Classroom management is imperative to having an awesome year. The way a teacher sets the tone in his/her classroom at the beginning of the year, is how the rest of the year will progress. Share your ideas and strategies here whether they are tested, tried, and true; you've seen them used; you've read about them, or you've learned about them in other classes.
One of the first thing we do as a class is come up with the ground rules as a group. I have the students name them, then I record them on a large piece of paper. We add to these rules as we need to. They must consider rules that will keep everyone safe, rules that will keep the materials in the classroom from being harmed and also rules that might hurt a classmates feelings. Its usually not completed all in one day, but the important thing is that they compose them, I do sometime give them hints as needed.
ReplyDeleteMaryann,
DeleteHonestly, when I taught school, I had the rules already written on chart paper and on the wall the first day of school. We went over them the first couple of weeks of school when we were setting the environment and procedures in our classroom. But it was really "my" classroom, not "our" classroom. It gives them ownership if they help with the decisions in the classroom about what they thing is appropriate and inappropriate behavior, doesn't it?
Yes Angel ownership will encourage classroom community. It can't be all about me, it has to be us!
DeleteI taught a three year old class, so keep in mind that lesson plans are great but that they are rarely followed exactly as they are planned. One thing that we did was start our mornings with a daily routine. That consisted of going over a few simple fews simple rules. We also did songs with the days of the week, month, and things of that nature.These consisted of rules like use your listening ears, use your walking feet, and use your inside voice. Even with children as young as three years old you have to set the tone for your classroom. I completely agree with you there. This must be done starting on the very first day. You have to earn these students respect and make them understand you have the authority. With that being said I think that these things can still be done while providing a loving, caring, and fun interactive learning environment. It will just be a much more organized and respectful loving, caring, and fun interactive learning environment.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth,
DeleteI hear repetition in what you're saying and I think that is very important for the little ones, but also for the bigger ones as well. My children, when they were younger, knew the order of our day when they got up; and if it was going to change, it was better for me to tell them, than to "spring it on them." And you are so right about setting the routines from the very beginning, it really does make a difference.
I do get the students involved in the rules and consequences. We also show what that looks like.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that is very important is for the teacher to be firm and consistent. You can have a positive classroom as long as you set the expectations high and don't back down from those expectations.
DeleteElizabeth,
DeleteWhen I was much younger than I am now, in my first classroom experiences, I was too wishy-washy with my the expectations of the students. And those decisions made for some really rough days because I hadn't been consistent, which is key. Of course, modeling behaviors that you want to see or complimenting others are for behaving or acting correctly is important as well. You and Maryann have both agreed on student involvement in pinning the rules, procedures and consequences for the class. That is something I will definitely do differently when I have a classroom again.
I think one important key to classroom management is teacher reaction. If a teacher is over dramatic about how they respond to situations, the students will respond negative as well. Some students learn to get attention by getting a reaction out of their teacher. This can cause classroom management to go down fast. A teacher who can control his or her emotions, will be able to keep a good class environment.
ReplyDeleteJana,
DeleteYes, I know all about drama in my own house with three teenagers. Yikes, it can get CRAZY at times! One thing I know about me is that sometimes I can't hide my emotions whether I want to laugh hysterically or cry from anger or frustration. I know I have to get my emotions in take and not lose it because my reactions will definitely effect the climate of the classroom. Now to learn to breathe deeply and count to 10 in those moments. I want to be known as the teacher that is able to have so much fun with her students. And I want to be able to say, it's all because rules and procedures are in place and EVERYONE knows what is expected from them.