There are so many things to worry about when you are a teacher and unfortunately this is one of them! In a perfect world, we could teach our classes and the students would listen and take notes and do all of the things they are supposed to do! In reality, you will get a handful of kids that do that and the rest will be texting, coloring, reading, etc. If you are in a computer lab, the challenge is to keep them off of Facebook and YouTube and their email. You have to find a balance between a teacher that the students enjoy learning from and one that the respect enough not to push the envelope. You can still be a “cool” teacher and expect them to follow the rules at the same time. Most of my students know that I am easy going and can tolerate quite a bit, but they also know when they’ve gone too farJ
When I was student-teaching, that wonderful mentor of mine told me, “If you can handle it in your classroom, then do it! Once you turn the problem over to the principal or assistant principal, then you’ve lost the control, and that student will remember that.” She was right! Unless it’s something that is so bad, that I truly believe they need more than I can give them, I never send them to the office. For example, I had a student chewing tobacco in my class this year, and the liaison officer wrote him a ticket and he had 2 days of In-school Suspension. That was something I could not do.
One thing that I think helps is having classroom procedures. Things that are expected of them every day or things they do without having to ask you. Turning in papers, late work, using the hall pass, etc. If you have them in place, then the responsibility is on them and more than likely they will be doing what they should be.
The makeup of a class will set the tone for the entire term, semester, year, etc. Sometimes they are all great kids, but they are just the wrong mix, and it becomes challenging. I have some kids in health class that never say a word, but then you put a couple of their friends in computers class, and they become behavior issues.
I promise you will all find your own style of classroom management and what works for you may not work for someone else. It doesn’t always happen the first year;-)
One of the biggest fears of first year teachers is the ability to control your class. It's helpful knowing if you don't get it the first year to not give up. Great Advice!
ReplyDeleteAnd sometimes you have to change your entire method because of one bad class, or one bad student!!
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about dealing with everything yourself if possible rather than going to the principal for every little thing. Obviously this isn't the same, but I've been subbing lately and have tried to make sure I'm not running to the principal for every little behavior issue I have. Some teachers have told me to leave names for detentions if the students break a rule just once! I think that's alittle harsh- all of the students I've had have been great with just a friendly reminder to obey the classroom rules.
ReplyDeleteThe only exception is a 7th grader I just had at St. Louis Middle School. She sat playing on the computer the whole hour, didn't listen when I told her to stay on task, and when I asked her to push her chair in she called me a b***h. At that point, down to the office she went!
This is helpful information. I just went to a teaching conference and that teacher said the same thing. His first year he got crushed because he didn't have procedures in place.
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