Reflective Journal #7
Description:
Chapter 11 focuses on effective learning environments. Teachers must create these in order for students to feel safe and also be able to participate in the learning process. The chapter explains that teachers should think about the time they have for instruction and how to make good use of that time. The chapter also discusses what teachers should do when a learning disruption occurs including prevention, nonverbal cues, praising behavior and applying consequences. Finally, the chapter details applied behavior analysis strategies that teachers can use to help modify behaviors of students when all other actions have not led to appropriate behavior in the classroom. Overall, the intentional teacher makes sure to plan for an effective learning environment and allow for appropriate behaviors to be maintained within the classroom.
Analysis:
Classroom management is a challenging task for any teacher. We all wish to create learning environments that lead to student success but sometimes achieving this goal can be met with certain behavior challenges. Classroom management includes "preventing and responding to misbehavior but also, more importantly, using class time well, creating an atmosphere that is conductive to interest and inquiry, and permitting activities that engage students minds and imaginations" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 272). To meet all of these objectives, teachers must have a plan and they must work to execute that plan effectively being willing to modify as needed.
The first piece of managing an effective learning environment is considering the time you have with your students. Students spend a lot of time in school each day but much of that time is dedicated to class change, lunch, recess and other courses. They may only have a small amount of allotted time for engaged learning or "time on task" which is "the number of minutes actually spent learning" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 273). We must make sure that we are using this time for learning and not allowing for distractions. A good way to do this is to make sure that as soon as students walk into the classroom they are engaging in a learning activity and that they stay engaged until the lesson is over and the bell rings. This is called "preventing late starts and early finishes" and is achieved by students knowing that the teacher expects the student to be working all period (Slavin, 2015, pg. 274).
In addition to starting and ending the class well, teachers should also try to limit the distractions that can happen in the classroom. This can come from student misbehavior, routine procedures like going to the bathroom, or discipline issues that occur. Misbehaviors and discipline issues should be handled "after the lesson or after school" when possible in order to minimize the distractions in the classroom (Slavin, 2015, pg. 275). Teachers should also work to go over routine policies like going to the restroom at the beginning of the school year so that students understand the expectations.
Starting the year with clear, established rules and policies is an important first step for any teacher to take to help create an effective learning environment. Teachers should put thought into their classroom rules and how they want their students to behave in their classroom. They should "develop a specific plan" and use time at the beginning of the year to make sure students understand that plan (Slavin, 2015, pg. 278). Class rules should be "simple" and "few in number" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 279). Teachers should walk students through the rules and make sure students understand the consequences if they don't follow the rules in the classroom.
Even with a great plan and students understanding all the rules, it is inevitable that student misbehavior will occur. Teachers must understand this and be ready to deal with the misbehavior immediately. Prevention of misbehavior is obviously the primary target of an effective misbehavior plan. We all know that "the easiest behavior problems to deal with are those that never occur in the first place" but what do we do if we can't prevent a problem from occurring (Slavin, 2015, pg. 281)? Some possible strategies include "nonverbal cues, praising behavior of other students, verbal reminders, repeated reminders and finally applying consequences as needed" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 282). These strategies allow the teacher to try the least amount of resistance possible first and then move to a more structured consequence plan as needed. The consequences that are used with vary on grade level and must only be applied "when all previous steps have been ineffective in getting the students to comply with a clearly stated and reasonable request" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 282).
At times, some students may need more of a plan in place to help them deal with maintaining good behavior in the classroom. This can take the form of an "applied behavior analysis" which allows the teacher to apply "a systemic application of antecedents and consequences to change behavior" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 285). There are many steps to this process including understanding what is causing the misbehavior in a student. This requires careful observation of the misbehavior and an understanding of the reinforcers that are leading to the behavior. Once teachers have "established a baseline for the target behavior" they can choose a "reinforcer" that will lead to a positive behavior or change in behavior for the student (Slavin, 2015, pg. 285). They then must see how the student does with the modifications if punishment is necessary. If student makes good progress they can "reduce the frequency of reinforcement" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 285).
