I think that the reason why classrooms struggle with good classroom management is due to the lack of management strategies being implemented consistently. Being consistent is key as it helps build routine and structure to the day. With consistency, students are able to understand what is expected and what is not expected. They will also understand the consequences of their actions when they are not following the expectations.
~Consistency is key~
During my second practicum, I noticed that on my first day, students kept coming over to the table that my coaching teacher and I were at during independent work. When the students came over to ask me for help with spelling, she reminded them that this was independent time and they knew better. Each time a student came up as they continued to test the day since I was someone new in the class, each time she reminded them of the expectations. What I learned from this was that, if she had let the students get away with me helping them then they would expect that to be okay and they would continue. Although a couple more students came up to the table throughout the 1 hour, the next day they did not because the teacher had reinforced the expectations.
How can you create the conditions that build curiosity?
As I continue on my practicum journey, I think it is important to keep an open mind and keep asking questions about the classroom, teaching and assessment. After each lesson, asking myself if I used classroom management strategies that were affective during the lesson. If not, what can I improve on for next time. Asking students what they think was supportive of their learning. Practicing decolonizing by treating students as equals and not treating them as less than. Valuing their opinions that can help you teach better is breaking boundaries.
How do you ensure that when developing hunches, you focus on the areas over which you have control (rather than blame the parents, the system, the learners or anyone else)?
It is fairly easy to blame chaotic classroom management to ‘bad’ teachers or dismissive parents or bad leadership in schools however, if we really look deep enough, we’ll see that everyone is just trying their best. I believe that there are reasons for behaviours and even dismissive parents are going through tough situations. Instead, I want to focus my energy on finding ways to support families at home and creating an atmosphere that supports the diverse learning needs in the classroom. By looking at ways to improve situations that are tough for students and parents, this is an attempt for something that is in my control.
How will you develop fairly quick ways to test out your hunches?
During the practicum I can try out classroom management strategies the first week that I am there. To track the progress I can create a spreadsheet and write my observations on there regarding the effectiveness of the strategy used. For example, If my coaching teacher is emphasizing the importance of proper line up routine throughout the day, I can see the types of prompts she gives. If I am noticing that some times needs visuals, I can suggest having a visual on the board so those students can refer to it.
How might you involve learners and their families as you check out your hunches?
A way to involve students in checking my hunches would be to create a chart and have students give feedback about what was supportive to them in helping the learn the classroom routine. There could be suggestions for what would help them. I would take that into consideration and adjust my prompts because I believe in student centered learning. Even having check-ins with families as needed for certain IEP’s.