Blog Post#6

Go to educationworld.com and read one article on some aspect of Classroom Management (type Classroom Management into the search box in the upper left hand corner). Post a reflection to your blog based on your practice as it relates to what you learn from the article.

How effectively is your well classroom management system working at this point in the year? What are your struggles? What are your successes?

Reflect with honest hearts and minds!

Classroom Management Reflection:

Based on the Article "10 ways to Sabotoge Classroom Management" found here. The article focuses on small things teachers do that undermine their authority and CM. Two of the areas are things I do. First is smiling or even chuckling when a student make a funny, yet off task comment.  I have to spend time getting students back on task. The other thing I see myself doing is not waiting until all students are quiet. If I have 27 out of 28 quiet I'll start instruction. I know that one will either quiet down or I'll remind her to shhh. The article says "Students who don’t hear what you say will either (a) turn to a neighbor to ask, or (b) follow instructions incorrectly." That is time that I has to spend reteaching unnecessarily or have students not turn in work. Waiting 5 seconds is a good technique to get students ready to learn.

Management reflection.

My classroom management is pretty good. It helps that I have students who've been doing MYD for 8 years. They know the system. It is easy to head off problems before they become big ones. I use step as a reflection moment and not as a punishment. I have the fewest Step 4's of all the middle school teachers. I slam kids into higher step unless it is needed.

I do struggle with about 5 students across the grade level consistently. One of my teammates calls one of them a waste of space and air. I hate to say it but I agree. I struggle with not letting my feeling known to him or the other students. He is always in step.