No-Nonsense Notes

Reflection | No-Nonsense Nurturer Online Learning Course

The No-Nonsense Nurturer (NNN) program focuses on seven basic topics or areas of concern: Getting 100% of students attention; Giving explicit instructions; Giving consequences; Discipline hierarchy (rules and consequences); Building relationships with students and with families; Holding students to high expectations; Teacher voice.

Although the course appears simple at first, it is actually a rather complex system of classroom management --  situated in a simple framework. Overall, the information, organization and ideas in this course are excellent. The program has given me hands-on activities to immediately begin trying in my classroom. The sections on developing "teacher voice" and using positive narration have been enormously helpful -- in that, they have given me a sense of teacher "routine and procedure." The students never seemed to question or even much notice my new techniques, so I feel comfortable using them. The techniques don't come off as contrived. 

Class discussions and writing labs present their own special challenges, but as the course materials repeatedly point out -- this process takes time. Despite several technical website problems and some strangely culturally incompetent textual passages, the No-Nonsense Nurturer system itself is proving to be practical and valuable. It provides a simple framework for managing the complexities of the classroom. The re-norming strategies are working. In general, student attitudes and behavior have improved.

As to classroom procedure, there are four components of the NNN model.

Four-Step Model


Step One: Give Precise Directions
Step Two: Utilize Positive Narration
Step Three: Provide Consequences
Step Four: Build Nurturing Relationships With Students and Families



_____________________________ NOTES _____________________________

Step One: 
Give Precise Directions

• Give Precise Directions.
• Tell students “what to do” and “how to do it”
• Give MVP directions
• (Movement, Voice Level, and Participation)
• Deliver directions using a strong teacher voice
• Use “twofer” directions when appropriate
• Check for understanding… especially with those students you find challenging
• Cue students to start

Step Two: 
Utilize Positive Narration

The guidelines to follow when using Positive Narration at the beginning of the school year or when re-norming classroom expectations are:

After giving directions, immediately scan the classroom and narrate 2-3 students’ on task behaviors

Be sure to narrate on task students whom you find challenging

Make a “three-part statement” using a strong teacher voice

Use Positive Narration before correcting off task or disruptive students

Use Positive Narration throughout transitions

During instructional activities, narrate engaged students every 60 seconds

Consider combining the use of Positive Narration with a Classwide Reward System


Step Three: 
Provide Consequences


When redirecting off task or disruptive behavior you will want to follow these guidelines:


Respond to disruptive behavior within 10-20 seconds


Make sure when you verbally redirect that you do so in a quick, direct, and respectful manner


Make sure your body language is congruent with your verbal behavior


Use as strong a teacher voice as is needed


Provide consequences from your Discipline Hierarchy


Provide consequences 100% of the time for disruptive behavior


Document all the consequences you have provided to students


Narrate disruptive or off task students as soon as they get back on task


Step Four:
Build Nurturing Relationships with Students and Families


____________________________



Technical Difficulties

I encountered some frustrating technical difficulties with the No Nonsense Nurturer course at the website: elearning.transformativeteachertraining. On certain browsers I got suspicious error messages. The course itself is sound and offers quality information, but I cannot say the site is safe across web platforms.

_____________________


Unintended Enablers

• Are motivated by a desire to be liked by the students or by feeling sorry for them
• Are reluctant to assert their authority
• * Do not academically push students
• Want to be friends with their students
• Are unable to establish a classroom culture that promotes high academic achievement

Negative Controllers

• Are motivated by a desire to be in control of the classroom
• Have negative and/or unfair interactions with disruptive or off task students
• * Do not push unmotivated students academically
• Believe their responsibility is only to teach content
• Initially may be able to get students on task, but eventually students don’t respond to the teacher’s negativity

No-Nonsense Nurturers are motivated by a desire to make a difference in the lives of their students.

No-Nonsense attributes they possess:

• Use as strong a teacher voice as is appropriate to ensure their students’ success
• Hold students accountable for their conduct and for completing all academic assignments

Nurturing attributes they possess:

• Have an expanded view of the role of the teacher
• Demonstrate a different kind of caring
• Put in the time to build strong relationships with students and their families

Establishing a No-Nonsense Classroom Culture at the Beginning of the School Year

At the beginning of the school year No-Nonsense Nurturers teach students the policies and procedures needed to have a positive, orderly classroom culture.



Sit up; Track the speaker; Ask and answer questions; and Respect classmates around you.



Teach behavioral expectations the first time you engage in an activity:

• Introduce the rationale for your expectations
• Describe the behaviors you want to see and hear
• Demonstrate the behaviors
• Check for students’ understanding
• Practice the activity until the students demonstrate proficiency