Occasionally, teachers may need to deal with whole class behavior issues instead of just individual students. Some important strategies that teachers can use to reinforce good behavior for the whole class include "group contingency programs" that allow for the teacher to say things like "we will go to lunch as soon as all students have put their work away and are quiet" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 288). This allows for the teacher to get all students attention and leads to whole-group behavior management because all students would like to go to lunch on time.
When all strategies have been applied by the classroom teacher to maintain positive behavior in the classroom and there are still issues with students, it may be necessary to call in outside reinforcements such as administrators and parents. Students may need "home-based reinforcement" in order to correct their misbehavior in the classroom. In addition, some misbehaviors may be out of your hands as a teacher and and must be dealt with by administrators, Things like physical aggression, excessive profanity, or bullying are things that require outside intervention.
Overall, intentional teachers understand that misbehavior is going to occur in the classroom and that they must have a plan to deal with it. Intentional teachers use their class time wisely and set high expectations for their students. They communicate those expectations during the first days of the school year and make sure to consistently reinforce the rules and policies they have established. When situations occur, they know how they will handle them working to minimize distractions from the learning environment. They understand that outside intervention may be necessary for students who cannot maintain appropriate behavior in the classroom. Finally, intentional teachers are responsible and accountable for maintaining an effective learning environment for all students.
Reflection:
Classroom management can be challenging even for someone like me who has been teaching for over ten years. Every year is different and each new set of students comes with it's own set of challenges. I teach high school and that means I see 5 groups of students each day. I also teach on-level, 9th graders who are having difficulty navigating letting go of that middle school student they were and adapting to their new world of high school.
I have found that in my classroom, like the text says, it is important to establish clear expectations and policies during the first few days of the school year. Yes, it may take some extra time but in my experience it is worth it. The first few days of school, I actively engage my students in practicing the expectations I have for them the whole year. On the first day of school, they walk in and are instructed to immediately begin a bell ringer activity. When I walk in the room after the tardy bell rings, if students are not all actively doing the activity quietly, I ask them to get up, walk out into the hall and try again. This is always surprising for students because they aren't sure if they are in trouble or not. I explain that the bell ringer activity is going to happen every day and that I expect them to be quietly working on it when I walk in the door.
In the last few years, I have let my students explore the syllabus and other class policies through a scavenger hunt, group activity that allows them to get up and move around on the first day of school. This lets them get to know other students before I start to verbally go over the class policies. They also have a chance to look at everything and come up with any questions they have for me. On the second day, we go over the things they learned and I ask them questions like, "how do you go to the bathroom in this class?" This makes it much easier for me because they should now know the answer and I don't have to verbally explain this to all five classes. Though the first two days are just about policies and expectations, I find that it leads to a much more conducive learning environment if I spend the time talking about these things.
In addition to bell ringer activities and policies for how to move about the room and leave the room, I also don't let students line up at the door when it is almost time for the bell to ring. Our school encourages teachers to enforce bell to bell instruction and so I try my best to do that. I use "ticket-out-the-door" activities at the end of the class period to fill up any extra time and allow for critical feedback on the day's lesson. Students must stay in their seats until the bell rings and I verbally dismiss them.
As in any classroom, misbehavior happens. I try the best I can to let student misbehaviors be a very limiting distraction to the classroom as a whole. If it is a behavior I can ignore, I try to. Or if I can give a nonverbal cue for the misbehavior to stop, I try to do that as well. Many times this works but on occasion I must use other reinforcers. Some of the most effective that I have used have been asking a student to speak to me privately at my desk or in the hall. Getting students one on one attention is imperative in stopping them from doing what they shouldn't be. When they talk to me privately they lose the ability to gain their peers attention and they usually apologize for their misbehavior.
I try my best to deal with student misbehaviors within the walls of my classroom and I find that most times I am able to do this. I try my hardest to not write administrative referrals or call parents unless absolutely necessary. However, sometimes this is the only way to get a student's attention and for the misbehavior to stop. I usually find that a quick phone call to a parent will stop the misbehavior almost immediately. Sometimes just threatening to call a parent can stop the misbehavior of a student. If I involve the administration, it is usually because the student has done something to another student or is involved in something that the administration must know about.
