7 Days to a Perfect Classroom
by Tom Daly
http://www.adhdsolution.com/7dayclassroomg/index.cfm
My Summary of the Main Points:
Day 1: Encourage Extra Work
Avoid passive compliance.
Provide a POSTER of options for those who have done the task as well as they can so they have something meaningful to do while you help the slower kids.
Writing: poems, songs, letters, reviews, newspaper reports
Ongoing Activities: grammar, spelling, vocabulary, journal
Reading: books, journals, short stories, teen magazines
Drawing: maps, timelines, comic strips, characters, settings
The original full report for Day 1 is at:
http://www.adhdsolution.com/7dayclassroomg/day1.cfm
Day 2: Welcome all your students
Students are motivated by positive relationships with people
When they notice you are glad to see them students feel valued and welcomed in your class. When they like you their motivation to be disruptive will disappear.
The 3H’s: In the hallway greet them with a handshake, a hi or a hi –five. ( Give them the choice of which ?)
This shows affection and acceptance and may restore a good mood in some cases.
You have a chance to monitor music players etc before they enter the classroom.
Peer-tutoring- in tutor group buddy up different ages in pairs doing homework on certain subjects.
This is more important that the lesson plan, at least it is much more effective than having your back to the kids writing etc. as they enter.
The original full report for Day 2 is at:
http://www.adhdsolution.com/7dayclassroomg/day2.cfm
Day 3: Emotional Intelligence
Good grades are not everything…
Optimism is a better predictor of success in life
Increase self-monitoring and reflection on actions and results
Emphasizie how we can choose to feel, think and act
Develop understanding of others and frame decisions in terms of principles
Teaching optimism: De-personalize Failure
Model it yourself – be non-judgmental and positive. Change ‘frustrating’ to interesting.
Reframing – change a negative event into an opportunity
Analyse WHY something failed – What happened at this point? What was the effect? Attributing something to a cause and effect prevents pessimistic ‘fatalism’ or low self-esteem.
The original full report for Day 3 is at:
http://www.adhdsolution.com/7dayclassroomg/day3.cfm
Day 4: Walk and Talk
Problem students are challenging you to reach them
Spend ten minutes out walking, and talking about anything except school. No agenda.
Don’t fish for what makes them interested- if you listen more than you talk they will reveal this to you..
Choose students by raffle or draw
Ask them to walk with you and help with tasks
A positive way for them to get attention
The original full report for Day 4 is at:
http://www.adhdsolution.com/7dayclassroomg/day4.cfm
Day 5: Find out What They like Most
A Fun Survey of their likes, dislikes, interests. – not superficial ones such as favorite colour, but deeper, more specific interests and values they are passionate about.
Some students say they are not interested in anything,
so the survey is a way around that.
Do the survey in the first week, also when new students arrive during the year. Use what you find to help them make a real connection to their schoolwork and to you.
The original full report for Day 5 is at:
http://www.adhdsolution.com/7dayclassroomg/day5.cfm
Day 6: Some Kids Need a Different Approach
For example a kid who is not good at traditional reading and writing may respond well to a magazine on their interest.
No, this is not provided for everybody – but for this kid who was struggling –it worked!
Hand-on activites work well “ people remember about 80% of what they do but only 20% of what they hear.”
Use computers, technology.
Make it feel like a game, a joke.
Topic is ‘real’ – relevant to life, important to student
Kids do something they will tell /show their friends
The original full report for Day 6 is at:
http://www.adhdsolution.com/7dayclassroomg/day6.cfm
Day 7: Solving the Mystery of Behaviour
Be a detective. Unemotional. Observer.
Watch from the students’ point of view.
Look for clues:
Who: is present/absent
What: happened before, during, after
When: time elapsed in lesson? Time of day
Where: does this happen anywhere else?
How: How did the event build up / slow down?
Use tally marks:
Frequency
Duration
Force / intensity
Listen to other adults in this child’s circle
Objectively analyse your data.
Formulate a simple to-do plan
Tackle one thing at a time
Try each intervention for at least 2 weeks.
A question to try:
“Why would you say that?”
The original full report for Day 7 is at:
http://www.adhdsolution.com/7dayclassroomg/day7.cfm
