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The Art of Rewards
The many resources that we found for this presentation and that we have seen in the course are conflicting on the topic of rewards for students. The MEL theory suggests avoiding rewards in order to promote intrinsic motivation. The Classroom Management book suggests using them but to be cautious in the approach. The print source we found was __Teacher Magazine__ and their article "The Art of Bribery," which discusses using rewards in a positive way. The writer of this article uses food to maintain good behavior from particularly difficult students. Students who improve by one full letter grade get to spend an afternoon in town eating lunch sponsored by the school. Also, as students meet benchmarks in the classroom they are rewarded with small rewards such as Hot Cocoa, that do not detract from a day of learning but instead enhance. An example of something similar would be allowing students to bring in food that complements a project they are presenting in class. Our conclusion on rewards is that they can be effective if they are used to enhance the overall environment in the classroom.

Observing Interactions in the Classroom
All sources that we have come across agree that teacher attitude towards students is very important in the learning environment of the classroom. The textbook suggests being empathetic, assertive, consistent and a good problem solver as ways to maintain a positive classroom environment. __Educational Researcher__ in their article "Conceptualization, Measurement, and Improvement of Classroom Processes; Standardized Observation can Leverage Capacity" found that a positive climate is a direct correlation to relationships within the classroom between teachers and students. If a teacher is respectful and communicates with his/her students then he/she provides emotional support and motivates the students to learn. If a teacher is sarcastic, disrespectful or negative towards students then a negative climate will build and students will not feel safe enough in the environment to engage in deep learning.

Making Parent Teacher Connections
//Classroom Management// discusses methods of conversing with parents effectively and in a way that builds a strong working relationship with the parents. A large part of this is being prepared to sit down and talk with parents during important meetings and remaining professional during that time. This includes treating the parents with as much respect and empathy as you do the students in your class. The article "Help Make the Parent Teacher Connection" from __Our Children__ magazine discusses keeping communication open between the parent and teacher. "We don't need to be best friends with the teacher, but we need to connect with them and communicate back and forth. Then the teacher knows they can call on us when there is a challenge."(3) Having parent input can be extremely valuable because most often no one knows the student better than his/her parents does. Methods of remaining in contact include emails, phone calls and letters home. This is important as the connection is maintained beyond merely conferencing. Another helpful thing for parents is being able to check their kid's grades online. This means that they can monitor how they are doing in school without relying on their child to be honest with them. Teachers and parents should work together as a team in order to initiate student success.

Keeping Students Engaged
Keeping students engaged in the learning that is taking place in the classroom helps teachers be better classroom managers because they do not constantly need to remind students to stay on task. The students enjoy the work. This can be seen in the classroom in a number of ways such as actively involving themselves in small and large group discussions, working independently, working with a peer, or seeking teacher assistance when they have difficulties with understanding the material. As seen in our video, bored students tend to act up if they are not engaged. Examples of this include raising their hand repeatedly, tapping someone else on the shoulder and throwing things. This can be seen as a non-verbal attempt to get the teacher's attention and make them aware that they are not interested in what the teacher has to offer in this lesson. If this is occurring, strategies that help get students back on track with good behavior include speaking privately with the student and making sure the student realizes that their behavior is inappropriate and will not be tolerated. It is the teacher's responsibility to keep students engaged and make topics that are more dry interesting to the students. These tips brought to you from the magazine __Preventing School Failure__ from the article "Providing Classroom Based Intervention to at Risk Students to Support Their Academic Engagement and Interactions With Peers."

Interviews- **Monitoring all students. Do you have ever have a difficult time maintaining ****student interest when you are helping one student? ** Wendy Simpson- Of course. (Especially at the middle school level.) Pacing and time management are both important issues to think about in regards to keeping the class flowing correctly. Having 22 kids working separately on classwork while they all want help from the teacher can be quite overwhelming. However, some days just go better than others, likewise with some assignments, classroom personality mixes, etc.

