Many of you will be student teaching soon. What is your greatest concern related to managing your classroom and/or students? What can you do ahead of the first day of school to prepare yourself in this area?
I am not student teaching until Spring 2010, but I think about it alot. What worries me is just being unsure of myself if I am being a capapble teacher and teaching students everything I can to ensure them the best education. I was a para for 2 years and I am in the classroom even now 20+ hours a week volunteering and working with students. I am hoping this allows me to observe how instructions are planned and executed. Another thing that worries me is being able to control the classroom because I love to laugh and I make jokes alot. I have been working on this with the teacher of the class I am observing and I also teach Junior Bible Quiz to a variety of aged children and this has allowed me to work on different ways to discipline them effectively without them losing the motivation to be a part of the team. This is what I above all else want to make sure I do is not unmotivate a student to learn with the ways I discipline. So I think being a part of the education field before you even student teach is a great way to prepare you for teaching. I heard a story in the teachers lounge last week that a retired teacher was telling me of a girl that came to do her student teaching in her class. She had never been in the classroom before by herself because even when she went out to do her methods another student was with her. Anyways she looked at the teacher after the 2nd week and said she was sorry, but this clearly was not for her because she could not handle it. Another way to prepare is to take the classes you are in seriously and don't just rely on what you will learn as you go, but bring into it what you already know!!
The main concern I have is making sure that I have fun with my students while staying on track. When I am in the classroom observing my teacher and when I student teach, I make sure that I learn from my cooperating teacher as to how to have fun while staying on track. By making sure that my students know when it is time to work and be serious, and when it is ok to have some fun, they will be less likely to cross that line between having fun and being out of control.
Jacque said: I think that the greatest concern that I have that is related to managing the classroom is keeping the students safe. A great deal of the issues that we have to deal with such as being a social worker, being a teacher to them, but supporting them also is a great deal to deal with. To prepare ahead with the first day of school, I need to make a classroom management plan and follow with it. The classroom management plan must also follow district policy and procedures for discipline as well. I need to make sure that I give them a warning first, and then move them and third they may go visit principal or timeout room. I also need to make sure that there are plenty of signs with the plan around the classroom. Most important I need to make sure that every student is treated the same with respect and that every student understands the rules.
Reply to Jessica T: from Jacque S: I think also fun is an important part of teaching as well that I forgot to mention. I also agree with you that there has to be fun added to the classroom and that the teachers also need to make sure that the students are learning as well. I think that sometimes it is often hard for teachers to not cross that line do you agree?
I have been working in an elementary school setting for over three years now so I feel quite confident in managing a classroom and/or students. However, my biggest concern is managing student conflict outside of the classroom. For example, when students are on recess breaks or lunch, behavioral issues occur so my concern is how should the “he say/she say” be handled.
I think in order to prepare for this type of behavior, I will implement a rule or protocol for students to follow when they are outside. A teacher or assistant is always supervising the students when they are out for recess and lunch, therefore, I will inform the students to notify an adult immediately if a problem occur outside, and then, the next step would be to report to me, so that we could deal with the issue effectively.
My biggest concern would be organization with lesson plans. After my first year of teaching, I realized you can put your lesson plans in stone and something always comes up and messes them up. You must be prepared for alternative plans. Spring semester can be a nightmare for you if you have split classes. Students in your morning classes will be ahead of your afternoon students due to activities, field trips, etc. You have to be able to maintain learning and keep your classes from getting too much seperation. I would get all your textbooks as soon as you get the job. This will allow you to spend some time over the summer getting lesson plans ready for the fall. This will allow you to come up with projects and activities to do in class. Being prepared is the biggest thing before the first day of class. Preparation will also allow you not not work so much durning the year to make lesson plans. You also need to get help from other teachers in your building and teachers in your content area and ask for advice. I had the opportunity to work across the hall from a teacher with thirty years of experience. She had a lot of great advice about organization of lessons and grades and how to deal with adversity. Little things that you may not learn from college. It is learned by experience, take advantage of it.
The biggest concern that I have about student teaching is the fact that someone, other than my peers, I will be teaching. I worry that I will seem timid and incapable of reaching the students. I have had experience working with toddlers and preschoolers at the daycare I have worked at for over five years, but still worry because I will be student teaching with high school students. Also,I worry about the students being defiant to me as a teacher.
To overcome this worry, the rules and procedures should be enforced from day one with the students. Also, the students need to know when they need to be serious and when the setting is laid back and relaxed. I will have to adapt to the type of students are in my class and take advantage of everything to make the best opportunity for myself and my students.
I agree that there is a fine line between keeping class fun and staying on track with the lesson. The classroom environment does not have to be serious all the time. There needs to be some moments where there can be laid back settings and fun. I had a teacher who started every class with a joke, comic, or video to lighten the mood of the class and get their attention. That was a nice change up from the other classes.
I agree that the line can be crossed quite often. Especially with those teachers who happen to be sponsors or coaches. They often share a more casual relationship with the students than those teachers who are there to teach. So it is important to be careful and pay attention to when the line is being crossed.
I will be student teaching in the Spring. I have to admit that substitute teaching the last few years has helped to give my confidence and experience in working with various classes and this will go a long way in helping me next semester. However, I have learned that each class is so different - even the different mixture of students from year to year. I think my biggest concern is when the children are getting into upper elementary and they no longer have a desire to please the teacher (like first grade students) and want to be able to impress their classmates with their behavior. Some children will respond immediately to a verbal or visual reminder - but what about the child that does not care and has absolutely no respect for adults at all - especially women? We learned in a previous class at FHSU, that sending a child to the principal was not the answer - as this is telling the child that you are not able to address the issue. I agree with this, but my concern and question is "How does a teacher deal with problem behavior from a student that does not care about any consequences?" Also, I would assume that if troubles continued, that a child could be requested to stay after school. But, what if the school did not support this - what then? I think that to deal with most issues - and perhaps this situation as well - the teacher has to have a management plan in place, as well as the consequences for breaking this plan. This needs to be posted and communicated to the children. It will also be important for me to be well prepared - know the lesson I will teach, have materials ready, be excited and have a variety of learning methods, and keep the class flowing. Most importantly, I want to earn the respect of my students and their families by getting to know them and communicating in a "real" manner with them. I also need to know what my school district (and principal) will support in the way of discipline and class management.
In response to Lucas, I agree that other teachers can be such a great resource. Many of them have "been there, done that" and can share various strategies that have worked for them. I think utilizing seminars and other training will also be beneficial as well. I have enjoyed all of the observations that we have had to complete, as well as my substitute teaching - as it has given me a great opportunity to see what teachers do (and don't do) to keep things organized. It is also amazing to me to see a child have such a rough year with one teacher - then the next year settle down and do great. In my opinion, there is a great deal to be said about teacher interactions with children and behavior issues.
I don’t have too much concern with how I will manage my classroom. I have been subbing for four years now and I have been in classes from pre-K to 12th, special ed to vo-ag, the rich schools to the support school for the local juvenile detention center. I have a 27 page Word file full of ideas on teaching that I have garnered from my experiences and much of that has to do with classroom management. I had to break up a fight between two girls in a high school lunchroom last Wednesday and I had to deal with a constantly disruptive first grade boy on Friday. I am getting fairly confident now, but I do still remember my terror the first day I set foot in a classroom.
To prepare for classroom management the first day of school I believe organization is the first key. Have everything in order and in a well labeled place. Have your lesson plans prepared and materials organized. Have your time planned out so that you are not rushed or caught short. Have a definite set of classroom rules and have them clearly stated and posted. Have clearly outlined plans on how to encourage positive behavior (modeling, tokens, etc.) and how to discourage misbehavior (ignoring, negative reinforcement through token economy, target sheets, etc.).
Most of all don’t for one second let the kids think that you doubt yourself or what you are doing. They are like wolves, if they smell fear they will turn on you…
I know where you are coming from! I too think learning should be fun and like to use humor in the classroom, but knowing when and how much can be a trick. I want the children to be engaged and enjoy learning, but I don’t want them to get to the point that they are having too much fun to follow the rules and learn. There are some days when I am subbing that I have a problem with this balance.
