TPE 11: Social Environment
_ Classroom Management
I had the wonderful opportunity to work at Christa McAuliffe K-8, a school that emphasises socializing their students. They have in The Responsive Classroom and many of my strategies come from that program. I also pull ideas from Positive Discipline by Dr. Jane Nelsen and Rick Morris’s New Management. Building Community—Students need numerous opportunities to build community with their classmates. Every morning we have a Morning Meeting in which the students greet each other, deal with the business of the day and play a team building game. This routine creates stability and predictability. Also, field trips can really bond classmates. Not only can these afford many curricular connections but the students can practice being responsible and the class can grow as a community. Teacher-Parent Communication—Another key preventative measure in the classroom is the strong relationship between the teacher and the parents. I will establish and maintain a website for the class to post homework, field trip information and the plan for the week. An email group would allow parents to form a community of their own. Parent volunteers in the classroom support my authority and show the students that they value education. The students are less likely to misbehave with such a united front. Class Agreements—At the beginning of the year, the class came up with some agreements (not rules) by which to abide during the day. · Use walking feet in the classroom · Use indoor voices and raise your hand before you speak · Be respectful and responsible · Participate in all activities · Use materials and equipment properly The class agreements are always in effect but when we add a new component to our routine, like Literature Circles, we debate a new set of agreements. I have noticed that when they review the expectations in advance, they are more likely to behave appropriately. Consequences—I’m interested in solving problems, not using consequences, but there are times when ramifications are necessary. The consequences are generated by the children themselves. Here are the disciplinary actions my coworker's 3rd grade class came up with. · Take a break until you are ready to come back · Take a break until an adult invites you to come back · Talk with the teacher · Go to the principal “Taking a break” is not a punishment but an opportunity for reflection and decompression. Problem Solving—Teaching students to solve problems empowers them and will help them be more focused during lessons. Once a week, we have Class Meetings to work out any problems that may be bothering the students. Students run the meeting and help solve each other’s problems. I also post the Positive Discipline “Wheel of Choice” in the take-a-break corner to remind students of other ways to solve problems. Non-Verbal Cues—My goal is to reduce the number of words that I say in the classroom, so I use as many non-verbal cues as possible. A flat hand held up tells others to raise a hand as well, look at the leader and be quiet. Anyone can use this cue to gain the class’s attention. Another signal for silence is a doorbell chime. Songs can be cues for action. I use the song “Pata Pata” by Miriam Makeba for clean-up time. The kids dance and clean their way through the song and by the time it ends, they should be finished and back in their seats. I also teach gestures for “question”, “comment” and “answer” so students can let me know the type of response they want to give before I even call on them. “What do I do now?”—To answer this question before it even passes their lips is a simple matter of having the answer posted in the room. The activities that should be completed first are at the top of the list in red. Once they’ve completed the red activities, they can move on to the yellow and finally to the green. If they always have something to do, there’s less opportunity for them to be distracted or to become a distraction. Keep Learning Fun!—Keeping kids engaged and away from distractions can be as simple as becoming the distraction itself. Teach a new dance move for 10 minutes in the morning. Wear a name tag with a surprising message. Trade yarn necklaces for completed assignments. Play music as often as possible and let the kids pick the music. Have students mold clay during read-aloud time. Learning is fun! |