What it Means to be a Fast Llama

So apparently there is a castle is North Texas where you can run around

Fast Llamas!
with llamas...  I know this is true because several of my friends have sent
me messages about his magical place with the words... "ROAD TRIP".  

This has inspire me to focus today on my favorite subject... Llama Training.  
Doug Curry's (the founder of Llama Training) just celebrated his
birthday... so this is a perfect time to remind ourselves how wonderful
his wisdom is on all things that help us with our relationships with
students (the tigers), with each other (the llama herd) and how we can
become fast llamas and stay fast llamas.  

How to be a Fast Llama in 12 easy steps:

1. Treat students with love, dignity and respect   This means being nice,
BUT, that doesn’t mean “SOFT” you can be firm and insistent, and still
be nice too.  

You can have systems and routines and be NICE...

 - sarcasm, impatience, and annoyance create a barrier between students
and teachers. 

They do not help learning.

2. Never tell kids you are a Llama and they are a Tiger… they already
know… but, still...

3. Work hard at developing relationships with your students –
listen to them…   
You cannot expect to win their minds before you win their heart.

4.  Realize that behaviors (both disruptive and amazing) are your
responsibility -You have support to gain skills to control when they are
disruptive.
BUT, you have to ask for help.              

5. Use an “Attention Getter” – it gives a directive without being punitive.

 

6. Use PLAN, or SLANT, and other kinesthetic state changes 

7. Have a system for everything… be proactive, it is better to prepare than
repair,however, you can't always know behaviors in advance.  When behaviors show up that you deem disruptive, input a strategy in place
immediately to correct it.
Don't let it go!

8. Practice the systems you set up and  reward, both with tangible and
verbal acknowledgments.

9. Set students up for success – sometimes, we have to think of ways to
save them from themselves... don't take it personally when they act their
age.

10. Make kids earn everything 

-like eating snacks or headphones… they have to earn it

Set boundaries and expectations - they will rise to them… Students will
make -up their own expectations...

11. Use strategies to keep students engaged  - ask your teammates for
strategies! Use the Collective Teacher Efficacy

And…

12. Have and Use a discipline system...

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking a system isn’t working because you
keep having to use it…

It’s called classroom MANAGEMENT for a reason… students will develop
self-efficacy because you train them...

Kids will always CHALLENGE us!

Curry, D. (2015). How to train a llama: exceptional classroom management.TurnAround
Schools Publishing.