In conclusion, I believe the text gave practical and helpful tips for dealing with classroom management. As it stated, prevention is key in never having to deal with student misbehavior. Intentional teachers must have high expectations for their students and show them respect. They must also engage them in learning that is interesting and exciting. If a teacher can do these things, students will be motivated to maintain positive behaviors in the classroom.
Reference
Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. Pearson.
Analysis:
Classroom management is a challenging task for any teacher. We all wish to create learning environments that lead to student success but sometimes achieving this goal can be met with certain behavior challenges. Classroom management includes "preventing and responding to misbehavior but also, more importantly, using class time well, creating an atmosphere that is conductive to interest and inquiry, and permitting activities that engage students minds and imaginations" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 272). To meet all of these objectives, teachers must have a plan and they must work to execute that plan effectively being willing to modify as needed.
The first piece of managing an effective learning environment is considering the time you have with your students. Students spend a lot of time in school each day but much of that time is dedicated to class change, lunch, recess and other courses. They may only have a small amount of allotted time for engaged learning or "time on task" which is "the number of minutes actually spent learning" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 273). We must make sure that we are using this time for learning and not allowing for distractions. A good way to do this is to make sure that as soon as students walk into the classroom they are engaging in a learning activity and that they stay engaged until the lesson is over and the bell rings. This is called "preventing late starts and early finishes" and is achieved by students knowing that the teacher expects the student to be working all period (Slavin, 2015, pg. 274).
In addition to starting and ending the class well, teachers should also try to limit the distractions that can happen in the classroom. This can come from student misbehavior, routine procedures like going to the bathroom, or discipline issues that occur. Misbehaviors and discipline issues should be handled "after the lesson or after school" when possible in order to minimize the distractions in the classroom (Slavin, 2015, pg. 275). Teachers should also work to go over routine policies like going to the restroom at the beginning of the school year so that students understand the expectations.
Starting the year with clear, established rules and policies is an important first step for any teacher to take to help create an effective learning environment. Teachers should put thought into their classroom rules and how they want their students to behave in their classroom. They should "develop a specific plan" and use time at the beginning of the year to make sure students understand that plan (Slavin, 2015, pg. 278). Class rules should be "simple" and "few in number" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 279). Teachers should walk students through the rules and make sure students understand the consequences if they don't follow the rules in the classroom.
Even with a great plan and students understanding all the rules, it is inevitable that student misbehavior will occur. Teachers must understand this and be ready to deal with the misbehavior immediately. Prevention of misbehavior is obviously the primary target of an effective misbehavior plan. We all know that "the easiest behavior problems to deal with are those that never occur in the first place" but what do we do if we can't prevent a problem from occurring (Slavin, 2015, pg. 281)? Some possible strategies include "nonverbal cues, praising behavior of other students, verbal reminders, repeated reminders and finally applying consequences as needed" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 282). These strategies allow the teacher to try the least amount of resistance possible first and then move to a more structured consequence plan as needed. The consequences that are used with vary on grade level and must only be applied "when all previous steps have been ineffective in getting the students to comply with a clearly stated and reasonable request" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 282).
At times, some students may need more of a plan in place to help them deal with maintaining good behavior in the classroom. This can take the form of an "applied behavior analysis" which allows the teacher to apply "a systemic application of antecedents and consequences to change behavior" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 285). There are many steps to this process including understanding what is causing the misbehavior in a student. This requires careful observation of the misbehavior and an understanding of the reinforcers that are leading to the behavior. Once teachers have "established a baseline for the target behavior" they can choose a "reinforcer" that will lead to a positive behavior or change in behavior for the student (Slavin, 2015, pg. 285). They then must see how the student does with the modifications if punishment is necessary. If student makes good progress they can "reduce the frequency of reinforcement" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 285).
Occasionally, teachers may need to deal with whole class behavior issues instead of just individual students. Some important strategies that teachers can use to reinforce good behavior for the whole class include "group contingency programs" that allow for the teacher to say things like "we will go to lunch as soon as all students have put their work away and are quiet" (Slavin, 2015, pg. 288). This allows for the teacher to get all students attention and leads to whole-group behavior management because all students would like to go to lunch on time.
