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Lesson Plans


Re: classroom management

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Linda Kelty (lckelty)
Sun, 17 May 2099 23:39:38 -0400

Jackie, so many times a student asks "What should I...." which masks a need
for affirmation. I tell them I can't decide for them because I'm not the
artist, but we discuss ways to solve the problem, but I always tell them to
trust themselves, that adults tend to underestimate them, but they shouldn't
fall into that themselves. I think that discipline can be handled with
respect for individual needs and that if the students are "hooked" into a
concept or result they tend to stay on task. I try to stress mutual
respect, cooperation and peer mentoring. I tell them that everyone in the
room is a teacher, not just me, and that I learn from them too. I sometimes
award extra credit points for kindness to another student, volunteering or
mentoring. I don't do this consistently because I don't want them to be
kind for the point, but believe they deserve to be appreciated tangibly as
well as verbally. I have an active room most of the time, but surprisingly
few discipline problems, even with the students who are in the behavior
disorder program. Respect works. Linda K. in Iowa

I inserted some comments to your statements. Hope another viewpoint helps.

>Hi gang,
>
>I would like some feedback on what your expectations are for your
>students when it comes to classroom management. Below are my
>expectations, maybe i am too hard.
>
>1. Follow are rules lined out in school discipline management book.
>2. Students are responsible for their own daily supplies - pen, pencil,
>sketchbook, I dont even loan them out.

I collect the pencils kids leave behind and put them in a cup on my desk for
them to claim, but allow students who lost theirs to our pencil devouring
sharpener or in the hall to borrow from that cup. My personal pencils have
a clip and my name on them and I don't loan them out.

>3. I have high expectations hoping to get above average instead of low
>expectations and barely getting that.

I tell the kids that some people are really good at drawing, some at
painting, some at design. If they don't think they are good at art, then I
tell them they just haven't found their strength yet, but don't worry, they
will. Maybe they will be good at interpreting the art of others, perhaps
they will discover a sensitivity to color. Relating the art experience to
real life uses for a talent gives them a direct application for a "talent",
allowing them to think artistically and produce in a variety of ways
successfully.

>4. I answer all questions through questions when I can, to force
>students to find it themselves from previous knowledge, they hate that,
>just give them the answer.

I do it too, following a warm smile and the suggestion that they really
already know the answer, they just have to find it. I also encourage them
to talk it over amongst themselves to solve a problem. They teach each
other and reinforce their own knowledge.

>5. I dont provide answers to questions such as "What color should I
>use?" I feel if I do, I have done the thinking and they are only going
>through the motions.
See above in first response.
>6. Students should stay on task at all times, concentrating on work, a
>large amount of unnecessary visiting hinders thinking about what they
>are doing. Now discussing work that is going on is different. I
>constantly monitor students progress, keeping them on task.
>
I approach this in a very similar way. I just try to take a positive and
affirming approach consistently to help them develop some confidence in
their problem solving skills. Adolescents and teens are so tender and tear
themselves down enough that they not only don't need help with that, you
almost have to counter balance that in tangible and specific ways to nurture
them into growth.
Linda
>I could go on, anyone care to add to this or take away from my approach.
>
>Jackie
>
>