Thursday, July 1, 2010
Reflection: Classroom Management Part 1
In methods activities and discussion, in Johnson's Every Minute Counts, and in core sessions you were presented information on classroom management. Identify three strategies, concepts, or ideas that you believe would be most helpful and explain why you think this. Please use one paragraph for each and do not worry about a thesis statement or introduction.
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I love the parent contact information sheet and call log. As a parent of a child who has been in a bad situation or two with non-communicative teachers, I am so grateful for a teacher who takes the time and care to reach out to parents, and I seriously doubt I'm the only one. I know it's possible that I will be in contact with some parents who aren't too concerned about their kid's progress or behavior, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't care. I think most parents do want their kids to do well in school and want to know what's going on with their kids.
ReplyDeleteIn ARC, we've been hammered with the significance of engagement; it can't be overlooked. I've asked my kids about their teachers; the ones they like are the ones who keep them engaged and make them feel like they matter. Conversely, they hate the teachers who give out busywork, yell at the students, and show disrespect. (I believe that if a kid hates a teacher, he or she isn't going to be very motivated to anything in that class.) I know in student teaching, I have to create and assign "Do Nows" (as well as make them norms in my classroom), as I will be evaluated on them, but that doesn't bother me; I want to do them because I want to involve the kids in good behavior and thus prevent bad behavior. My student teaching classroom in EHHS has a strange seating arrangement that I'm not too fond of; on Thursday, I saw how the seating makes it too easy to overlook some kids (one was quietly struggling with the material and one was sleeping); I would like to re-arrange the seats for better student participation and teacher monitoring. I have a list of items to discuss with my cooperating teacher: parent contact sheets, "Do Nows", and seating arrangements are all on my list.
I've been struggling with ideas for a positive behavior reward system. We were told at our student teaching orientation session that candy is not allowed (I think the quote was, "Don't feed the animals"). I will be shopping for some materials and supplies this weekend; cool "Math Whiz" pencils might work, but I'm not putting all my eggs in that basket. Amy told me about "silly bands"; I asked my kids about them, and silly bands are extremely popular in both middle school and high school. If anyone else has some good ideas in this arena, please post them to the blog; I'm sure we would all benefit from having more tools available!
For me, one of the most important strategies for classroom management is seating arrangements. It is clearly important to arrange seating so that every student can see the front of the room (and so you can see each student), but I like the fact that different seating arrangements provide different benefits. When I was a long term sub this year, I quickly found that arranging the desks in rows and columns was not very effective (except, of course, when students were taking a test). Without having started ARC yet, I didn’t know what arrangements would be effective. I tried a few different things – rows and columns, rows and columns in groups of 2 or 3 desks, and a modified “U.” The “U” turned out great, and the students really liked it. When I start my student teaching next week, I may try to arrange the desks in the “U” or possibly the “V.”
ReplyDeleteI think that redirection is also something that will come in handy. In all my time subbing, I never thought of changing a student’s bad behavior by giving him something else to do and focusing his attention on a different task. I always would expect the student to refocus on the assignment I had already given just because I asked him to. Having learned that redirection can be more effective in extinguishing a behavior, I want to try this strategy in the future.
Finally, I agree with Stephen that a “Do Now” is an important tool in our toolbox. The best (and least stressful!) way to effectively manage a classroom is through prevention, and having a “Do Now” prevents students from being off task at the beginning of class and from getting into trouble during downtime. Furthermore, we must always have the next thing ready to go so that we keep the kids engaged from the first bell until dismissal. As Stephen points out, kids dislike teachers who are not engaging, and this leads to them being unmotivated in the class. So not only might some of these students act up, but most of them won’t try to do their best in the class. If we are engaging, though, we will have less behavior problems and our students will be motivated to be successful.
One of my main concerns with classroom management was with the oppositional student. I really like what Jaf had to say on Friday about taking pains not to back a student into a corner. My first instinct would be to insist on cooperation (at the cost of some defined punishment), but it makes perfect sense: people (not just teenagers) like to feel like they are in control. If I can have the confidence to remind a student of a rule and then turn my back, I can see how s/he might be more likely to comply – on his/her good time. This way there is no escalation, and it remains a one-on-one matter, without the fuel of public attention. Tom Moore said something on the first day of core that sticks in my head here: Don’t get yourself into a contest with a student over who is tougher; they are. I will definitely give this tactic a try.