I am glad you mentioned the district’s and school’s policies regarding behavior management. We do need to be certain that the methods we employ are in line with the district policy and school attitude. The various schools and districts I sub in have different “ambiances” that are reflections of their guidelines regarding behavior management. There are schools where there is no “discipline” just “encouragement” and those are quite stressful places. There are those that are very strict and employ methods that would be frowned upon in our courses but are still legal. Most of the schools I sub in have a great balance fortunately, and I hope for a placement in one of those schools!
Not many of us have thought about behavior management outside of the classroom. I do engage in it daily, but hadn’t really thought much about it. You are correct that there is a great deal of he said she said, but more often than not there are plenty of witnesses!
I think these areas are great opportunities for teaching students to resolve their problems themselves. It would be great to develop a step by step program for letting students resolve playground conflicts themselves. I will have to work on that idea…
I think that working as a para for the last 5 years has helped prepare me for teaching. I have seen things that work and things that do not work. I also am smart enough to know that what works for one teacher may not work for me. I have begun to collect supplies and work from teachers that are retiring. I think that organization and a clear plan for the first day is critical. I think then the plan can be tweaked for day two and so on on until the procedures and classroom routine can be set. I think that the most successful teachers are in a routine and everyone from teachers to students are confident in the routine.
RE: Jacque I agree that you must look at the districts policies for certain situations. Most districs are different and it is important to keep things consisiten throughout the district.
Mallory, I think we all have the same type of fears that you have. I think it is the fear of the unknown. I know you personally from other classes and cannot imagine you would ever have a problem. I think most discipline problems will be twarted because you carry yourself in a strong yet gentle manner. You will make learning exciting and I think that is key.
I am student teaching this spring. My main concern is the feeling of no control. I grew up "old school" where the teacher had all of the control and the students were the mere listeners. I would like to think of myself as a little out of the box when it comes to my pedagogical beliefs. I have a great amount of patience and energy and am not bothered by a little noise if it is productive. I am worried that others might perceive this as a lack of control in the classroom. Furthermore, this is a complete opposite of the teaching style my cooperative teacher uses. She thrives on order. It will be interesting I am sure. The biggest mistake I have observed that led to poor management was the lack of teacher preparation. To ensure that I am ready to face the day, I will come to school early to make certain everything is ready to go before students arrive. Ideally, I will spend the last few minutes enjoying a cup of coffee and reading a little bit of my Bible to prepare me for the day's challenges. =)
My biggest concern is that I am just not prepared with all my lesson plans that correspond with state standards. I want my students to learn, and would be crushed if my lessons were too easy or too difficult. If this were to happen, students will become bored or stressed, and I will lose student attention and motivation.
To prepare, I will collect lesson plans, study the state standards, and observe teachers. I also think that having another teacher peer review me on a regular basis during the first few years of teaching will help ease my anxiety. The first years will be overwhelming, and I hope I can find that teacher who can constructivly critisize my abilities.
SarahRhodes, I too have observed those teachers who are not prepared for the class. The lack of organization sets the tone for the entire classroom. In our textbook, I thought it was interesting that in the 1,000 hours that a student is in shcool, roughly only 1/3 of those hours are used for engaged learning time. I observed one teacher in a junior high who spent the first 20 minutes of each class taking attendance and getting prepared for the 45 minute class! What a huge disservice to our students!
RE: Christine G. You are so right about what happens when you get a student at the upper elementary level who doesn’t care about school, you, the principal, or anything you can find.
I too have been substitute for a few years. I have had the opportunity to watch one student from fifth through 7th (and into 8th now) grades who always had this “I don’t care, I won’t do it, and I know you can’t make me attitude.” At first I was simply aggravated by this boy. The first day I met him as a fifth grader he decided to kick back, put his feet up on his desk and challenge me. I decided to just calmly tell him what he was dealing with (look Johnny, I am an old, tired German woman who can stare down my cat. If you want to have a stare down, then fine. Just give me a minute to get the rest of the class going and I will be back.). He waited for me, but I could tell by the time I got back he was a little unsure of what he had uncorked. Back then, I didn’t have any teacher training yet. I was actually just applying what I knew about dealing with horses! I leaned against the wall by his desk, cocked one leg and started a calm stare down with him. After about three minutes he put his feet down, then after another minute he dropped his stare. He slowly, and I do mean slowly, pulled his book out from underneath his desk and plopped it up and open before him. He didn’t do any work that day, but he didn’t disturb the other kids. I treated him with the same kindness and humor as I did the rest of the class. Each time I was his substitute after that he would give me a goofy smile on his way in, plop in his desk with his “I am too cool for school” attitude. But each time he did a little more work and was slightly more cooperative. His regular teachers have told me that they have done pretty much the same thing, stood up to him, but let him know they did care about him and wouldn’t let him off the hook. The other kids had no desire to copy his attitude so there was no point in sending him off to the office, as you point out, that would never have fixed anything.
Just two weeks ago I had this boy in one of my classes at the middle school. He sauntered into the room, still too cool for it all, but when he say me he greeted me with a big smile, a “Hey Mrs. Boone!” and a fist bump. He was cooperative and did well in the class. I think he’s going to make it just fine…
Sometimes classroom management means just that, managing to keep them in the classroom regardless of what you have to put up with!
Reply to Lyn, Thank goodness I am not the only one out there. I am not subbing yet because of this hesitance I have, but I do volunteer over 20 hours a week trying to see how different teachers handle things and learning from observing. I am going to have to take into account though that it is me, I am different and will handle things differently, but at least this gives me an idea.
Reply to Lacey, That is such a great idea to have other teachers look over what you are doing your first year or so. I am sure you will do great at your lessons and will find your balance in a short time! State standard information will become like a cake walk, ;) and you will be doing your lessons with ease in no time...good luck!!
Reply to Sarah, I really hope that what you are wanting to do catches on to the teacher you are with, sounds like she could use a bit more organization. that is so important to have items ready. I am a huge Kagan fan and really like how he encourages organization and having something ready for the student to do as soon as they come in, such as reading a library book, having a to do folder of goodies and other things like that. this gives the teacher time to count heads, take roll, get lunch count and get everyone settled. I would also love that time to read in my Bible before each day begins...no better way to begin!!
Since I am already teaching I will turn my focus to areas that may help those getting ready to begin their student teaching. First, ask questions...many people feel like a pain if they ask too many...you will not be so don't be shy. Have your mentoring teacher show you around the building and make sure you are very familiar with the staples of a teacher: where is and how to use the copier, get a good relationship with the secretaries (this can make your life much easier), and a list of school policies. Also, make sure that when you begin teaching you do not take on too many other responsibilites, such as supplemental duties. You can be overwhelmed very easily and, if you are pulled in too many directions, your classroom will suffer. Make sure you have a great plan in place from a management standpoint, and allow plenty of time in your day to lesson plan. I know when I began with a block schedule system I did not have enough built in my lesson plans. I had to continue to work to find my stride with a plan that worked. You will do great...just keep working each day to get better!
Re: Sarah R. I like the fact you are a little more liberal with your pedagogical beliefs. I think this is a great way to attack your classroom management system. Be patient during your student teaching as your teacher, being old school, may not agree with your style. Listen to productive areas of their message, but do not get frustrated.
Yes, the students at high school will be somewhat defiant at first to test you. Do not let them break you. You need to be firm with your classroom standards and procedures. However, you will need to add an element of fun to the classroom to keep the students engaged. Show them respect and they will show you respect.
I have been subbing for year, and I feel fairly comfortable with my classroom management skills. However, it has been difficult for me to travel from classroom to classroom, and teach under other teacher’s classroom management. I think when I have my own classroom, I will be able to start my own rules from the very beginning, and work with the students to follow them. Subbing is hard when you do not know the teachers rules and procedures. I feel that I have gained many ideas as to what I can do in my own classroom.
To prepare myself, I would first talk with veteran teachers, who will have many ideas. I would first tell them my ideas, and have them give me their feedback. I will visit with my administrator about my plan, and have his approval with my plan as well as consequences and rewards. I would also have all rules posted in the classroom, as well as a copy of the rules sent in a newsletter before the first day of school, so every student and parent can know what I am expecting on the first day.
Lyn- I agree that subbing has taught us many ideas which will will use in our own classroom. I feel that I have had great experiences in the classrooms, and I have been able to learn from many different teachers, and teaching styles. I also agree that is is very important to be organized. If we were unorganized, then our classroom will be unorganized, and we will not get the time that we need to teach the students.