Dan Ryder- Yes. But the more preplanning and frontloading you do in terms of establishing student engagement, the less likely these problems will occur. Get them hooked early and often and those problems arise less and less. That said, Period 4 still exists. If students do not do their homework, is this generally an issue you would ****address, or would you assume that the work would come in eventually? ** Wendy Simpson- Address, address- Kids need to know that there are consequences for their actions (or lack there of.) There will always be exceptions to the rule, but things need to be handled in a "timely fashion." Granted, everyone's definition of "timely" varies. If there is not the expectation set that work is due in 'on time", then why would students ever bother to hand it in in the first place?
 * 

Dan Ryder I address it daily. Does it do a lot of good? Not really. I am a bit hamstrung by our dept. policy when I want to toe a hard line, but at the same time, if I was more methodical and organized, it would improve. Good organization can solve a lot of stress in the classroom. But it is something I have struggled with since day one. It is a detriment to my students which is why I provide a ridiculous amount of time for students to turn in late work. Plus, I'd rather have quality work late than nothing just because of a deadline.

**Is consistency difficult to maintain? As circumstances are ever changing, ****is it easy to become inconsistent with various students? ** Wendy Simpson- There will always be inconsistencies in the classroom. That's not to say that you don't treat everyone fairly, have respect and high expectations for all, but still... Students need to be individually recognized for their own accomplishments and skill level. While one student's "A+ week" might simply occur becasue he was without disciplinary action for 5 days, another individual might have mastered a difficult concept or written a world class essay. I think we are being dishonest with ourselves as people and educators if we do not acknowledge the inconsistences that occur daily (for good reasons.) Dan Ryder- YES. Period. It goes to my executive function -- I am not organized and I am not linear, thus I have difficulty with maintaining cause and effect. I am also a verbal processor which means I say a lot of things I tend to wish I hadn't. I have to remind myself to sit back, breathe, think for a minute, and then speak. Wendy Simpson- Again, it depends on the situation. Is the behavior mild or severe? Is it the first incident or has it occured before? Most often, it is best to address things in the beginning. For, behavior issues tend to snowball quickly if not addressed. Dan Ryder- I'm a cream puff. I try to address it using humor as best as possible and on a less confrontational note. That said, I have my touch-buttons and they can get hit often and it is something like a domino effect. I also have a few no tolerance policies, though I tend to handle those much better than the moments that catch me off guard but in an off-putting way.
 * Do you find that dealing with inappropriate behavior from it's onset helps, ****or do you generally wait to see if student will sort the problem out for ****his or her self? **

**What methods do you use to maintain a positive classroom environment? ** Wendy Simpson- Large doses of daily positive energy and enthusiasm from me? Praise and recognition of individual students. (Kids know when it's genuine and when it's not. They also know if you care about them and really want to act as their advocate.) It's important to me that kids feel safe in my room, for this adds to the overall positive environment. I have zero tolerance for bullying, name-calling, or demeaning behavior in any way. My students know that my room is a place for risk, self-expression, and learning. This can't happen if they don't feel comfortable in my presence or in my room. Dan Ryder- Humor. Respect. Candor. Equity. Humility. Trust. **<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> How do you feel about public praise of student success? Would you consider ****<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">this beneficial or embarrassing for the student? ** Wendy Simpson- <span style="display: block; text-align: left; font-family: Helvetica Bold; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Public praise is most often the way to go? We need to do more of this as educators, (and a society in general.) We are quick to criticize and judge, but too slow to vocally admire and commend. However, there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to go about doing this. Dan Ryder- It can sometimes be an embarrassment, but that's a risk I'm willing to take. I think I made HUGE inroads just today by telling a student how proud I was of him. It wasn't a stand in front of the room moment, but it was in public, in earshot, and I think it matters. **<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> How do you feel about rewarding students through recognition, materials, ****<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">food, grades, or other methods? ** Wendy Simpson- <span style="display: block; text-align: left; font-family: Helvetica Bold; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Although intrinsic reward is what we are all striving for, a little exterior "reward" never hurt anyone. We all like a surprise treat now and then. We all do better, job performance wise, if we have some sort of 'carrot' placed before us. Our students are no different. Reward systems only become dangerous when they become expected and everyday. At that point, they are no longer true "rewards" but rather something else. (Watered-down something or other?) Dan Ryder- Eh... I used to try prize closets and other incentives. I couldn't be consistent and thus, they became more impediments than helps. It depends very much on that consistency as to whether or not it works. I think widespread, culture building incentives -- things like winter carnivals, class breakfasts, etc. -- that improve morale and community are great things and should be done regardless of incentives.

