Every teacher, administrator and parent knows that how one interacts with a child is often times more important than what specifically is said ... an introduction to 'Positive Interactions' in the classroom ...

1. Using honey instead of vinegar!

2. South Texas Educational Technologies, Inc.
Horizon Montessori I
221 North Main
McAllen, Texas 78501
Presenter
Steven E. Hudson
Assistant Principal

3. "The most important action an effective teacher
takes at the beginning of the year is creating a
climate for learning."
Mary Beth Blegan, former U.S. Department of Education teacher-in-
residence

4. Using UPR in the classroom to create a climate of positive
engagement without the negatives ….

5. Unconditional Positive Regard

6. What is UPR?
 Unconditional Positive Regard means – I, as a
teacher/parent/adult, care deeply about you as an
individual; but, I find the behavior(s) you are
demonstrating to be wrong.
 I will separate the behavior(s), at all times, from the
way I regard and react to the individual, regardless of
the circumstances.

7. Explain …
 How you use UPR daily …
 How you can utilize the concept of UPR more
frequently …
 What about the idea of UPR do you not like …
 What about the idea of UPR you do like …
 How, at this moment, you can think of a way to
implement the concept of UPR in one or more
instances …

8. What do you mean, you don’t accept negative programming?

9. What is meant by “positive”?

10. What is positive?
 Positive is that which builds self-esteem.
 Positive is not measurable in a quantitative sense but is
in a qualitative sense.
 Positive always brings results.
 Positive is always met with positive.
 Positive takes time.
 Positive requires a paradigm shift.

11. According to Fred Jones ‘Positive Classroom
Discipline’, "The most widespread management
technique at home and in the classroom is nag, nag,
nag." "It's also probably the least effective."

12. Color Model … the Total Student
Student
Classroom
activities
Teacher talk
Peer
involvements
Positive
discipline
model

13. Count them – 12 Steps – to a positive classroom experience …

14. 12 Steps
Howard Miller suggests 12 steps teachers can take at
the beginning of the year to promote effective
classroom management.

15. Positive Attitude = Positive Results!

16. Develop the Model …
1. Develop a set of written expectations you can live
with and enforce.
2. Be consistent. Be consistent. Be consistent.
3. Be patient with yourself and with your students.
4. Make parents your allies. Call early and often. Use
the word "concerned." When communicating a
concern, be specific and descriptive.

17. 5. Don't talk too much. Use the first 15 minutes of
class for lectures or presentations, then get the
kids working.
6 Break the class period into three or more
different activities. Be sure each activity segues
smoothly into the next. Avoid changes in
routines, when possible!
7. Begin at the very beginning of each class period
and end at the very end. Plan your time
accordingly – this Takes Practice!

18. 8. Don't roll call. Take the roll with your seating chart while
students are working.
9. Keep all students actively involved. For example, while a
student does a presentation, involve the other students in
evaluating it.
10. Discipline individual students quietly and privately.
Never engage in a disciplinary conversation across the
room.
11. Keep your sense of perspective and your sense of humor.
12. Know when to ask for help.

19. Develop a set of written expectations
you can live with and enforce.
 Each student must be aware of and know the
expectations.
 No more than 4 – 5 rules
 One general for the school. Ex.: Students will not use
their hands or feet to touch another person without
the other person’s permission.
 Each rule must be specific and enforceable.

20.  Must be grade level/developmentally/ culturally
acceptable.
 Must be explainable and realistic.
 With older students more enforceable if students
assist in the design of the rules. [Caution, they make
tough rules so be on the look-out.]

21. Be consistent! Be consistent!
Be consistent!
 Our sense of “right/wrong” is 90% developed by the
age of three.
 Elementary students are concrete in their reasoning.
 If there is the perception of “unfairness” students will
call you on it, each and every time.
 Rules apply to all students equally, regardless of the
circumstances.

