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What We Do Proactively
In this section of Rick Smith's book, Conscious Classroom Management, the topic Prevention is discussed. Here Smith introduces ways teachers can build positive relations with their students and how consistency comes into play in the classroom. Throughout this page you will discover my interpretations of these chapters and where the South Carolina ADEPT Standards relate.
holding our ground
Holdinh our Ground, chapter 6, relates to the ADEPT Performance Standard and Key Element APS 4: An effective teacher establishes, clearly communicates, and maintains appropriate expectations for student learning, participation, and responsibility.
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As teachers, especially first year teachers, it is important that we hold our ground. When reading the chapter we are told to create the "effective no". This no needs to have no blame, allow no complaining from students after the no, and have no wiggle room. I have never had an issue with saying no. However, my first few months as a teacher I would catch students questioning my no. Overtime, I have found my inner "effective no" by holding my ground.
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positive connections
Positive Connections, chapter 7, relates to the ADEPT Performance Standard and Key Element APS 8: An effective teacher creates and maintains a classroom environment that encourages and supports student learning.
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"Teaching is not just hard work, it's 'heart' work." (page 64).
In this chapter we learn that if we truly care for the student, we will provide the student with what best serves them and what they need. The book says, "Teachers often confuse being nice with being kind. This can get them into trouble. In my vernacular, being nice means doing things to get the kids to like us. Being kind means doing things that are truly in the students' best interest." (Page 66). What I take from this is that it's okay for students to know you care about them but they need to know that you are the boss, not their best friend. This can be shown through attendance at their sporting events, band or chorus concerts, etc. |
teaching procedures
Teaching Procedures, chapter 8, relates to the ADEPT Performance Standard and Key Element APS 8: An effective teacher creates and maintains a classroom environment that encourages and supports student learning; and APS 9: An effective teacher maximizes instructional time by efficiently managing student behavior, instructional routines and materials, and essential non-instructional tasks.
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"Procedures are the railroad tracks - content is the train." (Page 82).
When thinking of procedures as the railroad tracks of the classroom, they control how the class is going to go. If procedures are consistent or enforced, the train will not run smoothly or on the correct path. The procedures of your classroom should be able to guide your lesson/unit smoothly without bumps along the way. When thinking about this analogy in comparison to my physical education class, I began to think back on my procedure of respect. Within my classroom, students are expected to respect others, equipment, the teacher, and their education. When a student decides to talk during the warm up of a lesson, they are not only disrespecting the teacher, but also themselves by not paying attention to the content being taught. One what that I reinforce the behavior I want to see throughout the sport units is by having students create "sportsmanship" and "teamwork" anchor charts. These charts help remind students what behavior and actions are expected of them. They are a great to have hung up in the gymnasium because the students themselves came up with what to "say" and "do". Having these procedures in place help build the railroad for the students to travel throughout my class. |
consistency
Consistency, chapter 9, relates to the ADEPT Performance Standard and Key Element APS 9: An effective teacher maximizes instructional time by efficiently managing student behavior, instructional routines and materials, and essential non-instructional tasks.
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"We are the authors of what happens in the classroom. Students follow our lead and behave in ways that we unconsciously allow." (Page 105)
While reading this chapter, I learned that in order for procedures and rules to be followed constantly, they have to have consistency. What this means is that each day in your classroom these rules must be reinforced and followed. As a teacher, if you want a certain behavior you have to be consistent with your signals and expectations for these behaviors to happen. One way I go about reinforcing the consistency I want to see in my classroom is by constantly reinforcing procedures and classroom rules to students. If the procedures are not consistently reinforced to students, they will not be followed. If mixed signals or inconsistency is shown, then things like the "popcorn effect" will occur. |
getting ready
Getting Ready, chapter 10, relates to the ADEPT Performance Standard and Key Element APS 1: An effective teacher facilitates student achievement by establishing appropriate long-range learning goals and by identifying the instructional, assessment, and management strategies necessary to help all students progress toward meeting these goals; APS 2: An effective teacher facilitates student achievement by planning appropriate learning; APS 3: An effective teacher facilitates student achievement by assessing and analyzing student performance and using this information to measure student progress and guide instructional planning.
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This section of the book talks about getting ready for the school year ahead. As a first year teacher, this seemed to be overwhelming to me. It felt like I was in over my head trying to figure out what needed to be completed, learning the school procedures and rules, understanding the school "lingo", etc. One thing that I found extremely helpful was the checklist in the book on pages 116-122. There were items on this list that I did not even think would need to be completed before the start of school but later found out were necessary in order for the day to run smoothly.
In reference to the long range plan that relates to the ADEPT performance standard APS 1, I found this extremely helpful. Being a physical education and health teacher, I create my curriculum and when it is taught. Being able to have a guideline of what sport units I planned to teach when for the year was helpful. However, being a physical education teacher I have to modify and adapt these plans more often then I like. For example, if I have a football unit planned while on the field and the weather does not cooperate other plans have to be arranged. |