**<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Do you ever have problems being assertive within the classroom, or do you ****<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">feel confident in being assertive? ** Wendy Simpson- <span style="display: block; text-align: left; font-family: Helvetica Bold; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">No. Being assertive in the classroom comes with a combined elixir of time and overall teaching experience. The teacher is the adult in the room, and therefore has to set the overall tone. I do not enjoy being the disciplinarian because it does not fit my normal personality, but it is necessary. Dan Ryder- I'm quite confident in being assertive, but I haven't always been so. The key is knowing when to exercise assertiveness and knowing how to be comfortable at all times -- not just when you are calling out a behavioral management issue. If you are comfortable in your own skin with your students, then it makes it much easier when you have to turn it 'on.' Be honest with yourself and your students and it will make every word feel that much more authentic. Still, I pick my battles and there are things I see and hear that I sometimes let go in the name of some greater good or piece of mind.

**<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">How do you generally show empathy to your students if they are struggling ****<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">in a certain area or are having problems outside of school? ** Wendy Simpson- <span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I <span style="font-family: Helvetica Bold; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> write them letters. I give them birthday notes. I ask them how their day is going and compliment them on their new haircut. Kids know that I care because I take the time to do the small gestures that illustrate for them that I do. Yes, it is time consuming, but the dividends pay off ten fold. Being truly empathetic is one of the most important traits that a teacher can have. Dan Ryder- Humor. Respect. Candor. Equity. Humility. Trust.

**<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Along those lines, do you find it easy to solve problems within the ****<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> classroom? If a student is not completing his or her work or seems to be ****<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">experiencing various problems, how do you handle the student's needs? ** Wendy Simpson- <span style="display: block; text-align: left; font-family: Helvetica Bold; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Wow- this is a huge question with many complex answers. I do the best that I can to solve problems every minute of the day. You can't sweat everything or you will go insane. In regards to homework issues, parent contact is so important. You and the parents are on a "team" together. If the parties are not communicating well, then there will bound to be problems. Dan Ryder- I have successes and failures. If someone says this part is ever easy, they are full of walrus snot. It can me made easier by the above. Ultimately, I believe all I can do is create opportunity -- I am not an advocate for academic detentions or suspensions. I don't think academics learning should be directly tied to behavior management as it poses too great a risk of an adolescent resenting the learning. Many other people disagree with me, so I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing -- ever. I suppose as long as I put in 100% in terms of giving kids maximum chances and opportunities, everything should be fine.

**<span style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Do you have any tips for how best to deal with interactions with parents? ** Wendy Simpson- <span style="display: block; text-align: left; font-family: Helvetica Bold; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Introduce yourself to parents before problems arise. That way, they already have some sort of connection with you and "uncomfortable situations" tend to be a little less severe. You want parents to know who you are, what you stand for, and that you care about their child, long before you start making discipline calls home. Dan Ryder- Smile. Listen. Respond. Listen. Listen. Listen. Respect. Listen. Repeat.

Resources- 1) Ornelles, Cecily. "Provideing Classroom Based Intervention to at Risk Students to Support Their Academic Engagement and Interactions With Peers" (pgs 3-5) __Preventing School Failure__. July 2007. 2) Shyu, Jessica. "The Art of Bribery." (pgs 21) __Teacher Magazine__. March 2007. 3) Schwartz, Natalie. "Help Make the Parent Teacher Connection".(pgs 12-13). __Our Children__. Feb/March 2009. 4) Pianta, Robert C. and Hamare, Bridget K. "Conceptualization Measurement and Improvements of Classroom Processes; Standardized Observation can Leverage Capacity."(109-111). __Educational Researcher__. March 2009. 5) Wendy Simpson, Mount Blue Middle School, Eighth Grade English 6) Dan Ryder, Mount Blue High School, 9-12 English