I will be student teaching next semester (Spring 2010). My biggest concern with classroom management is being able to handle a fight breaking out and inappropriate language. I do not have any doubts that I know what I am teaching however I do not that I am confident in my skills to be able control a student who tells me, "F*** off." In my curriculum and methods class we are dealing with those situations now, but it is completely different when it is a high school student than when it is a peer. As for if a fight breaks out, I am concerned about how I will break it up and how I will get these students to the administration or how I will get the administration to my gymnasium.
This is something that we are discussing in classes now and other than that I think all I can do is keep my confidence and just handle the situations as they arise.
I definitely understand classes getting ahead and behind other classes. Especially in the spring semesters this can be a big problem. I don't know that I would say your lesson plans are "Set in stone," because all students are different and often a lesson plans needs to be slightly modified from year to year even if the activity is the same. I agree with your suggestion to make most of your lesson plans over the summer before your first year of teaching to take the stress off during the year. But again, if the students do not progress as quickly or more quickly than your initial lesson plans then they should be modified to fit your students.
I am student teaching in the spring and I am more anxious about it than I ever anticipated I would be. I am most concerned about handling behavior issues. I am student teaching 5th/6th graders and I hope to find a job at that level as well. This is an age where being “popular” and funny are more important to many students than pleasing the teacher and being a role model. I am afraid that my students will sense my apprehension and will attack that. Students are cleverer than most of us tend to think. I know that my first days of student teaching as well as my first days in my own classroom will be critical in this area. I will need to show the students that I am in charge and that misbehavior will not be tolerated. I want them to trust in me and not feel that I am threatening though. I think that mutual respect will be vital for managing this concern.
The best way to deal with misbehavior issues, in my opinion, is to prevent them. I can do this by ensuring that I have well planned lessons that consume all learning time allotted to my classes. I think that if I do not plan lessons well and the students finish the assignments and have time on their hands; this is when misbehaviors begin to happen. I also do not want to have extra busy work for those that complete their assignments. I have seen evidence that busy work can lead to just as many problems as down time. I will need to have enrichment activities that are meaningful and tied to the lesson for these students to complete. I also think that extra time can be utilized for makeup work as well. I believe this concern will become less of an issue with time and experience. I will have to go in with confidence and help my student to see that our learning time together will be beneficial as well as fun.
I think that you are very ready for your future in the classroom. It is great that you have so many experiences that have thoroughly prepared you for these moments. I have substituted and worked as a para for two years in addition to my classroom time for college, but I still feel apprehensive about many things. I think the idea of having all the responsibility is overwhelming at times. I was curious as to whether or not you are interested in sharing some of your 27 pages of ideas? I think it would be great to pull in ideas from many different places to utilize in the future.
I agree with your ideas on how to manage the classroom. I too feel that well prepared lessons are imperative to classroom management. Having to look for materials or not planning your time well are key elements to creating chaos and disruptive behaviors. I think that classroom rules and behavior plans will be necessary too. There are so many great ideas that have been offered to us these past few years and I hope to make the best of them.
My situation is a little different. I am in the transition to teach program. This program allows you to begin a full-time teaching job and take the courses required for licensure. I began teaching in September of 2008. Instead of reflecting on student teaching, I am going to reflect on my first semester of teaching and the concerns and fears that I had. Then I’m going to talk about the changes I made for this year and how they have helped me be a more effective teacher.
Going into teaching I was mainly concerned aobut knowing enough of my content area, accounting. It had been years since I had accounting in college, and doing accounting in the real world and teaching it are two very different things. Because I was so focused on that I kept the previous teachers rules and procedures, which I found were very lax. The previous teacher allowed tardies, had zero consequences, and was VERY liked by her students. She allowed them to get away with many things that she probably shouldn’t have. I had many discipline problems that first year. There was a lot of cheating, disrespectful behavior between students and disrespect towards me. I tried to change some of that second semester, but I’d never had any guidance and I wasn’t able to uphold my plan.
In July, I was able to attend the T2T induction program. This gave me lots of great advice for setting up a classroom, being able to connect with students, and teaching strategies. I felt like a whole new teacher when I began teaching my students the rules, consequences, and procedures. I feel like I have a better relationship with my students even though I am much stricter than last year. Even though I have three classes of over 40 students, I am able to maintain control 99% of the students are on task and engaged in learning. I have also had comments from my administrator that I have improved greatly! When I was evaluated I received excellent marks in the category of classroom management.
I will be making a few changes to my plan for next semester and probably more for next year, but I feel so much better going into the year with a plan in place.
You are right on track about the best prevention of behavior issues is to keep them busy. You will still have a few kids who are off task, but a couple is easier to manage than an entire class. I think that being the "cool" teacher does not mean that you have to be totally relaxed. You'll be able to plan activities and fun learning tasks, and that will help keep your students engaged and having fun!
I hope I don't sound like I know it all, because I can assure you I still struggle everyday, but my advice regarding the "control" issue, would be to realize that you will probably NOT have control and that it's ok. I don't know what kind of school or grade level you'll be teaching at but at my school, I know that I will have tons of kids who want that control, so I go into the day realizing that I can't control any of these kids, so I try to maintain order. If I have a problem, and I do, I take care of it according to my discipline plan and always give the student a chance to tell me their side of it. Last year when I started teaching this was something I really struggled with, now I let them have say over things and I think it's going much better.
I am student teaching this spring in a sixth grade classroom too! You do have a grasp of what you're up against, that social mess is the biggest behavioral issue in my opinion.
At least I know the students I will be student teaching as well as the teachers I will be working with. These kids have had me as a sub on and off for four years, so they know me well enough that I am hoping it prevents some of the worse issues. But I am sure there will be plenty to make me run to my mentor teacher and scream "HELP!"
My greatest concern relates to how the parents are going to support me through my decisions on how I run the class. With that in mind, having a communication plan with the administration, students, and the students’ parent(s) will be for my benefit. Before school even starts, I want to address and receive full support from the administration on how and what I am going to teach my classroom. If the plan needs any changes according to the administration, than I will do such so that in the school year they can back my decisions that I have made within the classroom. After I get the approval from the administration, I will create a website for the students and parents to read, ask questions, play learning games, and they will find the monthly classroom update as to what the students will be learning and what the students have learned. For the families that do not have internet, I will send out a hard copy of the newspaper so that they will still be involved. Also before school starts I would like to have on file parent(s) name(s), phone numbers, emails, and home address so that in any situation I can easily get a hold of any parent(s). I would also like to mail a communication plan to the parents and have them sign it. With them signing it, it is an agreement on how I ran my class and how they, as the parents, are going to help their child when they need it. I believe that it is important for parents to be involved with the students school work because it allows their children to think outside of the box and maintain respect for their parent(s). Without a communication plan, my procedures and routines that I will be applying into the classroom will most likely fail, which I do not want. In the end, I just want a great communication and support from the parent(s), administration, and the students so that the learning environment can reach its maximum potential.
Re: Ember D. Thanks for sharing your teaching situation, it was a great insight onto what a teacher should and should not keep but change within the rules, consequences, and procedures in order to improve a class. I’m glad that you didn’t keep letting the students walk all over you but you found a program that would give you advice. I believe that the best teachers are those who are still willing to learn and I believe that you are one of them. Keep the good classroom management going, for those are the teachers that students remember.
My biggest fear in classroom management is the first few weeks of my first year teaching. I know how important it is to lay a good foundation at the beginning of school, but this includes being consistent and enforcing the rules as well as setting the scene for a fun learning year. I think the best way to help with this is just to make sure I am completely prepared before starting teaching. The activities I’m doing in some of my classes are part of this preparation, as I have been comparing my teaching style to different theories and theorists ever since I took Foundations. Looking at different approaches has helped me be exposed to a variety of theories, and I have been sorting through and trying to apply the best aspects of them. I know I’ll continue doing this throughout my classes, which will help me know what I want to do and how to handle situations. Many of my classes require us to share different scenarios we have encountered in our internships and how they were handled, which has also been helpful. I’ve also learned a lot from my mentor teacher. Just last week one of the students said something that I would have not known how to react to; she paused for a moment and then said something to change the meaning of what he had said, making it no big deal. I know this will stick in my mind as an example anytime I am in a similar situation. Although all of these are good steps to help me prepare, before I actually start teaching I will need to sit down and decide exactly how I will handle situations. This will include going over the school’s rules and disciplinary procedures, as well as deciding myself what I will and won’t tolerate. I can also decide how to deal with general situations, depending on their severity. Even though not every single scenario can be considered and planned out, if I have thought about how to handle different situations (teasing, actions that could harm students, excess noise, attention-seeking behaviors, etc.) I will know how to react in the classroom. Some behaviors will simply need to be ignored, while others obviously require action. Having a general plan will help me react in the appropriate way and set the scene for a good year.
