Reflection for week Oct 19th-23rd October 26, 2009

I got my first opportunity for to teach an entire day of classes.  Ms. Anex was at a conference so there was a sub.  I got to somewhat plan the lesson myself.  We were doing a lab that day so there was really only 15-20 minutes of discussion before we carried out the lab.  The day went well and I was happy for the most part with how the day went.  As I am sure happens with every teacher with every new lesson the classes got better as the day went on.  1st period I didn’t talk enough and left too much time for the lab.  The lab was short so many kids finished the lab and then had to much time to socialize afterwards.  The rest of the day I took more time at the start of the period discussing topics and left less time at the end of the lab for kids to talk.

I definitely got tested by some of the kids.  Fifth and sixth periods are pretty chatty and I had some of the more problem students trying to see how far they could go.  I took some opportunities for correcting kids and I also missed a few good opportunities for corrections.  For the missed opportunities i asked myself afterwards why I let it go and didn’t really have an answer.  I am sure it is a comfort and confidence issue which will get better with time.

My other issue, which is more funny than anything, was the sub.  He was obviously a “good buddy” sub.  The students who had seen him before were happy to see him.  Long story short, he was often circulating around the room engaging students in conversations unrelated to the lesson.  This was particularly annoying during 5th and 6th periods.  While I was trying to get class started and when trying to get attention later groups of students were turned around talking to the sub and not paying attention to me.  I am sure it is an issue of many subs not be used to having student teachers in the classroom.  I informed Ms. Anex and we will probably make sure he isn’t there for the next days she has scheduled for subs.

Dr. Wong video reflection August 12, 2009

In our classroom management class we watched a video by Dr. Wong dealing with various strategies pertaining to classroom management.  The following is a relfection done by me.

 

Erik Sanders

EDU 6130: Classroom Management

Cohort 8a

July 31, 2009

 Wong video reflection

 Dr Wong’s discussion about procedures was helpful.  The various ways to quiet a classroom were intriguing.  I was giving a little presentation to a friend’s second grade class a few years ago and she used the clap method to get her students attention.  I was both surprised and amazed at how well it worked.  You (Daniel Lee) seconding a voiceless attention getting technique makes it all the more worth while to look into.  A little effort at the beginning of the year in terms of procedures will payoff later in the year.  This makes sense in many areas besides classrooms.  Learning the rules of a game beforehand is more efficient than learning them as you play.  The more aspects of a job you know before you start the quicker you will be productive.  Having kids learn and rehearse procedures at the beginning of the year not only reinforces them but saves you form having to interrupt class time to make up and explain new procedures during the year.  His anecdote about the boy having to be reminded everyday about a particular procedure was good to hear.  At the end of the year that student leaves and you should hold your head high and not let that one student bother you.  I understand I have to try my best and I will not be successful all the time.  I can’t let an occasional failure trouble me. 

 As a new teacher I am somewhat of a blank slate.  I, as well as many others in the program, am hanging on every word you, Dr. Wong and anyone else who will give us management advise will give.  I just want to come out of this program with an arsenal of options that I can try.  I just hope I can find at least some that work for me. 

 I don’t know that I have any questions or disagreements.  Of course videos such as Wong’s and our texts are trying to tell us that these methods work.  The examples and stories they give are almost always positive.  We have to take them with a grain of salt, however, and assume that there are stories out there of these methods failing.  These failures may be due to the teacher or perhaps a particularly bad student or class.  I don’t have and allusions that all of Wong’s methods or all of the texts methods are going to work all the time.  That’s why I hope to have as many management options as possible when I take control of my classroom this coming school year.