Monday, February 20, 2012
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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When a classroom has set expectations for the students, as well as the teacher, the learning environment will benefit. When a teacher takes the time to manage his or her own classroom, it limits the chance of confusion, chaos, and risk factors associated to learning. The students will know what is expected of them, as well as what is not expected of them in the classroom. Managing a classroom is essential in having a classroom that will flow, and have an environment that is healthy and open to all students. There are teachers at UNI that manage their classrooms by handing out a syllabus the first day of class. This syllabus contains all of the rules, and expectations the teacher has for us (students) during his or her course. This is a great way of managing the classroom because it gives the students the information needed to understand what their teacher is wanting/expecting from them as his or her students. Also, it is beneficial to me because if I am confused at all, I can always refer back to the syllabus that was given to us. This is great to have at hand whenever need be. In my elementary and middle school classes, we were never presented with a syllabus. This would seem silly to me, when I am that young there is no way I would be able to keep track of that paper! Instead, I was given an agenda that the teacher would look over at the end of each day to make sure all us students were writing down what was needed (homework) for that day. Not only were there agendas, but there were also tons of posters that would be hung up in the classroom, hallways, gym, you name it they were everywhere! These posters were important because they addressed the students what was expected of them, as well as a reminder to us. In high school, there was a mix of elementary, middle school, and college classroom management. High school is when I was introduced to the concept of a syllabus. I feel that throughout my educational experience so far, I have been surrounded by appropriate classroom management skills that have shapped me and enlightened me on ideas/ways I may incorporate into my classroom someday.
ReplyDelete-Ms. Dostal (Vicki Dostal, UNI)
I agree with you about the syllabus. I like how our college professors hand out a sheet with their classroom expectations on it so we know what to expect. It is a great way to manage the class. I agree, it would be very silly for an elementary school teacher to hand out a syllabus to students; they are too young and would definitely lose the paper. As the students grow and mature, the classroom management skills change and develop as well. It is interesting to see how they evolve throughout all the years of school.
DeleteI think that classroom management is the key to a successful classroom because students know the teacher expectations. A teacher with good management skills is able to keep students on task and they get more out of their learning. I think that this is true because students aren’t allowed to misbehave so they keep on task. I don’t see very many classroom management techniques in my university classes. The students know their expectations and stay on task. In my field experiences, I have seen very successful management skills. A teacher can just give a look and the student will know what to do. In my high school I had teachers who had very bad classroom management skills. We would get off task and she wouldn’t know how to redirect us. I don’t remember much about elementary and middle school. I never got disciplined, so I am not sure.
ReplyDelete- Miss Haugen (Ashley Haugen, UNI)
I agree with you that there is not as much classroom management in college classes. I think by now students should know how to behave. I want to teach lower elementary so I know that I need to have that structure and have clear expectations so they learn how to behave and know what I expect.
DeleteI also agree that there is less classroom management used in university settings. I believe this is because the students are not required to be there; it's a choice. The children in lower level educational classes are more than likely required to be there.
DeleteI totally agree with what you are saying about the university teachers not showning many classroom management techniques. What you said makes sense, because when we are attending a university we are around the ages 19,20, or older. By these ages we should already know of appropriate ways of how to act in our classrooms. To your point about field experience teachers and their management skills, I agree. I soak up all their techniques they use in class, because I am bown away by how much of an impact these techniques have on the students. The teachers I have been placed with have all shown great ways of managing a classroom. I hope to someday apply some of the skills I have witnessed into a class I hope to once have.
DeleteClassroom management is be key to a successful classroom because it keeps the classroom under control and it sets the classroom rules. By setting rules the teacher sets behavioral and academic expectations for his or her students. A technique that comes to mind for classroom management in my UNI classes is using a syllabus. Professors put their expectations of what we are supposed to accomplish throughout the semester, and when we are expected to have each assignment completed by. They also include some basic rules like whether or not they accept late work, how they want assignments completed, etc. This is very similar to what my teachers did in high school. They told us their classroom rules, as well as what we were expected to accomplish. Unlike the syllabi we receive here at UNI, the ones from high school didn't have specific days planned out. We were just told the actual assignments and the due dates were given to us later on in the semester/year. Even though they both have rules in the syllabi, my high school teachers had a lot more specific rules than what my professors do now because they expect us to behave properly without being told. I find that a syllabus is very helpful, and I may use something similar in my classroom, but I will have to simplify it for my elementary students. I just think it is a good way to set my expectations for my students.
ReplyDelete-Ms. Reierson (Sara Reierson, UNI)
I agree with you that using a syllabus is a good technique used in our UNI classes. I would be lost without it! It would definitely have to be broken down for elementary age students, with multiple reminders of assignments and exceptions. At that stage in their development, learning how to behave and complete assignment on time is a learning process. It takes time to develop these skills. I am curious as to how you would break down a syllabus for an elementary age classroom? Would you give a list of assignments and expectations to parents/guardians as well?
