Classroom Management 2 - a favorite training

Several years back I had the opportunity to attend a Capturing Kids Hearts training from the Flippen Group out of Texas. Over the years I have participated in many trainings - this is one that stuck with me.

Capturing Kids Hearts has 5 core elements based on this quote:

The elements I learned in Capturing Kids Hearts include:

• The EXCEL model for conducting class
• Social Contract
• How to redirect misbehavior
• How to redirect disrespect
• How to make an apology

The EXCEL model for conducting class emphasizes the start and finish!  Engage students with eye contact, hand shake ... and before dismissing class, reflect on what they have learned!

EXCEL starts with E - engage.  Engage students as they enter the classroom - shake hands, high five, acknowledge each student personally as you might welcome colleagues attending a business lunch.  X - explore refers to those beginning moments as you read your students and find out how they are doing.  It may be just observing how they enter the classroom; it might be asking about their homework; it's about getting a sense of what students need. C - communicate and E - empower are your typical content delivery and practice. L-launch is a key component ... as students leave class (launch into life) do so in a powerful way. This is where reflective questioning and focusing on next steps comes in.

Building a social contract with students in the first week of school is a way to set norms for the work you will do together. Asking how students want to be treated, sharing how you want to be treated, what working together should look like, what should happen if people don't adhere to the contract - all of these are questions to explore.  Students work together to answer these questions, and the end-product is a poster ... and everyone signs it.  Post it in the room, refer to it every week some how!

My favorite of the elements are the redirecting questions ... they just simplify how to respond to misbehavior:

• Excuse me ... what are you doing?
• What should you be doing?
• Are you doing it?
• What are you going to do about it?

And similar ones for when students speak disrespectfully ... 

• Excuse me ... to whom are you talking?
• How are you supposed to be talking to me?
• Were you doing it?
• So how are you going to talk to me?

I've used the apology model as well ... 

• I am sorry for ... 
• I was wrong because ... 
• In the future I will ... 
• How can I make this right for you?

There is more to Capturing Kids Heart but the elements above are the basis. 

If you get a chance to attend a training, I recommend it! Check out their Facebook page!