ReplyDeleteI’m also a big fan of the call-home-early plan. It just seems like it makes sense that the investment up front will pay off royally. My daughter is only two, but I can imagine that I’d be thrilled to hear from her teachers, especially if they bother to introduce themselves under non-crisis circumstances. Without a human voice on the other end of the phone (if possible, I’d like to use the phone instead of email), a teacher would just be the sum of the stories I hear when my daughter gets home – and I suspect that if there is a story worth telling, it’s more often bad than good. A call would just ease my apprehension as a parent, I would think. I only hope that I don’t feel too clobbered by nightly planning to put in the due time here. I’d like to think it will be realistic to spend all this time on the phone. Maybe as a back-up I could write an introductory email in week one that goes to all parents: “Hi, I’m your child’s math teacher… excited about getting started and getting to know your child… here is my contact info… please feel free to contact me with any questions/concerns….”
The other thing that really sticks in my mind is the importance of consistency. It’s just a fact that humans are creatures of habit: We won’t necessarily do what’s right -- or what’s even in our best interest; we’ll just do what we’ve done before, as long as we haven’t learned that the old way causes problems. I’ve forgotten who said this in class, but someone pointed out that these habits we develop are who we become as people. So it seems especially important to learn good habits early. In class the word “training” keeps coming up. I’m going to try to keep in mind that good behavior, like any other habits, is learned and needs to be trained and reinforced, not just assumed at the expense of remediation.
For me, 'Reinforcement versus Punishment' was one of the most affecting discussions we had, and probably one that will entertain much of my thoughts over the next few weeks. I definitely plan on performing a 'reinforcement survey' to try and discover what I might be able to use to motivate my students. Though I plan on being incredibly engaging :), it doesn't hurt to have some additional incentives for good behavior and performance! I was really disappointed EHHS had a wellness policy (to heck with the obesity crisis in America!) as it is true that candy is a powerful enticement. At my son's graduation party there was practically a feeding frenzy over containers of Starburst and Blowpops ---and these were soon-to-be college students! However, regardless of what we use as incentives I truly believe that by shifting the focus to students who ARE behaving with positive reactions/rewards, those with bad behavior begin to see they are not being successful in drawing attention to themselves. Unfortunately, for some of these students, this is the only attention they get, so sometimes negative attention doesn't seem so bad. Once we are able to change their behavior enough to reward them positively for even some sort of positive improvement, hopefully they will want to increase the frequency of those moments. That is certainly what I will strive for!
ReplyDelete'Proximity' was a strategy I immediately connected with. This is because one of the aspects of teaching I most look forward to has nothing to do with math. It is the opportunity to personally connect with a group of young people to whom I might be the only positive adult figure who cares about their ability to succeed. By using proximity as a deterrent to 'off-task' behavior, I am given the opportunity to be 'up close and personal' with my students. I want them to know I am not hesitant to be near them, and although I might move closer because of disengagment, I think it can still show I identify with them, and hopefully they will see it as my way of being personally interested in them. It is such a simple act with what I see as huge rewards; immediately corrected behavior because they are put on the spot, and my opportunity to say "hey, I'm here for you."
I honestly see myself using so many of the techniques we read about and discussed in class but I guess the next most effective technique I feel I will use on a daily basis would be 'chunking with varied activites.' Of course this goes back to engagement which I think we would all agree is the single best deterrent to negative behavior. However, I think that one reason chunking is so important and effective is because it not only changes up the class and keeps the students' interest, but it allows us as teachers not to get stale with what we are covering and to enjoy what we are teaching more ourselves. Chunking keeps subject matter within reasonable sections, allows us to use our imaginations, keeps the students from getting bored, and both students and teachers to stay enthusiastic about what we are learning (and I say 'we are learning' because I believe we continue to learn along with our students). I believe students definitely sense a teacher's desire (or lack thereof) and enthusiasm to cover a certain topic so it's really important that we try and find a way to convey our ideas in a way we BOTH can enjoy. Chunking allows us to incorporate a variety of activities into our classroom and significantly enhance our lesson plans.
