So my original question to my study was, "how to facilitate effective learning in the classroom", but after my couple of weeks of teaching I realized that with the demographic of students I am teaching and the level of evilness in their souls, I do not think that this would be an appropriate study for me to do. However, I have modified my question from our last class to, "How do I develop my classroom management so that it will support the different demographic of students?" This seems much more fitting for my current situation then before. Rumor had it that West Salem High School "allegedly" was supposed to be a middle to upper class school lacking diversity amongst their students, however, I would like to beg to differ. In the 2 classes of pre-algebra that I am teaching I have 28 IEP , 3 EGC, 6 with parole officers, and another 6 that you will see on America's Most Wanted in a few more years. Thus over half my time is spent on classroom management and although this challenge is a good time, this last week was the first week that I have started to see a break in the clouds.
One question that I focused on this last 2 weeks was how can I gain the trust and respect of my students to help my C.M.? So, 2 weeks ago after I finished my joyous 5th period, I went to the LRC and EGC rooms and spoke with the teachers about their individual students that I have in my classroom and what I can do to help them. At the same time, I was asking them for some help to talk to their students about letting off their full court press about being jerks. This was a very valuable because I learned a lot about each one of my kids and found out information that is not in their files. Some of my students have abandonment issues, bad home lives, etc. For these students I am making an effort to show them that I am here for them, I am not going anywhere, but at the same time I am still holding them to a standard that they need to meet. I have been working with their case workers with their homework and the students have been responding well with this because they can see that I care and I am making the effort for them. Last Thursday, I had to tell my students about 10 times in a 30 min lesson to be quite so I could talk so I used that as a teachable moment and had a heart to heart with them about how I can get them to be quite when I am talking. I pretty much laid all my cards on the table and told them what it was like teaching, what my role of a teacher was, how horrible their experience in the class could be if this doesn't change, and what I can do to help them. It turned out to be a great talk and although they just told me to tell them to be quite or shut up, I think what came out of it more was the amount of respect and care I have for them. The last thing I did was this Friday, I gave them an exit slip to fill out after their test about how the class was going, how the layout of the class was, how my teaching is, etc. They surprisingly responded that they all liked my class and I am doing a great job. One question I wanted to know was did they like the worksheets I was giving them and if they wanted some other type of lesson. To get my legs under me, get a better handle of class, and plenty of practice on problems I have been creating worksheets everyday. Although all the students said they liked that and a couple suggested I do a few math games, the one question I am going to focus on for the next 2 weeks is how can different classroom activities support my classroom management? Within the next couple of weeks I am going to do some book work and a search and rescue game that will get them out of their seats. The intent is to get them engaged which in turn will help my classroom management so until then....
I can feel the same at McKay. If you complain at West you should come over to my neck of the woods. I am not too worried about it though. I have gotten through to my students by just asking them questions and treating them like a real person. I am always asking them different things about their interests. If a student is playing a sport then ask them how it went for them in the game or how they are liking it. It is an easy way for you to show them that you do care about them and you are not just there to give them hw. The students are surprised when you ask them about something they do or something they like. Don't be so quick to judge your students and try to get to know them one on one. I think this would help your CM quite a bit. Remember to build a relationship with your students.
ReplyDeleteI think learning more about your students is a great thing to do. I agree with Chad that it is important to be genuinely interested in your students. The fact that you were very honest with them and asked for their opinion will go a long way I think. Treating them with respect as long as they give it back is important, especially in high school. I like your new question and I think your classes lend themselves to you getting some really valid and usable data.
ReplyDeleteSo one thing I will be interested for you to talk about is what classroom management works best for students with abandonment. That is a tough one. My one question for you is how are you planning on collecting data specific to your first question? Something that you might want to think about over the next couple of weeks.
D
HI THERE.
ReplyDeleteSo, I wonder if your original question is really something that you can't work on in that class? It seems like that question needs to be at the heart of what you do as a teacher--how to help your student learn? I wonder if perhaps you are mostly just working on phrasing it more effectively?
Also, in your second question, you say how do you manage a "different demographic?" What do you mean by different? Different to whom? to you? to middle class white kids? I would encourage you to be more specific about what you are talking about? Chad makes a good point that we have to get to know our students as individuals--not as one particular group or another. I commend you for going on a quest to find out more about those students. Excellent! You could have just stopped with your frustration with them and not gone any further with them. Now, it looks like you are working on building relationships and on taking small steps to teaching them in a way that is more interactive.
Last...your new question is a good one--but that one too needs to be more specific. When you say, "different" activities, what do you really mean? When you say, "My classroom management" what is it you mean? Keep going tony. I know this is challenging! You are learning a lot. :) jill
How so I manage my classroom and still be effective and keep positive....
ReplyDeleteTony,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have your hands full. I glad to hear that when you laid down the cards that they were able to respect and undertand what you are trying to do in that class. So did that back up your new TR question? Do you now think that being extremely transparent about your class management will help with a diverse demongraphic? If yes, it sounds like your next step will be seeing if keeping class active will help as well? How are you going to test if the trancparency management technique again?