edutopia The need to gain control of students is reaching new levels of desperation. An article in the Washington Post included the following: Three days a week, parents can take their misbehaving kids to A-1 Kutz in Snellville and ask for the "Benjamin Button Special," which Russell Fredrick and his team of barbers are offering -- free of charge -- to parents who want to try a novel form of discipline. The cut involves shaving hair off the child's crown until he begins to resemble a balding senior citizen, inviting that unique brand of adolescent humiliation that can only come from teasing classmates and unwanted attention. Humiliation Is Never OK My opinion about any form of humiliating students is obvious from the title of the book I co-authored in 2008: Discipline With Dignity. Last month, however, I was guilty of humiliating a student seriously enough for her to later tell me that it had been the worst moment of her college life. Prevention and Repair
What Makes a Good Presentation? – The Canswedian English Teacher So, you have told your class that they are going to do a presentation on something-or-other. You show them what should be included, how their Powerpoint should look, you even talk about how important it is to have proper grammar… But do we ever really teach them what it means to give a good presentation? I finally clued in to this last year. I made a Powerpoint last year, some activities and introduced it to my classes before they did their first presentation. Go through the Powerpoint with them – stopping at the slides that ask for activities. Warm up by brainstorming with them what makes a good and bad presentation. Here is the handout for the body language and gestures activities. And for those of you have seen enough Powerpoints to last a life time… here are some other options to show your kiddies.
Flexible Seating and Student-Centered Classroom Redesign I remember exactly where I was when I had a watershed moment that changed me as a teacher forever. In fact, it inspired my EdSurge column, Why the 21st-Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks. I was working on my TEDx presentation at my local Starbucks and, looking around, I realized that everyone seemed to be happy, engaged in their work, and relaxed. Problem Solvers Now = Problem Solvers Later I'm a firm believer in keeping the focus on what's really important: the students. What the Research Says Everything I do in my classroom is based on research and best practices for kids. Simple in-class activities can boost performance. Additionally, if you're looking to convince your administrators that flexible seating is right for your students or even your entire school, my principal Jason Markusen has some interesting thoughts on this subject. Classroom Redesign on a Budget Redesigning an entire classroom doesn't have to be expensive, especially with the help of Donors Choose.
27 Tips for Effective Classroom Management Infographic Teacher Infographics Classroom management is as much about instructional design and relationships as it is rules and discipline. Though there are certainly exceptional situations, in general the more you’re having to hold them under your thumb, the more likely it is adjustments are necessary elsewhere. The 27 Tips for Effective Classroom Management Infographic presents strategies that you can add to your teacher tool-belt. Via: anethicalisland.wordpress.com Embed This Education Infographic on your Site or Blog! How much time do you spend shushing twenty-four children while one child speaks? | What Ed Said Do you find yourself frequently shushing twenty-four children while one child speaks? It is true that children need to learn to listen as well as talk. It is true that patience is a virtue. It is true that we need to teach our children to be polite and wait their turn. But… Have you added up the number of minutes in a day, a week, a year, that all except one child in your class are passively waiting their turn, while one child at a time (or the teacher!) Have you considered the possibility that every idea does not have to go via the teacher? Instead of every child getting a turn to share their idea while the whole class listens, would any of the following work? Benefits: More efficient use of learning time.Active and social learning.Increased student ownership.Practising a range of skills in addition to listening (and waiting) – speaking, reading, writing, thinking, collaboration, cooperation, tech skills. #1 in a series on making small changes What other ideas can you add to the list above?
Top 5 Classroom Management Strategies Strategies for Good Classroom Management My biceps don’t bulge and my hair is blond. Intimidation is not my weapon. I am a veteran teacher with 17 years of experience. I have taught senior auto mechanics Shakespeare. In addition to high school students, I have taught middle school students who have had ADHD, students who had parents in jail and students with their own parole officers. In the real world, students come from all walks of life. Of course, students know the classroom rules and school rules. Five Top Strategies to Keep Students Learning in a Calm Classroom Environment Strategy #5 – Keep the lesson moving.If you have a forty-five minute period, plan three different activities. Strategy #4 – Don’t lecture for the whole period. Strategy #3 – Talk to your students.If you see them in the hall, in the cafeteria or at the grocery store, ask them how they are. Strategy #2 – When students are being disruptive by talking, poking, pulling or crumpling paper, go stand by them.
