| Giggling, tickling, whispering, and chatting--these | | | | is key. When she does not meet expectations, |
| behaviors are fine at home. But, when your kids | | | | follow up with consequences. Do not waver and |
| are in school, then these behaviors are | | | | do not begin by cutting brakes. Doing either will |
| inappropriate. Because school occurs in the home, | | | | undermine your authority and the integrity of |
| clarifying expectations without seeming | | | | your behavior policy. |
| contradictory can be difficult. How can you | | | | BORROW A WHEEL. Don't reinvent it. Instead of |
| communicate rules in a way that is clear to your | | | | creating your own discipline process from scratch, |
| student? | | | | use that of other home schools and/or schools in |
| As the fourth article in our series, this piece | | | | your neighborhood. |
| suggests ways of communicating expectations | | | | STAY THE COURSE. Be sure to implement |
| about behavior. In this article, you will find | | | | policies with consistency. If you say you are going |
| strategies to help you deal with discipline and | | | | to send your student to time out or cancel a trip, |
| classroom management in your home school. | | | | then do just that. Being consistent will make your |
| SEPARATE. Make a clear distinction between class | | | | student feel informed and fairly treated. |
| time and home time. Use a chime or other sound | | | | DEVELOP A CODE. Develop a code to signal that |
| to signal the start of school. Use a timer to make | | | | you want your student's attention. Counting |
| breaks, snacks, and study hall exact. Also, use this | | | | backwards from five to one, ringing a bell, or |
| instrument to signal the end of school. Making | | | | turning down the lights are some tried and true |
| school and home time distinct will help your child | | | | methods to refocus your student. |
| transition into school-appropriate behavior. | | | | RESPECT. In making the distinction between class |
| LIST. Begin your semester by asking your | | | | time and home time, you should respect your |
| student what rules are necessary to create a | | | | child's leisure. Allows your student her non-school |
| respectful and effective classroom. To this | | | | time. Resist the urge to talk about school on |
| discussion, add your list of non-negotiable | | | | vacations, during television commercial, or at other |
| expectations. From these talks, draft a classroom | | | | non-school times. |
| charter. Now, you have an agreement--and a | | | | Establishing behavior expectations for the school |
| series of clear expectations--to which to refer. | | | | part of your home is a must. Otherwise, you run |
| AIM HIGH. Many classroom teachers say the | | | | the risk of unruly class sessions. Use the tips |
| following: "Start tough." "Don't smile until | | | | above to help you outline and manage behavior |
| Christmas." "It's easier to get easier." However it | | | | and consequences in your home school. |
| is worded, holding your student to high standards | | | | |