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Challenge
Initial Thoughts
Perspectives & Resources

What does Ms. Rollison need to understand about student behavior?

  • Page 1: Effects of Disruptive Behavior
  • Page 2: Cultural Influences on Behavior
  • Page 3: Classroom and Teacher Influences on Behavior

What can Ms. Rollison do to increase the chances that her students will behave appropriately in class?

  • Page 4: Introduction to Comprehensive Behavior Management Plans
  • Page 5: Components of a Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan
  • Page 6: Statement of Purpose
  • Page 7: Rules
  • Page 8: Procedures
  • Page 9: Consequences: An Introduction
  • Page 10: Positive Consequences
  • Page 11: Negative Consequences
  • Page 12: Action Plan
  • Page 13: Practice with the Components

Resources

  • Page 14: References & Additional Resources
  • Page 15: Credits
Wrap Up
Assessment
We want to hear from you. Please complete our brief Module Feedback Form.

What can Ms. Rollison do to increase the chances that her students will behave appropriately in class?

Page 6: Statement of Purpose

To begin developing an effective comprehensive behavior management plan, Ms. Rollison learns that she must start with a statement of purpose—a brief, positive statement that conveys to parents and students the reasons why various aspects of the management plan are necessary. Ideally, this statement acts to guide all decisions and practices related to behavior. The statement of purpose must be focused, direct, clearly understood, and free of teacher jargon. Review the sample statement of purpose below and notice that it is:

Focused:

Sample Statement of Purpose

Our classroom will be a positive, considerate learning environment that fosters academic excellence and respect for others. All students will strive to do their best, both academically and behaviorally, to promote the success of everyone in the classroom.

group of racially diverse hands reaching upwards

  • It states the purpose of the classroom
  • It pinpoints the desired expectations for students

Direct:

  • It is brief (three sentences or fewer)
  • It positively states expectations

Clearly understood:

  • It avoids vague or imprecise language

Free of teacher jargon:

  • It does not use terms unique to educational professionals
  • It uses language that parents and students can easily comprehend
  • It avoids the excessive use of adjectives

Listen as Michael Rosenberg describes the importance of having a statement of purpose (time: 1:01).

Michael Rosenberg

Michael Rosenberg, PhD
Professor of Special Education, Associate Dean of Research
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD

/wp-content/uploads/module_media/beh1_media/audio/beh1_audio_06_rosenberg.mp3

View Transcript

Transcript: Michael Rosenberg, PhD

Most schools have mission statements that reflect their overall goals and aspirations for improving the academic and social lives for kids. It’s important that individual teachers have a mission statement, or a statement of purpose, for their own individualized comprehensive behavior management plan. What this does is it provides this nice overview for all constituents and stakeholders in the classroom, the parents, the paraprofessionals, the related service people, to see exactly why we have the rules and procedures that we have. So in effect we see this purpose statement within the classroom as the impetus for all of the rules, consequences, procedures that follow within the comprehensive plan.

After developing the statement of purpose, the teacher might consider providing examples of expected behavior through activities such as story telling or role-playing. For instance, to help students understand the concept of being considerate in the classroom, the teacher could ask them to role play being considerate and then ask them to do the same for inconsiderate.

Activity

Ms Rollison

Ms. Rollison has developed a statement of purpose for her class. Help her to evaluate how well it meets the criteria and, if necessary, to rewrite it. First, read the statement of purpose below.

Statement of Purpose
In our classroom, we have high expectations for our students, all of whom are valued as learners and productive thinkers. We recognize individual differences and respect cultural diversity. We are committed to enhancing student achievement and to helping students develop an internal locus of control and self-determined behavior, to providing a safe and nurturing instructional environment, to working with parents as partners in the education of all children, and to engaging children in cooperative problem solving.

Think about each of the criteria listed below. Does Ms. Rollinson’s statement of purpose meet them? If yes, click the green checkmark. If no, select the red X.

Focused:
It states the purpose of the classroom
feedback
It pinpoints the desired expectations for students
feedback
Direct:
It is brief (three sentences or fewer)
feedback
It positively states expectations
feedback
Clearly understood:
It avoids vague or imprecise language
feedback
Free of teacher jargon:
It does not use terms unique to educational professionals
feedback
It uses language that parents and students can easily comprehend
feedback
It avoids the excessive use of adjectives
feedback

Now that you have examined the feedback, click to rewrite Ms. Rollison’s statement of purpose to fully meet these criteria.

Click to compare your version to Ms. Rollison’s edited version.
Our classroom will provide a safe and caring environment where all students are valued and can succeed academically. Students will be responsible for their own learning and behavior and they will appreciate other students’ contributions and cultural differences. Parents will be regarded as partners in the education of all children.


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