Apprentice Teaching in Secondary Mathematics and Science

Classroom Management Implementation Plan Completed Instrument Due: March 11th, 2013 Class Date: 02/28 03/01 Class Time: 11:55 AM 2:40 PM Observe d X X Observer: Gemma Holdman Number of students: 18 - 24

Class Location: BHS 8027

Name of Class: Math for College Readiness Observed impact on student behavior Students know where the rules are posted. Students to not adhere to the rules well; many like to challenge the teacher. Students sometimes take their time to pay attention Warm-up is displayed at the beginning of class. Students sharpen pencils when needed. HW assignments posted, students know this but do not always comply. As directed per teacher. No student has difficulties seeing the instruction. Teacher frequently wanders the room and observes students while teaching. Desks are arranged in rows for accessibility. I do not think the classroom is attractive per se but bulletin boards are current and contain important class information. Textbooks are placed under desks for ease of use. Routine is consistent warm-up, review concepts, practice problems. Material is presented to scaffold and build student understanding. Many students do not care for the material and often show their lack of enthusiasm. Teacher always presents very clear instructions, however, students usually question them. All students are selected to answer questions, often does a round robin. Students are aware of this; helps manage offtask behaviors. Questioning tactics frequently implemented.

Rules, Routines and Procedures Classroom rules 1. Posted. 2. Emphasize appropriate behavior. 3. Adhered to without exception. Classroom routines and procedures are taught and practiced. 1. Getting students attention. 2. Beginning and ending of class 3. Materials acquisition, distribution and collection. 4. Sharpening pencils, heading papers, etc. 5. Students who are tardy, returning from an absent, or absent from class. 6. Incomplete or missed work. 7. Expectations for group work, seatwork and other activities. Physical Environment 1. All students can see presentation of instruction. 2. Teacher can observe all students at all times. 3. Furniture arranged to facilitate learning and maximize space. 4. Classroom is attractive, bulletin boards are current and student work is displayed. 5. Frequently used materials are accessible. Instruction and academic work Teacher 1. Varied teaching strategies. 2. Well-planned lessons at appropriate level for students. 3. Assignments are relevant and meaningful to students. 4. Clear questions/directions/instructions. 5. Balanced interactions with students. 6. Circulates around the classroom. 7. Utilizes formative assessment to guide the lesson.

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Apprentice Teaching in Secondary Mathematics and Science

X X 8. Positive atmosphere and expectation for success. 9. Appropriate praise-tell them when they excel and how to improve. Teacher holds high expectations for students but students seem to challenge it. Feedback is provided when teacher deems appropriate. Stresses the importance of practice and completing assignments. Some students are reluctant to comply. Many students talk during class and do not do the practice problems presented. Students understand what is expected of them. They decide whether or not to actually do the work.

Student 1. Attentive and on task. X 2. Accountable for their work.

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Discipline Teacher 1. Calm, fair and consistent in word and deed. 2. Models positive behavior. 3. Knows students names. 4. Demonstrates respect for students. 5. Addresses conflict quickly and positively. 6. Consequences for inappropriate behavior. Student 1. Understands and has been taught the rules. 2. Understands there will be consequences for inappropriate behavior. 3. Student takes responsibility for his behavior.

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Teacher is very consistent and students are aware of that. Models the work he wants students to follow. Calls students by either first or last name. Sometimes jokes/picks on students. I am not sure what students think of this. Some are more comfortable than others. Always manages the classroom when problems arise. Some students try to challenge teacher. Inappropriate behavior has consequences and students understand what is expected of them. Students understand but do not always follow the rules. Students understand consequences follow inappropriate behavior but do not always care and sometimes it seems like they enjoy the bad attention. Only a few students take full responsibility for their actions. Others try to challenge teacher.

