Hello Library Friends, 

It has been quite a while since I published a blog post. I hope you are all doing well, and that your libraries are transitioning in a strong and positive way as library services are opening up more and more across the nation and world. 

I will be publishing a two-part blog post on classroom management, in honor of our upcoming school year. This first post will go over routines and procedures that librarians can use in their programs. My second post will discuss behavior redirecting strategies to address challenging youth behavior.

Classroom management might seem like an odd topic for my blog, especially since I know that many of my blog readers represent public library youth service librarians, and classroom management as a concept is mainly reserved for school instructors. 

However, now that I am entering my fourth year teaching as a 4K-12 school librarian (after six years in the public library world as a library assistant, and later as a youth service librarian), I feel that classroom management can be a missing piece in library training. Regardless of our position, most librarians interact with youth or teens for at least part of their day. Having classroom management training can be empowering for library staff, because they know that they have pre-planned ways of responding respectfully to youth, instead of reacting to challenging behavior. 

In the public library world, I benefited greatly from multiple trainings provided by DPI and the Youth Service Section of WLA. However, I don’t remember any of these trainings explicitly covering what to do when a student showed behavior that was unsafe.  

It wasn’t until I transitioned to the school librarian world that I received formal training in classroom management through attending a “Teach Like a Champ” workshop based on the book by Doug Lemov. It helped me immediately feel validated. The training helped me realize that  what I was doing by instinct was correct, and it put several other strategies into my routine that have been very helpful. 

Classroom management is a term used to describe how a teacher (or librarian) mangages children or teens they are in charge of.  For me, classroom management is everything that the teacher (or librarian) does that helps youth be their best selves while in any learning space. How they plan before the program, accommodate, and redirect youth all falls under how the librarian, or teacher, manages the room. 

I highly recommend the Teach Like a Champ book, which you can purchase online, or can find through your public library systems. The book also comes with a DVD, which allows you to watch how a teacher models each strategy in the book in a real classroom situation, which can be very helpful. 

Remembering back to how helpful it would have been if I had any formal classroom management training, I wanted to share several of the Teach Like a Champ strategies addressing routines and procedures that I use in my school library regularly to help my students be their best selves. The numbers I included with each strategy I discuss are the Teach Like a Champ strategy numbers in case you want to look them up online, or in the book. 

Threshold (Strategy #41) 

This strategy is one of the best procedures I have to build relationships and show all my students that I value them. The “Threshold” strategy means having a routine for how you greet your students as they come through the door of your library. This is my moment to build relationships with them, and to communicate my expectations for their behavior. 

When students come through the door as a class, I meet them at the door. I smile, and greet them by name as they enter. This accomplishes multiple purposes all at once. First, I am showing them through my smile that I am happy they are in the library. Secondly, I am showing them that I know who they are by saying their name. Third, I am able to remind them to demonstrate respectful and safe behavior.  If a student tries to come into the library screaming, or pushing another student, or any other behavior that is not safe or respectful to others, I smile, and whisper to them that they need to try that again. I direct them to the back of the line so they have another chance to re-enter the library as their best self. 

When they come to me again, I make a point to smile twice as big, say their name, and welcome them into the library. 

What this does is show that I am in control of the moment. I will wait for them to enter the library respectfully.  They want to come in, so they are willing to do what I am asking (to act in ways that are respectful and safe). 

This can look very similar in a public library. You may not know all the names of the youth who come to your programs, but you can greet them by the door, and offer them a handshake, or a high five, or whatever you are comfortable with. It makes a big difference, and it immediately sets the tone for a great program. 

Do Now (Strategy #20)

This is a game changer for classrooms or programs. The basic idea of a Do Now is to have a short assignment or activity that students work on individually as soon as they enter the room. They come into the door, and then they start on this assignment. In the school world, this gives me 10 minutes to welcome all the students by name as they come into the door, take attendance, ensure I have all my teaching materials, and answer quick questions students might have before reviewing the Do Now assignment that everyone would have just completed.  

Otherwise, students come into the class talking, and possibly engaging in other behaviors that are not as productive. Not all students do well when they are in a loud space. This quick assignment means that we start the class off quietly, and that I have time to do the administrative tasks that I need to do before I start my longer lesson. 