Almost forgot, on another subject I would just like to say how much fun it is to read these blogs now that I have gotten to know my cohort. I feel like I have so many new friends and these blogs have so much more meaning now that I am connecting them with a real person. After last week (and the dreaded MIROSSESS) when I thought I would be 'voted off the island' I feel we are all true SURVIVORS!! And now we're off to student teaching! I can't wait to hear about everyone's experiences -GOOD LUCK!!
ReplyDeleteI spoke with Jaf after class Friday about my Geometry class seating arrangements. I have 31 in this class, and I am worried about it. With this number of students, it seems like we will have to use row seating. I will try to still have them group up as best we can, but I am skeptical. Jaf says that if they know the only way they get to work together and do hands on activities is if they pair up well, they will have the incentive to do so. I hope so!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Evan about loving the concept of not backing someone into a corner. In fact, the only time I have felt out of control in the classroom was when I did just that. I actually had a student walk out and not return. Later, when we were both calm, we discussed the situation and came up with a plan for the next time he felt like he couldn't deal with the class. It worked very well, and the other students didn't feel like he was getting special treatment; they were actually glad he wasn't disturbing the rest of the class.
Hope everyone enjoys the day off tomorrow!!!!
One technique I plan to use is positive reinforcement. At the very least, I will verbally say things like, “Thanks for being on time, Joe” and “I like how Jane is prepared with her paper and pencil on her desk”. This is a basic parenting technique that I use with my own kids: catch them being good, instead of only noticing and commenting on the negative behavior. However, like Stephen, I struggle with finding an acceptable tangible reward. Many of the tokens and tickets suggested by Don Perras may be appropriate for middle-schoolers, but I have a hard time believing 16- and 17-year-olds will be motivated by a ticket. Also, the record-keeping that goes along with these reward systems seems a bit intimidating to me. I haven’t yet asked if candy is permitted at Hall High School.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of prevention that I like is establishing norms, which I think goes hand-in-hand with consistency of procedures. Spelling out the rules and expectations for every procedure, including such mundane tasks as getting a drink, sharpening a pencil, or throwing out a piece of paper, and then enforcing those procedures consistently, really heads off many potential disruptions and negative behaviors. In one math class I observed, I noticed a few students get up wordlessly, write their names on the board, pick up a calculator from the classroom bin, and then sit down to begin working. I realized that they clearly knew the procedure for borrowing a calculator. There was no need to ask the teacher and no excuse for chatting with another student, thus eliminating potential disruptions. In addition, I never thought that something as simple as throwing out a piece of paper would require a spelled-out procedure. When I was subbing, one very annoying habit that many boys had (sorry guys, but I never witnessed a single girl exhibit this behavior) was loudly crumpling up a piece of paper and then taking a basketball-like shot at the trash can. This, of course, caused many of the students in the class to watch and see if he made the shot, thus disrupting the flow of the class. The established procedure in my classroom will be to walk your trash to the trash can. (I will admit that usually, if he missed the shot, the boy would get up and put the paper in the trash can without prompting.)
I found proximity to be a useful classroom management technique when I was subbing. I usually paced around the room and often, simply stopping near the misbehaving student would cause him/her to discontinue the behavior. I avoided long-distance call-outs. They only serve to give the offending student more attention. My method was to bend down and put my face close to the student’s face, and say softly, “I expect you to put the iPod away and watch the DVD.” It usually worked.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteOn one level, I am nervous, wondering whether I can possibly sustain the interest in an Algebra class of a high school student who looks to be 18 years old, 6'1" tall, 215 lbs and is taking the course for the third time.
At the same time, I am (perhaps somewhat naively) persuaded that a combination of the techniques we have learned will prove sufficient to reach a number of our students, and that an unrelenting confidence in the potential of each of our students to learn will prove to be our greatest strength.
The Do Now is clearly the first key for me, since it not only activates the brain and stimulates prior knowledge, but also builds the students' confidence in math skills already learned and conditions students to be self-directed learners - to take ownership in their learning.
Chunking and student activity is also a key - instructing only for short periods of time, and frequently making the students do the work. The key is again that the students take ownership; for example, solving various steps of a problem and writing the answers.
A third key is positive reinforcement, remarking on good behavior, and catching a more resistant student when they are doing the right things. By challenging the students to actively participate in math learning during the class, the reinforcement is for doing math (alone or as part of his/her group), not for sitting quietly for long periods of time listening to a voice drone on...
I look forward to hearing about each of our experiences in the days ahead. Bon courage!
Interesting how you guys often focused on different aspects. As we said, we'll give you tools and you use what works for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see many of you take the parent contact to heart. Stephen makes such an important point in presenting the parent's perspective.
I'll post CM Part 2 and we'll see how all this is going. :)
In all the whirlwind of information that is out there, I can only think of three words: PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though I need to have all my ducks in order before I can even hope to manage a classroom.
Hello Everyone
ReplyDeleteI believe that the three ideas or strategies that I thought would be most helpful in the classroom are have student put tally marks on homework problems, have the classroom seating arrange in a U shape and get the students working the first five minutes and the last five. I think the tally marks are important because it is a waste of time to demonstrate a problem that only one student is having a problem with. It is much more efficient and beneficial to demonstrate a problem that most students have difficulty with performing. It is best to go after the long pole in the tent. The U shape is probably the best configuration for viewing the students and most students in middle or high school need constant monitoring. I think this will also assist in classroom management because the student will realize that they are in clear view. Keeping the students busy or engaged in the first five minutes is vital to getting the class moving in the right direction. With adolescents you never want inertia working against you. Moreover, if the students are occupied they will not be causing trouble, in most cases.
John
It is interesting to hear what everyone has to say regarding classroom management. As a new "Blogger", I hope we learn to see the benefit of reading all the blogs as opposed to just the one written before you happen to post.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I really like the idea of using the concept of "Respect" as underlying "Expectation" in my classroom. I can actually see myself putting two lists on the board on the first day of class. One list would have the title "Non-negotiable" and the other "Negotiable". The only item listed under either title would be the word "Respect" and it would be written in the Non-negotiable column. I would hope to explain to my students that having respect for yourself and others is the only non-negotiable item in this classroom. I would also hope to articulate that respect is a given at first, but that ultimately it is earned through behavior and actions. I intend to let them know that the same concept applies to me as their teacher.
This does two things for me; first, it allows me to relate their behavior to whether or not they are living up to our non-negotiable expectation and second; because everything else is negotiable, it gives the students the ability to affect how the classroom is managed. Through their "empowerment", I would hope the students take ownership of both their class and their learning.
The other two strategies that I found compelling are engagement and redirection. I believe in a way the two are complementary in that engagement is a tool you can use to redirect behavior. To me, engagement does not always have to be related to the subject matter but it can involve anything the students are interested in. In fact, establishing a rapport with your students is a form of engagement that can pay dividends throughout the year. I believe engagement can be both preventative and remedial and like all class management strategies, works best if what you are doing is transparent to the students.
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ReplyDeleteyes, insightful, Karen. :-)
ReplyDelete-E
This is my second attempt at posting this blog -- should have taken Phil's advice and copied the content into a word document before problems hit. Won't make that mistake again.
ReplyDeleteI identified with the benefits of the DO NOW strategy. Keeping the students positively and quietly engaged at the beginning of a lesson sets the proper tone for the entire class. Also, presumably if the students are busy doing what you've asked them to do, they won't busy themselves with something you don't want them to do. This strategy reminds me of the saying "pay a little now or alot later". The time to prepare a DO NOW as well as the investment in training the students in how to complete a DO NOW without guidance is certainly less than the effort in turning the class around once misbehavior has set in.
