Great responses this week. Keep thinking back to your previous experiences as a student and reflecting on those experiences as you prepare to become an excellent teacher.
How does the physical arrangement of the classroom impact management? How do you think adapting student assignments (for those with learning disabilities or those who need enrichment) has an impact on classroom management?
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I think the physical arrangement of a classroom can greatly impact classroom management. For example if you have distracting posters all of the wall and so much stuff in your room that students can hardly move it will hinder learning.
ReplyDeleteI think that by adapting student assignments for students with learning disabilities will positively impact your classroom management. One reason is that if a student with a learning disability has a test that is way to hard for him/her they will become very frustrated and would negatively impact the classroom. But if you challenge that student just enough, but don't challenge them to the point of having a nervous breakdown over a test they will be happier and have a brighter outlook on learning.
How the class is arranged is a huge factor classroom management. A teacher wants a classroom that she can see everyone at the same time. They should put children with the most needs, whether they be behavioral or with sight or hearing needs, closest to them and the blackboard. Children who have a tough time focusing should be in a spot in the classroom with very few distractions, and not with other children they get distracted with. The set up of the classroom is a large part of learning. It is something the teacher must plan out very closely and know the children to do. This factor can depend on how good or bad lessons turn out.
ReplyDeleteI think adapting student assignments could be a great help to classroom management.If you give a child an assigment that they cannot do, then they could act out, just because they don't want to or can't complete the assigment. By giving them adapted assigments that they can do, it is possible that as a teacher you could lessen the chances of that student acting out. If they have something they can do, it is more likely that they will complete it. If they cannot do it at all, it is for sure they will not do it. If you make assignments for kids dependent on their abilities, it will be a more effective strategy for the students and as a teacher as well.
I also agree that how the classroom is arranged greatly affects learning. One example is desk arrangement. If you have the desks in pods, some students find it too easy to talk to other students and this leads to distractions. However, if you have your desks in rows, when you need students to work together, you lose teaching time because the students have to push their desks together. Another aspect of this argument is how the classroom is "decorated." If there is too much stuff on the walls, some students may get easily distracted looking at everything. On the other hand, if there isn't enough on the walls, the classroom becomes "sterile" feeling and may add unneeded stress to some students.
ReplyDeleteI think adapting student assignments always causes a little bit of jealousy and shame. The jealousy comes from other students who want an "easier" assignment or one that is more fun. The shame comes from students who feel like they can't perform as well as the student who is getting a "harder" assignment because he/she needs enrichment. I think this is a "necessary evil" because if you don't make adaptations for students who need them, you may be setting them further back.
The physical layout of a classroom is very important in classroom management. The desks need to be arranged so that all students can see and hear the teacher as well as possible. This will allow the students to hear and understand instruction more clearly. There needs to be an adequate amount of space between objects so the teacher can move easily throughout the room. This allows the teacher to better help the individual students if needed.
ReplyDeleteAdapting lessons for students with learning disabilities is very important for classroom management as well. Students can easily become frustrated with school work and give up or act out. Modifying an assignment will allow the student to have a better outlook on school which will, in return, help with behavior.
The physical aspect of the room is very important for management. From what I have experienced and observed, rooms that have poor arrangements have poor management. The students need organization and boundaries to feel that the classroom has an expectation and they need to abide by that. As far as seating arrangements for desks or tables, it's crucial that you seat the students where they will benefit the most from. Once you know your students personalities, it's great to create a seating chart then because you are familiar with who will mesh well together, who can pay attention, or who needs extra attention. For students who would need extra help it is better for you as the teacher and them that they are positioned somewhere that you can reach them easily. For students that are easily distracted, it's probably best for them not be seated so they can see out the door where there are distractions. If you are able to have a good physical room arrangement, I feel you are helping control management more than you think.
ReplyDeleteI find that there are three major seating arrangements that work well for certain classes. The first arrangement is clusters. This works so that the teacher is free to walk around the room without bumping into student’s desk or chairs and can work with the groups. Clusters are very common in situations where there is a lot of group learning and work. The desks put together make it easy for all students in the cluster to see each other and to discuss. For this arrangement it would be good to put a special needs student or a student who is struggling with higher level students so they can help the student.
ReplyDeleteThe second common seating arrangement is desk rows. The teacher is usually only able to walk from the front to the back in this set up, without making students move. It’s important for the teacher to figure out who would work well sitting by whom. Also, teachers should find out what students will work best in the front and the back of the classroom.
The third arrangement is the semi circle or ‘U-shaped’ classroom. For this, the teacher can easily see each student and they can see the teacher and the instructional aids. Because all the students can see each other they can have debates and discussions amongst themselves. The students can give ideas on how they want to do an activity and the seating arrangement could probably accommodate the activity by allowing them to work together. Also, because the students all have clear vision to the board, direct instruction from the teacher could be very common. The teacher would have full control over the students. The teacher could easily walk around the room and monitor everybody’s work. If a special needs student needs help, it could be difficult for the teacher to help them in this setting but if there is a table set up in the back of the room, the teacher could pull the student to the table and go over the work back there.
The physical arrangement of a classroom has a huge impact on classroom management. Teachers need to consider which students tend to be off-task and make sure those students are separated from each other. Students who have a hard time getting along also need to be separated. It may take a few different arrangements before teachers finally find one that works well for everybody.
