Classroom Environment

Part A: Building a Classroom Management System - Creating Environment

What do all of these "voices from the classroom" advise about what a well-managed classroom looks like?

While students are different and have different expectations in the classroom there are many common things that each student is looking for (or not looking for) in the classroom.  I think the overall theme is that students want to be treated with respect and treated more as an adult than a child.

One of the first things mentioned by Cushman (2003) is that students recognize and dislike condescension.  Students don’t like when teachers try too hard to relate to students or pretend to understand what they are going through (Cushman, 2003, p 1). Even as adults we sometimes come across someone with a condescending attitude and I can understand why students don’t appreciate it.

Students also want the teacher to know who they are, not just their name and grade. Students also seem to appreciate a beginning of the year questionnaire that allows them to give the teacher some insight into their life as well as express concerns for the upcoming year (Cushman, 2003, p2,4). Tiffany (Cushman, 2003) said “In history the first day my teacher passed out a paper with a couple of questions about how you learn – like: what type of issues do you have with history, do you like it? That was the first time a teacher seemed to actually care about how a student learns, so she could meet their needs” (p5). I never really thought before how important student input can be to the planning process. By asking that question and compiling answers I can better meet the needs of my students.

There are many things that students advise about well-managed classrooms but respect is the most important. “Students say that if a teacher sets a steady example of fairness and respect, they respond positively whether or not they like a teacher personally” (Cushman, 2003, p17). I think it is so important to set a level of respect in the classroom that goes both ways. Respect is more than just treating your students respectfully but also showing them respect by pushing them to be better. As mentioned by Alexis (Cushman, 2003) they had a track coach that let the students dictate what they would and wouldn’t do at practice, and while the students loved him, they never won any meets. Their new coach did not let the students dictate the practice and pushed them to be better and they started winning meets (p17). This new coach may not have been as well liked and as fun as the old coach but he had the respect that the old coach did not.

What does an effective classroom instructor know and what type of environment does an effectively managed classroom create?  Be specific.

            The most important thing for an instructor to know is that they must “mean business” from day one. They must make it clear to students that they expect students to behave and learn in their classroom (Jones, 2007, p5). An effective classroom instructor is also aware of problem areas such as goofing off, squandered time and passivity and what they can do about it (Jones, 2007, p6-7). One thing that effective instructors know how to do is to effectively arrange the classroom to limit or prevent goofing off. This means having the ability to get to any students within only a few steps (Jones, 2007, p17). They also employ the practice of “Praise, Prompt and Leave” (Jones, 2007, p18). Praise, Prompt and Leave is a technique used by teachers for those students that need help during guided practice. It helps them to quickly move on so that they are not leaving the rest of the class “unattended” for too long (Jones, 2007, p18).

            Another thing that effective instructors know is the value and application of discipline. Without discipline the classroom will turn to chaos. It’s important for students to understand that you mean business.  Meaning business is “a combination of calm, commitment, and utter consistency that taught the students that ‘no’ always means ‘no’ and that consequences would always be delivered’ (Jones, 2007, p20). They also know how to train students to be responsible for completing their work and they are able to work with students who are going out of their way to buck the system (Jones, 2007, p20).

            An effective instructor also knows how to motivate their students and know how to help students build a good work ethic (Jones, 2007, p22). Cushman (2003) says “If teachers know more about what their students care about, it’s easier to motivate them, by connecting academic work to their existing interests (p13). If a teacher knows her students and can relate material to what they already enjoy the students will be able to better understand the topic and be more likely to want to know more about it.

            An effectively managed classroom will create an environment that makes both teaching and learning a success for the teacher and students. It will be a mutually respectful classroom and a classroom where students will not be afraid to pose questions or comments to the teacher. The environment will be one where students are able to learn and learn effectively because there will be less distractions that prevent learning. I think it’ll also be the kind of classroom that can have more “fun” activities. If students are staying on task then the teacher does not have to repeat tasks or wait for the class to clam down and they can move through the “boring” activities faster to get to the “fun” ones. The environment will also be one that motivates students to do better and be better.

            An effectively managed classroom will create an environment for the teacher that is more relaxed and less stressful. If the students know the rules and follow them the teacher can then focus on the lesson instead of monitoring students behavior. A more relaxed teacher also benefits the students because they recognize when a teacher is stressed or frustrated and often times that leads to more frustrations and stress for the teacher.  

