"Withitness" with-it-ness | Classroom Management

"Withitness" with-it-ness | Classroom Management 

"Withitness" with-it-ness is a pedagogical term created by Jacob Kounin to describe a teacher's situational awareness (Classroom Management Acumen). The teacher is constantly monitoring or sector scanning the classroom at all times, looking to reward and commend responsible behavior and extinguishing, preempting, or inhibiting poor behavior. The teacher makes eye contact, walks around the room, pauses and interacts with students and leans in and gives an ear; the classroom management tactics are used to ensure all students are on task and engaged 100% of the time.

Teachers will have very little academic success if students are not motivated and have a passion for learning. Even if the teachers are "with it"! Teachers that are not in tune with their student's passions, interest, strengths, weaknesses, or what really inspires them will fail to lead their students. Teachers need to know how to motivate their student on a personal level, help students develop their voice and ignite their passion for learning. (students' need to feel safe, valued, intelligent, loved, gifted, respected, appreciated, cherished, challenged, etc). Teacher NEED to praise and reward students openly when they demonstrate sustained effort, not just big academic achievement. Teachers that use continues non-verbal classroom management techniques that encourage students engagement and show students they are valued will have a miraculous academic year ( thumbs up, big smiles, lean in and listen, show real interest, pat on the shoulder, etc.). Students will go above and beyond when teachers demonstrate through actions that students are cared for and valued. When students understand classroom management and classroom rules are all about the well-being of all students and, we use manners because we cherish our students, they will buy in. The teacher needs to present well-thought-out logical suggestions to enlighten the student that their behavior is unacceptable and there are always at least two choices in life.

POSITIVE AFFIRMATION: 

There are two ways of living: a person may be careless and simply exist, or usefully and deliberately try to do so. The productive idea implies a usefulness not only about one's own life, but about that of the world, and the future possibilities of mankind.

Teachers need to communicate to all students the purpose of high expectations and make clear the SUPERLATIVE reason we expect exemplary manners, and a dogged work ethic from our students is we care about our students' success! Model what a with-it student looks like, behaves like, communicates like, and thinks like, you can have "I Can Statements" displayed so every student can be "with-it".

TEACHERS NEED TO BE MOTIVATED BY COLLEAGUES WHEN THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IS TO BUSY LOOKING AT DATA!