I can relate you to your feelings of being timid. Although I will be working with much younger children who will not seem as intimidating, I sometimes struggle with being bold and taking charge in new situations. In my internships, I usually hang back a little until I am familiar with how the classroom works, but when I have my own classroom, I will have to step up and set the stage for how everything should work. Preparation is the key to gaining that confidence we will need.
I believe that my biggest concern is that I won't be able to control outside factors. Outside factors could be home life,outside influences, and basically anything that could happen outside of the classroom. Right now I am a para, and I have really come to see how much a student's home life effects their school work. No matter how hard you work at home, if they don't have the proper help at home it will be hard to get anywhere with them. I think the way I would prepare for this would be to find out about the students before they start school. I would like to send a survey/questionnaire home to see what information I could get that way. I would also make sure to look over their cumulative folders that have been gathered throughout the years.
I too would have a hard time handling that situation. I don't handle back talk well, so it would be very, very difficult for me to remain calm and not just excuse them from class. (Although I think they should automatically be excused from class for that.) I guess we will never really know how you will react until the situation occurs. Hopefully, for you, it doesn't happen any time soon and you have the strength to remain calm.
I feel that my biggest concern about classroom management is keeping everything organized and keeping the students on task. After being in the classroom for my internships I have realized how hectic things can get. The teacher constantly has papers just thrown on her desk and in random baskets, and when students say they’ve turned something in a lot of times it can’t be found. It’s not that it is the teacher fault it’s that the students don’t understand that if their papers are not placed in the correct spot they can easily be lost. From the first day of school I want to provide an organized environment where the students and I will be comfortable. I also want to make sure the students know what is expected of them and how and why we do the things we do. To implement my strategies there will have to be work done in the classroom before the beginning of the school year. Creating a classroom where everything is labeled so students know what each particular item is used for and where things go. Starting this the first day will hopefully make for a more productive learning environment throughout the year.
In response to Sarah R., I can understand the fear of having no control in the classroom. It often feels like there is little control in the 6th grade classes that I internship in. Things seem really different from when I was in school because I don't remember the teachers yelling like they do today. I would like to think that I would not allow my class to get that out of control that they have to be yelled at. However, it seems like control can be lost very quickly especially if the teacher gets interupted by some outside factor.
I will be student teaching this coming spring. I am very excited and aprehensive all at the same time about this experience. I feel like I have received a lot of experience with my methods courses, internships and by working in different school systems over the past four years. Throughout my classes at FHSU, I have been shown the tools to manage a classroom with ease and structure as well as showing me how to be an effecitve educator. Even though I have experienced all of these things, nothing compares to having a classroom of our own. I am scared that I won't be able to control 10-20 children with different personalities, learning styles and personal stories.
I think that prior to the first days of school one of the best things I can do is to ask for help from those educators around me who have experience in this new field for me. Making sure that I am prepared is also important. Anyone can write lessons or follow the lessons in the book, but if we don't have rules, reinforcement/ consequence plans, a positive environment and good communication set into place, our rooms can become quite chaotic. It is important for us to keep an open mind and be able to flexible and ready to improvise at the drop of a hat. I look forward to these challenges as I begin this new chapter of my education and career.
I agree with your response that having an organized classroom is very important. I have also been in classrooms where papers, projects, folders and books are strung out everywhere. I have also been in classrooms where everything is labeled and has a place. I think it says a lot to walk into a highly organized classroom. While working fulltime, raising my family and taking college courses, I find myself feeling strung out and unorganized a lot. I hope that I can take the time to organize and label everything properly when I get the chance to have my own classroom.
I agree that one of the best things that we can do to prepare ourselves for our new class on the first day of school is to be organized, have prepared lesson plans, be flexible, be able to improvise and adjust and seek out all of the advice we can from those around us who have been in the field for some time. I have gained so much from my internships. I have been so lucky to have great teachers who have opened up their knowledge, lessons and resources to me. I have also been given tips as fas as what to expect, what I will and won't have to do when I get my own classroom versus what we were taught and did throughout our college years. I value all of this advice.
I also find myself aprehensive about my first few weeks of school during my first year of teaching. People are always telling me that your first year is always the hardest. I keep thinking that I can prepare myself so that it isn't that bad, but I don't know. I hear that there is so much that we were never taught that you have to just experience that really scares me.
Classroom management is one the biggest reasons that a teacher is unsuccessufl in the classroom. I feel personally I am at an advantage because I have had management experiences. It is great to have someone to respect you and it is even more important to earn the respect of the students. I know as a teacher that I need to prepare ways for student to not feel favored. I know that I do this already in the classroom and have been working hard. It is also important to have student feel like they are part of the developmental plans
RE Lyn: I too will be student teaching in the spring. I spent the greater part of this evening with my husbands family and we discussed some of the issues that we see as an issue. The biggest issue is financial support of families. With the economy many families are having to have all members work in order to make a living this leaves children in the care of someone else. It is difficult as a teacher for you to get realize for them
Re: Darcy You really are at a good point ahead of being a para for the last five years! Great advantage and ways of input that you have for your future classroom.
Mallory L My greatest concern for my classroom is probably student safety. This is a concern for every grade. I will be sure to avoid idol hands. There will be no wasted time in my classroom. Everything the students will do will have a purpose. I will also be sure to have procedures set into place to prevent any activities that might cause a student harm. For example, I will have the students practice lining up. If my students run to line up then they will have to go back and try again. I will also check the school safety policy. I will not know all the answers but I will be sure to stay as up to date as possible by attending conferences and reading journal articles.
Mallory L In response to Elizabeth Krause… I also feel like my experience with Fort Hays has really prepared me for classroom management. It does seem scary to think that we be in charge 10-20 students some day. I do feel more capable of handling this situation though because our school has done a great job slowly introducing us to the classroom. I did not even think about our fellow colleges being a great resource. I ask my first internship teacher, who was a first year teacher how she came up with a curriculum. She told me that she was really lucky because she works with other teachers who are really experienced and help her to figure out what they should have the students study.
Many of you will be student teaching soon. What is your greatest concern related to managing your classroom and/or students? What can you do ahead of the first day of school to prepare yourself in this area?
My greatest concern is getting a class of students that did not have a established classroom management system the pervious year, and having to brake the bad habits out of them. Another concern of mine is having students with behavioral problems, and having that take away time from all student.
On day one I plan on having a class discussion about the class rules. Let them help develop them. I feel that if the student has input in some of the rules that they will be easier for them to follow. Also from day one I will enforce the rules of the class, so that the students start off with what is expected through out the year. The most important thing that I will do to help have a well managed class is to be very organized.
I think every new teacher is unsure of them selfs. I know I am, but we can not let the students see that we are unsure.
I really agree with this comment of yours "Another way to prepare is to take the classes you are in seriously and don't just rely on what you will learn as you go, but bring into it what you already know!!" You nailed it with that statement.
Many of you will be student teaching soon. What is your greatest concern related to managing your classroom and/or students? What can you do ahead of the first day of school to prepare yourself in this area?
ReplyDeleteThis blog is due November 15.
I am not student teaching until Spring 2010, but I think about it alot. What worries me is just being unsure of myself if I am being a capapble teacher and teaching students everything I can to ensure them the best education. I was a para for 2 years and I am in the classroom even now 20+ hours a week volunteering and working with students. I am hoping this allows me to observe how instructions are planned and executed.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that worries me is being able to control the classroom because I love to laugh and I make jokes alot. I have been working on this with the teacher of the class I am observing and I also teach Junior Bible Quiz to a variety of aged children and this has allowed me to work on different ways to discipline them effectively without them losing the motivation to be a part of the team. This is what I above all else want to make sure I do is not unmotivate a student to learn with the ways I discipline.
