Monday, October 3, 2011
Classroom Management
It has been said that classroom management can be the key to a successful classroom. Why do you think that could be true? Classroom management is used at all levels of instruction. What classroom management techniques have you observed in your university classes? How are these techniques similar or different from what you experienced in elementary, middle or high school? Explain.
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Class management is a big part of making your classroom run more smoothly and developing a good classroom environment. Some of the different techniques I notice in my classes are seating charts so teachers know where students are, some use schedules, others use backchannels to communicate with all the students during the class. As educators you change your techniques depending on grade level. I see techniques like schedules used throughout elementary all the way up to high school as well as a seating chart or arrangment. Other techniques like criss cross applesauce and other common phrases are only used on elementary students. I also think it depends on your students in which techniques you use after you try different techniques you determine what works best for that group of learners. This is especially important I think when a teacher is high school sees a different group of students each class period. Learning what each group responds to best will help make the classroom run more smoothly.
ReplyDeleteCalee, what are backchannels? Can you explain that for us?
ReplyDeleteBackchannels are like chat rooms for your classroom. Students can log on and communicate with each other. They can ask questions or comment about what they are learning. It is a great opportunity for students to interact with each other.
ReplyDeleteClassroom management is a key factor when thinking about being an effective teacher. If you can't keep your students under control the amount of learning and instruction that can be taught will be greatly reduced. I believe that when the students are younger, they need more structure to their daily routines. Their attention span and ability to stay focused is far less than that of a high school student. As the students advance in their schooling, the characteristic of responsibility will also be more developed. Some effective classroom management techniques that I have seen is when the teacher has "withitness" and by using cueing system such as walking towards disruptive students or using their name in an example. These techniques are different then what I was exposed to in elementary school and high school because if you were disruptive or not listening, the teacher would give you a detention or send you to the office. Of course they gave us a warning, but if it didn't stop the actions discussed above would be taken.
ReplyDeleteKelsey- I agree with you when I was growing up the techniques teachers use were very different.Some of my teachers had some pretty affective ways and others didn't. I feel like threatening with a detention and being sent to the principals office happened a lot for some students in my school.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that classroom management is a huge factor in being an effective teacher. If you don't have control of your class, you won't be able to effectively instruct and engage your students. I definitely think the younger the students are, the more structure and routine they need in their day. When they get a little older they can definitely have more independence. Some of the most effective techniques I've seen used are writing the daily schedule on the board and going over it first thing, having specific procedures for common tasks like walking down the hall, and sitting in a certain way at circle time. Most of these are very similar to what I experienced in my school years, which to me proves that they do work for the most part.
ReplyDeleteGood management keeps the distractions to a minimum. And keeps the student safe.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the best management is prevention, and the best prevention is a good lesson plan. This works at all levels,and can be adapted easily.
Calee - I think the use of back-channels is a great way for high school teachers to keep their students engaged. I also agree with you that you have to find out what works best for each individual group you have to have effective classroom management.
ReplyDeleteClassroom management is a key in having a controlled classroom. Having control and order in the classroom in going to allow for more learning to be done by each of the students.I have noticed that posting schedules, giving out notes, and blackboard have been ways my teachers have shown classroom management. As the age groups change the way a classroom is managed is going to need to be tweaked and changed.
ReplyDeleteBrandi- I agree with you that the younger children need more structure. As children get older they become more independent and are able to do more things without someone telling them what they need to do each step of the way.
ReplyDeleteI believe that classroom management is vital. Students should be told at the beginning of the term what kind of behavior is expected of them, and the consequences for behaving inappropriately. Students should be reminded of these expectations as they stray from acceptable behavior. Serious infractions should be dealt with accordingly.
ReplyDeleteIn college, behavior isn't much of a problem in our classes. Generally, we are adults who know how to act in a classroom. I did have one class, however, where people were constantly talking during the instruction. The teacher also allowed fellow students to change what was on the syllabus with very little discussion about it. There was very little classroom management, but I was also suprised at how rude and inconsiderate the students in our class were. I believe that students in elementary, middle, and high school need more structure when it comes to classroom management. Younger children, especially, need structure. Having the rules posted on the wall and reminding the students of the rules is a good start. I also believe that asking students what rules they have broken makes them more self-conscious of their actions.
I agree with Calee. I think that you really need to know the different groups that you may me teaching and tweak your classroom mangement styles so that it works for the specific class. I have seen the Give Me Five work very well for most students, for example. Other students take awhile to follow the directions and pay attention. You need to be able to know which students respond to different types of management.
ReplyDeleteI think classroom management is important because it is the center of the classroom. Without classroom management, students can become disruptive and not take anything out of instruction. Teachers have to have control of the classroom to ensure students are learning and are on task. Classroom management is especially important at the lower elementary level because students are just being introduced to school.
ReplyDeleteI have had teachers stop talking/lecturing if students were being disruptive. I have also had teachers walk around the classroom and stop by disruptive students.
These techniques are similar to what I experienced in middle and high school. However I had teachers that would stop instruction completely to address disruptions.
Classroom management is absolutely a key part of having a successful classroom; if you aren't able to manage things with a positive attitude then you will struggle greatly as a teacher. That might mean a number of things such as minimizing disruptions, keeping students on task and able to listen, peer interaction, or even physical arrangement of the room. All these things are key components of classroom management.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I remember talking about specifically in my Learning and Instruction class a few weeks ago was the different ways to help minimize disruptions in the classroom. Teachers can achieve this through doing a number of different things. For example, placing students who may be easily distracted away from the window area or separated from certain students who may distract them. Also, keeping physical objects out of students' reach and sight during instruction or work time can help to minimize disruptions.
These techniques are similar to what I remember from elementary and middle school; however, in high school I think teachers had higher expectations for us as students so they did not implement these strategies quite as strictly.
Classroom management is the key to having an effective and successful class. Especially with younger students, they need seating charts, daily routines, and rules established in order for their class day to go by smoothly. Without classroom management students would have no boundaries on what acceptable and what’s not. Techniques that I have seen in some of my university classes are planned out schedules for the entire semester, seating charts, some teachers use noise makers to get our attention but we don’t not have any rules of what if can and cannot do during class. These techniques are different but yet kind of the same from when I was in elementary, middle, and high school. In the elementary, middle and high school the key necessities are to have rules and a set schedule for the day. Without rules or a schedule your class day would not go by smoothly. In university classes everyone is mature enough and respectful enough no what you should and should not do in class without being told.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else about classroom management. You cannot successfully teach your students if you are not in control. If students are disrespectful and irregular and there are no rules to guide behavior, commotion becomes the pattern. In a poorly manage room, both the teachers and learners suffer. Teachers have difficulties teaching, whereas the students have difficulties learning. Well-managed classrooms provide an enriching environment where teaching and learning can be sucecssful. A well-managed classroom is hard to achieve. It takes effort and time to create a well-managed classroom.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Calee and Katy. Give me 5 is a very affective management technique. It can be used with all grade levels. There are many, many techniques people can use. Whether it be clapping, Give me 5, or turning the lights off, the teacher must ultimately decide what works best for the students. Also, sending students to the principal's office often shows the principal you do not have control over your students. I will only use this technique in extreme circumstances.
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