Saturday, March 10, 2018

Classroom Control

Barton Academy
I was wondering if anyone had ideas about how to gain control of a classroom.  I observed a classroom the other day where the teacher had no control. She has barely any experience, only teaching for about six months and the school is in crisis.  There aren't enough teachers for the school. There aren't even teachers for some of the basic subjects like math.

So my discussion question is this: What would you do if you were going into a school like this, and the kids in your future classroom were out of control?
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8 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 10, 2018 at 7:15 PM

    I actually am in this very situation right now. Failing school, first year teacher, with no idea what I was doing when I started. I have attended 2 different classroom management classes/seminars. My classroom management is much better than it was, but it's still far from perfect.
    What you do is make a plan. You have to be consistent, and you have to model the behavior you want, and expect the kids to follow it. DO NOT waver on what consequences you set out for misbehavior. You can gain control, however, it takes time. This 9 weeks has been better than the first 2. I feel like I have much more control as time goes on. If you try a classroom management strategy and it doesn't work, start over. Every new week can be a new start, and every new 9 weeks, is DEFINITELY a new start!

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    1. John CleverdonMarch 10, 2018 at 8:57 PM

      I have a feeling that my second placement of observations is going to be very different than the first one I did at Murphy. During my five days there I had no true interaction with the students, but during my first day in the 8th grade math class, I helped students in every class. In some of the classes, they were gathered around me while I was helping. One was asking me questions as we were going to the cafeteria for lunch.

      I would not surprised if I don't end up teaching a lesson or two in the class I'm observing.

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    2. UnknownMarch 10, 2018 at 9:15 PM

      Where are you for your second round? I did my internship with a friends class at Theodore, and it was completely different than what I have going on at my school

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    3. John CleverdonMarch 10, 2018 at 9:21 PM

      My first was at Murphy, second was supposed to be at Pillan middle school, but instead is at Chastang-Fourier. One day of observation down, four more to go!

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  2. UnknownMarch 11, 2018 at 1:04 AM

    That's a really tough situation, John. I've never been in a classroom like that as a student or as a teacher in training. I would try to "reset" the classroom culture by getting the students' buy-in on rules/consequences for classroom behaviors. I would set aside a whole class period to talk it out, and I would be sure to single out a couple of influential students in the class to speak with privately before having the class discussion. Let those students know that you've observed that they are leaders in the class and that you need their help to pull off the class meeting. I truly believe if you can get the individual buy-in of an influential student, you have the key to turning the culture of the classroom.

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  3. AMcCleaveMarch 11, 2018 at 6:33 PM

    I also have no actual experience, but I agree with Tami that the biggest thing is being consistent and stern once you've set rules. Kids are incredibly intuitive, so if you show any signs of weakness they will run all over you. Definitely you need to change the system if it isn't working. I think another thing that she (or us eventually) can do is try to communicate with the other teachers. All of them are dealing with the same kids, so what have they found works, etc? It's a really difficult thing because you have to find some method that is comfortable for you, since if you aren't being yourself, it won't work. I think it's just trial and error until you find what works.

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    Replies
    1. John CleverdonMarch 11, 2018 at 9:45 PM

      Totally agree, kids will find a weakness and exploit it for their own benefit, especially if it makes them look good in front of their peers. In the case of the teacher at the school is all she does is tell the students to sit down and be quiet. Maybe tell them to move to a different desk. There were no consequences until a fight broke out in the classroom during one of the classes. I think (like we learned in class) that there need to be immediate, appropriate consequences to misbehavior.

      Of course all of this is easy for us to say from the sidelines, much more difficult in real life.

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    2. UnknownMarch 13, 2018 at 8:54 PM

      It is hard to do it in real life. I made a lot of mistakes in my first weeks of school, because I didn't really know what all I needed to do for classroom management, and I'm trying new things all the time. But all I can say is that I know I will have a much more successful year next year, because I will start it out right, and will not have to 'reclaim' it, like I have had to, this year

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