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Friday, January 6, 2012
Chapter 12- Introduction to Teaching-Kauchak ,Eggen Creating Productive Learning Environments:Classroom Management
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“There are three stages: Thoughtless being. Thought. Return to thoughtless being.”—Chad Harbach, The Art of Fielding
ReplyDelete“Learning to manage a classroom is the most important and challenging task that new teachers face”.—Kuachak and Eggen P. 349
“When you watch a natural at work, do not expect to see a big show. Effective management is, for the most part, invisible”—Fred Jones, Tools For Teachers.
As I read Ch 12’s survey of important aspects of classroom management, these three quotes kept bouncing around in my head. The first is a fictional shortstop’s description of how to be an instinctual ball player, and the second two are more specifically related to classroom management. All three get to some of the paradoxes of being a good classroom manager.
The first paradox is that teachers who choose to spend little attention on classroom management in hopes of focusing on “teaching” end up spending a lot of time dealing with disruptions.
The second paradox is that teachers who are very effective classroom managers appear to be doing very little managing at all. These teachers’ classrooms are so well run that often the only visible management techniques are the subtle arts of proximity and body language.
If we name the fist paradox “thoughtless action” and the second paradox “return to thoughtless action” than it follows that we move from point A to point B through a lot of thought. (And likely some practice).Our text offers a nice jumping of point for the thinking process by listing the primary goals of classroom management, and offering some research supported practices for achieving these goals.
It almost seems that effective classroom management is a sort of a gift that some teachers possess, and others don't. Of course, we know that the teachers in smoothly ran classrooms are very good managers, who took the time to prepare ahead of time, and were up to the task when classes started. On the other hand, just like some leaders are charismatic, and others follow, some teachers are engaging, and students are interested and excited.
DeleteClassroom management, I think, is one of the most important things a teacher needs to learn. If a teacher can't manage their classroom, at any grade level, it can quickly turn into complete and total chaos. I've been in classrooms where this has happened. It is not pretty. Teachers who create productive learning environments care about their students and are committed to their learning. When misbehavior does happen, an effective teacher must do something about it. When they intervene properly, they become the authority figure that the teacher must be. Not that a teacher should be feared, but they should be respected enough that when they say stop doing something, the students stop. Parents being involved in their children's learning help with their children's attitudes toward learning and usually make them want to learn and want to go to school. I personally had very involved parents and in four years of High School, I only missed half a day of school. I have my parents to thank for that.
ReplyDeleteI believe that classroom management is very important. I believe that a teacher should always try to be prepared. To have a plan means that you will be ahead in everything you do. I always have a backup plan to my back up plan. Being able to go from one activity to the next is very important when you are a teacher. Always be prepared. This allows you to be able to keep control of the children. In my classroom of preschoolers, you always have to be ready and prepared for the next activity. At this age, children have very short attention spans. I always have a written plan in my head that has the activities outlined for the day. Always make sure that your plan can change due to weather or the kids not liking an activity. Being able to manage a classroom is a very important part of being a teacher. There is so much to think about and one of these things should be that you are aware of everything that goes on in your classroom. Dealing is misbehavior is a big part of teaching. Teachers have to be prepared or anything that comes there way on any given day.
ReplyDeleteSwhitson,
DeleteI, too, believe that planning is necessary. Being prepared and even having a backup plan is essential to a good lesson or day. Since you're dealing with preschoolers, you probably have to plan lots of activities because their attention span is so short. That kind of planning must take lots of extra time on your part. I don't think I could handle teaching preschoolers..:)
I think that with preschool, you need to be able to pull activities "out of your hat", on many occasions. Students that young also are "egocentric" and it's hard for them to understand that there are many students that the teacher needs to help. This can send a room into chaos quick. I think "mini" activities for preschoolers to do during transition times helps a ton as well. Good post!
