Teaching requires a lot of specific skills that when well aligned, can be one of the most powerful careers a person can have. I love to say that I'm in the business of shaping young minds, but it's so much more than that. Being organized is key. You've got to have a plan, so lesson plans are the foundation to being an effective teacher. Those plans have to include several factors:
1. They must be able to hold interest. Boring lessons result in little retention.
2. They must be well understood. Lack of clarity causes teachers to have to spend valuable time repeating the directions and checking for understanding of objectives.
3. They must provide modifications. Lessons should be tailored to appropriately suit the grade level, but also be flexible to offer the gifted student more challenge, the special needs student more support, and the ESL student more shelter.
4. They must consider the availability of resources. If there isn't enough of what is necessary to carry out a lesson, then that lesson isn't going to work.
5. They must consider a backup plan. If something goes wrong, there must be a "Plan B" in mind to recover the lesson without sacrificing time.
6. Teachers need to know what they can and cannot do. Lessons require forethought and background knowledge when applying new concepts or using new technologies for the first time.
In addition to solid and well thought out lesson plans, teachers need to have strong time management skills and effective classroom management skills. A class that has no boundaries in terms of time and attitude is at risk of being ineffective, and even the best plan can unravel if the teacher cannot control him or herself or the class.
For my own personal growth, I have the following goals:
1. Learning how to integrate technology into my lessons.
2. Learning how to be more organized.
3. Developing a discipline plan that works without having to "shush" or raise my voice to command attention.
4. Learning and applying Google Tools as part of my teaching strategy to educate young people in the ways of the future.
I hope to achieve these goals during this course, and learn new things from others.
In my classroom, I have observed students with terrible behavior. It's been an exhausting and frustrating two weeks, especially since I had to substitute for my Master Teacher in the second week while I was being observed by my Supervisor, with weak plans and no discipline policy in place. I've decided to spend more time in the classrooms of other teachers this next week, learning different skills and strategies. So far, I've met a lot of interesting people who have been very willing to help and be supportive, and for that I am grateful!
Allyson - Sorry to hear you are having difficulties with discipline, PUSH-UPS!!!! Just kidding, the number one piece of advice I have gotten from my mentor teacher (she used to teach down in the not-so-nice part of Long Beach) is to remain calm, collected, and cool. Wait for the class to quiet before trying to tell them information. As an ongoing deterrent, try putting their name on the board, followed by "x"s for each subsequent infraction. After class, I have a student type out an email to their parents, explaining their infraction and why it was disruptive to the rest of the class. When students have multiple day of infractions, parent-teacher-student conferences are in order and more drastic means must be taken. I feel for you though, the first couple days I was alone with my students, they wanted to chit-chat, since I had previously been the "student-teacher", who wasn't grading their work. And I also agree with your assessment of planning, it is critical, from lessons to logistics, to long-range goals for both teacher and student. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteMike
HI Allyson,
ReplyDeleteClassroom management is the number one reason why teachers are not rehired so knowing the strategies in Wong's book is really at an advantage. In my experience working with new teachers the number one reason why their management plan does not work is "lack of consistency". More often than not the first few weeks even months of school are spent rehearsing, reinforcing, and applying class rules and procedures, good teachers do this because they know without rules and procedures instruction is lost. I would implement 4-5 rules with the students, keep it simple, include 3 consequences then every day remind them and reinforce them. Keep us posted on this issue! You are not alone.