In the public library world, I can see this working a little differently, but with the same concept. Having a word puzzle on a half sheet of paper, for example, and asking students to work on it as you greet everyone who comes in (including those families who arrive a little late) gives you a chance to have something for the kids who arrived first, knowing that students will arrive at different times. 

Another idea is to have a Lego building challenge, with Legos on the tables of your programming room. Have a building challenge, and let students know that they only have 10 minutes to get it done. When you have finished greeting everyone who is coming in, stop the “Do Now” challenge, and have students share what they did with the Legos. Then, get started on the program. 

Circulate (Strategy #24) 

Teaching, or leading a library program, can be physically demanding. Although I am a fairly in-shape person, my feet actually hurt quite a bit when I am teaching. I am on my feet for most of the 8 hours I am at school. Knowing that, if you feel physically comfortable with this, this strategy has huge benefits. “Circulate” means walking around the room, in your student’s space. Instead of teaching at the front of the room like a college professor, you are actually walking around the tables where you students are, and teaching from there. I have noticed that the closer I physically am to my students, the better they do. It also helps me establish that our room is a safe learning space. If a student drops something, like a pencil, I pick it up for them, and smile. Because I am “everywhere” there is a sense that the whole room is valued and included. Also, since I am moving around, it is much easier to look over the work my students are doing, identify misunderstandings, and provide feedback and praise. The idea is to move from the front of the room (your space) to where they are sitting (their space). 

No Opt Out (Strategy #11)

This technique helps ensure that everyone knows they are a valuable member of the learning community, and that I expect everyone to share when asked. In my library lessons, I might call on a student and ask a question. If they say, “I don’t know” or give me a shoulder shrug, then I call on another student. If the second students gives me the correct answer, I go back to the original student, and ask the question again. They have just heard the answer from one other peers, so I know they can tell me. I ask them to tell me the answer, and then I celebrate their success with a huge smile. 

This is really effective, because it shows that I believe that everyone can demonstrate high levels of learning. I ask my students not to say, “I don’t know.” However, anyone can say, “Just a minute” so they have time to think about their response. Thinking time is always allowed, and encouraged. I just make a note to get back to them, and I continue teaching the lesson. When they are ready, I ask them the question again. 

When I was in school, I remember my heart actually pounding when a teacher called on me. And, sometimes I didn’t know the answer. But, the process of answering a question in front of my peers built confidence. I haven noticed that some students want to continually opt out. However, I have had some students who change because of this strategy. By speaking up in class, I am including them in a far more engaging way than they have been included before. I am showing them at I believe in them, and I will keep believing in them (and asking them to answer questions). I have had students who begin to believe in themselves more, and they will begin sharing their observations and insights on their own after several weeks or months. It is a huge success, and a sign of growth for them. 

Work the Clock (Strategy #30) 

Having a sense of time, and that time is passing, can be a huge mindset changer for all of us. Knowing how long we spend on any particular task can help us assess how we are investing our time, and how we can do better. “Work the Clock” as a strategy means having some timer visible to your students during your lesson, or library program. Give them specific times to get certain tasks done, let the timer beep, and then move on to the next part of your lesson or program. 

This took a bit of work for me to understand how much time to put into some tasks. I was overestimating, and underestimating all the time. However, my students were gracious. I gave them more time when they needed it, and they gave me another chance to end a task early when they were ready. Once I figured out how much time things should take, this strategy helped me keep the pace up and one activity leading quickly to another, with minimum wasted time. 

In the public library, I can see this being very helpful for any program where students have independence in the program’s pacing. If you are doing an escape room, for example, it can be very helpful for them to know how much time they have been working on a puzzle. I can also see this being helpful for Storytimes, discussing counting, and even timing frequent songs or stories. 

Make Compliance Visible (Strategy #52) 

We have all been there. You try to lead a lesson, or program, and you have multiple steps your students need to follow. Some students are following, some are doing something else. Sometimes, having everyone at their own pace is okay, sometimes it really is not. For the times when it is not, this is a great way to keep everyone on track with you in a way that minimizes frustrations. “Make Compliance Visible” means giving instructions that you can see. 

For example, if you are doing an unplugged coding program, where students are writing code on a piece of paper using pencils, start by asking everyone to “hold up your pencils.” You can actually see if all the students are doing this, which is what makes “compliance” visible. There will be students who drop their pencil, or accidentally break it, or whatever. All of those challenges would be there, even if you did not ask everyone to hold their pencil up. Imagine, though, that you are the student who just broke the pencil lead just as the librarian was giving the next step. You can’t follow along, because you don’t have the right tool. 