DeleteIn Chapter 12, it discusses classroom management and its importance. In every school, we want success through a productive learning environment. This happens when misbehavior can be quickly stopped. We need to have a positive classroom climate with respect for others. I hope to be an effective teacher that motivates their students in a safe and caring environment. I'm sure in every classroom, the rules and procedures vary. But, I hope to be clear in both of those, so the students know what to expect.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 12 it talks about classroom management. Classroom management is very important as a teacher because if a teacher cannot manage their class and students how can the students learn. I think that as a teacher you must be confident in yourself to be able to have control of your class. My son is three years old and in ESE pre-k for three – five years old and his teacher has her hands full with seven little boys that have all different issues ranging from a high spectrum autism to non verbal and let me tell you that just one slip in this classroom in management and you might as well give up for the day because when it goes downhill it is very hard to regain the right composer in this classroom but all in all she and her assistant does pretty well and it must be a hard task to deal with that many different types of issues on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteI agree whole heartily with you! I've been in a special education classroom for a week long, each day was highly structured and the kids knew exactly what to expect. Then, Friday came along and it was field day. I've never seen so many tantrums and tears. Some of them were hysterical and did not adapt well at all.
DeleteA productive learning environment is a classroom that is orderly and focused on learning(page350). This also included a classroom where teachers rarely raise their voice. Students are well behaved and understand the importance of respect for others and learning is number one. It is important that each student feels that they are important in the classroom by making sure teachers call on each student evenly. Classroom rules are also designed to protect students and all students have the responsibility to follow those rules. It is important for students to obey rules in order to learn and not for the fear of being punished(pg.353).
ReplyDeleteI also believe that by keeping an organized classroom helps children to focus and be engaged as much as possible in the classroom. If the classroom is messy and not orderly, this causes students to get easily distracted and get off task.
I have often wondered about messy classrooms. Since I work in a middle school, I am in many classes each day. Some classrooms look like a bomb went off in there, and others are neat as a pin. The teachers seem to teach in the same fashion as their room is in. Not always though. All I know is it drives me buts to their stuff in piles all over the place, and bulletin boards not finished, and their piled to the sky and in disarray.
DeleteYes, Nisa exactly. I also think that if teachers are going to teach organization and responsibility, they should practice what they teach! It's not fair to tell students that they need to organize their area, when the classroom isn't organized.
DeleteI agree with having an organized classroom, although you can't have twenty or more students and not have some kind of mess. Yet, the students need to clean it up and that, too, is a part of classroom management and organization. The teacher can direct how she wants the room kept and it can be a part of the daily routine. It doesn't have to stay a mess. Many kids simply don't know how to organize, but walking them through how to set up their binders to setting up their desk and sticking to a routine will be most helpful to them.I have always been organized and I am amazed at times at those that aren't. I just don't know how they function!
DeleteI really enjoyed this chapter on classroom management. The section that jumped out most to me, was the section on Goals of the classroom management. In this section, it stated the 4 primary goals of classroom management. They are: Creating a positive classroom climate, creating a community of learners, developing learner responsibility, and Maximizing opportunities for learning. Classrooms need to be very well organized, with strict rules that need to be followed and expectations of the child clearly posted.
ReplyDeleteI've been in two different preschool settings and one was managed well, the kids knew what to expect and everyday was (mostly!) smooth sailing. Then, I've been in a non organized, poorly managed preschool classroom, and it was complete chaos. I left wondering if the children even learned anything and if the teachers would actually return the next day. It was crazy! I'm so glad I had the chance to observe in the well structured classroom, or I'm guessing I wouldn't be in this class today!
I know what you are talking about! It's exactly the same with the older kids too. Classroom management skills make all the difference in the world! When the classroom is complete chaos, you are right, there is not much learning taking place. I have found in my experience, that not only is the teacher stressed, but so are the kids! They don't perform as well as either. I am truly scared of this scenario. After all that I have witnessed, I hope I can develop outstanding classroom management skills.
DeleteI also visited a preschool class this winter. It was so unorganized. The children were climbing the walls. The teacher had no control over her classroom. I found myself observing and developing my own plan to manage the classroom. I am a firm believer that children need order and stability. They need to know the teacher cares about them enough to enforce rules and discipline.
DeleteI worked in a preschool for years when my daughter was growing up and you are absolutely correct in your account of consistency. Children of all ages need routines to keep them on track. We as adults do as well! It is amazing how sometimes the negative things we experience and see are the biggest influences on us becoming teachers.
