I have posted in a while. I really have thought about it a lot, but I guess I've just kept my many ruminations in my head.
My math colleague and I have been doing a book study of Assertive Discipline by Lee Canter. I think I have grown a lot as a classroom manager, but there are aspects that I look to improve upon. This is especially so as every year I have taught here, there has been a lot of change that happens. This year's major change is our restructuring, which has me splitting myself between a "regular" classroom and my lab in the other building. Class time is five minutes less than last year, which is bothersome considering time lost to traveling to the lab. Additionally, a good portion of the labs and activities I do will have to be majorly modified because of the split rooms. This is something I have been thinking about a lot as I plan for the upcoming year.
I have read up through Ch. 8. A few things have really stuck out to me. This is something I know and have improved upon, but keeping my excitability level low. Keeping calm, cool, and collected goes along way with setting the tone in the classroom. Secondly, working that "teacher voice." I have always thought that my voice has sounded a bit young or childish for my age I also know that I don't always speak in an assertive manner. I have definitely increased this over the years, but I believe this is key with challenging students. For example, I go through streaks in which I say "I think." too much. Judging from some responses from others when I have used that, it has been evident that what I have said isn't being considered seriously. I also need to pay attention to my body language as I state directions.
A third point involves rules and corrective actions. I have had observable rules in place, but the corrective action haven't always been consistent. I take most of the responsibility for this, however, there needs to be clear expectations of what the teacher should deal with in the classroom and what the teacher shouldn't have to deal with in the classroom. There have been mixed messages with this at times, and quite honestly, students have been aware of this as well. As we transition to a new building and a new principal, I look forward to having a conversation about where the line is for student actions and teacher responsibilities in the classroom. It is very important that our team is on the same page, and that team must include the principal too.
Lastly, I have thought about the procedures that the author outlines as needed to be taught to students. I like how the author has a suggested schedule of teaching these procedures. At times, students have been bogged down with too many procedures for one day or they haven't been been presented or embedded in a logical sequence. I am going to take care to plan out the sequence of teaching procedures in a more meaningful manner.
In a thread in one of the NSTA listservs I follow, there has been a discussion going on about saying hello, shaking hands, or recognizing students in some manner. I have been out for hall duty generally between classes and I do try to acknowledge students in some manner. I would like to ramp up this effort more this upcoming school year not only in the beginning of class but during the close as well.
In addition to reading Assertive Discipline, I have started Discipline with Dignity by Curwin, Mendler, & Mendler, and I am also reading Connecting with Students by Allen Mendler. I have read a few other books by Allen mendler and I have found that he generally has strategies that workout well in the classroom. I'm going to keep on plugging away before school starts!
Showing posts with label Classroom management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Classroom management. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
"Someone Save Me if You Will": Safety in the Science Classroom
I've begun looking at documents and things that I want to improve for next school year, and one of those such documents is my safety contract. I have students and a parent sign a copy each year either prior to training or right after training. I drafted this based off of many different examples I have see either online or from past teachers. I'm not 100% satisfied with it; I think some of the wording is probably beyond my students and parents, but that's why we go through training together too. Here is my current version of my safety contract.
Also, depending on any changes to the location of safety equipment or what grade the students are in, for example, in coming 6th graders, I have students go on a short scavenger hunt for the equipment. I then point out the features and demonstrate how to properly use them.
I also generally show a safety video. For the last three years, I have used one the somebody sent through a NSTA listserv. The band is called rhyme, rhyme, results: Lab Safety Rap The video has words blanked out that correspond with blanks on the student guide sheet: Lab Safety Lyrics
Additionally, I discuss with students about behavior expectations when we are in the mix of activities or labs. Something that I implemented this past year was:
1. First time, you sit away from the activities until you think you are able to participate properly
2. Second time, I have you sit away from activities until I think you are ready to participate
properly
3. Third time, you are finished with the activity and you are responsible for completing the work
as best as you can based off of observations
I have used this in conjunction with the procedures outlined in the safety contract. It has worked ok, but there is always room for improvement.
To the students always thinking about safety, I do spend time talking about certain precautions before-hand and also have some precautions written on their lab/activity information.
When I taught high school, someone on a NSTA listserv shared a lab to help demonstrate some of the reasons behind the safety precautions. I would like to develop something similar to this for middle school, but I haven't quite figured that out. Many of the reagents/procedures that are used in this lab aren't things that I use with my middle school students.
*A note about the article that is mentioned in the lab. I have a copy somewhere, so if I located it, I could include it in this post. On the other hand, it would be fairly easy to find another article with safety issues.
Safety Lab
How do you introduce and keep your students mindful about safety in the science classroom?
Also, depending on any changes to the location of safety equipment or what grade the students are in, for example, in coming 6th graders, I have students go on a short scavenger hunt for the equipment. I then point out the features and demonstrate how to properly use them.
I also generally show a safety video. For the last three years, I have used one the somebody sent through a NSTA listserv. The band is called rhyme, rhyme, results: Lab Safety Rap The video has words blanked out that correspond with blanks on the student guide sheet: Lab Safety Lyrics
Additionally, I discuss with students about behavior expectations when we are in the mix of activities or labs. Something that I implemented this past year was:
1. First time, you sit away from the activities until you think you are able to participate properly
2. Second time, I have you sit away from activities until I think you are ready to participate
properly
3. Third time, you are finished with the activity and you are responsible for completing the work
as best as you can based off of observations
I have used this in conjunction with the procedures outlined in the safety contract. It has worked ok, but there is always room for improvement.
