Have you ever found yourself wondering how many times you have to remind students to follow certain classroom procedures? Have you ever grown weary of hearing students ask questions like, “What are we supposed to do again?” Have you ever been bothered by finding that the materials that you spent hours organizing have been carelessly tossed back on the shelves? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, take heart. You’re not alone. And there’s good news: there’s an approach you can use that’s even better than having a magic wand to make these frustrations disappear!
Classroom management experts Rick Smith, Grace Dearborn, and Mary Lambert suggest that the use of visual cues and rubrics are just what you’ve been looking for. In fact, their book Picture This! (2011, Conscious Teaching) is based on the premise that visuals create a link between classroom behaviors and how the brain processes and stores information.
Seeing the value of this strategy will likely get you believing these principles:
1. Pictures are worth a thousand words (or more). Brain researchers
have found that the use of visual cues greatly aid memory and understanding.
When students can see what you’re
talking about, they are more likely to meet your expectations. For example, a
photograph of a textbook, binder, pencil, and eraser neatly arranged on a desk top
shows students precisely what you mean by “Have your supplies ready when class
begins.”
2. Something visible can enhance some things that are
invisible. When
teachers use visuals that incorporate authentic classroom items and photographs
that feature members of the school community (students and staff), there is a
sense of ownership and identity created. The message sent is “This is how we do things in our classroom.” These visual cues present opportunities for
students to self-assess and adjust accordingly. For example, by posting a “Room
Checklist” of photographs depicting how the tables, chairs, shelves, floor, etc.,
should look at the end of the day, students can take responsibility for meeting
the expectations on their own.
3. Limitless possibilities for you and your students are
just snapshots away. Perhaps
the greatest benefit of incorporating visual cues is that there is no end to
the number of ways a teacher can implement them. Certainly they can be used for
any type of classroom procedure—readiness to learn, transition time, efficient
management of time and materials….and on it goes. Teachers may introduce visual
cues for whole-class purposes, but there may also be times when individual
students could benefit from visuals created for specific needs. Teachers may
even find value in visual cues for themselves. For example, at the beginning of
a school year or semester, a teacher could create a seating chart with pictures
of each student next to their names to help him learn their names quickly.
So, what are you waiting for? Give
this strategy a try and see for yourself what a difference a picture can make!
