Mod 4:Unit 3:Act 3: My classrooms and rules, norms, and procedures

Establishing rules, norms, and procedures is the most important part of classroom management and should be implemented early on in order to avoid problems in the future with students. This sets the tone for the whole class experience. Teachers sometimes have the misconceptions that students dislike rules or that if you have too many rules, the students will find you too strict. The truth of the matter is that students expect the teacher to be in charge (Mccleod 75). That being said, students look to the teacher for ways on how to properly conduct themselves in the classroom. They expect you to teach and guide them through your personal expectations. If the teacher is lax with the way things are run in the class, individual students will start to act out and it won't be long before you lose control of the class as a whole. Once that occurs, it is very difficult to get them back. The placement of rules, norms, and procedures doesn't occur overnight, it takes time and patience for it to become second nature to the student.

As a teacher, I have tried two different techniques when it came to establishing rules and procedures in the classroom. When I first began teaching, I was pretty much a dictator and the rules that I had were ones that I established myself and I enforced them very strictly and I didn't give the students a say in the decision process. Although this method worked for some students, it didn't work for others. Later on, I decided to have the students involved in the decision process: a more democratic way of going about it. During the first week of classes, I place the students in groups and I get them to think of rules that they feel would make the class run more smoothly. One they are done with that, we discuss them and decide which ones are most beneficial. The rules are then written on a bristol board and placed in front of the class for all to see. I find that by allowing the students to have a say in what the rules are, they are more willing to abide by them.  I also get to students to sign a contract that states that they all understand the rules and they know the consequences for the various infractions. 

Some common rules that usually come out of these brainstorming ,

1) Enter the class quietly and sit down right away.

2) Make sure your bring your pencil, notebook, and textbook

3) Raise your hand when you want to ask a question or answer one

4) No eating or drinking

5) Do not use your cellphone

6) Stay alert and pay attention

7) Try to speak English (as much as possible)

8) Respect your classmates

9) No scribbling on the desk

10)  No gum

All of the aforementioned rules are non-negotiable and as mentioned before, if they are not respected then they will be punished accordingly. During my reading I came across the fact that "rules should be stated positively" (McCleod 77) although as you can see by my list there are a few No's. I don't really know how to rephrase "No gum" or "No scribbling" to make it into a positive rule...any ideas?. Same thing with the no food and drink. Perhaps I can phrase it like"  Only bring the things that you need to study with"??

One thing that I do in my class to encourage students to adhere to the class rules is by setting up a sticker chart system. If the group doesn't break any of the rules during class, then they are awarded stickers which can lead to a certain prize at the end of the semester. This system really works well with the younger kids because they end up policing themselves as they tend to listen to one another more than teachers.

The procedures in the class are also taught at the beginning of each new semester. Since there are many different procedures depending on the task, this does take a while to go through. But once established, the students know how to conduct themselves. 

Some of the procedures of my class are:

Entering the class: All students line up outside of the class in two rows, the person beside them is their partner (our class has two per table). They wait until all the students from the previous class have left. They enter quietly and sit down right away. They may speak to their neighbors quietly during the break.

Sharpening Pencils: The students must raise their hand and ask to stand up and use the pencil sharpener. They can also ask their partner to borrow a pencil. I also tell them that they should bring more than one to class just in case.

Getting into Groups:  The students must stand up and move around the class quietly. They must arrange the desks. They must not start talking to others in the class while walking around. They must put their hands on their heads when they are ready to start the activity.

Handing in papers: The student sitting in the last row must stand up and collect the papers from the students in front of them to the front row. The student will then hand in the papers to the teacher. This must be done quietly. If someone doesn't have their assignment done, the student must tell the teacher.

As with the rules, the stamp system is also in effect with the compliance of the procedures. If a student doesn't follow the proper procedures, then stamps will be taken off his/her group's chart.

It is important to note that when establishing  rules, norms, and procedures, there are several guidelines that should be followed so they can be effectively taught. The first one is that they have to be clear to the students and projected in a positive way (avoid using "Don't"). The students must be aware of the behavior expected from the teacher.The second one is that they have to be reasonable. For example, if only one child is doing something bad, there is no point drawing attention to the issue by making up a new rule and announcing it to the class. It is best to just address the issue with the individual.Lastly, the rule must be enforceable. Don't make a rule that is impossible to carry out or takes away too much or the teacher's time.

I find the best way to ensure the students abide by the rules and procedures in the class is by first creating a positive classroom environment that is filled with love, respect and fun. My experience has taught me that a happy student is more apt to following the rules. Enforcing rules and procedures, especially with younger students takes time and patience. It is all about repetition and consistency. Once they have been established,things in the class will run smoothly and then you have more time to concentrate on what it is you are supposed to be doing.....teaching!


