Reader Question: Classroom Management and Orchestra Handbook

School just ended for me and it feels nice to have a little extra time to rest, rejuvenate, and reflect on the year.  I tend to make lots of changes in my teaching every year as I work to find the best possible strategies for teaching my students.

A few weeks ago a received an email from Kathryn Larsen.  She requested I write a post about classroom management and wanted me to share my orchestra handbook.  So, here it goes...

I remember interviewing for my current job.  The principal asked me how I felt about classroom management and I told him I had no concerns and that I was very confident with classroom management.  I feel a well-run classroom will have few classroom management problems and busy students don't have time to act up.  I told the principal about my belief in setting procedures to help a classroom run well.  This is true...but I know you're thinking...but there's one kid who just_________________  you fill in the blank.  Let's talk about that in a minute.

First, classroom procedures are the secret to classroom management.  I start to teach these to students immediately.  Their first lesson is how to get completely quiet, and focus their eyes on me.  (I don't just want them quiet...I want them focused).  We do an activity on the first day of school where I teach them my signals and procedures for getting their attention...then we practice.  There are many ideas for implementing quiet procedures, but here is what works for me:

1.  When I stomp on my podium (and it's loud) everyone is quiet.  When I stand on my podium ever...even quietly, everyone is quiet.  They need to respond to both.  If the class is noisy I will stomp loudly on my podium to make it obvious I'm there.  Otherwise just stepping on my podium is a signal for silence.

2.  When I hold a bow - or bow bunny shaped hand - in the air, all copy and do the same...and be quiet.  I've seen some teachers have students place bows/bow hand on top of their heads - that works too.  

3.  When I say 'ARCO!' everyone says 'SOLO' and they all get quiet.  Sometimes it takes a couple 'arco's.'  This is straight from Whole Brain Teaching - and I recommend that book as it has some good ideas for classroom management.  I tell my students that if they don't get quiet they'll have to play a solo for the class...but this is all done in a joking way -not threatening.  I don't feel students respond to a threatening presence.

Now, what about that kid who just won't stop....plucking, talking, poking, annoying others...   Every student is different.  I keep a positive atmosphere in my classroom and don't yell at or belittle students who are acting up.  I firmly tell them to stop what they are doing, and I completely expect that it stops.  If it does not stop, there is immediately a consequence that would make sense...moving their seat if talking, switching their bow to a crappy bow with no hair if they are mistreating their bow (since they will then have to earn the privilege of having nice things), making then sit in 'reverse rest position' if plucking.  I rarely have a problem in class because of quick pacing and positive rapport with my students.  They want to please me and they get a lot of praise when they are doing well.  Expecting compliance, excellence, and having a sense of humor to laugh with the class clown a little...that's all it is.  With that said, if you came to observe my teaching you probably would not find a completely silent classroom.  You would find a focused classroom.

About my orchestra handbook...this is an ever evolving document.  I tend to change it every year and I keep making it shorter and shorter and shorter...because NO ONE READS IT!   One year I put my handbook in a google form...paragraph by paragraph...and had a question that had to be answered after each paragraph to ensure parents and students would get the information.  Even then I had people not reading the handbook.  I have decided to keep making it shorter...and email bits of info to parents/students as needed.  With that said, here's one of the versions of my orchestra handbook for beginning orchestra: