This lesson was about classroom management. We were given videos to watch and then given questions to answer that went along with each video. I learned alot from this lesson, also. This lesson shows just how important classroom management really is, and without it, nothing would get accomplished.
EDUC 2130 – Lesson 9 – Classroom Management
Noisy Students Video Questions
Describe the little-used, often-forgotten but very effective classroom management strategy for taking control of noisy group of students.
One strategy that is often-forgotten and little-used but is very effective in the classroom is if a teacher has to settle down noisy students gradually. Shouting and yelling aren’t good to use when trying to quiet noisy students. If students are being shouted at, more than likely the students are going to ignore the teacher.
Why is this strategy “often forgotten”?
Because teachers get so frustrated in the classroom trying to settle down talkative students, they tend to want to yell at them. Teachers forget that shouting and yelling at their students doesn’t help, but just simply talking to them about how their day went, or their weekend, etc. could calm them down.
Describe what is meant by “non-confrontational statements.”
If a teacher has a noisy/talkative group of students and he/she want to calm them down, they need to make positive comments. Focus on the positive, not the negative. Students want to hear what they are doing right, not wrong. If the students notice that their teacher is pointing out positive things from their peers, they’re more than likely going to want to act right so their teacher will notice them also.
Describe what is meant by “informal chit-chat.”
Informal chit-chat is when a teacher can talk to his or her students about anything, even if its non-school related. Teachers who are able to talk to their students and feel comfortable talking to them about the kind of things are the teachers that students like to be around. Students need to feel comfortable enough to talk to their teachers about anything.
Describe what is meant by “getting into the kid’s culture.”
Getting into the kid’s culture is basically being able to relate to your students on their level. Teachers need to be able to communicate with their students about the things that are going on in their lives, like movies, style, humor, etc. If teachers are wanting their students to be able to understand what they are talking about on their level, the teachers have to make the first move and be able to connect with their students on their level first.
Create a Safe Classroom Video Questions – Caring and Control
How does the 1 to 5 rating system encourage self-reflection and provide important feedback?
The 1 to 5 rating system that Ms. Sinclair uses in the mornings with her students helps her and her students understand how everyone’s morning is going. It gives her and the whole class to reflect upon the rest of their peers. Ms. Sinclair says she loves this exercise in the mornings because she gets to understand how all of her students are doing and why they are feeling the way they are. When a student tells Ms. Sinclair why they are upset or not having a good morning, she always gives positive feedback making them feel a lot better than they came in.
How does Ms. Sinclair reinforce desired behaviors through positive feedback?
Ms. Sinclair was always giving positive feedback to her students. Not once did I hear her say a negative thing in her classroom. Students like to be lifted up, and you do this by pointing out what they are doing correct and telling them you’re proud. When Ms. Sinclair gave students positive feedback, other students could also learn from what she’s saying to that certain student and put it in their actions, also.
What strategies does Ms. Sinclair use to consistently communicate expectations to her students?
Not only does Ms. Sinclair use a positive attitude and positive feedback towards her students, but she also rearrange her classroom making it easier for her to interact with her students. Positive feedback and being able to make your way around a classroom is very important. Anything Ms. Sinclair does in her classroom, she always stays positive and makes sure her students aren’t confused with the work. One thing she does with her students that I like was the number scales that she used to rate themselves in the mornings and then a number scale to show how well they know the material.
New Teacher Survival Guide – Classroom Management Video Questions
How do students react when Ms. V redirects them with a whisper?
When Ms. V redirects her students with a whisper, it puts them back on track. Ms. V tries not to make a big deal if her students are doing something they aren’t supposed to be doing. All she does is go up to them and whisper to them about what they are doing wrong and how they can fix it, and it fixes the situation. Her strategy is important because no student wants to be called out during the middle of class and be told what they are doing wrong, it needs to be done quietly like Ms. V has been doing it.
Do you see a difference when she tries positive narration?
Yes, there was a huge difference when she tried positive narration. I noticed that the games that she used to help her students learn was a tremendous result. The students that were bored and never wanted to listen were now interacting, and were even asking for more when they finished. Making learning fun with games can help a whole lot when trying to teach students material and when you want them to stay tuned.
What advice would you give Ms. V to continue improving her practice?
Advice that I would give Ms. V is to continue working on her lesson planning. Lesson planning is the most important thing to do. Teachers need to make sure they have all of their materials together so they can be prepared for the day ahead of them. There doesn’t need to be any down time after finishing one lesson, you need to be ready to pass out the next. Also, maybe even more practicing in positive feedback to her students.
Summary
This lesson was very helpful. I enjoyed all the videos that were required for us to watch. The one that stuck out to me the most was Ms. Sinclair. She is the definition of a “perfect” teacher. She’s positive, energetic about her job, and she always knows what she’s going to do next with her students, and that’s important.
Research Question
What are some great tips on having great classroom management?
Reference(s): http://www.nea.org/tools/51721.htm
Research Analysis
The first important tip to having great classroom management is taking charge of your classroom. Grab everyone’s attention and let everyone be seated before starting any lesson. Second, if there’s misbehavior in the classroom, focusing on the disruptive students with just a simple pause in your lesson and a stare will help those students who like to disrupt class, but never embarrass a student in front of their peers. If non-verbal cues are regarded, you may have to make them stay after class or change their seat.
Next, at the beginning of the school year let students choose their own seats. After a few days, tell the students that they will need a seat permanently for the rest of the school year. Doing this will help students behave. It makes them feel like they are in charge of something. Fourthly, teachers need to encourage students to do their best on assignments. Teachers could name strategies that will help students do better on their assignments.
Another tip is to always keep an eye on your students. You need to make sure that you are watching them and making sure that they are doing the required assignments correctly. Moving around the classroom and checking on each student individually will help the students stay on their toes and make sure that they are doing what they need to be doing. Lastly, set consequences for your students and let them know what’s going to happen if they misbehave. Let them know what they need to do and what not to do to avoid consequences.
Research Summary
My research was very helpful. Everything that was mentioned reminded me of Ms. Sinclair’s video. All of the tips that were mentioned are all really great for a classroom if you want to be an effective teacher. I will be sure to look back on all my lesson’s researches and use them in my classroom later in the future.