Topic outline

  • General

    • Welcome!

      This self-paced course will share with you evidence-based practices for effective classroom management and guidance for implementation. Upon successful completion of this course,  you will understand the importance of effective classroom management, what it looks and sounds like, how to assess your own classroom management and identify specific strategies for improvement. Additionally, you will complete a self-assessment on your own classroom management, select at least one area to improve, and formulate an action plan for addressing that aspect of classroom management.  

      To earn any PLUs associated with this course, you'll need to successfully complete each of the required sections, denoted by a checkbox with a dashed border. Any time you successfully complete a section, the checkbox will automatically check off if you have met the requirement(s). While this course is self-paced and will not be facilitated by a moderator, please feel free to contact the course support contact listed on the course page if you have any questions.

      Before beginning, please read through the course information, set up your profile (if you haven't already done so), and introduce yourself before continuing to the next section. 

      • Though this course is self-paced, we're here to answer your questions. Ellen Reinhardt is a MTSS Implementation Specialist focused on coaching, training, and systems change, with an emphasis on behavior and Restorative Practices. With a background as a school psychologist, Ellen helped develop the content of this course and will gladly answer any content-related questions.

        Lindsay Scarpaci is the MTSS Technology Specialist managing BRIDGE-RI and creating online professional learning for Rhode Island educators. As a former 5th grade teacher with a current focus on instructional design, she helped to develop the content and the technology for this course. Please contact Lindsay if you have technology-related questions or concerns about this course.

      • As a professional educator, I understand that I must complete all the activities in this course as outlined by the activity expectations and instructions. I understand this course is monitored regularly and that all of my coursework should be completed with academic integrity as outlined in BRIDGE-RI's Terms of Use. Failure to meet these requirements may result in account suspension and/or termination.

        If you have read and understand the statement above, please manually check the box to the right to signify your acceptance of this statement.  

    • The Importance of Classroom Management

      In this first section, we will explain why effective classroom management is so important for successful student outcomes. 

    • Defining Classroom Management

      Now that you’ve heard about the importance of effective classroom management, let’s define effective classroom management and learn more about what it looks, sounds, and feels like.

      • Red exclamation point
        		Please note that this section of the course will ask you to watch a few videos from The Teaching Channel. As of January 2020, the Teaching Channel no longer allows unlimited views of their videos. The Teaching Channel will allow visitors to view up to three videos (you can watch those three multiple times, but you cannot select more than three distinct videos). Please consider these limitations when selecting videos to watch. You will not be able to watch more than three and after that you will be prompted to subscribe for a monthly fee.
        We are not asking you to pay this fee nor do you need to pay this fee to successfully complete this course. 

      • Video Synopsis Forum
        Restricted Not available unless: The activity Mini-Module on Defining Classroom Management is marked complete
      • Optional: Links to Videos Page

        In the mini-module, you were presented with several links to watch different elements of classroom management in action. Here is a list of all of those videos, organized by the aspect of classroom management with which they correspond.

    • Classroom Management Self Assessment

      To help you try out some of the classroom management strategies detailed in the previous section, let's now look at the Classroom Management Self Assessment. The section will answer:

      • What is the Classroom Management Self Assessment?
      • What is its purpose?
      • How can you use it to improve your own classroom management practices?

    • Administering and Scoring the Classroom Management Self Assessment

      You've learned about the importance of effective classroom management as well as what it looks, sounds, and feels like. You had the chance to download, read, and review in detail the revised Classroom Management Self Assessment. Before you go any further, you will need to administer the self assessment (you can do this yourself or you can ask a trusted colleague for help) and score the self assessment. You will not be able to continue with the course until you complete those steps. 

      • Check the box to the right if you have administered and scored the self assessment.

        Note - because this is a low stakes self assessment, BRIDGE-RI will not ask for the results of your self assessment. The total score is private to you.

      • Select An Area for Improvement Choice
        Restricted Not available unless:

    • Strategies and Resources for Improvement

      • In the following lesson, we include implementation checklists to help you plan for implementation of a new strategy to address classroom management. Four of those implementation checklists are from the book Supporting Behavior for School Success: A Step-by-Step Guide to Key Strategies by Kathleen Lynne Lane, Holly Mariah Menzies, Robin Parks Ennis, and Wendy Peia Oakes. This book was published by Guilford Press in 2015 and we have shared those implementation checklists with permission from the publisher. Please purchase the book if you would like additional guidance on specific strategies.

      • Specific Strategies & Resources for Improvement Lesson
        Restricted Not available unless: The activity Select An Area for Improvement is marked complete

        You've selected your area(s) for improvement. Now, this lesson will take you through specific strategies and resources to address the area(s) you selected. In order for the lesson to be marked complete, you must spend at least 15 minutes in the lesson. Given that each area for improvement will walk you through examples, non-examples, written resources, videos, and a checklist for implementation, you should have no problem meeting the requirements!

      • Preparing to Action Plan Quiz
        Restricted Not available unless: The activity Specific Strategies & Resources for Improvement is marked complete

    • Action Planning

      All of the activities and quizzes thus far have been automatically graded by Moodle. Your last activity, however, is an assignment that will be reviewed by the Course Support Contact. Please understand that the activity will not be marked complete until the Course Support Contact has reviewed your submission and you have successfully met the assignment's requirements. You will, however, be able to move to the next section while you wait for your feedback.

      • Create Your Action Plan Assignment
        Restricted Not available unless: You achieve a required score in Preparing to Action Plan

    • Wrap Up