CHAMP Camp

Our school district is embracing CHAMPS*, based on the book Champs: A Proactive & Positive Approach to Classroom Management by Randall Sprick, et al. (including Keba Baldwin).

*CHAMPS is an acronym for Communication, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation, Success.

Last week, we, along w/ our site administrator (a.k.a. principal), all of our district's social workers, and sparse SAs and teaching staff from other sites attended a two-day training (conducted by Keba and Joel, someone from LKSD).

Our SA bequeathed the title of "CHAMPS Gurus" to a co-worker & myself, giving us the responsibility of learning about the methodology and conducting all of the site in-services this year and next.
I'm feeling like a beached fish 1/2 in and 1/2 out of the water. Lucky for me, my partner did her SpEd masters' work regarding emotionally/behaviorally disturbed.

Saturday, after a 1/2 day of school, we did a couple of exercises. Then, today we were responsible for 2/3 of our site in-service. It is a world of difference between teaching teachers and teaching children. Obviously, some things are the same, like saying "cheap." This we heard on Sat., understandably b/c it was the 6th day in a work week. But we literally had two practical exercises, and it was our third week requiring 6 working days each. Boo hoo. ^_^

We spent 12 hours planning for the six-hour in-service today. We had to make sure the info. and exercises were relevant and effective. It's quite challenging knowing that many of the people in the room will be resistant to taking an objective look at themselves, let alone the idea of change. We also know that our school is in dire need of school-wide consistency and behavior management, beginning with the adults, or the school just might spontaneously combust.

Anyway, today's in-service "went off without a hitch," to abuse another cliche'. People were engaged, w/o grumbling, there were some honest discussions, and time went quickly (always a good sign). Wish us luck for the continuation of this and that we, as a staff, will continue to evolve into being more consistent, managers of behavior through positive communication, structure, observation, and evaluation of our practices.