I apologize if this is a bit of a downer, but I enjoy perusing the internet for ideas on how to keep kids of different attention levels in line, classroom management speaking. There are many, and I'm sure that most of that many are probably great ideas. What gets me down is knowing how few of those would actually be allowed in a classroom. Pick your battles and ignore minor fidgeting that doesn't derail the learning. How many administrators would allow for that? Allow student alternate seating or to stand during lessons. Again, how many school powers that be would be fine with that? I could go on and on.
I know that I am probably fortunate, but either of those two would be okay for almost very administrator I have worked for.
I've had some p.i.a. admins before, but none of mine would have had a problem with a child standing, instead of sitting, if they we're working, and with the minor fidgeting, also, as long as the child is working. Do you have an admin that doesn't expect students to move at all. To me, minor fidgeting is a student playing with a pencil or a piece of paper or tapping their fingers or leg--again, doesn't affect anything, just keeps them occupied.
I've always had admins that are very particular about criss-cross applesauce and hands-in-laps sort of thing. Fidgeting has always been viewed as an issue. Not a big issue, mind you, but something they discourage.
both would be fine with the admin I have had. this year I have sleepers. Kids that refuse to keep their heads up during a lesson. Their grades reflect it. Even though I have small classes, I am not willing to spend the whole period reminding, then fighting with, kids that choose to check out. I am more than willing to hand those students over to the principal that may have an issue with it, for him/her to handle.
I'm going to go totally opposite on this one with the "broken windows theory" - as in, some administrators will not back you up when you DO pick on the little things and it makes it very hard to deal with the smaller behaviors. Culture in my school is to let the small stuff slide, and it's very hard to be someone who does not, in part because there is no admin backup. So, behavior advice that is hard to follow at my school is: Address the little issues so that they don't become bigger issues.
In any relationship we have to pick our battles. I don’t think letting the small stuff slide may necessarily lead to bigger more serious stuff. The students have got to know what is a deal breaker for you and respect that. But if everything is a deal breaker and results in a consequence then I don’t think we will have any time to teach, we would be enforcing rules and consequences most of the time. Unfortunately many admins don’t see it in that way.
I agree with rpan. I would argue that the broken window theory is up for debate. This would be one example: https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordeba...e-evidence-that-broken-windows-policing-works
I'm not necessarily advocating for or against the rule. I only found it interesting that the OP basically said that addressing every small behavior was something that administration required. It's not the case at my school, for sure.