ReplyDeleteDesks should be arranged so that all students can see the board and the teacher. The teacher needs to have room to move around so they are able to scan the room and perform proximity control when necessary. High-traffic areas need to cleared so students needing to sharpen a pencil or get a tissue aren't distracting the rest of the class.
Adapting assignments also has an impact on classroom management. If a student has a learning disability or is simply behind, that student needs a different assignment or they will become frustrated. A frustrated child is more likely to act out and distract others. A gifted student needs assignments to be adapted as well or they will become bored and may even lose interest in learning. Although adapting assignments can cause jealousy or shame, it is necessary for all students to reach their potential and stay interested.
The classroom arrangement is crucial as it can enhance or set-back the goal of creating a productive learning environment.
ReplyDeleteStudents who tend to be off-task should be placed closer to the front or near the teacher, as they will be more aware of their behavior if the teacher is within close proximity. Placing off-task students near one another can create problems, as the students would have another available distraction. Placing higher level students near lower level students can be helpful in creating a diverse learning environment.
An effective desk arrangement allows for all students to see and hear the teacher or technology clearly. U-shapes or half-circles are effective. The teacher can also approach more students easier and more efficiently.
Adapting student assignments for those with learning disabilities or those in need of enrichment can improve classroom management. Those with learning disabilities may become easily frustrated when assignments are too difficult. Those frustrations can turn into misbehavior or refusal to continue. By adapting the lessons, the students feel more secure, self-confident, and hopefully less likely to give up. For advanced students, lessons that are too easy may become boring, also causing misbehavior problems. They may not feel challenged, and are therefore no longer motivated. Creating more challenging lessons for these students will help keep them motivated and on-task.
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ReplyDeleteI also believe the physical arrangment greatly impacts classroom managemnt and is a very important component in teaching because it relfelcts the mood of everyone and impacts learning. If a classroom is cluttered and not very well organized, students will most likely feel the same way and have a hard time concentrating on schoolwork. Yet if a classroom is desolate and provides little artwork, students may have a hard time being creative and feeling comfortable.
ReplyDeleteClassroom management has a large role in student learning and behavorism. If a students has a hard time focusing on work and is placed near friends or next to a noicy window, the chances of that student doing better is low. Also, as a teacher it is important to know who works well with others and who struggles in group work or individual work.
Modifying students homework so that it is reasonable and appropriate is very important. I have learned this from observing in my level 2. If I give homework to a student(s) and it is unrealistic, then I should not expect anything in return, and usually that student(s) will have a hard time focusing on what was originally assigned and may cause disruption to the classroom. Modifying work so it is reasonable to everyone is extremely important when looking for educational growth and student learning.
Not only does classroom management affect student learning, but being able to adapt lesson to fit students with disabilities is a factor in the learning outcome that you always need to be prepared for. If teachers only prepared for one level of student ability, it would be much easier to plan, but not effective in the students' learning what-so-ever. Students that need adaptions are given the chance to get on the same level as the other peers. It doesn't mean that you are cheating the other students in any way, it only means your are making the learning goals attainable for that specific individual. If you aren't able to adapt for these student's needs, they will soon lose interest and their learning would not progress. If you can make changes for these students and set fair goals, the learning and their attitude of school will have a much greater outcome than if there were no adaptions made at all.
ReplyDeleteI want to make a comment on Stephanie's remark, "if a classroom is desolate and provides little artwork, students may have a hard time being creative and feeling comfortable." I do agree that the classroom needs artwork, posters, and other space/wall-enhancing features. But it is just that, they must be enhancing. There should be a specific purpose for what is placed or hung on the walls of the classroom and the children should be aware of what the purpose of these items are and there position in the enhancement of learning. When children understand why something is on the wall, they will feel more comfortable in the classroom as they will be surrounded by familiar items.
ReplyDeleteI think the management of the classroom is greatly related to the organization/setup of a classroom. After spending lots of time in my classroom, it was evident that certain students could NOT be productive when working together. Since these students did not get along or couldn't be productive when they were together, it would make no sense to set their desks beside one another or to have them in the same groups. When I did my second lesson, I had students work in groups. I didn't just let them pick their groups, I had assigned them beforehand for this very reason. Not surprisingly enough, the groups did great and all worked together quite well.
ReplyDeleteIn the same sense, if you have students work in groups, it is important to arrange the groups so that those who struggle are in a group that has a student who understands the concept well and has good leadership skills. In my groups that I had in my lesson, I made sure to vary the ability levels so that the students could support one another in the game we were playing. I think too many times teachers underestimate the power of having students teach each other. I know first hand this is effective... It's the only way I made it through pre-calc!
The physical arrangement of the classroom impacts management in many different ways. If you have the physical arrangement set up so you can see everyone at all times, you will have a better time managing the classroom. If you have it set up so some students cannot see or if they can hide behind things, I think you will see a lot more misbehavior.
ReplyDeleteI think adapting student assignments for those with disabilities can still be adapted with good classroom management skills. You could move a student who cannot see when up to the front of the room, or make the font on their worksheets larger. Students with disabilities may make it more difficult to accomplish certain things, but it can be done while practicing good classroom management skills.