Thanks to responses from my last twoposts and requests for articles about classroom management, I wanted to get some responses to the following poll. Your answers will help me give input for an upcoming blog series on classroom mangement. Guest posts will be involved so if you have life changing advice, tips, and tricks, feel free to contact me about contributing.
Thanks so much! I appreciate your time, loyalty, tweets, comments, and input.
All these points are important, but when it comes to controlling unwanted behavior, I've found that clear rules with predictable consequences trump everything else.
I have a number of posts that outline my struggle to be clear, consistent and fair when it comes to enforcing rules. Here's one:
Looks like my vote was for the most popular aspect so far: student engagement. I think it's critical to keep the kids busy in order to maintain a classroom. With that said, it's imperative that the tasks be worthwhile, objectives explained, real world application discussed, and that it does not turn into busy work and worksheets to accomplish a quiet classroom. In fact, student engagement may mean a room of organized chaos, and that's ok!
We have to be careful how we define classroom management sometimes... it doesn't have to mean a perfectly docile group of kids in straight rows listening to the teacher lecture. If that's what a teacher believes, a paradigm shift may be in order!
Miss Cal: here are a few more posts on classroom management issues:
Part Two of the story I linked to above (in my previous comment): http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/sulk-and-the-17-year-old-girl-part-two/
Four posts about a very troublesome student: http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/im-watching-you/
The classroom management poll conducted is very interesting! I know of a certain website which talks about classroom management. On registration you will get a free e-course and ebook on classroom management. Also you will get a free newsletter on behaviour needs.
All these points are important, but when it comes to controlling unwanted behavior, I've found that clear rules with predictable consequences trump everything else.
ReplyDeleteI have a number of posts that outline my struggle to be clear, consistent and fair when it comes to enforcing rules. Here's one:
http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/tantrums-and-tact/
Not much gets resolved in this post, but if you follow the links, there are some positive results!
Thanks for the input! If you have more to say, feel free to send me an excerpt to include in a future post. Or send some more links.
ReplyDeleteLooks like my vote was for the most popular aspect so far: student engagement. I think it's critical to keep the kids busy in order to maintain a classroom. With that said, it's imperative that the tasks be worthwhile, objectives explained, real world application discussed, and that it does not turn into busy work and worksheets to accomplish a quiet classroom. In fact, student engagement may mean a room of organized chaos, and that's ok!
ReplyDeleteWe have to be careful how we define classroom management sometimes... it doesn't have to mean a perfectly docile group of kids in straight rows listening to the teacher lecture. If that's what a teacher believes, a paradigm shift may be in order!
Miss Cal: here are a few more posts on classroom management issues:
ReplyDeletePart Two of the story I linked to above (in my previous comment):
http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/sulk-and-the-17-year-old-girl-part-two/
Four posts about a very troublesome student:
http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/im-watching-you/
http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/im-watching-you-update/
http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/the-limits-of-compassion/
http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/failing-the-poem/
A wrapup of some classroom problem stories from this semester: http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/semester-denouement/
Hope these have info that is useful to you.
Thanks for your comments. I agree mrsfollis2 that classroom management≠ total silence. Student engagement should be the goal.
ReplyDeleteThe classroom management poll conducted is very interesting! I know of a certain website which talks about classroom management. On registration you will get a free e-course and ebook on classroom management. Also you will get a free newsletter on behaviour needs.
ReplyDelete