.
Reproducible: how you can determine if a discipline action is appropriate.
Putting reinforcement theory into practice.
Rewards that can serve as classroom reinforcers.
How to avoid the most common discipline mistakes.
When you are the cause of the problem.
Teacher language: when what you say causes problems.
The importance of early intervention.
Anecdotal behavior records.
Reproducible: behavior record form.
Reproducible: behavior analysis log.
50 ways to handle the difficult class.
Reproducible: assignment contract.
Helping your students resolve their differences.
What to do when students are defiant.
10 ways to deal with defiant students.
Helping students deal with impulsivity.
Reproducible: self-evaluation form.
Dealing with the tardy student.
Reaching the truant student.
Managing excessive talking successfully.
Making detentions beneficial for your students.
Essay questions that will help solve discipline problems.
When you have to refer a student to an administrator.
SECTION 7.
Strategies for solving specific problems.
Bullying.
School assemblies.
Fights.
Intercom announcements.
Passing notes in class.
After-school jobs.
A visitor in the classroom.
Video viewing.
Cheating.
New students.
Reproducible: new students information form.
Trips to the library/media center.
Good citizenship.
Fire drills and bomb threats.
Overcrowded classrooms.
Substance abuse.
Students with special needs.
Hallway misbehavior.
Requests to see the school nurse.
Vandalism.
Making up missed work.
Reproducible: missing work reminder list.
Holidays and vacations.
Guest speakers.
Sleeping in class.
Chronic illnesses.
Personal loss.
Lack of materials.
Daydreaming.
Cultural diversity.
Profanity.
Stealing.
When you need a substitute.
Traveling with your students.
SECTION 8.
Moving beyond crowd control to promote self-discipline.
The importance of giving your students a future.
Reproducible: setting long-term goals.
Reproducible: setting mid-term goals.
Reproducible: setting short-term goals.
Reproducible: goal-setting flow chart.
Reproducible: goals and strategies for school success.
Techniques for increasing intrinsic motivation.
Putting your high expectations to work.
15 ways teachers can communicate their expectations.
The consistent teacher.
Creating self-disciplined students through problem-solving activities.
Holding students accountable for their own success.
Reproducible: assignment checklist.
Focusing on your students' strengths.
Promoting self-discipline through self-image.
60 motivational tool we can all use.
SECTION 9.
The most important factor in discipline: the teacher.
Successful discipline rests with you.
Attitudes for success.
Reproducible: a checklist of positive attitudes for teachers.
Pay attention to body language— yours and theirs.
Combating on-the-job distress.
50 quick ways to reduce school stress.
Earning your students' respect.
Reproducible: self-check for permissiveness.
Reproducible: self-check for strengths and weaknesses.
Reproducible: classroom climate student survey.
Enlarging the learning environment.
The promise of professionalism.
Creating a culture of excellence in your classroom.

This practical, hands-on resource is packed with tested tips, techniques, tools, and activities such as "27 Power-Packed Time-Management Tips for Students," "Monitoring On the Run: 20 Quick Techniques," "Missing Work Reminder List," and "50 Sponge Activities to Keep Students Engaged in Learning All Period Long." Includes over 50 ready-to-use-or-adapt forms, checklists and letters.

Author Biography: Julia G. Thompson, B.A., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, has taught various secondary courses in the public schools of Arizona, North Carolina, and Virginia for over twenty years. She is currently teaching English at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Virginia.