Below is the rundown of my classroom management plan, with explanation and commentary in brackets. Go ahead and grab yourself a warm drink, settle into a comfy chair, and prepare yourself for a chunk of not-so-light reading.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind (M Fischer)
What have I learned from my students this first summer during summer school?
I learned that I have a lot to work on in trying to become a better teacher.
I learned that I have weaknesses.
I learned that I have strengths as a teacher.
I learned that an interesting, engaging, challenging lesson is the best kind of lesson to have.
I learned that good sets start the lesson off right.
I learned that most students have Pit bulls, or at least that is what they say.
I learned that teenagers are quick to make fun and quick to shut down when they are on the other end.
I learned that the good kid can hide it in order to fit in.
I learned that there is such a thing as participating too much.
I learned that getting high does not help you with your studies.
I learned that the same student can be perfect in one class and a hellion in another.
I learned that some kids do watch Animal Planet.
I learned that they have dreams more than becoming a professional basket/football player.
I learned that students love it when you make words sound funny.
I learned that students love hand signals, even if they do not want to admit it.
I learned that boys and girls can be their own biggest distraction.
I learned that they will make fun of you, whether they like you or not.
I learned that counting down is effective.
I learned that in a classroom holding sixth to 11th graders, it can be hard to get the content level just right.
I learned that students will not organize unless you give them directions to do so.
I learned that having a student write something on the board before class starts can be a way of showing that they care.
I learned that creating seating charts is a science in-and-of itself.
I learned that the motivated will go far.
I learned that I really, really like school uniforms and dress codes.
I learned that students can make any kind of noise imaginable.
I learned that the saying that the teacher will show students respect and demand it in return is a hard concept to grasp. Many students like to flip it around and hold that as truth.
I learned that I should learn more about sports.
I learned that students are good at finding patterns. All teachers say “Good Morning.” TEAM teachers teach but only on Monday and Wednesdays. They always catch the popping noise, but not the snapping. Etc.
I learned that they complain about clubs but are sad when they’re over.
I know there’s much more, but by now I am fairly zombified this late in the day/week/summer.
I was apprehensive coming into the summer at having to get to know a whole new group of students. Our biology classroom in the extended summer program was very small, eventually settling out at seven individuals, which on the one hand greatly reduced the number of names/personalities/tricks I needed to get to know but also narrowed down the variety of the people with which I was interacting. I was a little amazed when the English and Math teachers outside on morning duty were greeting student after student by name. There were some teachers that made it their business to learn any and every name they could, even if they had never taught the student, and others that switched rooms over the summer so they did end up teaching a big chunk of the summer school student population. While interacting with the group of students that I did, I was amazed at some of the things we were being connected by in our teacher-student relationship. Animal Planet, corny jokes, number of siblings, and interested professions, just to name a few. As much as we as teachers prejudge, lesson plan, and evaluate situations, you just cannot know for sure what will connect you to a student. Sometimes it happens instantly, right on that first day or week. Sometimes it happens after you’ve both gone through a behavioral rough patch. Sometimes it does happen in class, but more often than not, it happens before or after the bell rings, outside waiting for the buses, or in the bleachers.
I learned that I have a lot to work on in trying to become a better teacher.
I learned that I have weaknesses.
I learned that I have strengths as a teacher.
I learned that an interesting, engaging, challenging lesson is the best kind of lesson to have.
I learned that good sets start the lesson off right.
I learned that most students have Pit bulls, or at least that is what they say.
I learned that teenagers are quick to make fun and quick to shut down when they are on the other end.
I learned that the good kid can hide it in order to fit in.
I learned that there is such a thing as participating too much.
I learned that getting high does not help you with your studies.
I learned that the same student can be perfect in one class and a hellion in another.
I learned that some kids do watch Animal Planet.
I learned that they have dreams more than becoming a professional basket/football player.
I learned that students love it when you make words sound funny.
I learned that students love hand signals, even if they do not want to admit it.
I learned that boys and girls can be their own biggest distraction.
I learned that they will make fun of you, whether they like you or not.
I learned that counting down is effective.
I learned that in a classroom holding sixth to 11th graders, it can be hard to get the content level just right.
I learned that students will not organize unless you give them directions to do so.
I learned that having a student write something on the board before class starts can be a way of showing that they care.
I learned that creating seating charts is a science in-and-of itself.
I learned that the motivated will go far.
I learned that I really, really like school uniforms and dress codes.
I learned that students can make any kind of noise imaginable.
I learned that the saying that the teacher will show students respect and demand it in return is a hard concept to grasp. Many students like to flip it around and hold that as truth.
I learned that I should learn more about sports.
I learned that students are good at finding patterns. All teachers say “Good Morning.” TEAM teachers teach but only on Monday and Wednesdays. They always catch the popping noise, but not the snapping. Etc.
I learned that they complain about clubs but are sad when they’re over.
I know there’s much more, but by now I am fairly zombified this late in the day/week/summer.
I was apprehensive coming into the summer at having to get to know a whole new group of students. Our biology classroom in the extended summer program was very small, eventually settling out at seven individuals, which on the one hand greatly reduced the number of names/personalities/tricks I needed to get to know but also narrowed down the variety of the people with which I was interacting. I was a little amazed when the English and Math teachers outside on morning duty were greeting student after student by name. There were some teachers that made it their business to learn any and every name they could, even if they had never taught the student, and others that switched rooms over the summer so they did end up teaching a big chunk of the summer school student population. While interacting with the group of students that I did, I was amazed at some of the things we were being connected by in our teacher-student relationship. Animal Planet, corny jokes, number of siblings, and interested professions, just to name a few. As much as we as teachers prejudge, lesson plan, and evaluate situations, you just cannot know for sure what will connect you to a student. Sometimes it happens instantly, right on that first day or week. Sometimes it happens after you’ve both gone through a behavioral rough patch. Sometimes it does happen in class, but more often than not, it happens before or after the bell rings, outside waiting for the buses, or in the bleachers.
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