Reference

McCleod Joyce, Fisher Jane, Hoover Jinny: The Key Elements of Classroom Management. ASCD. 2003

Activity 4: Reflections on High Expectations

When I think of high expectations, the first thing that comes to mind honestly are the overbearing Korean parents that push their children day and night to study in order to get into that prestigious university they (the parents) have been dreaming of. I guess having lived in Korea for over 10 years has really warped my perception of what high expectations really mean. I have seen the negative side of these kinds of expectations and what they can do to a child (a world with an overly stressed 10 year old shouldn't exist!!!). Having high expectations doesn't necessarily equate to a bad thing. When implemented correctly,high expectations can be positive thing for students.

I have high expectations of myself with regards to how I teach and how I lead my life. Similarly, I have high expectations for the people I work with, be it a co-teacher or a partner on a project  Unfortunately, having these high expectations could sometimes lead to disappointment because they do not achieve the expectations I have set in my mind or perhaps the expectations I had for them were set too high.

A teacher’s beliefs about students’ chances of success in school influence the teacher’s actions with students, which in turn influence students’ achievement (Marzano 162). Since these high expectations play an important role in education, it is important to have them for all your students. The reason why I bolded "all" is because a common mistake a novice teacher can make is to just focus on students who already do well in school and/or cause little problems in class. When teachers label a student as "bad" or "lazy" they tend to ignore them and have very low expectations in what they can accomplish. The Pygmalion (Rosenthal) effect states that people will perform the way you expect them to. So, if you expect little from a weak student, he will most probably do little. Truth be told, these are the students who really need your attention and by projecting high expectation from them as well, you can motivate them to achieve more and lead them to a brighter academic future.

So what are some ways we can get our students to achieve these high expectations?

1. Create a environment conducive to learning in the classroom. Teachers must make sure it is filled with positiveness, respect, and support (Hermes). When students feel comfortable they are more willing to work harder and try to achieve their teacher's expectations.

2. Increase the input you give to students because it shows that you expect more from them

3. Ask lots of questions and expect the student output to be high. Help those who may need help by asking the question in another way. Don't give up on the student! Answer using positive feedback and constructive criticism. Never make them feel ashamed of what they have to say.

4. Always encourage to go a little further. Students will need your support when faced with tasks you expect them to do but that they are unsure of. By guiding them, they can accomplish more things.

5. Look for students strengths and use them to accomplish tasks that they may not be comfortable with.

6. Engage students in a  challenging, fast paced curriculum produces academic and social outcomes.Activities that encourage critical thinking, problem solving and decision making. Through project based learning your students will want to set their expectations high because they will be a part of the group and they will be producing work that they have a say in and reflect the group as a whole.

 When it comes to goal setting in the classroom, the most important thing is for the teacher to ensure that these goals are realistic and achievable. If the goals are unattainable, the students will lose interest and perhaps feel that they do not have the skills to do so. The students should be aware of the barriers that they will face and that you are there to guide them through the task. The point of doing any project is not to please the teacher but to have the students feel proud of what they have accomplished. 

Pride in ones work is another facet that the teachers should instill into their students. The quality of work you put in shows how conscientious you are (Muchnick). One thing that I can't stand is when students hand in assignments that are either ripped, with poor handwriting or done with little effort put in. I always try to explain to my students that the work they hand in is a reflection of themselves. If that doesn't work, I tell them that I will take a picture of their work and send it to their parents...that usually does the trick :) The teacher should lead by example. Have pride in yourself, the way you dress, the way you teach, the way you interact with your students and they will follow suit.

References


Hermes, Andes "High Expectations in the Classroom" retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_7935069_high-expectations-classroom.html

Marzano, Robert J. (2007) The Art and Science of teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction. Alexandria, VA :ASCD

Muchnick, Cynthia  "Take Pride in Your Work" retrieved from
http://www.netplaces.com/study-skills/teachers-are-people-too/take-pride-in-your-work.htm

Comments on project

The project was well done and no big problems occurred. During the VC last Tuesday, we delegated the various parts we wanted to cover and I created a Glogster site that we all collaborated on. I think the next time I do a project and have a choice between Glogster and Pictochart I'd choose the latter because with Glogster you are limited to one page while Pictochart allows you to create multiple pages. Our project is short (compared to the ones who used Pictochart) but I think its concise and covers the areas we had to cover. I also created a Google Doc that we could share ideas on (although it wasn't used much). Everybody contributed equally to the project. I guess the only real problem was with Richard because he is presently living in China and his access to the internet is very sketchy so it made it a little difficult to keep in touch. Overaall, I think the group did well.