Classroom Management Response Paper

Comprehending and Connecting Teenage Taste in the Classroom

Robin Gordon (1997) outlines fundamental behaviors teachers should adapt to teaching and classroom management in her article How Novice Teachers Can Succeed with Adolescents. Gordon notes that beginning teachers lose sight of the fact that managing their classroom involves more than teaching content. The article focuses on the concepts of social insight and withitness in classroom management and how diving into the culture of the adolescent student can create a trouble-free classroom environment.

Article Summary

The first behavior Gordon (1997) identifies as essential to helping teachers connect with their students is social insight. Social insight involves learning the student’s culture and behavior. What are the student’s interests, communication styles, fashion, beliefs etc.? Effective teachers are thought to be those who can tie in the adolescent’s interests with educational curriculum.  One of the greatest areas of social insight that a teacher to student relationship can utilize in successful classroom management is communication. When a teacher communicates in a way students can understand and relate with, interest in the subject matter is held. Frustration and acting out as a byproduct of not knowing what is going on is eliminated. A student who feels their teacher understands their perspective may feel a reduced intimidation of asking for help and at ease in the classroom environment.

The second behavior presented in the article is the term coined by Jacob Kounin as withitness. Ryan and Cooper (2010) describe teachers who are with it as “picking up on the first sign of misbehavior, dealing with the proper pupil, and ignoring a minor misbehavior to stop a major infraction”. Teachers with withitness are effective because they get to know their students and their behavior patterns quickly. They are aware of their classrooms, and students realize that they know what is going on even when their attention seems to be elsewhere. Teachers who are with-it quickly address behaviors and earn the respect of their pupils.

The conclusion of the article speaks to approaches teachers can use to show that they possess social insight and withitness in the classroom. The first step is familiarization with the adolescent culture. Browsing a Cosmo magazine, turning on MTV, asking questions, reading the Twilight series, and searching for Justin Bieber on YouTube all facilitate social insight.  Once you know aspects of the culture, relate it to content in the curriculum. Spend time getting to know your students outside of the classroom. Listen to what they are saying, and show in subsequent days that you truly were listening and are interested in them as a person.  Affirm with their emotions. If it’s the day of a big dance, voice to them that you know they are excited and their energy may be in a different place than on doing their work. Don’t try to ignore that life happens outside of the classroom environment. Lastly show your students that you are human. If your students see that you too make mistakes, have good days and bad days and don’t have the answer to every question they will feel a common association which will lead to effective teaching practices.

Defence of Position

I strongly agree with the views of the article that teachers can increase the effectiveness of classroom management through developing social insight and withitness of their students. Bennett and Smilanich (1994) account one reason students view a teacher as effective is because “they were interested in what we did outside school”. When students understand that teachers watch television, listen to music, shop, and make mistakes just like them, an inviting foundation is laid in the classroom environment. When teachers can reciprocate awareness in their interests they show that they matter as an individual and have an important role to play in the community. Developing this connection, builds a respectful relationship between individuals throughout the classroom.

Knowing a student’s social life and culture can also help with teaching the curriculum.  When students are struggling with a concept, developing a metaphor they can relate too can often generates that “ah ha” moment. In a recent teaching experience students were struggling with understanding how producers and directors can appeal to your senses to implicit a feeling in oneself. The opportunity arose to relate the concept to the popular MTV show Jersey Shore. The question was posed to them on the type of music the creators play in the background when Sammy and Ron are upset with one another, or when the group is getting ready to head out on the town for a night. Bringing in this social concept allowed them to see that the music throughout television shows will evoke feelings of excitement, anger, and sadness unconsciously to sway the viewer’s mind-set of a situation. The concepts related to consumerism were starting to be understood by a simple relation to their interests.

As a student-teacher, I can relate all too well to the importance of withitness in a classroom setting. Students see the fresh new face in the classroom and the competition begins on seeing how far they can push the limits. The first few days as the teacher you learn the ins and out’s of each student’s personality and if you’re one of the lucky ones, quickly establish your insight into their antics. Classroom management becomes easier because you quickly learn which misbehaviors you need to address to divert a chaotic situation. M. Lee Manning (n.d.) explain that with-it teachers can work one on one with an individual while still keeping the remaining students on task, acknowledge those who are struggling, stop disturbances and track time.  The students in a with-it teacher’s classroom quickly recognize they will not get away with misbehaving and gain the respect and understanding of the expectations they will be held too.

Social insight and withitness are behaviors that can potentially be time consuming to develop. Adolescent culture is constantly changing and new fads are always coming in. What is loved one day may be hated the next. Taking an hour out of an already jam packed day to sit down and watch an hour of MTV may not always be the most ideal situation, but it will pay off in the end. Spending the first few weeks of school evaluating every student, situation and relationship in your classroom may feel like a monotonous task, but the withitness that develops will lead to effective classroom management.

Conclusion

Becoming an effective teacher encompasses many different elements including educating content, conducting evaluation, proper questioning and controlling classroom management. To aid in improving these elements of effective teaching, developing the behaviors of social insight and withitness can help a teacher comprehend the standpoint of their students. When one knows how to relate and communicate with their pupils while having the intelligence and quickness to manage behaviors, the day to day workings in a classroom transpire in stress free manner. Classroom management also requires the flexibility to understand that social insight and withitness is inconsistent from classes, students, periods and years so a teacher can never believe they have it all figured out.

