When thinking about setting up a classroom that will ensure that effective instruction and management are taking place there are a few, complex items that need to be thought out in their entirety. The video referenced these two items in detail and thus I would argue that they lay the foundation for a successful classroom. These items being: how to best support students, which starts with relationships and also the classroom environment.
When we look at how to best support students in the classroom, we first must examine the relationship between ourselves and the students. These relationships need to be positive for them to be effective. I’m not saying here that you must know little Jimmy’s second cousin twice removed or even his favorite color. But you should be able to know his strengths and his weaknesses within the classroom as well a few of the hobbies that he has outside of school. If the classroom teacher does not have this positive relationship with the student, it will be ever so hard to get them the tools and information that they need to be successful through the school year and future school years.
Once relationships are built with each student, we can start to examine how to best support them. It’s important to remember the simple equation, teacher plus student behaviors equals outcomes. And today, all teachers want is outcomes. Because if there are no outcomes, we have no purpose. To name a few, some teacher behaviors that can support students are modeling, goals, consistent routines, guided practice and proximity. When thinking about modeling, we must show and tell students what is expected of them. If we simply give students a worksheet without telling or showing them what they should be doing, there is going to be a lot of strange things taking place on that worksheet because students are not aware of what the teacher wants them to do with it. Proximity is also a big one because students need to know that the teacher is there and present in case, they need help or also proximity can help keep unwanted behaviors from taking place.
The other important point highlighted within the video is the classroom environment. With the environment it is important to note that things need to be consistent. When things are consistent from day to day, students are less likely to act out because there is that sense of safety and security taking place. It is also important that expectations are laid out everyday within the classroom environment. Expectations also need to be consistent in order to ensure that students know what to do every time. As with life, it is known that things change and as classroom teachers we have to be able to adapt. Thus, if these changes need to take place within the classroom, students need to know what these changes are. Students are not as go with the flow as we would like them to be and sometimes, they will flip out if reading time comes before math and usually it doesn’t. But in order to ensure that they understand we can tell them what is changing and then explain to them why its changing. Connecting this to the relationship piece. We must note that if these relationships are strong between the teacher and the students then these changes that may or may not take place will be much easier for the students to understand.
Miss Trone 