By stopping, and having everyone hold up their pencil, you are getting everyone on the same task, while also doing a check to make sure your students have all the tools they need. Until all the students are holding their pencil in the air, you as the leader do not move on from this step. You are making sure that everyone has what they need to do the next step, and that they are looking and listening to you. 

For the students who need a new pencil, you can give them that while everyone is still holding their pencils up. Once everyone has what they need, you do a check. Is everyone holding up their pencil? Yes? Great, move on to the next step! 

I repeat this strategy probably a dozen times per lesson. Anytime that I need everyone to do the same activity at the same time, I use this strategy. 

Precise Praise (Strategy #59). 

When you tell a student “Good job!” you are praising them. When you say, “You are a really hard worker for problem-solving how to insert a photo in your presentation” you are giving precise praise. Precise praise lets students know exactly what they are doing well. 

All of us like to hear we are doing a great job. But, what is more engaging, a note on our desk that says, “Thank you for working here” or a note that says, “Thank you for asking me about how my day was yesterday, and then for really listening when I told you”? I think the second option. Our students are the same way. They want to know when they are succeeding. If we do not tell them, then they don’t know what to keep doing, or working on. 

Joy Factor (Strategy #62)

This procedure and routine is something I do for myself. 

When my students come into my library, I want them to feel the joy that radiates from my life, into theirs. I enjoy my life. I enjoy libraries. When I was in high school, when my mom asked me what I wanted to do that was special for my birthday, I answered that I just wanted her to drop me off at the public library, and allow me to spend as much time as I wanted there just browsing around. We often went to the library as a family, but when my mom was ready to go, all of us kids needed to finish making our selections so we were ready to go too. I wanted time to just look around without having to leave before I was ready. 

Later, when I graduated high school, I wanted to work in libraries in youth services, but I thought that there were no real job opportunities in that field. I started college as a music major, but quickly realized that was not where I wanted to be professionally. I started working in libraries by accident. It started with me leading a volunteer drama program over the summer at my public library, then being offered a part-time job as a library assistant. From there, I transitioned to a new public library when I moved to a new town, and was soon offered a job as a youth services librarian. 

Three years after that, I was asked to apply for a local public school’s library position. And, even though I had no formal teaching experience, I was hired. I am so thankful to work with youth in the library. All throughout the summer when I am not teaching, I am researching and developing lesson plans and projects to do with my students. 

My point in telling these stories is to possibly help spark memories in your past that lead on the path you are now in library work. What were the moments, the relationships, that encouraged you to pursue a path in libraries? 

Remembering those stories is important for me, because there are bad days. As much as I am thankful to work with students, there are some students who are challenging. There are many days when I come home emotionally drained, and often my body physically hurts. Even though I work to be in good shape, I can get exhausted from standing all day. 

In those moments when I struggle in the library, I move into my “Joy Factor” routine and procedures. I notice how I am feeling. I take a deep breath. I look around, and notice a student who is doing something wonderful. I compliment that student, and smile at them. If my whole class is there, then I smile at my class. Sometimes, that is all it takes for my Joy Factor to come back, and if my smile was forced the first time, now I am smiling for real. I can even laugh at what was frustrating me a moment ago. I can get my students to laugh. I can enjoy them at that moment. We take a breath. And then, we get started on the lesson again. 

Another routine that I do for myself is to write down three positive things that happened that day in the library. I am training my brain to notice, and remember, positive events that happened, and to mindfully be thankful for them. I would rather train myself to remember the good moments, rather than the challenging ones. 

My students see it. The joy is real, but the seeds of joy need to be planted, every day. It is a choice to choose joy, so it is a choice that I intentionally build into my routine. 

Reflection: Setting ourselves up for success

I hope these notes about classroom management have been helpful, and if nothing else, I hope that it reminds you of practices you are already doing in your teaching or library work that helps students be their best selves.

If you want to learn more, please check out Teach Like a Champ from your library system, and look it over. Even incorporating three new strategies each year can be an effective way to transform your library programs and make the most of every moment with your students, or with the youth who come to your library programs. 

Stay tuned for my second post on classroom management in the library, this time, covering effective behavior redirecting strategies. 

Take care, 

Emily