Harry Wong

Management is not Discipline

No learning takes place when you discipline. All disciplining does is stop deviant behavior, which must be done, but no learning has taken place. Learning only takes place when the students are at work, or as we say in education, on-task.

Theory Overview:

Teachers Responsibilities

The Three-Step Approach to Teaching Classroom Procedures  

Explain: State, explain, model, and demonstrate the procedure.

Rehearse: Rehearse and practice the procedure under your supervision.

Reinforce: Reteach, rehearse, practice, and reinforce the classroom procedure until it becomes a student habit or routine.

Procedures teachers should include:

entering the classroom

dismissing at the end of the period or day

returning to class after an absence

arriving to class tardy

quieting a class

beginning of the period or day

asking for help

moving of students and papers

listening to/responding to questions

working cooperatively

changing groups

keeping a student notebook

finding directions for each assignment

collecting/returning student work

getting materials without disturbing others

handing out equipment at recess

moving about the room

going to the library/tech center

heading of papers

Teacher Actions

Ineffective teachers begin the first day of school attempting to teach a subject and spend the rest of the school year running after the students.

Effective teachers spend most of the first two weeks of the school year teaching students to follow classroom procedures.

Students Responsibilities

Learn classroom procedures

Follow classroom procedures

Pros & Cons of Harry Wong

PROSHarry Wong and his wife Rosemary have written the best selling self-published book ever in education, The First Days of School

Produced the video series, The Effective Teacher, which won the Telly Award for being the best EDU staff development video of the past 20 yrs.

Known very well for his strive to push for an “effective teacher” among education.

- Making sure that the teacher is acquiring the classroom to be well managed but has structured discipline in order for learning to be successful and for teachers to get satisfaction

CONSMain disadvantage= its rigidity

-Doesn’t take the differences individual students need or unexpected events into account

-Teachers may struggle with the adaptation to student needs and behavior

-Opportunities to help each student develop their personal potential may be overloaded

Harry Wong: Key Vocabulary

Management: ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly despite the disruptive behaviors made by students

Mastery: having all students learn instructional material on the slightly higher levels, also the “breakdown” of the material to where students comprehend

Expectations: will influence a students’ achievement and everyday skills throughout each of their lives

Grade curve: Wong says, “This has done more harm to education than any technique has.”

Harry Wong: Key Vocabulary

Dr. Wong said that the 3 most important things that should be taught within the 1st week of a school year are…

1. Discipline: make sure to set rules, consequences, and rewards immediately to enforce the discipline starting at day 1

2. Procedures: state your procedures for the classroom and have the students rehearse them until they become their routine

3. Routines: allow the students to get into the routine enough to where it becomes a daily “good” habit

References

Visit the websites: www.thebusyeducator.com/harrywong

www.effectiveteaching.com