Clearly communicating expectations and consequences is essential if you want the class to know what you consider acceptable behavior. Some teachers might have a "it goes without saying" mentality but that wouldn't work with my goal of avoiding as many direct teacher/student confrontations as possible. Setting the expectations up front, and following through with the consequence demonstrates to the student that it is his/her choice in accepting the inevitable consequence should they decide to deviate from what is expected. This strategy puts the responsibility for the consequence on the student, and removes a part of the potentially confrontational element of applying consequences from the teacher. I feel that its worth the effort up front to establish (and model) proper behavior. However, these expectations are without validity if consequences aren't consistently applied. I plan to take a rather hard line during the first few weeks of school, to go along with Wong's belief that a teacher's reputation may well determine success for the entire school year. I hope my "say what I mean/mean what I say" approach will prevent misbehavior from happening or really from escalating.
Proximity is a powerful technique that doesn't interrupt the flow of the lesson - bonus! As a sub. teacher, I witnessed the power of walking around and redirecting behavior just by "exposing" hidden zones in the back corners where students felt safe to doodle, text, or whatever they chose. Just walking near the students was enough to set them back on track as it let them know that they were on "my radar". Also, participation increased when I moved away from the "teacher pleasers" up front. There must be a sociological/psychological reason to explain why a student finds it more difficult to ignore a teacher who is standing right next to them, but I know that this works.
I am a true believer in “Do Now” or otherwise also known as “Warm Up” to focus student’s attention from the very first minute they step into the classroom and keep them engaged. I believe by using this technique, it will prevent misbehavior and it will keep students on task. I agree with Tom and Stephen that this is one of the top 5 most important tools that will essentially provide an anticipated positive outcome for classroom management.
ReplyDeleteI believe that working together with my co-teacher using the “divide and conquer” method will be crucial during my student teaching to achieve high level of student learning and minimize behavior concerns. While the majority of students are working on the Do Now, I and my co-teacher will be able to individually address the needs of those students who may need some help.
Another strategy that I consider to implement is using positive reinforcement. However like Kathy and Stephen has mentioned it earlier I also struggle with finding an appropriate reward system that will motivate the students to comply with rules and my expectations. I have been thinking about giving a point for each 4 period for good behavior and active participation and whoever collects all 4 points will receive a reward of some sort (candy or pencil) at the end of the day. I guess I just have to try and see how this idea will play out during student teaching
I find that the strategies of proximity, redirection, and engagement will be the most useful and effective techniques for my student teaching experience. Since I will be sharing a classroom with my master teacher, who has already established the operational rules of his class, I plan to utilize and practice these strategies, in order to develop the ability to apply these techniques with aplomb when I have my own class.
ReplyDeleteProximity is effective in any classroom situation, because it enables the teacher to “connect” with a student and communicate approval or disapproval of behavior and performance without disrupting the lesson or activity. The student understands why the teacher is nearby, and most of the time, the result will be appropriate behavior. I can easily combine this strategy as an integral part of my communication with students.
Redirection can be applied in a shared classroom situation. Having a wayward student shift gears and work on another task is another means of changing deviant behavior without causing a major disruption of the class. It also catches the student off guard, so that the student will not be ready to respond with a challenge. It might even be viewed as a means of showing his ability to do something different. There are many opportunities for a math teacher to provide varied activities to students. I believe that this will be useful to me as I student teach.
Engagement is a very powerful tool that can be used in my classroom situation. A teacher who connects with his students has a better chance of enticing them to learn. Students are more apt to listen to, and cooperate with, a teacher they like and respect. Engagement seems to be the key to reaching students and inspiring them to work with others and participate in class activities. I hope to engage my students in ways that allow us to respect and learn from each other.
I look forward to honing these skills as I progress through my student teaching.
To me, the most important classroom management strategy is descalation. I can see how minor behavior issues can escalate quickly into power struggles if you let them. It is more important to not back students into a corner than it is for me to walk around like a drill sergeant. It was good to hear Jaf talk about how he tells a student to put a book away and then walks away from the student and assumes the student will do as he asked. Jaf mentioned that now he has the confidence to do that. I didn't realize it was about confidence until he mentioned it. I am definitely going to use that strategy when I am student teaching.
ReplyDeleteAnother strategy for classroom management that I will use will be to engage the class. It is very true that idle time is the devil's playground. As soon as the students think they have the opportunity they will start chatting with their friends. Today, when I observed a class when one student was working on a problem at the board the rest of the class became disengaged and started talking amongst themselves. The noise level kept escalating. I think the problem was that there wasn't enough student to student discussion about the problems on the board. The teacher did most of the talking. I think engaging the class can be harder than it sounds.
I also think that proximity is a good technique for classroom management. Most students know they aren't supposed to be talking or goofing off and they will stop when you address it. Addressing the issue non-verbally by walking near the student sends the message to the student that you know what they are up to and at the same time it allows the student to make his or her own decision to stop the behavior. It also allows the student to save face because the issues is handled quietly without the teacher calling out the student.
Engagement, engagement, engagement can’t be emphasized enough. Idol hands are the devils workshop. That is why it is so important to have students engaged immediately upon entering the classroom thus the do now. Another way to help students become engaged is to have take part in the development of the classroom rules and as a result giving them ownership.
ReplyDeletePeer pressure is a useful tool in the quest for classroom control. Reward and recognize the well doers. Also have group rewards that are affected by the student who acts up. Giving points to the group based on how many members are on task.
Divide and conquer. Separate the agitator from the group. Have a cooperating teacher where you can send your students when they can’t behave thus separating them from their peers and making them the outsiders. This teacher would also have reciprocity and will be able to send you their problem children. It must be remembered that being sent to the office in the case of students is a de-facto reward. Prior to the drastic step the teacher can reseat certain kids possibly using the proximity effect either placing him/herself in close proximity to the overzealous student or spending a disproportionate in the vicinity of the student.
Parent engagement to me appears one of the teachers’ best control tools. Send home contact paperwork giving parents an intro the teacher and teachers contact info and getting the same from the parent. Then one must maintain a polite constructive dialog with the parents for the students and teachers benefit.
As I've been in bed with a fever since Monday, I had no ability to even think until now, so here goes:
ReplyDeleteWhat I got from the Core & Methods presentations, and Wong's book on classroom management, is to echo some of my colleagues, ENGAGEMENT is probably the most important factor. This strategy can be accomplished by the tactics of the Do Now, by presenting the lesson in an entertaining way, using proximity and the walk - around, and keeping focused on the goal of building a relationship with each student so they feel that they matter. As I contemplate myself teaching in an engaging way, I know it will take some practice and feedback to get it right, but as long as I concentrate on the engagement mantra: ENTERTAINING/ Stimulating (but what is this to a teenager?); Get/keep students involved DOING things relevant to the lesson, including skill building games; and COMMUNICATING with the kids (and parents when necessary) so they are the focus, not my talking.
Aside from engagement, I agree with Janice that Reinforcement versus Punishment is always a winning strategy (except in dysfunctional corporate settings). How many of us respond to positive reinforcement over negative criticism? Using positive reinforcement without pandering, or appearing patronizing might be tricky, so it is important to be consistent - another one of the themes in classroom management - with the students in how I apply verbal kudos. I thought that some of the things mentioned, such as 'Thanks for being on time' starts to cross the 'expectations line' since this kind of fundamental skill has long been a part of the students' routine. Instead, I might focus on certain phrases such as "Nicely reasoned," or "That's a creative solution," or "Good job! The enlightenment bulb is on," things of this nature. Kids are often smarter than we give them credit for, so in using positive reinforcement, it is important to not underestimate them.
A third strategy for classroom management is in case of failure, REDIRECT! What I mean is that whether a lesson topic has gone off course, or a student is acting up and my first two strategies aren't working for them, then I have to get in an redirect their attention. Tactics might be a simple question directed to the class, or a pop quiz, or a brief stretch break. I was a bit surprised that so little mention is made of things like doing a brief physical activity, especially since kids are so physical, and that, as educators, we tend to keep things in the mental domain. We teachers walk around, but the students are confined to their desks, so especially for longer classes and summer school, a little movement goes a long way. Did you notice that I began by talking about redirecting, then transitioned into movement? I was wondering how much a good transition applies to re-direction. Perhaps a good 'stop & go' or change of direction might be good as a change of pace? Keeping things fresh will no doubt be a challenge, so having a toolkit of 'go to' redirects will help when they are needed.