Effective classroom management creates safe and supportive learning environments for all students. This practice resource is part of a suite of observation tools that complement the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO)’s foundational classroom management resources. These observation tools are designed for experienced teachers and school leaders to use with AERO’s practice guide, Supporting a Colleague with Refining their Classroom Management Practice.
With your colleague, you can use this tool to identify specific aspects of the practice they demonstrate, take notes on what you observe and use these to help identify strengths and areas for refinement.
Before the observation
It’s important you take time before an observation to prepare well. This is essential to clarify objectives and gather relevant, accurate and useful information to support your colleague in identifying strengths and refining their practice. Preparation will also help you become familiar with this tool’s format and content so it’s easier to use during the observation.
Before using this tool
- Read AERO’s practice guide, Supporting a Colleague with Refining their Classroom Management Practice.
- Follow step 1 – Build and maintain a collaborative relationship.
- Follow step 2 – Decide on a specific practice or skill to observe and prepare for the observation.
Before observing
- Read AERO’s Students Entering the Classroom practice guide to familiarise yourself with the steps.
- Read the information in this observation tool.
- Discuss with your colleague what will be observed, how long the observation will be and how evidence will be collected.
During the observation
Observe your colleague and tick the boxes for any actions observed for each teacher practice step.
If students don’t assemble before entering the classroom, start your observation at step 4. To support the feedback discussion, objectively record what your colleague says and does at key moments, as well as how students respond.
The teacher positions themself to see all students
If students assemble before the teacher enters, the teacher is in a position that:
- ensures they don’t have blind spots that need to be regularly monitored
- allows them to scan and see all students preparing to enter the room
- allows all students to see them ready to gain all students’ attention.
The teacher gains all students’ attention
If students assemble before the teacher enters, the teacher:
- gains all students’ attention by using a countdown, call and response, or visual cue or gesture
- deliberately pauses
- scans all students
- acknowledges students meeting behaviour expectations and praises students exceeding behaviour expectations
- responds to disengaged and disruptive behaviours:
- using non-verbal corrections
- using verbal corrections (if required)
- giving a choice to correct their behaviour or receive a consequence (if required)
- implementing the consequence (if required), ensuring it is related to and correcting the behaviour
- acknowledging students when they correct their behaviour.
The teacher reminds all students of the expectations for entering the classroom
The teacher:
- clearly communicates the expectations for students preparing to enter the room and entering the room, including:
- where they should be
- what they should be doing
- what they need
- deliberately pauses
- scans to ensure students understand and are following the instructions.
The teacher monitors and reinforces the behaviour expectations as students enter
The teacher:
- moves to a position where they can monitor inside and outside of the classroom
- prompts students to enter the classroom in the expected manner, if students assemble before entering
- scans students inside and outside of the classroom
- assists students when needed
- acknowledges students meeting behaviour expectations and praises students exceeding behaviour expectations specific to them
- responds to disengaged and disruptive behaviours:
- using non-verbal corrections
- using verbal corrections (if required)
- giving a choice to correct their behaviour or receive a consequence (if required)
- implementing the consequence (if required), ensuring it is related to and correcting the behaviour
- acknowledging students when they correct their behaviour
- moves to a position where they can continue to scan once all students have entered the room, ensuring all students and areas of the learning environment are monitored.
The teacher gains all students’ attention to be ready for the next instructions
The teacher:
- stands where all students can see them
- gains all students’ attention by using a countdown, call and response, visual cue or gesture
- deliberately pauses
- scans all students
- acknowledges students meeting behaviour expectations and praises students exceeding behaviour expectations specific to them
- responds to disengaged and disruptive behaviours that might occur by:
- using non-verbal corrections
- using verbal corrections (if required)
- giving a choice to correct their behaviour or receive a consequence (if required)
- implementing the consequence (if required), ensuring it is related to and correcting the behaviour
- acknowledging students when they correct their behaviour.
- finishes with politeness by thanking students for meeting expectations for entering the classroom.
After the observation
Follow step 3 – Conduct a feedback session in our practice guide, Supporting a Colleague with Refining their Classroom Management Practice.
Before the feedback session
You may want to document:
- What did they do well that you can praise?
- What have they refined since your previous feedback session (if relevant)?
Before or during the feedback session
You may want to document:
- What is their next priority to focus on?
- Is it a single step of a practice, a specific skill or an element of a skill?
- Within the practice step or skill, what specifically needs refinement? What evidence is there to support this?
During the feedback session
Model for your colleague, then support them to plan and rehearse the practice step, skill or skill element they will focus on refining. You may want to document:
- When will they next use the refined skill or step of a classroom management practice?
- What key elements of the refined skill or step will they make sure they include?
- How will they know if they’ve been successful in refining their practice?
- When is a suitable time to re-observe the refined step or skill?
Keywords: student engagement, disruption, disruptive behaviour