So I think being a part of the education field before you even student teach is a great way to prepare you for teaching. I heard a story in the teachers lounge last week that a retired teacher was telling me of a girl that came to do her student teaching in her class. She had never been in the classroom before by herself because even when she went out to do her methods another student was with her. Anyways she looked at the teacher after the 2nd week and said she was sorry, but this clearly was not for her because she could not handle it. Another way to prepare is to take the classes you are in seriously and don't just rely on what you will learn as you go, but bring into it what you already know!!
The main concern I have is making sure that I have fun with my students while staying on track. When I am in the classroom observing my teacher and when I student teach, I make sure that I learn from my cooperating teacher as to how to have fun while staying on track. By making sure that my students know when it is time to work and be serious, and when it is ok to have some fun, they will be less likely to cross that line between having fun and being out of control.
ReplyDeleteJacque said: I think that the greatest concern that I have that is related to managing the classroom is keeping the students safe. A great deal of the issues that we have to deal with such as being a social worker, being a teacher to them, but supporting them also is a great deal to deal with. To prepare ahead with the first day of school, I need to make a classroom management plan and follow with it. The classroom management plan must also follow district policy and procedures for discipline as well. I need to make sure that I give them a warning first, and then move them and third they may go visit principal or timeout room. I also need to make sure that there are plenty of signs with the plan around the classroom. Most important I need to make sure that every student is treated the same with respect and that every student understands the rules.
ReplyDeleteReply to Jessica T: from Jacque S: I think also fun is an important part of teaching as well that I forgot to mention. I also agree with you that there has to be fun added to the classroom and that the teachers also need to make sure that the students are learning as well. I think that sometimes it is often hard for teachers to not cross that line do you agree?
ReplyDeleteI have been working in an elementary school setting for over three years now so I feel quite confident in managing a classroom and/or students. However, my biggest concern is managing student conflict outside of the classroom. For example, when students are on recess breaks or lunch, behavioral issues occur so my concern is how should the “he say/she say” be handled.
ReplyDeleteI think in order to prepare for this type of behavior, I will implement a rule or protocol for students to follow when they are outside. A teacher or assistant is always supervising the students when they are out for recess and lunch, therefore, I will inform the students to notify an adult immediately if a problem occur outside, and then, the next step would be to report to me, so that we could deal with the issue effectively.
Re Jacque:
ReplyDeleteI think having a classroom management plan is an excellent idea. It gives you a set protocol on how to reinforce rules and procedures.
My biggest concern would be organization with lesson plans. After my first year of teaching, I realized you can put your lesson plans in stone and something always comes up and messes them up. You must be prepared for alternative plans. Spring semester can be a nightmare for you if you have split classes. Students in your morning classes will be ahead of your afternoon students due to activities, field trips, etc. You have to be able to maintain learning and keep your classes from getting too much seperation. I would get all your textbooks as soon as you get the job. This will allow you to spend some time over the summer getting lesson plans ready for the fall. This will allow you to come up with projects and activities to do in class. Being prepared is the biggest thing before the first day of class. Preparation will also allow you not not work so much durning the year to make lesson plans. You also need to get help from other teachers in your building and teachers in your content area and ask for advice. I had the opportunity to work across the hall from a teacher with thirty years of experience. She had a lot of great advice about organization of lessons and grades and how to deal with adversity. Little things that you may not learn from college. It is learned by experience, take advantage of it.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest concern that I have about student teaching is the fact that someone, other than my peers, I will be teaching. I worry that I will seem timid and incapable of reaching the students. I have had experience working with toddlers and preschoolers at the daycare I have worked at for over five years, but still worry because I will be student teaching with high school students. Also,I worry about the students being defiant to me as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteTo overcome this worry, the rules and procedures should be enforced from day one with the students. Also, the students need to know when they need to be serious and when the setting is laid back and relaxed. I will have to adapt to the type of students are in my class and take advantage of everything to make the best opportunity for myself and my students.
Reply Jessica T:
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is a fine line between keeping class fun and staying on track with the lesson. The classroom environment does not have to be serious all the time. There needs to be some moments where there can be laid back settings and fun. I had a teacher who started every class with a joke, comic, or video to lighten the mood of the class and get their attention. That was a nice change up from the other classes.
RE Jaque
ReplyDeleteI agree that the line can be crossed quite often. Especially with those teachers who happen to be sponsors or coaches. They often share a more casual relationship with the students than those teachers who are there to teach. So it is important to be careful and pay attention to when the line is being crossed.
I will be student teaching in the Spring. I have to admit that substitute teaching the last few years has helped to give my confidence and experience in working with various classes and this will go a long way in helping me next semester. However, I have learned that each class is so different - even the different mixture of students from year to year. I think my biggest concern is when the children are getting into upper elementary and they no longer have a desire to please the teacher (like first grade students) and want to be able to impress their classmates with their behavior. Some children will respond immediately to a verbal or visual reminder - but what about the child that does not care and has absolutely no respect for adults at all - especially women? We learned in a previous class at FHSU, that sending a child to the principal was not the answer - as this is telling the child that you are not able to address the issue. I agree with this, but my concern and question is "How does a teacher deal with problem behavior from a student that does not care about any consequences?" Also, I would assume that if troubles continued, that a child could be requested to stay after school. But, what if the school did not support this - what then? I think that to deal with most issues - and perhaps this situation as well - the teacher has to have a management plan in place, as well as the consequences for breaking this plan. This needs to be posted and communicated to the children. It will also be important for me to be well prepared - know the lesson I will teach, have materials ready, be excited and have a variety of learning methods, and keep the class flowing. Most importantly, I want to earn the respect of my students and their families by getting to know them and communicating in a "real" manner with them. I also need to know what my school district (and principal) will support in the way of discipline and class management.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Lucas,
ReplyDeleteI agree that other teachers can be such a great resource. Many of them have "been there, done that" and can share various strategies that have worked for them. I think utilizing seminars and other training will also be beneficial as well. I have enjoyed all of the observations that we have had to complete, as well as my substitute teaching - as it has given me a great opportunity to see what teachers do (and don't do) to keep things organized. It is also amazing to me to see a child have such a rough year with one teacher - then the next year settle down and do great. In my opinion, there is a great deal to be said about teacher interactions with children and behavior issues.
I don’t have too much concern with how I will manage my classroom. I have been subbing for four years now and I have been in classes from pre-K to 12th, special ed to vo-ag, the rich schools to the support school for the local juvenile detention center. I have a 27 page Word file full of ideas on teaching that I have garnered from my experiences and much of that has to do with classroom management. I had to break up a fight between two girls in a high school lunchroom last Wednesday and I had to deal with a constantly disruptive first grade boy on Friday. I am getting fairly confident now, but I do still remember my terror the first day I set foot in a classroom.
ReplyDeleteTo prepare for classroom management the first day of school I believe organization is the first key. Have everything in order and in a well labeled place. Have your lesson plans prepared and materials organized. Have your time planned out so that you are not rushed or caught short. Have a definite set of classroom rules and have them clearly stated and posted. Have clearly outlined plans on how to encourage positive behavior (modeling, tokens, etc.) and how to discourage misbehavior (ignoring, negative reinforcement through token economy, target sheets, etc.).
Most of all don’t for one second let the kids think that you doubt yourself or what you are doing. They are like wolves, if they smell fear they will turn on you…
RE: Jennifer R.
ReplyDeleteI know where you are coming from! I too think learning should be fun and like to use humor in the classroom, but knowing when and how much can be a trick. I want the children to be engaged and enjoy learning, but I don’t want them to get to the point that they are having too much fun to follow the rules and learn. There are some days when I am subbing that I have a problem with this balance.
Lyn B.
RE: Jacque
ReplyDeleteI am glad you mentioned the district’s and school’s policies regarding behavior management. We do need to be certain that the methods we employ are in line with the district policy and school attitude. The various schools and districts I sub in have different “ambiances” that are reflections of their guidelines regarding behavior management. There are schools where there is no “discipline” just “encouragement” and those are quite stressful places. There are those that are very strict and employ methods that would be frowned upon in our courses but are still legal. Most of the schools I sub in have a great balance fortunately, and I hope for a placement in one of those schools!
Lyn B.
RE: Alison
ReplyDeleteNot many of us have thought about behavior management outside of the classroom. I do engage in it daily, but hadn’t really thought much about it. You are correct that there is a great deal of he said she said, but more often than not there are plenty of witnesses!