Delete-Ms. Dyall (Alyssa Dyall, UNI)
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ReplyDeleteClassroom management is like the glue that holds the classroom together. If students are being loud and disruptive, it can effect their learning as well the learning of students around them. Classroom management helps to eliminate some of those problems. In college, the first day of class teachers give us syllabi that let us know their expectations of us. Also, most teachers use cuing by giving the students a look or proximity which gives them the hint to stop doing what they are doing. I feel like college professors are more laid back than high school or elementary teachers. High school and elementary teachers use cuing and proximity as well as many other strategies. In my earlier schooling year, teachers would often say your name if you were doing something or tell you to stop doing something. Also, we would have set rules and consequences for not following them. Having the rules to follow helps to set expectations for students, so they know how to behave. Also having set consequences makes the teacher less of the "bad guy" when you must use consequences, because they are consistent and fair. From my level 1 field experience, my mentor teacher used a red, yellow, and green strategy like many teachers use. She also used a wind chime to get the students attention. Both seemed to be very effective for her. There are many more examples of classroom management and I know it is a very important thing to learn. I hope to be able to learn a variety of techniques in order to be good at classroom management in my own classroom
ReplyDelete-Ms. Heins (Kelsey Heins, UNI)
I would agree with Ms. Heins in the aspect that classroom management looks a lot different in the college classroom compared to high school and elementary classrooms. Although I agree with us, I don't believe the syllabi for my college classes have incorporated how students are to behave in the classroom, but rather, students just "assume" what is expected of them by the time they reach college. The professors also send out a vibe if they prefer more interaction in a class by asking for students' opinions and answers. This interaction, however, may be bad classroom management to a professor that wants to lecture at students with no interruptions. I'm curious as to what the red, yellow, and green strategy you mentioned is. Can you describe what that is? I saw something similar to this in my level II experience today, but I forgot to ask my mentor teacher.
Delete-Miss Wencl (Katie Wencl, UNI)
I think that classroom management is the key to a successful classroom because it provides structure and guidance, which in turn can lead to increased engagement in the classroom. Students need to know what is expected of them in a class and it is the teacher's responsibility to make those expectations known. If a teacher didn't practice classroom management, students, especially young ones, would potentially act out and go "crazy" in the class. Students need to know their boundaries. Classroom management also teaches students respect and responsibility, not only for themselves, but for their classmates as well. In elementary schools, teachers often expect students to raise their hands before they speak (teaches respect for everyone), some teachers don't allow students to walk around the classroom during instruction, and of course, teachers stop any fighting or inappropriate interactions between students. Teachers have to constantly be observing the class for different behaviors to make sure the class is running smoothly. In high school and college, there isn't as much management; students have better ideas and understandings of what is expected of them. They are able to follow more rules without instruction. Teachers often provide syllabuses with guidelines, and verbally reprimand students when needed (and when that isn't enough, detention). When classroom management is practiced, students are often more focused and engaged in the class work; they aren't bothered by what is going on around them. When good classroom management is used, the class runs more smoothly and both the teacher and the students can be more successful in their roles.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Judd
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ReplyDeleteClassroom management is one aspect of the classroom that worries many new teachers and future teachers, such as myself. I think it's the key to a successful classroom because by managing a classroom well, students will develop respect for the teacher, and therefore, will see that the content at hand is important to learn. Without classroom management, there would not be a supportive classroom in which students are able to learn and develop, but instead chaos and distractions that lead students to not focus on the content at stake. As for classroom management in my university classes, each professor creates an atmosphere to the way they want their students to learn and be engaged. Students know they must adapt to the rules of the professor. This experience differs to my younger years of education. In elementary we often talked about rules and expectations at the beginning of the year and continued talking about them throughout the year. As I progressed through the school system, I was told less often what rules were expected of me. Teachers may have mentioned them at the beginning of the year, but only mentioned them when necessary throughout the year. If students don't understand what is expected of them in a classroom, they will have difficulty pinpointing what they need to be working on and have a more difficult time adapting to different environments in the future.
ReplyDelete-Miss Wencl (Katie Wencl, UNI)
I think that classroom management can be the key to a successful classroom, because it helps to keep the class under control and it helps students remember the classrooms expectations and how they should behave. Classroom management techniques are necessary to make a class flow well by limiting distractions. I haven’t observed too many classroom management techniques from my professors in my university classes, but I have learned about a lot of management techniques from Camp Adventure. Some techniques I have learned to use are; transitions, attention getters, personal praises and positive validations from one activity to another. Without having learned these techniques, I wouldn’t have survived my summer. It helped my students and I stay focused. I feel that many of the techniques I have learned are different from what I experienced in elementary, middle, or high school classes. I remember in middle school I had a teacher who would just give you a glare and you knew that you better behave. Also, that same teacher used a technique where she would just stand there and wait patiently until the class settled down and once we finally did she would inform us that we were wasting our own time. It seemed to work quite well. Although I have learned a lot of great techniques through Camp Adventure, I look forward to learning more throughout my experience during level II!