When all strategies have been applied by the classroom teacher to maintain positive behavior in the classroom and there are still issues with students, it may be necessary to call in outside reinforcements such as administrators and parents. Students may need "home-based reinforcement" in order to correct their misbehavior in the classroom. In addition, some misbehaviors may be out of your hands as a teacher and and must be dealt with by administrators, Things like physical aggression, excessive profanity, or bullying are things that require outside intervention.
Overall, intentional teachers understand that misbehavior is going to occur in the classroom and that they must have a plan to deal with it. Intentional teachers use their class time wisely and set high expectations for their students. They communicate those expectations during the first days of the school year and make sure to consistently reinforce the rules and policies they have established. When situations occur, they know how they will handle them working to minimize distractions from the learning environment. They understand that outside intervention may be necessary for students who cannot maintain appropriate behavior in the classroom. Finally, intentional teachers are responsible and accountable for maintaining an effective learning environment for all students.
Reflection:
Classroom management can be challenging even for someone like me who has been teaching for over ten years. Every year is different and each new set of students comes with it's own set of challenges. I teach high school and that means I see 5 groups of students each day. I also teach on-level, 9th graders who are having difficulty navigating letting go of that middle school student they were and adapting to their new world of high school.
I have found that in my classroom, like the text says, it is important to establish clear expectations and policies during the first few days of the school year. Yes, it may take some extra time but in my experience it is worth it. The first few days of school, I actively engage my students in practicing the expectations I have for them the whole year. On the first day of school, they walk in and are instructed to immediately begin a bell ringer activity. When I walk in the room after the tardy bell rings, if students are not all actively doing the activity quietly, I ask them to get up, walk out into the hall and try again. This is always surprising for students because they aren't sure if they are in trouble or not. I explain that the bell ringer activity is going to happen every day and that I expect them to be quietly working on it when I walk in the door.
In the last few years, I have let my students explore the syllabus and other class policies through a scavenger hunt, group activity that allows them to get up and move around on the first day of school. This lets them get to know other students before I start to verbally go over the class policies. They also have a chance to look at everything and come up with any questions they have for me. On the second day, we go over the things they learned and I ask them questions like, "how do you go to the bathroom in this class?" This makes it much easier for me because they should now know the answer and I don't have to verbally explain this to all five classes. Though the first two days are just about policies and expectations, I find that it leads to a much more conducive learning environment if I spend the time talking about these things.
In addition to bell ringer activities and policies for how to move about the room and leave the room, I also don't let students line up at the door when it is almost time for the bell to ring. Our school encourages teachers to enforce bell to bell instruction and so I try my best to do that. I use "ticket-out-the-door" activities at the end of the class period to fill up any extra time and allow for critical feedback on the day's lesson. Students must stay in their seats until the bell rings and I verbally dismiss them.
As in any classroom, misbehavior happens. I try the best I can to let student misbehaviors be a very limiting distraction to the classroom as a whole. If it is a behavior I can ignore, I try to. Or if I can give a nonverbal cue for the misbehavior to stop, I try to do that as well. Many times this works but on occasion I must use other reinforcers. Some of the most effective that I have used have been asking a student to speak to me privately at my desk or in the hall. Getting students one on one attention is imperative in stopping them from doing what they shouldn't be. When they talk to me privately they lose the ability to gain their peers attention and they usually apologize for their misbehavior.
I try my best to deal with student misbehaviors within the walls of my classroom and I find that most times I am able to do this. I try my hardest to not write administrative referrals or call parents unless absolutely necessary. However, sometimes this is the only way to get a student's attention and for the misbehavior to stop. I usually find that a quick phone call to a parent will stop the misbehavior almost immediately. Sometimes just threatening to call a parent can stop the misbehavior of a student. If I involve the administration, it is usually because the student has done something to another student or is involved in something that the administration must know about.
In conclusion, I believe the text gave practical and helpful tips for dealing with classroom management. As it stated, prevention is key in never having to deal with student misbehavior. Intentional teachers must have high expectations for their students and show them respect. They must also engage them in learning that is interesting and exciting. If a teacher can do these things, students will be motivated to maintain positive behaviors in the classroom.
Reference
Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. Pearson.
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