To the students always thinking about safety, I do spend time talking about certain precautions before-hand and also have some precautions written on their lab/activity information.
When I taught high school, someone on a NSTA listserv shared a lab to help demonstrate some of the reasons behind the safety precautions. I would like to develop something similar to this for middle school, but I haven't quite figured that out. Many of the reagents/procedures that are used in this lab aren't things that I use with my middle school students.
*A note about the article that is mentioned in the lab. I have a copy somewhere, so if I located it, I could include it in this post. On the other hand, it would be fairly easy to find another article with safety issues.
Safety Lab
How do you introduce and keep your students mindful about safety in the science classroom?
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Everybody's Workin' For the Weekend! Update!!
Last year I posted about making a couple documents relating to classroom jobs. I am including them here for you to peruse. Again, I definitely borrowed from many sources, but I tailored them to fit for my classroom needs.
I used these jobs this year
And here is the document I used for the job application.
I definitely will be making some changes to the positions. I may get rid of a couple and/or maybe repurpose a few. In the previous year, we had study hall in our rooms at least every other day. However, this school year the students had study hall in other locations. It was easy in the past for students to work on some helpful tasks because they were in our rooms or even in the same building. With study hall being in other locations during our regular teaching time made it difficult for students who wanted to help out with certain tasks. That's something I need to rethink. Either, I will only accept those who really are committed to some extra time occasionally or I will have to have some items I want them to help with mostly ready to go. Of course, we don't know what our schedule will be like at all next year, so there is still the element of unknown out there.
I would like to spend a bit more time training students on how to do some of the jobs and I would like for the expert students to do some of the training for the ones who are taking over that position for the new quarter. For the office parties, I usually held three separate ones during social time after students were done eating lunch. I might see if there is interest in having something in the mornings during this upcoming school year.
I have some more pondering to do before I redraft my positions, but I did enjoy using jobs this past year. I think the students really enjoyed them as well. Unfortunately, some of my students that I really hoped would have a job didn't sign up for various reasons. Have you used classroom jobs with your middle school students? What things really worked for your classroom, and what struggles did you have?
And here is the document I used for the job application.
I definitely will be making some changes to the positions. I may get rid of a couple and/or maybe repurpose a few. In the previous year, we had study hall in our rooms at least every other day. However, this school year the students had study hall in other locations. It was easy in the past for students to work on some helpful tasks because they were in our rooms or even in the same building. With study hall being in other locations during our regular teaching time made it difficult for students who wanted to help out with certain tasks. That's something I need to rethink. Either, I will only accept those who really are committed to some extra time occasionally or I will have to have some items I want them to help with mostly ready to go. Of course, we don't know what our schedule will be like at all next year, so there is still the element of unknown out there.
I would like to spend a bit more time training students on how to do some of the jobs and I would like for the expert students to do some of the training for the ones who are taking over that position for the new quarter. For the office parties, I usually held three separate ones during social time after students were done eating lunch. I might see if there is interest in having something in the mornings during this upcoming school year.
I have some more pondering to do before I redraft my positions, but I did enjoy using jobs this past year. I think the students really enjoyed them as well. Unfortunately, some of my students that I really hoped would have a job didn't sign up for various reasons. Have you used classroom jobs with your middle school students? What things really worked for your classroom, and what struggles did you have?
Monday, January 21, 2013
Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend!
I have such a backlog of posts that I have been stewing about or I have written, but just haven't re-edited. I really want to use this blog to be a more reflective practitioner, but it is really hard sometimes to keep up with things. Even in the summer!!!
Last year, I sent out a message to the NSTA listservs about classroom contributions. I have wanted to help promote responsibility, caring, efficiency, and a host of other qualities in my classroom. I didn't quite get things as organized as I would have liked to last year, so yesterday as I was working on beginning of the year items, I revisited the message. I also looked at many other examples online. It really was awesome to see all the resources out there to help me as I developed my classroom contributions. I came up with a document that talked about having jobs in the classroom this year and I created a table that listed the titles, descriptions, and how many positions are available. I also created a job application for the students to complete with their top four job choices. There were some pretty creative job titles that I either used or modified. I am particularly excited about the class ninja. I saw that one on somebody's example, and I thought that it would be a better title than substitute!
I am really excited to see how this works in the classroom this year. I have high hopes that it will be successful! :)
Last year, I sent out a message to the NSTA listservs about classroom contributions. I have wanted to help promote responsibility, caring, efficiency, and a host of other qualities in my classroom. I didn't quite get things as organized as I would have liked to last year, so yesterday as I was working on beginning of the year items, I revisited the message. I also looked at many other examples online. It really was awesome to see all the resources out there to help me as I developed my classroom contributions. I came up with a document that talked about having jobs in the classroom this year and I created a table that listed the titles, descriptions, and how many positions are available. I also created a job application for the students to complete with their top four job choices. There were some pretty creative job titles that I either used or modified. I am particularly excited about the class ninja. I saw that one on somebody's example, and I thought that it would be a better title than substitute!
I am really excited to see how this works in the classroom this year. I have high hopes that it will be successful! :)
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