DeleteChapter 12 discusses classroom management. For me this is area of teaching that scares me the most. I work in classrooms everyday that have excellent classroom management skills, and rooms that are horrible. Even though I am not educated as a teacher yet, I can see that classroom management can make or break a learning environment. The classrooms that are productive learning environments have happy students who look forward to class even if they like the subject. Procedures and rules are clearly established from the beginning. I also find with my students that they will work harder for us if they think we really do care about them, and that we really do care about their performance. It’s remarkable the change that happens in a student after the teacher or I can make a true connection with a student. Sometimes those connections happen on the spot and with others take a long time to establish. In fact just recently I was finally able to bond with a student about a month ago, and her performance in class has changed considerably, as well as her behavior. So I totally get what the book is talking about when it discusses caring for your students. They need that, and you need it as well for classroom management and the ability to motivate your students.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, I took the “This I BELIEVE” quiz. I missed one question this week, and it was the first one. Honestly, I should have known better! But it’s absolutely correct that anticipation and prevention are the best keys to discipline. Then there isn’t much left to discipline!
I also completely agree with the parent involvement and how crucial that is to student performance. When we can get parents involved in their students’ academic career it makes ALL the difference. Unfortunately getting parent participation is much harder than you would think! At the school where I work, just getting the parents to bring the kids to school is tough! In addition to feeding and clothing the student. What blows me away is that these cases in our school are not the exception! Trying to educate these young minds during a school day can be very difficult when their home lives are in such chaos and extreme poverty.
I find it noteworthy that nearly everyone's post mentions having experienced both ends of the classroom management spectrum. We've all observed that classroom management is something that some teachers are quite good at and others are quite bad at. What makes the difference? Is it emphasis, instincts, experience, know how? It's likely some combination of these factors, but it seems like the two factors that we can do the most about are emphasis, and know-how. If we make classroom management a high priority early on and improve our know-how by hitting the books, observing and questioning the old pros, and practicing; than I think we stand a good chance at placing ourselves on the desired end of the spectrum.
DeleteI agree with you, good classroom management definitely affects the way a classroom functions, and the way the students behave. I don't know why teachers in those "horrible" classrooms do not spend more time on improving the ways they handle situations, and redevelop their classroom management plans. Do they think it's too late already, or do they just not care?
DeleteClassroom management is definetely the largest part of running a successful classroom. How you manage your students and more importantely how you manage your classroom time will enter a lot into how effective your classroom is. I can see how it could be scary but it should also be challenging. Doing it the right way will make your job easier in the long run and make your students respect you more.
Delete1. Analysis of the reading/issue.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter outlines effective classroom management. The teacher should provide a safe, stable learning environment, both physically and emotionally. The students should feel cared about and respected. Rules help provide stability and the teacher should encourage students to work as a team to develop rules for their classroom. Rules should be explained as to why they are in place. Teachers need to encourage parent involvement. If the parent feels included, they are more likely to support the learning goals the teacher is trying to implement.
2. Questions and/or contradictions about the reading/issue. Page 358 mentions that one way to save time is to turn in and hand out work in rows. Students would pass their completed work to the front of the row, which is a good idea. What I don’t agree with, is for the teacher to hand out graded work to be passed back. This is private. In my opinion, students should not see others graded work.
3. How did the reading reflect you or allow you to look at an issue differently?
I really like the guidelines listed on page 357. Some of the items on the list, I just take for granted such as: “Using effective nonverbal communication such as eye contact and smiling.” Students will be more successful and want to please their teacher, if they like him / her.
Page 357 also states: “The cornerstone of an effective management system is a clearly understood and consistently monitored set of rules and procedures that prevent management problems before they occur.” I completely agree with this. A well managed classroom can limit behavioral disturbances by avoiding them altogether.
4. Connecting the reading to you. Examples of your own experience.
I completely agree that teachers should be caring in all grade levels. Many of my high school teachers were distant. I only had one that I thought actually cared about me. I loved and thrived in her class. She taught me so much. I will forever be grateful for her extra effort and support.
I have been able to work in classrooms of veteran teachers and fairly new teachers and the two I'm thinking of have something in common: they don't raise their voices. The veteran teacher of 35 years, when the class is noisy and she is trying to speak, will say, "Who is talking?" How fast the talking stops! The newer teacher (three years) uses a tally mark system on the board. Recess is 15 minutes and she counts a minute off each time she has to tell them it is too loud or they are off task. They respond pretty quickly also as it is no fun for them to sit out recess while everyone else is playing. These are third and fourth graders, so, obviously you have to find some consequence for the age. I have learned to use these methods when I am in the classes for short periods of time and have lunch duty. P. 365 mentions consistency and that is of the utmost importance, you can't give three warnings one time and four the next. State what the consequence will be and follow through from DAY ONE!