I think these areas are great opportunities for teaching students to resolve their problems themselves. It would be great to develop a step by step program for letting students resolve playground conflicts themselves. I will have to work on that idea…
Lyn B.
I think that working as a para for the last 5 years has helped prepare me for teaching. I have seen things that work and things that do not work. I also am smart enough to know that what works for one teacher may not work for me. I have begun to collect supplies and work from teachers that are retiring. I think that organization and a clear plan for the first day is critical. I think then the plan can be tweaked for day two and so on on until the procedures and classroom routine can be set. I think that the most successful teachers are in a routine and everyone from teachers to students are confident in the routine.
ReplyDeleteRE: Jacque
I agree that you must look at the districts policies for certain situations. Most districs are different and it is important to keep things consisiten throughout the district.
Mallory,
ReplyDeleteI think we all have the same type of fears that you have. I think it is the fear of the unknown. I know you personally from other classes and cannot imagine you would ever have a problem. I think most discipline problems will be twarted because you carry yourself in a strong yet gentle manner. You will make learning exciting and I think that is key.
I am student teaching this spring. My main concern is the feeling of no control. I grew up "old school" where the teacher had all of the control and the students were the mere listeners. I would like to think of myself as a little out of the box when it comes to my pedagogical beliefs. I have a great amount of patience and energy and am not bothered by a little noise if it is productive. I am worried that others might perceive this as a lack of control in the classroom. Furthermore, this is a complete opposite of the teaching style my cooperative teacher uses. She thrives on order. It will be interesting I am sure. The biggest mistake I have observed that led to poor management was the lack of teacher preparation. To ensure that I am ready to face the day, I will come to school early to make certain everything is ready to go before students arrive. Ideally, I will spend the last few minutes enjoying a cup of coffee and reading a little bit of my Bible to prepare me for the day's challenges. =)
ReplyDeleteMy biggest concern is that I am just not prepared with all my lesson plans that correspond with state standards. I want my students to learn, and would be crushed if my lessons were too easy or too difficult. If this were to happen, students will become bored or stressed, and I will lose student attention and motivation.
ReplyDeleteTo prepare, I will collect lesson plans, study the state standards, and observe teachers. I also think that having another teacher peer review me on a regular basis during the first few years of teaching will help ease my anxiety. The first years will be overwhelming, and I hope I can find that teacher who can constructivly critisize my abilities.
SarahRhodes,
ReplyDeleteI too have observed those teachers who are not prepared for the class. The lack of organization sets the tone for the entire classroom. In our textbook, I thought it was interesting that in the 1,000 hours that a student is in shcool, roughly only 1/3 of those hours are used for engaged learning time. I observed one teacher in a junior high who spent the first 20 minutes of each class taking attendance and getting prepared for the 45 minute class! What a huge disservice to our students!
RE: Christine G.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about what happens when you get a student at the upper elementary level who doesn’t care about school, you, the principal, or anything you can find.
I too have been substitute for a few years. I have had the opportunity to watch one student from fifth through 7th (and into 8th now) grades who always had this “I don’t care, I won’t do it, and I know you can’t make me attitude.” At first I was simply aggravated by this boy. The first day I met him as a fifth grader he decided to kick back, put his feet up on his desk and challenge me. I decided to just calmly tell him what he was dealing with (look Johnny, I am an old, tired German woman who can stare down my cat. If you want to have a stare down, then fine. Just give me a minute to get the rest of the class going and I will be back.). He waited for me, but I could tell by the time I got back he was a little unsure of what he had uncorked. Back then, I didn’t have any teacher training yet. I was actually just applying what I knew about dealing with horses! I leaned against the wall by his desk, cocked one leg and started a calm stare down with him. After about three minutes he put his feet down, then after another minute he dropped his stare. He slowly, and I do mean slowly, pulled his book out from underneath his desk and plopped it up and open before him. He didn’t do any work that day, but he didn’t disturb the other kids. I treated him with the same kindness and humor as I did the rest of the class.
Each time I was his substitute after that he would give me a goofy smile on his way in, plop in his desk with his “I am too cool for school” attitude. But each time he did a little more work and was slightly more cooperative. His regular teachers have told me that they have done pretty much the same thing, stood up to him, but let him know they did care about him and wouldn’t let him off the hook. The other kids had no desire to copy his attitude so there was no point in sending him off to the office, as you point out, that would never have fixed anything.
Just two weeks ago I had this boy in one of my classes at the middle school. He sauntered into the room, still too cool for it all, but when he say me he greeted me with a big smile, a “Hey Mrs. Boone!” and a fist bump. He was cooperative and did well in the class. I think he’s going to make it just fine…
Sometimes classroom management means just that, managing to keep them in the classroom regardless of what you have to put up with!
Lyn
Reply to Lyn,
ReplyDeleteThank goodness I am not the only one out there. I am not subbing yet because of this hesitance I have, but I do volunteer over 20 hours a week trying to see how different teachers handle things and learning from observing. I am going to have to take into account though that it is me, I am different and will handle things differently, but at least this gives me an idea.
Reply to Lacey,
ReplyDeleteThat is such a great idea to have other teachers look over what you are doing your first year or so. I am sure you will do great at your lessons and will find your balance in a short time! State standard information will become like a cake walk, ;) and you will be doing your lessons with ease in no time...good luck!!
Reply to Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI really hope that what you are wanting to do catches on to the teacher you are with, sounds like she could use a bit more organization. that is so important to have items ready. I am a huge Kagan fan and really like how he encourages organization and having something ready for the student to do as soon as they come in, such as reading a library book, having a to do folder of goodies and other things like that. this gives the teacher time to count heads, take roll, get lunch count and get everyone settled. I would also love that time to read in my Bible before each day begins...no better way to begin!!
Since I am already teaching I will turn my focus to areas that may help those getting ready to begin their student teaching. First, ask questions...many people feel like a pain if they ask too many...you will not be so don't be shy. Have your mentoring teacher show you around the building and make sure you are very familiar with the staples of a teacher: where is and how to use the copier, get a good relationship with the secretaries (this can make your life much easier), and a list of school policies. Also, make sure that when you begin teaching you do not take on too many other responsibilites, such as supplemental duties. You can be overwhelmed very easily and, if you are pulled in too many directions, your classroom will suffer. Make sure you have a great plan in place from a management standpoint, and allow plenty of time in your day to lesson plan. I know when I began with a block schedule system I did not have enough built in my lesson plans. I had to continue to work to find my stride with a plan that worked. You will do great...just keep working each day to get better!
ReplyDeleteRe: Sarah R.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact you are a little more liberal with your pedagogical beliefs. I think this is a great way to attack your classroom management system. Be patient during your student teaching as your teacher, being old school, may not agree with your style. Listen to productive areas of their message, but do not get frustrated.
Re: Mallory K.
ReplyDeleteYes, the students at high school will be somewhat defiant at first to test you. Do not let them break you. You need to be firm with your classroom standards and procedures. However, you will need to add an element of fun to the classroom to keep the students engaged. Show them respect and they will show you respect.
I have been subbing for year, and I feel fairly comfortable with my classroom management skills. However, it has been difficult for me to travel from classroom to classroom, and teach under other teacher’s classroom management. I think when I have my own classroom, I will be able to start my own rules from the very beginning, and work with the students to follow them. Subbing is hard when you do not know the teachers rules and procedures. I feel that I have gained many ideas as to what I can do in my own classroom.
ReplyDeleteTo prepare myself, I would first talk with veteran teachers, who will have many ideas. I would first tell them my ideas, and have them give me their feedback. I will visit with my administrator about my plan, and have his approval with my plan as well as consequences and rewards. I would also have all rules posted in the classroom, as well as a copy of the rules sent in a newsletter before the first day of school, so every student and parent can know what I am expecting on the first day.
Lyn- I agree that subbing has taught us many ideas which will will use in our own classroom. I feel that I have had great experiences in the classrooms, and I have been able to learn from many different teachers, and teaching styles. I also agree that is is very important to be organized. If we were unorganized, then our classroom will be unorganized, and we will not get the time that we need to teach the students.