22. Be patient with yourself and
with your students.
“…Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden
misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark
imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and
loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle
with yourself…”
Desiderata

23. Make parents your allies. Call early and
often. Use the word "concerned."
 When communicating a concern, be specific and
descriptive.
Above all, be positive – even the worse information is
able to be presented in a positive manner.
Be specific – explain to the best of your ability the
situation. Speak to the individual and paint a word
picture.
 State that “I am [or we are] concerned about …

24. Don't talk too much.
 Common fallacy – “the more I talk the more my
students will receive in the areas of instruction, advice,
directions, etc.”
 Fact 1 – Peer talk is 90% effective whereas “teacher
talk” is only 10% effective.
 Fact 2 – the more something is repeated the more
chance there is for “selective attention” setting in with
the student(s).

25.  Use the first 15 minutes of class for lectures or
presentations, then get the kids working.
Lecture is the worse method of
instructional delivery!

26. Break the class period into 3 or 4 or
maybe, even more different activities.
 To much of anything is boring and especially if it is
repetitive.
 Just as too much candy can make one
ill, to much of anything can lead
to boredom and
tune-out(s)!
 Segues should be smooth
and students should know
prior to a seque when
they arrive.

27. Begin at the very beginning of each
class period and end at the very end.
 Class time is a precious commodity and should be treated as
such.
 Excellent instruction breeds excellent classroom
management.
 Develop “time-sense” and “with-it-ness” when you are
teaching.
 Students will always meet your expectations – Do Not
decrease your expectations; but, rather expect each student,
regardless of their story, to meet your expectations.
 Expectations of course are developed based on best practices
and the developmental stage of each child (differentiation).

28. Don't roll call.
Taking roll call wastes valuable
instructional or “practice” time for
students.
Take the roll with your seating chart while
students are working.
After all, every teacher should know their
students on sight and hearing them say
they name is a time-wasting activity.

29. Keep all students actively involved
 For example, while a student does a presentation,
involve the other students in evaluating it.
 Peer tutoring – use higher level students, who
understand the concepts, to assist other students in
the classroom. Require some training on working with
peers before allowing to assist.
 Down time makes time for disciplinary issues to
arise. Never, never give Free Time as this just invites
disciplinary issues to come occur.

30. Discipline individual students
quietly and privately.
 Never engage in a disciplinary conversation across the
room. Discipline privately at your desk or out of the room.
 Never discipline an entire class for the errors of a few.
 Never discipline in a negative manner – it leads to
aggressive behaviors.
 Never raise your voice …
Students get yelled at in the home
You lose control
Students tune you out
This leads to frustration on the parts of all involved

31. Keep your sense of perspective and
your sense of humor …
 An appropriate sense of humor is a wonderful thing
and it teaches your students that you are a real person.
 Remember, “this too shall pass” and “every day is a new
day”.
 Never, never hold anything against a child. This is
retaliation and is not only against the law but it creates
in the child negative emotions and is related to drop-
out rates, poor school performance, disciplinary
problems and etc.

32. Know when to ask for help…
 When the door closes you are not in another dimension.
 Help is available – you only need to ask!
 If help is offered, because a colleagues or the
administration noticed something, embrace it because the
only effect it will have is to assist you in being a better
teacher. Constructive criticism is never punitive, it is
also constructive.
 Even “Master Teachers” had to learn and all asked
questions.

33. Joy ! Another boring Q & A …

34. Specifically …
 What one thing did you learn today that you can use in
class tomorrow?

35. Specifically …
 What one thing did you learn today that you want to
share with a colleague?

36. Specifically …
 What one thing today caused you to have some
questions?

37. Specifically …
 What one thing covered today would you like more
information on, at a future date?

38. References
 Mary Beth Blegan, former U.S. Department of Education
teacher-in-residence
 http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/rogers.html
 Fred Jones 'Positive Classroom Discipline’
 Howard Miller, Associate Professor of Education at Lincoln
University (Jefferson City, Missouri)
 Hudson, Steven E. (1987) Classroom management – a
glassarian approach, re-examined.
 Hudson, Steven E. (1988) Positive classroom discipline: A
model to live by… Audience: Student Teachers –
University of Houston, College of Education, Houston, TX.

39.  Hudson, Steven E. Setting up a positive classroom
environment. Audience: Student Teachers – University of
Houston, College of Education, Houston, TX
 Motivation: They won’t learn so it’s up to us
Audience: Student Teachers – University of Houston,
College of Education, Houston, TX.