ReplyDeleteI am still envious many of you are already or have been in the classroom and can see a lot of what we read and reflect on it. I can only reflect on what I myself have experienced in the classroom as a student. I really like the tally mark idea on the chalkboard! How important recess is to kids, I remember how important it was to me. Although I would really hate to take away active time from the kids since most of them don't seem to want to be very active anymore.
DeleteChapter 12 focused on classroom management, creating a productive learning environment, parental involvement, as well as ways to handle misbehavior in the classroom. According to our text, a productive learning environment is one that is orderly and learning focused. In order to have such a learning environment, teachers have to develop an effective classroom management plan. The four goals of an effective teacher/manager discussed in the text are: Creating a positive classroom climate, Creating a community of learners, Developing learner responsibility, and Maximizing opportunities for learning. Parental involvement was deemed very significant in the school, as students were said to have more positive attitudes and behaviors, higher long term achievement, greater willingness to do homework, better attendance and graduation rates, as well as greater enrollment in post-secondary education (Kauchak & Eggen, 2011). The text also pointed out specific strategies for handling misbehavior in the classroom by demonstrating withitness and overlapping, preserving student dignity, maintaining consistency, and keeping communication congruent.
ReplyDeleteI think a well thought-out classroom management developed at the beginning of the school year will limit the amount of behavior issues that may arise. Children need to know what is expected, and a classroom management plan specifically addresses what is to be accomplished in the classroom, how it will be accomplished, and the consequences students will face when rules are not followed. This type of direction helps students understand ahead of time what the expectations are for the year.
I think creating a productive learning environment is key to having a smoothly ran classroom, where valuable instruction time is minimally wasted. I recognize the fact that some times there are disciplinary issues, and handling them immediately will take time away from instruction. However, when a teacher is prepared, and the strategies for handling these issues have already been carefully thought-out, the amount of instructional time can be minimal.
I think parental involvement in school activities is extremely important for student's success. As a mother of four, I cannot imagine not being involved in my children school work. In order to make sure they succeed academically at school, as a parent I have to know what their homework is, what is going on in the school, and show positive encouragement and enthusiasm. Sometimes it's overwhelming, but the costs of letting it go is too high.
I really liked the example illustrated in the text on pages 363-364, on how a teacher quickly and effectively handled a disruption during a math lesson. She was very much “in the know”, intervened immediately, and successfully resolved multiple issues at once. I only hope that when the time comes, this is how I will be able to handle behavior situations in class.
This chapter on Productive Learning Environments was fun to read! I am an efficient, effective person who likes to be productive. Wasting time is a pet peeve of mine. Providing a safe, relaxed environment for students helps them learn. At our school we stress the three Rs, no not Reading, wRiting and aRithmatic, but Ready, Respectful, and Responsible. These are conducive to an environment where students can learn. Effective teachers plan for classroom management by being positive, connecting to students, and making them feel loved and respected. They include every child, supporting and encouraging them so everyone learns. Parents are an important part of making your classroom a productive place for learning. Communicating with them through email, newsletter and personal letters will keep them connected and aware of happenings in the room and with their student. This parental involvement increases attendance, has a direct affect on positive behavior, and even creates a greater willingness to get homework done! This is a key with 5th grade students among others. We see that the more contact we have with parents the more apt their student is to return work finished. There were some great points on Caring, Intervening with cases of Misbehavior, and Rules I will use in my classroom in the future. How many times can we all remember sarcasm used or being called out publicly for misbehavior? These are wonderful ways to avoid that. Consistency is very important because if you do the right thing once but something else the next time the students see and take note. I appreciate the knowledge and awareness I have attained from this chapter, it will come in very useful.
ReplyDeleteI agree, wasting time is also something I do not enjoy doing, and also have to have everything planned out. I also like the 3 R's you refer to in your own school. Being ready, respectful and responsible is very important for students and I can see how this would be a great tool to use to manage a classroom!