ReplyDeleteI will be student teaching next semester (Spring 2010). My biggest concern with classroom management is being able to handle a fight breaking out and inappropriate language. I do not have any doubts that I know what I am teaching however I do not that I am confident in my skills to be able control a student who tells me, "F*** off." In my curriculum and methods class we are dealing with those situations now, but it is completely different when it is a high school student than when it is a peer. As for if a fight breaks out, I am concerned about how I will break it up and how I will get these students to the administration or how I will get the administration to my gymnasium.
ReplyDeleteThis is something that we are discussing in classes now and other than that I think all I can do is keep my confidence and just handle the situations as they arise.
Re: Lucas S
ReplyDeleteI definitely understand classes getting ahead and behind other classes. Especially in the spring semesters this can be a big problem. I don't know that I would say your lesson plans are "Set in stone," because all students are different and often a lesson plans needs to be slightly modified from year to year even if the activity is the same. I agree with your suggestion to make most of your lesson plans over the summer before your first year of teaching to take the stress off during the year. But again, if the students do not progress as quickly or more quickly than your initial lesson plans then they should be modified to fit your students.
I am student teaching in the spring and I am more anxious about it than I ever anticipated I would be. I am most concerned about handling behavior issues. I am student teaching 5th/6th graders and I hope to find a job at that level as well. This is an age where being “popular” and funny are more important to many students than pleasing the teacher and being a role model. I am afraid that my students will sense my apprehension and will attack that. Students are cleverer than most of us tend to think. I know that my first days of student teaching as well as my first days in my own classroom will be critical in this area. I will need to show the students that I am in charge and that misbehavior will not be tolerated. I want them to trust in me and not feel that I am threatening though. I think that mutual respect will be vital for managing this concern.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to deal with misbehavior issues, in my opinion, is to prevent them. I can do this by ensuring that I have well planned lessons that consume all learning time allotted to my classes. I think that if I do not plan lessons well and the students finish the assignments and have time on their hands; this is when misbehaviors begin to happen. I also do not want to have extra busy work for those that complete their assignments. I have seen evidence that busy work can lead to just as many problems as down time. I will need to have enrichment activities that are meaningful and tied to the lesson for these students to complete. I also think that extra time can be utilized for makeup work as well. I believe this concern will become less of an issue with time and experience. I will have to go in with confidence and help my student to see that our learning time together will be beneficial as well as fun.
Lyn B-
ReplyDeleteI think that you are very ready for your future in the classroom. It is great that you have so many experiences that have thoroughly prepared you for these moments. I have substituted and worked as a para for two years in addition to my classroom time for college, but I still feel apprehensive about many things. I think the idea of having all the responsibility is overwhelming at times. I was curious as to whether or not you are interested in sharing some of your 27 pages of ideas? I think it would be great to pull in ideas from many different places to utilize in the future.
I agree with your ideas on how to manage the classroom. I too feel that well prepared lessons are imperative to classroom management. Having to look for materials or not planning your time well are key elements to creating chaos and disruptive behaviors. I think that classroom rules and behavior plans will be necessary too. There are so many great ideas that have been offered to us these past few years and I hope to make the best of them.
My situation is a little different. I am in the transition to teach program. This program allows you to begin a full-time teaching job and take the courses required for licensure. I began teaching in September of 2008. Instead of reflecting on student teaching, I am going to reflect on my first semester of teaching and the concerns and fears that I had. Then I’m going to talk about the changes I made for this year and how they have helped me be a more effective teacher.
ReplyDeleteGoing into teaching I was mainly concerned aobut knowing enough of my content area, accounting. It had been years since I had accounting in college, and doing accounting in the real world and teaching it are two very different things. Because I was so focused on that I kept the previous teachers rules and procedures, which I found were very lax. The previous teacher allowed tardies, had zero consequences, and was VERY liked by her students. She allowed them to get away with many things that she probably shouldn’t have. I had many discipline problems that first year. There was a lot of cheating, disrespectful behavior between students and disrespect towards me. I tried to change some of that second semester, but I’d never had any guidance and I wasn’t able to uphold my plan.
In July, I was able to attend the T2T induction program. This gave me lots of great advice for setting up a classroom, being able to connect with students, and teaching strategies. I felt like a whole new teacher when I began teaching my students the rules, consequences, and procedures. I feel like I have a better relationship with my students even though I am much stricter than last year. Even though I have three classes of over 40 students, I am able to maintain control 99% of the students are on task and engaged in learning. I have also had comments from my administrator that I have improved greatly! When I was evaluated I received excellent marks in the category of classroom management.
I will be making a few changes to my plan for next semester and probably more for next year, but I feel so much better going into the year with a plan in place.
In response to Kirby:
ReplyDeleteYou are right on track about the best prevention of behavior issues is to keep them busy. You will still have a few kids who are off task, but a couple is easier to manage than an entire class. I think that being the "cool" teacher does not mean that you have to be totally relaxed. You'll be able to plan activities and fun learning tasks, and that will help keep your students engaged and having fun!
In response to Sarah R:
ReplyDeleteI hope I don't sound like I know it all, because I can assure you I still struggle everyday, but my advice regarding the "control" issue, would be to realize that you will probably NOT have control and that it's ok. I don't know what kind of school or grade level you'll be teaching at but at my school, I know that I will have tons of kids who want that control, so I go into the day realizing that I can't control any of these kids, so I try to maintain order. If I have a problem, and I do, I take care of it according to my discipline plan and always give the student a chance to tell me their side of it. Last year when I started teaching this was something I really struggled with, now I let them have say over things and I think it's going much better.
RE: Kirby W.
ReplyDeleteI will try to get my "ideas" list edited over Thanksgiving and send out a link to anyone who is interested.
Anyone else that has a bank of good ideas to share, I would be interested in that too!
Lyn
RE: Kirby - Sixth grade
ReplyDeleteI am student teaching this spring in a sixth grade classroom too! You do have a grasp of what you're up against, that social mess is the biggest behavioral issue in my opinion.
At least I know the students I will be student teaching as well as the teachers I will be working with. These kids have had me as a sub on and off for four years, so they know me well enough that I am hoping it prevents some of the worse issues. But I am sure there will be plenty to make me run to my mentor teacher and scream "HELP!"
Lyn
My greatest concern relates to how the parents are going to support me through my decisions on how I run the class. With that in mind, having a communication plan with the administration, students, and the students’ parent(s) will be for my benefit. Before school even starts, I want to address and receive full support from the administration on how and what I am going to teach my classroom. If the plan needs any changes according to the administration, than I will do such so that in the school year they can back my decisions that I have made within the classroom. After I get the approval from the administration, I will create a website for the students and parents to read, ask questions, play learning games, and they will find the monthly classroom update as to what the students will be learning and what the students have learned. For the families that do not have internet, I will send out a hard copy of the newspaper so that they will still be involved. Also before school starts I would like to have on file parent(s) name(s), phone numbers, emails, and home address so that in any situation I can easily get a hold of any parent(s). I would also like to mail a communication plan to the parents and have them sign it. With them signing it, it is an agreement on how I ran my class and how they, as the parents, are going to help their child when they need it. I believe that it is important for parents to be involved with the students school work because it allows their children to think outside of the box and maintain respect for their parent(s). Without a communication plan, my procedures and routines that I will be applying into the classroom will most likely fail, which I do not want. In the end, I just want a great communication and support from the parent(s), administration, and the students so that the learning environment can reach its maximum potential.
ReplyDeleteRe: Ember D.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your teaching situation, it was a great insight onto what a teacher should and should not keep but change within the rules, consequences, and procedures in order to improve a class. I’m glad that you didn’t keep letting the students walk all over you but you found a program that would give you advice. I believe that the best teachers are those who are still willing to learn and I believe that you are one of them. Keep the good classroom management going, for those are the teachers that students remember.