Part B: Building a Classroom Management System - Day One and Beyond 

What will you do before Day One to make Day One effective?

As a new teacher there are many things I will do before Day One to make Day One effective for me. One of the first things I will do is look at my room arrangement. According to Jones (2007) “the biggest single variable that governs the likelihood of students goofing off in your class is their physical distance from you (p137). I will make sure that I have walkways so that I can easily move around the room and be able to move from student to student without too many steps (Jones, 2007, p138). Jones (2007) recommends using “tape dots” on the floor to prevent desk creep and requiring students to “straighten up” between activities to keep desks in place (p138). I would also plan a seating chart for all my classes. I would probably start with your standard A to Z.

I would also work on devising classroom rules and procedures. I would like to get some input from the students on the first day, but I would like to a list ready to go for the first day of school. Rules are very important to the success of the classroom.

           

What are 3-5 initiatives you will take to be proactive in your classroom on Day One and why?

There are many things you can do as a new (or old) teacher to be proactive on Day One. I think greeting the students as they enter the classroom is very important. I want to set a positive, friendly tone in the classroom and greeting the students is one way to do that. By greeting the students in the doorway I am setting the tone that the classroom is a work environment not a socializing environment (Jones, 2007, p138).

One thing I will definitely implement in my classroom is bell work (Jones, 2007, p139). When I was volunteering at a middle school two of the teachers had bell work for the students and it was amazing the difference it made in the classroom. I worked with three different teachers and when I was working with the teacher that did not utilize bell work it was very frustrating and difficult to get the attention of the students. 

I would also be proactive about rules in the classroom. According to Jones (2007) “research has repeatedly shown that teachers with the best run classrooms spend most of the first two weeks of the semester teaching their procedures and routines” (p147). He also goes on to state that few teachers make the investment to do this, especially as the students get older (Jones, 2007, p147). When I think back to high school in most classes we only spent a few minutes on the first day going over rules, and I never really paid much attention to them. I would like to take the extra time to work on the rules and procedures with my students, which will hopefully lead to a better-run classroom.

What do you want students to know from Day One about you, and what do you want to know from Day One about them.   How will this communication occur?

            When I was a student I always wanted to know more about my teachers than the standard “I teach Math because…” and that was it. As I introduce myself I would say where I am from, where I went to school, what my hobbies are, etc, and ask them if they had any specific questions they wanted to ask me.

            For getting to know my students I would use a questionnaire as suggested by Cushman (2003, p9). I don’t remember doing those in high school, but I do remember a few in college and it was always a nice surprise when a professor acknowledged something that I wrote on my card. I would also like to use the questionnaire to get any questions or concerns that students might have about the class. Math skills vary widely and I would like to get a feel for what they are thinking about the particular math they are taking (algebra, geometry, etc). I would also have the students verbally introduce themselves to me and the class by saying there name and an interesting fact.

Would you want to read the information available about students with IEP/504 plans prior to day one - why or why not?  Will this information impact classroom management/instructional decisions?

            I would definitely want to read the information available about students with IEP/504 plans prior to day one. Knowing that a child has a IEP/504 plan will impact the structure of the classroom as I will have to make some accommodations for those students. According to the US Department of Education (2010) a student with a 504 plan “may comprise education in regular classes, education in regular classes with the use of related aids and services, or special education and related services in separate classrooms for all or portions of the school day” (section 3). As a teacher I must be aware if a student will be allowed to take their test in a different room or they are allowed extra time for a test or whatever extra assistance they will need.

            An IEP “is designed for one student and must be a truly individualized document” (US Department of Education, 2000). It creates an opportunity for educators and parents to work together to improve the educational experience of students with disabilities (US Department of Education, 2000). As a teacher if I have a student who has an IEP it is critical that I am involved with the plans for that student, including being prepared for the first day of class.

            If I did not look at these plans prior to the school year beginning I would be doing that student and the class a disservice.

Works Cited

Archived: Guide to the individualized education program. (2000). U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved January 26, 2013, from http://ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html

Cushman, K. (2003). Fires in the bathroom: advice for teachers from high school students. New York: New Press.

Free appropriate public education under section 504. (1999, revised 2010). U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved January 26, 2013, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html

Jones, F. H., Jones, P., & Jones, J. L. (2007). Tools for teaching: discipline, instruction, motivation (2nd ed.). Santa Cruz, CA: F.H. Jones & Associates.