DeleteChapter 12 regarding classroom management had some great examples and ideas that I will try to implement into my own classroom as a future educator. The chapter indicates creating a productive learning environment which means it is orderly and focus on learning. Students learn more and better in a well managed classroom. The classroom means there needs to be a positive climate, community of learners, creating responsibility and maximizing opportunities for learning. Offering students respect and support will help me create this type of climate. Also, being aware of the different types of time spent in the classroom will help manage it better. Chapter 12 talks about four levels of time: allocated, instructional, engaged, and academic learning time. Being a caring and effective teacher I can also prevent problems through planning things out effectively and creating rules. The rules need to be appropriate for the age level in which I will be teaching. Chapter 12 has taught me a lot about classroom management and becoming an effective teacher.
ReplyDeleteI really like your post. I found a lot of things in this chapter helpful and ways to implement some things in my classroom. I am all about creating a positive, engaging atmosphere for my students. I just hope that once I am in a classroom I will be as energetic as I am now.
DeleteChapter 12 is about creating productive learning environments and classroom management, both of which contribute to productive learning. Classrooms need to be organized, and conducive to learning. We should care about our students and the environment they are in and commit ourselves to making sure their experiences are meaningful. In addition to providing a productive learning environment and classroom management, it is also important to include parents when considering classrooms because the more parents feel involved the more involved and active they are with their children and have better attitudes towards teachers. When it comes to chaos in the classroom, teachers should intervene immediately and efficiently. Teachers should establish goals for the classroom, state them at the beginning of the class year and review them periodically. When chaos happens in the classroom teachers should not embarrass students. I am concerned about chaos in the classroom and how to control and handle it when it occurs. I am sure this is something, as with the rest of educating a classroom, it comes with time and you must roll with the punches. I do not agree with teachers having students pass papers to grade each other. This is not the responsibility of the students and it can also cause some students to feel embarrassed if they are not good in a subject. We used to do this in a class I had in high school. Half the time the students would “fix” wrong answers for the other student and there were some students would pretend to pass the papers and end up with their own paper again. This is why I think this is not a good idea. As with a lot of the information in this entire book, I found some of the information in this chapter helpful in writing my essay.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about teachers not embarrassing students when chaos happens because some students don't do well with being called out in front of everyone. I also agree that students should not pass papers and grade them. This is the teachers responsibility and it isn't right for other students to know other students grades. I think that parents do need to be involved so they know what is going on and have a better understanding of what their kid does at school and have a better attitude toward the teacher just as you said.
DeleteIn reading chapter 12 you realize how important it is to have a productive learning environment. Learning is the central purpose of school so it is important for a teacher to have class room management so they have the best environment for a student to learn. It goes on to talk about how important a teachers role is and how a teacher is caring by how much they invest in the protection and development of students. Goes over how there are rules in school and how they should be followed. I thought it was good to read about all the ways schools try to have parents involved in how there student does at school. I would question in schools how violence and aggression is always approached. I think that there needs to be more of a punishment in schools at times.
ReplyDeleteIn reading this chapter it made me look at how important it is to have class room management and give students the best environment to learn. Sometimes you get caught up and don't realize how the environment can affect certain students.
In my own experience with my job after reading this I thought about the teachers I work with and how they teach. I think the teachers are very caring and want the best for their students. I think they also do a good job running their class room. I want to be a caring teacher when I begin my teaching career.
I agree with you completely that the issue of violence and aggression in school needs to be addressed maybe a little more in school. Violence and aggression towards any student is unacceptable in schools and punishment must be enforced if it occurs. Teachers must use good classroom management when identifying these issues by taking action immediately. Doing so will allow for a more positive classroom environment that is required for students to be able to learn effectively.
DeleteChapter 12 was a very interesting read. The concept of this chapter addressed the concept of the learning environment and how teachers can effectively manage their classroom. The chapter gave a number of good ideas and philosophies to creating a productive and positive classroom environment. A positive classroom environment specifically was the one topic discussed that most interest me. The text explained that a positive classroom climate is one in which students feel physically and emotionally safe. They are comfortable enough to have a connection with their peers and teachers. They feel worthy of love and respect from everyone around them which allows them to become a better learner. I couldn’t agree more with this philosophy. One of the most important aspects of life in general is that one is comfortable with their surroundings. This holds true especially in the classroom where students are around a number of different people each and every day. Student must feel comfortable with their surroundings and the people they interact with to be able to learn. Student who do not feel comfortable and do not feel worthy of the respect of others simply will not learn as well. A positive classroom environment allows for a positive learning experience and it should be the goal of every teacher in the world to establish that comfort in their own class.
ReplyDelete