My biggest fear in classroom management is the first few weeks of my first year teaching. I know how important it is to lay a good foundation at the beginning of school, but this includes being consistent and enforcing the rules as well as setting the scene for a fun learning year. I think the best way to help with this is just to make sure I am completely prepared before starting teaching. The activities I’m doing in some of my classes are part of this preparation, as I have been comparing my teaching style to different theories and theorists ever since I took Foundations. Looking at different approaches has helped me be exposed to a variety of theories, and I have been sorting through and trying to apply the best aspects of them. I know I’ll continue doing this throughout my classes, which will help me know what I want to do and how to handle situations. Many of my classes require us to share different scenarios we have encountered in our internships and how they were handled, which has also been helpful. I’ve also learned a lot from my mentor teacher. Just last week one of the students said something that I would have not known how to react to; she paused for a moment and then said something to change the meaning of what he had said, making it no big deal. I know this will stick in my mind as an example anytime I am in a similar situation. Although all of these are good steps to help me prepare, before I actually start teaching I will need to sit down and decide exactly how I will handle situations. This will include going over the school’s rules and disciplinary procedures, as well as deciding myself what I will and won’t tolerate. I can also decide how to deal with general situations, depending on their severity. Even though not every single scenario can be considered and planned out, if I have thought about how to handle different situations (teasing, actions that could harm students, excess noise, attention-seeking behaviors, etc.) I will know how to react in the classroom. Some behaviors will simply need to be ignored, while others obviously require action. Having a general plan will help me react in the appropriate way and set the scene for a good year.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Mallory
ReplyDeleteI can relate you to your feelings of being timid. Although I will be working with much younger children who will not seem as intimidating, I sometimes struggle with being bold and taking charge in new situations. In my internships, I usually hang back a little until I am familiar with how the classroom works, but when I have my own classroom, I will have to step up and set the stage for how everything should work. Preparation is the key to gaining that confidence we will need.
I believe that my biggest concern is that I won't be able to control outside factors. Outside factors could be home life,outside influences, and basically anything that could happen outside of the classroom. Right now I am a para, and I have really come to see how much a student's home life effects their school work. No matter how hard you work at home, if they don't have the proper help at home it will be hard to get anywhere with them. I think the way I would prepare for this would be to find out about the students before they start school. I would like to send a survey/questionnaire home to see what information I could get that way. I would also make sure to look over their cumulative folders that have been gathered throughout the years.
ReplyDeleteReply to Kersten S:
ReplyDeleteI too would have a hard time handling that situation. I don't handle back talk well, so it would be very, very difficult for me to remain calm and not just excuse them from class. (Although I think they should automatically be excused from class for that.) I guess we will never really know how you will react until the situation occurs. Hopefully, for you, it doesn't happen any time soon and you have the strength to remain calm.
I feel that my biggest concern about classroom management is keeping everything organized and keeping the students on task. After being in the classroom for my internships I have realized how hectic things can get. The teacher constantly has papers just thrown on her desk and in random baskets, and when students say they’ve turned something in a lot of times it can’t be found. It’s not that it is the teacher fault it’s that the students don’t understand that if their papers are not placed in the correct spot they can easily be lost. From the first day of school I want to provide an organized environment where the students and I will be comfortable. I also want to make sure the students know what is expected of them and how and why we do the things we do. To implement my strategies there will have to be work done in the classroom before the beginning of the school year. Creating a classroom where everything is labeled so students know what each particular item is used for and where things go. Starting this the first day will hopefully make for a more productive learning environment throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Sarah R.,
ReplyDeleteI can understand the fear of having no control in the classroom. It often feels like there is little control in the 6th grade classes that I internship in. Things seem really different from when I was in school because I don't remember the teachers yelling like they do today. I would like to think that I would not allow my class to get that out of control that they have to be yelled at. However, it seems like control can be lost very quickly especially if the teacher gets interupted by some outside factor.
Elizabeth Krause
ReplyDeleteClassroom Management Blog
I will be student teaching this coming spring. I am very excited and aprehensive all at the same time about this experience. I feel like I have received a lot of experience with my methods courses, internships and by working in different school systems over the past four years. Throughout my classes at FHSU, I have been shown the tools to manage a classroom with ease and structure as well as showing me how to be an effecitve educator. Even though I have experienced all of these things, nothing compares to having a classroom of our own. I am scared that I won't be able to control 10-20 children with different personalities, learning styles and personal stories.
I think that prior to the first days of school one of the best things I can do is to ask for help from those educators around me who have experience in this new field for me. Making sure that I am prepared is also important. Anyone can write lessons or follow the lessons in the book, but if we don't have rules, reinforcement/ consequence plans, a positive environment and good communication set into place, our rooms can become quite chaotic. It is important for us to keep an open mind and be able to flexible and ready to improvise at the drop of a hat. I look forward to these challenges as I begin this new chapter of my education and career.
In response to Tricia,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your response that having an organized classroom is very important. I have also been in classrooms where papers, projects, folders and books are strung out everywhere. I have also been in classrooms where everything is labeled and has a place. I think it says a lot to walk into a highly organized classroom. While working fulltime, raising my family and taking college courses, I find myself feeling strung out and unorganized a lot. I hope that I can take the time to organize and label everything properly when I get the chance to have my own classroom.
In response to Lucas,
ReplyDeleteI agree that one of the best things that we can do to prepare ourselves for our new class on the first day of school is to be organized, have prepared lesson plans, be flexible, be able to improvise and adjust and seek out all of the advice we can from those around us who have been in the field for some time. I have gained so much from my internships. I have been so lucky to have great teachers who have opened up their knowledge, lessons and resources to me. I have also been given tips as fas as what to expect, what I will and won't have to do when I get my own classroom versus what we were taught and did throughout our college years. I value all of this advice.
In response to Andrea M.,
ReplyDeleteI also find myself aprehensive about my first few weeks of school during my first year of teaching. People are always telling me that your first year is always the hardest. I keep thinking that I can prepare myself so that it isn't that bad, but I don't know. I hear that there is so much that we were never taught that you have to just experience that really scares me.
Classroom management is one the biggest reasons that a teacher is unsuccessufl in the classroom. I feel personally I am at an advantage because I have had management experiences. It is great to have someone to respect you and it is even more important to earn the respect of the students. I know as a teacher that I need to prepare ways for student to not feel favored. I know that I do this already in the classroom and have been working hard. It is also important to have student feel like they are part of the developmental plans
ReplyDeleteRE Lyn: I too will be student teaching in the spring. I spent the greater part of this evening with my husbands family and we discussed some of the issues that we see as an issue. The biggest issue is financial support of families. With the economy many families are having to have all members work in order to make a living this leaves children in the care of someone else. It is difficult as a teacher for you to get realize for them
ReplyDeleteRe: Darcy You really are at a good point ahead of being a para for the last five years! Great advantage and ways of input that you have for your future classroom.
ReplyDeleteMallory L
ReplyDeleteMy greatest concern for my classroom is probably student safety. This is a concern for every grade. I will be sure to avoid idol hands. There will be no wasted time in my classroom. Everything the students will do will have a purpose. I will also be sure to have procedures set into place to prevent any activities that might cause a student harm. For example, I will have the students practice lining up. If my students run to line up then they will have to go back and try again. I will also check the school safety policy. I will not know all the answers but I will be sure to stay as up to date as possible by attending conferences and reading journal articles.
Mallory L
ReplyDeleteIn response to Elizabeth Krause…
I also feel like my experience with Fort Hays has really prepared me for classroom management. It does seem scary to think that we be in charge 10-20 students some day. I do feel more capable of handling this situation though because our school has done a great job slowly introducing us to the classroom. I did not even think about our fellow colleges being a great resource. I ask my first internship teacher, who was a first year teacher how she came up with a curriculum. She told me that she was really lucky because she works with other teachers who are really experienced and help her to figure out what they should have the students study.
Many of you will be student teaching soon. What is your greatest concern related to managing your classroom and/or students? What can you do ahead of the first day of school to prepare yourself in this area?
ReplyDeleteMy greatest concern is getting a class of students that did not have a established classroom management system the pervious year, and having to brake the bad habits out of them. Another concern of mine is having students with behavioral problems, and having that take away time from all student.
On day one I plan on having a class discussion about the class rules. Let them help develop them. I feel that if the student has input in some of the rules that they will be easier for them to follow. Also from day one I will enforce the rules of the class, so that the students start off with what is expected through out the year. The most important thing that I will do to help have a well managed class is to be very organized.
IN response to Elizabeth Krause
ReplyDeleteI agree with asking other teachers for advise. That is and can be easily over looked by both new and returning teachers
In response to Jennifer R
ReplyDeleteI think every new teacher is unsure of them selfs. I know I am, but we can not let the students see that we are unsure.
I really agree with this comment of yours
"Another way to prepare is to take the classes you are in seriously and don't just rely on what you will learn as you go, but bring into it what you already know!!"
You nailed it with that statement.