Classroom Management Strategies for Difficult Students Teachers in middle level schools face overwhelming demands and challenges in their classrooms. They are expected to know content and pedagogy, develop engaging lessons that meet the needs of diverse learners, and use a variety of instructional strategies that will boost student achievement while they simultaneously develop positive relationships with, on average, 125 students each day who are experiencing the personal, social, and cognitive challenges and opportunities of early adolescence (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1995; Schmakel, 2008). Teaching is complex and cannot be reduced to discrete tasks that can be mastered one at a time. How can teachers engage students through enhanced personal interactions while simultaneously managing classroom climate and instruction? Classroom management and relationship building One of the keys to effective classroom management is the development of a quality relationship between the teacher and the students in the classroom. Dunn, N.
6 Classroom Management Tips Every Teacher Can Use By Dave Foley Found In: classroom management, discipline, routines & procedures Effective teachers are passionate about educating their students. Here are some classroom management tips to help teachers settle problems, or prevent them from occurring, so that they can spend more of the classroom hour on teaching and learning. 1. Get everyone’s attention before beginning class. 2. If students aren’t paying attention or busy doing other things, get them focused by using nonverbal signals of disapproval. If non-verbal cues are disregarded, the next step will be imposing discipline measures within the classroom such as having them stay a few minutes after class or changing their seat. 3. At the beginning of the school year, let students sit where they want for a few days. 4. If an assignment will not be collected and graded individually, students may feel they have no reason to make an effort to do a good job on the no-credit assignment. 5. 6. About the Author
edutopia While taking teacher preparation courses, I was lucky enough to sign up for a class with Dr. Sharroky Hollie, who is the author of the book, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning. The course was on classroom management, specifically for new teachers working in urban public schools. There are several things that really stuck with me from the class, and they have stayed with me all these years. For one, Dr. We were taught the importance of always having an activity during those crucial first minutes of class, and for Dr. Learning The Look As for the most memorable of his lessons? He told us that this facial expression serves as a non-verbal signal to a child that you see that they are off task and talking or doing something they shouldn’t be doing (i.e. chewing gum or trying to distract another student who is trying to complete an assignment). Dr. He then had us practice in groups of four or five. It was a fun activity and very informative. Does It Work?
Classroom Management Strategies for High School Teachers Learning high school class management skills can significantly improve your experiences as a teacher. The skills you develop can also help your students to learn effectively. High school teachers must know how to provide their students with direction because those students don’t always focus on their education. Tips for improving your classroom management skills start with fine-tuning your personal management skills and establishing your expectations. To do this, you need to set clear rules and goals for the class and learn how to work with each student individually. Tips to improve class management skills Establishing classroom rules One of the first steps to take to improve classroom management skills is to take a look at the rules. Practice while you teach There’s no better time to put your classroom management skills to use than while you’re teaching. Student attention spans are limited. Tags: Engaging Activities / High School (Grades: 9-12) / Professional Development
The Only Classroom Rules You'll Ever Need If you’re looking for elaborate or decorative classroom management ideas, you won’t find them here. Though prevalent, such ideas are unnecessary, even counterproductive, for classroom management. On this site, we’re focused on only two things: 1. What works best. 2. The goal of classroom management is to eliminate distractions, disruptions, and poor behavior, so you are free to inspire your students. The results are happy and high achieving students. Anything that interferes with this goal, or doesn’t contribute to it, should be thrown out. Too many teachers chase the next great classroom management idea and are continually disappointed. In the meantime, they’re stressed and tired of dealing with behavior issues. An act of joy. So instead of chasing trends, why not focus on what is proven to work? And, most important, you’ll be able to focus your energies on what attracted you to teaching in the first place: the chance to make a lasting impression on your students. 1. 2. 3. 4. But they work. 1.
Classroom Management Strategies: Top 10 Rules, Organization We have identified the top 10 rules one should follow in order to achieve great classroom management. These classroom management strategies can work for any teacher, but are intended for middle school and high school teachers. Classroom management is how the teacher delivers the curriculum, as well as the environment in which students will learn. Most credential programs leave the classroom management style up to the teacher, focusing instead on the most important aspect of teaching, curriculum. There are a lot of strategies that a middle school or high school teacher can use in order to create an optimal learning environment.
edutopia Tips, Advice, and Strategies Classroom-Management: Important Big-Picture Questions: Before getting into the minutiae, consider how you organize your space, what learning looks like, and how you're building relationships with families. (Edutopia, 2015) 5 Quick Classroom-Management Tips for Novice Teachers: Discover five straightforward classroom-management strategies that you can use immediately. (Edutopia, 2015) 19 Big and Small Classroom Management Strategies: Read about a few big strategies to keep in mind, and explore over a dozen quick interventions that can help keep students focused on learning. For additional grade-specific guidance, here are resources for primary, middle, and secondary teachers. Specific Tips for the Primary Grades Elementary Classroom: Making the Most of the First Month: Learn about important goals for the first weeks of school, and discover sample activities that can help you reach them. Specific Tips for Middle and Secondary Grades Back to Top