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After observing the classroom and the students behavior reflect on the following: 1. Think about how rules, routines, and procedures are established and why they are important to your classroom learning community. List a set of general classroom and/or laboratory rules, routines and procedures and briefly describe how you plan to implement rules, routines and procedures in your classroom and how they contribute to the functioning of your classroom learning community. Teachers set up rules and classroom procedures rather differently, each adding their own flare that aligns with their personal teaching styles. Some general classroom rules, routines, and procedures include: Arrive to class on-time Be prepared and ready to start the lesson when the bell rings Be respectful to your teacher and your classmates, as well as their belongings Bring required materials and books to class each day unless otherwise noted by the teacher Follow directions and instructions when they are given Be polite and listen to your classmates when they are talking; do not interrupt Turn all assignments in on time

Apprentice Teaching in Secondary Mathematics and Science

Always do your best work Ask permission before you leave the classroom NO BULLYING In my future classroom I plan on spending more time at the beginning of the year defining and building a set of classroom rules and procedures so that the remainder of the year will focus on learning rather than managing. The majority of my rules will be established before the school year starts. Procedures for the classroom and related dynamics will be established with my students. If students help decide the procedural plans for our class they will more likely be responsible and stay true to them because they had a part in establishing them. Through consistent rules and procedures, along with teambuilding activities in my classes, I hope to build a healthy thriving learning environment. I want my students to feel comfortable sharing their opinions and answers, even if they are not always correct. 2. Observe the physical environment of your mentors classroom. Draw a floor plan of your mentors classroom, paying attention to the arrangement of furniture and materials and the impact on student behavior. Label the different areas and write a short explanation of how different areas are used and whether and how this supports the classroom learning community. The drawing below represents my mentors classroom. Students do not move around the room and only sit in their assigned seats. While the layout is functional, I do not believe this supports the learning community. Students should move around time and again and use different parts of the classroom to do their work. In my classroom I will mix up the seating, sometimes individually, pairs, groups, etc.

3. After observing the teacher and student behaviors associated with instruction and academic work, reflect on the impact the observed behaviors have on creating the classroom learning community. Discuss your plans for instruction and academic work and the learning community you hope to create in your classroom. Most of the work done in my mentors classes is individual work. While individual work is necessary, I personally do not believe that it is a good method to use when creating a good classroom learning community. Many mediums should be used to create a healthy learning environment. Students

Apprentice Teaching in Secondary Mathematics and Science

must work together and be comfortable using one anothers knowledge to build their understanding and knowledge of the material. I want to create a learning community that allows students to work together to solve problems. Mistakes will be tools for learning and reaching a deeper understanding of the material. Activities and student work will be provided in many forms including individual, partners, groups, etc. I want my students to be comfortable when called upon and asked to do a problem on the board. When I instruct students I will use multiple forms and a range of technologies. 4. Observe the teacher and student behaviors associated with discipline in your mentors classroom. Describe the most effective techniques used by your mentor teacher when dealing with student behavior. Include any additional techniques you would implement in your classroom. My mentor teacher uses different techniques when dealing with student behavior. I think the most effective method he uses is when students are doing individual problems at their desks and he calls up a student to his desk. This doesnt embarrass the student but gives them the chance to talk one-on-one about the inappropriate behaviors witnessed. During lessons my mentor teacher often gives stern looks to those students that are off-task. I believe that is another effective technique. If the class gets very talkative and is not paying attention to his lesson my mentor teacher will stop teaching for a short duration until students realize he is waiting for them to pay attention. In my future classroom I would like to implement a behavior plan per class and have my classes compete against one another for some small reward (extra credit, free homework pass, etc.). This would be implemented at the beginning of the course/term and administered throughout. All classes would start at a designated amount, say 1000 points, and points would be taken away for off-task or disruptive behaviors. Points would be displayed on the board and updated regularly. Students in my classes will monitor their own behaviors as well as the behaviors of their peers. Hopefully with effective classroom management implementation and the development of a healthy, respectful classroom environment, behavioral issues would be at a minimum.