References

Bennett, B. & Smilanich, P. (1994). Classroom Management: A Thinking & Caring Approach. Toronto, ON: Bookation Inc.

Gordon, R.L. (1997, April). How novice teachers can succeed with adolescents. Educational Leadership, 54.7, 56-58.

Manning, M.L. (n.d.). Strategies for Improving Student Behavior. Retrieved from http://go.hrw.com/hrw.nd/gohrw_rls1/pKeywordResults?keyword=HN2%20PRO%20REF

Ryan, K. & Cooper, J.M. (2010). Those Who Can, Teach (12th ed). Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Article Link

http://0-web.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=26d00aa7-662e-4d08-b47e-d7af1fa9c747%40sessionmgr13&vid=8&hid=15

Web Awareness Concept Map

Integrating the Internet into Lesson Plans

Title of Activity: Wordle Collage

Reference:

Feinberg, J. (2009). Wordle. Retrieved September 30, 2010, from http://www.wordle.net/

Grade Level: 5

Subject: Language Arts

Description:  After reading aloud to the class a short literary piece (poem, story etc.) students will type out a short journal on their thoughts, feelings and ideas that were evoked by what was heard. [This may require some reflection prompts to be given out.] The students will then visit the website http://www.wordle.net/create and copy their journal into the top box displayed.  This website will take the most common words in their journal and produce a word collage/cloud.  The students can then alter the layout, colors, etc. of their word cloud and view what was most prominent in their reflections.

General Learning Outcome:

·         Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.

Specific Learning Outcome:

·         Experiment with language and Forms- select from provided forms of oral, print and other media texts those that best organize ideas and information and develop understanding of topics

ICT Outcomes:

C7- 3.2 make connections among related, organized data, and assemble various pieces into a unified message

P2- 3.1 design, create and modify a database for a specific purpose

P3- 3.2 create multimedia presentations that incorporate meaningful graphics, audio, video and text gathered from remote sources

Rationale for Computer Integration:

This assignment allows students to take a reflection and use technology to alter and see it in a new light. It’s a good way to allow graphical insight into their thoughts. The technology will automatically pull your most frequent word usage, removing “and, the, that, etc.” I also feel as though it offers a fun, positive incentive to finish the journal reflection writing to see it in a word cloud.

Technology Integration

What is effective technology integration for 21st century

View more presentations from ginag15.

One more way that we can incorporate technology into our modern world is through providing online access to our works. Take for example, how we are able to display our PowerPoint presentations onto a blog entry. What a great way to provide students with access to review material when it is needed. When creating slideshows for classrooms keep these key points in mind:

1.       Headers- provide a topic on what each slide will cover and be consistent throughout presentation. (Example has all the Same font, color and placement of headers)

2.       Background and Text Color- allow text to pop against the background, and make it easy to read. Don’t allow background distractions to take away from information. (Example has white and black for easy reading.)

3.       Conciseness- use as few words as possible to convey your point. (Example uses bullet format to decrease number or words needed)

4.       Visuals- act as an aid and should speak for themselves. Place them close to appropriate text.  (Examples compliment text on appropriate slide)

5.       Font Size- make font large enough so that when it is projected to a large screen everyone including the back rows can clearly read what is displayed. (Example has no font smaller than 36 size on informational slides)

Blogging in the Classroom

My first thought process about creating blogs for classroom use was “No Way!” The accessibility that the Internet provides for anyone to read blogs makes me paranoid about what information regarding my students could possibly be obtained. I also questioned whether parents would be supportive of their child blogging. Thirdly, how would I overcome barriers such as lack of computers throughout the school, at home or Internet accessibility to all students?

However, once I began reading and researching I began to see the pros to creating classroom blogs. In a world where students are ever increasing their technological minds, blogging is a great way to reach out to them. It allows communication through an area where they are knowledgeable and comfortable. Blogs allow students, teachers, and parents an easy communication channel. Parents also get the opportunity to see what activities, projects, due dates, etc. are expected of their child, meeting KSA standard #12. Students get the opportunity to ask questions, offer study help, provide insight, and offer feedback outside of classroom time when help may be hard to find, creating a sense of classroom teamwork and collaboration. Last but not least blogs meet many ICT Program of Studies outcomes (which as a first time teacher I’m sure will be referred to over and over again) such as; Students will use technology to aid collaboration during inquiry; Students will compose, revise and edit text; Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge and meaning; Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of the operating skills required in a variety of technologies.

I can now understand how helpful blogs can be in the classroom once rules and regulations are set out so that students know how to create a safe and accessible communication outlet between one another.

Beginner Blogger...

So, this is blogging? Hope it all works out. As you can probably tell I am new to this whole blogging fad. I read and follow many blogs created by friends, yet never thought I would be joining in their realm of blogging. However as a current student in the Education Faculty I hope that I am able to learn the ins and outs of the blogging world so when I head out into the real world I am able to consider and utilize online tools such as blogs in my classroom to assist in the learning process. (It's crazy how much has changed since I was in school and a calculator was the most advanced technological instrument we used). So here is to the start of increasing my awareness of the ever growing blogging world.