ReplyDelete-Ms. Dyall (Alyssa Dyall UNI)
Haha, I am pretty sure I had some teachers in school who used the "glare" technique also. It always scared that one kid, but never got the attention of the whole class. We had Expressive Arts together and I remember you use some of your Camp Adventure management techniques. They worked great! I think its important that management techniques are appropriate for the grade level though. Establishing appropriate expectations and enforcing those in the classroom is very important.
DeleteClassroom management is the key to a successful classroom because it allows for all of the children to be focused. If there is no classroom management, then the distractions keep the students from effectively learning. One example of use of classroom management that I have observed in a university setting would be calling out students on using cellphones. This act prevented many students from using cellphones, thus leaving them to listen to the lecture. This technique is similar to K-12 educational classes because it ensures that the students are not being distracted by objects. In the elementary classes, this can be replaced by toys or other things that may be distracting the students.
ReplyDelete-Miss Miller
I agree with you that classroom management is key for an effective classroom. I also have noticed students who get called out in classes for being on their cell phones. You made a good connection of how our cellphones are very similar to little kids toys. They are very distracting in the classroom.
DeleteVery true! Without classroom management, there would be no structure or time for learning. The similarities between university courses and elementary classrooms truly are similar with small alterations.
DeleteEstablishing how a classroom is managed is essential to creating a learning environment that works for both the teacher and the students. Students need to have structure and know what is expected of them at all times. It is the job of the teacher to decide how they will manage the classroom and relay that information to the students. When everybody is on the same page then directions, transitions, and student learning can run smoothly. The common classroom management I have noticed in my university classes is the syllabus handed to us on the first day. It provides us with all the information a teacher expects from us regarding attendance, assignments, quizzes, tests, and how the course will be from day one to the last day of the semester. I think the main difference between college classroom management and any other classroom management is that, as college students we do not need reminded of what we are suppose to be doing, or what is really expected of us. We are paying to be there, so the teacher does need to make sure we stay on task or other things that a high school, middle, or elementary teacher may do.
ReplyDeleteThose teachers also have to manage when students get noisy and transitioning to a new activity. I have seen many different ways that teachers do this effectively. I think your "give me five" is very effective and appropriate for the fifth graders. It is simple, fast, and gets their attention.
Classroom management involves a wide array of techniques and expectations that successful teachers are able to incorporate into their teaching style. Honestly, figuring out how to manage my future classrooms is one of my greatest fears. I am sure that through practice and observation I will be capable of creating an environment that is attentive and aware of my expectations.
ReplyDeleteWithin my courses at the University, I have witnessed teachers operate a classroom that ran very smoothly and others that struggled with doing so. I can think of one course specifically where the students had little respect for the professor as she was very unorganized and didn't teach much content. Although, I have been blessed with teachers who knew the content, kept class interesting and stayed on top of grading, etc. Overall, gaining your students respect is key as you are required to respect them in return.
Within elementary classrooms it is a bit more common for students to get off task, therefore, little signals or cues are easy reminders for the students. But once again, respect throughout the classroom is what is needed most!
I have also been with teachers who have really good classroom management and really poor classroom management. I think that a key part of running a class smoothly is organization. The teacher needs to have the whole day planned out and be organized so that there is little time were there is nothing going on because that is when you run into issues with classroom management
DeleteClassroom management is a huge part of what makes a classroom a successful learning environment.I think that is an important key to running a successful classroom because if there was no management nothing would ever get done. Students wouldn't be learning in the most effective way that they can. There are a couple management techniques I have seen here at UNI in some of my classes. A huge one is on the issue of using cell phones in class. Teachers don't allow it and if they see you texting in your lap you will be called out on it. In elementary classrooms it is more of transitions that are used as classroom management techniques. I have seen teachers use windchimes when kids need to switch centers and the kids know exactly what they are supposed to be doing. Also using "I really like how __ is doing this" can give the kids a positive example of what they are suppossed to be doing and other kids can follow.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that things would not get accomplished in the classroom if there is not classroom management. I haven't ever heard of a teacher using windchimes, but that is a neat way to get students attention because it is something different then the typical timer. I definitely agree with what you have to say about giving positive examples for the students to follow, and that it is important for a teacher to do. It not only keeps the student on task, but it also shows the other students a good example of what they should be doing.
DeleteClassroom learning and classroom management go hand in hand. I believe that managing a classroom is needed to become an affective teacher. Students need to know what is expected so they can rise to the occasion of learning.
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