Reflection #7

Description:

The reading this week in EDAT 6115 focused on providing effective learning environments for students.  It is vital that educators know how to manage a classroom, so instructional time is not lost.  There are a variety of strategies that can be utilized to help both teacher and student be successful. 

Analysis:

Teachers can learn and apply various strategies and techniques to create an environment where students are excited to be, and learning can occur.  The best way to manage a classroom is to provide effective instruction where students are engaged in activities that interest and motivate them.  Teachers who use time effectively and hold high expectations for their students have fewer management problems (Slavin, 2018).  Slavin (2018) offers that even the most well-managed classroom may contain students who will not behave.  Teachers need to be prepared with ways to handle these situations so valuable learning time is not wasted, and the learning of others is not interrupted. 

Effective use of time is an essential aspect of managing a classroom where all students succeed.  Maximizing the allocated time that is provided during the school day, although difficult at times, must be a priority for a teacher.  There will be periods of lost instructional time due to assemblies, testing or weather, so teacher need to make sure to make it clear to students that when they are in the classroom, the main goal is learning.  It is also crucial to start on time and use every bit of instructional time that is allotted.  Consistently making this part of your practice communicates to students that there is a purpose to them being there (Slavin, 2018). Interruptions are the leading cause of loss of allocated instructional time.   Slavin (2018) asserts that interruptions can come from both outside and inside of the classroom.  When disruptions occur, lesson momentum slows, and attention to tasks is decreased.  Having a plan for interruptions and not allowing anything to postpone your lesson, including disciplinary actions, will benefit students.  Handle any behavior problems after the lesson or activity, so student learning will continue and not be disrupted. Ensuring students know the necessary routines and lessons are taught at a rapid pace will also limit wasted time, keep students on task, and allow important instruction to occur or continue (Slavin, 2018).

Engaged time also needs to be preserved and not wasted.  Maximizing the time students spend actually completing their work will increase student learning.  By providing relevant and engaging lessons, students time spent on task will increase.  Engagement is improved when teachers are teaching, or students are participating in cooperative learning activities.   Slavin (2018) also suggests engaged time can be used effectively when transitions are planned and managed along with using choral responses to maintain focus and hold students accountable during whole group lessons.  Maintaining focus during seatwork by monitoring activities and checking in quickly with individual students can also promote student engagement and more time spent on task (Slavin, 2018).  Slavin (2018) discusses the importance of not overdoing the time students spend on task.  Sometimes more complex task requires more time off task, but this kind of activity is worth giving up on task time.

Many practices contribute to the effective management of a classroom.  Effective classroom managers start the school year by clearly communicating expectations, stay involved with the whole class, use fun activities to begin the year, and halt any misbehavior immediately.  Classroom rules are also discussed and created together, so everyone has the opportunity to participate in creating an environment where community norms are set (Slavin, 2018). 

When managing misbehavior, teachers need to utilize the “simplest intervention that will work” (Slavin, 2018, p.280).  Prevention of problematic behavior is the most straightforward way to handle issues when they arise.  Providing engaging lessons, communicating expectations, and keeping students busy working on significant tasks are all excellent ways of prevention.  Use of nonverbal cues are also a way to eliminate minor misbehavior and at the same time, keep the lesson going (Slavin, 2018).  Slavin (2018) asserts that these actions don’t interrupt other working students and typically only affects the student that is causing the problems.  Praise is also a way to support a well-managed classroom.  Teachers can notice and praise “behaviors that are incompatible with the misbehavior you want to reduce” and “get one student to behave by praising others for behaving appropriately” (Slavin, 2018, p.282).  Verbally reminding students of what they should be doing can also support and promote student to make good choices (Slavin, 2018).

Students usually continue misbehaving because they are getting something out of behaving in that manner.  Attention from their teacher and peers is generally the reinforcer for the negative behavior.  Students also continue causing problems because they may be bored or want to “escape from unpleasant activities” (Slavin, 2018, p.285).  When problems continue to exist, behavior modification may be needed.  It includes identifying target behaviors and reinforcers, establishing a baseline, selecting reinforcers and punishers and their criteria and reducing the frequency of reinforcements are all steps that need to be taken to apply a successful modification (Slavin, 2018) effectively.  Slavin (2018) suggests that the use of home-based reinforcement has advantages over other strategies.  Parents can supply more rewards, and parents enjoy getting good news about their child from their daily report cards. 

Severe behavior may still occur in the most well-run classroom.  Slavin (2018) says the preventing the behavior is the best way to deal with issues.  Creating a safe environment where behavior is openly discussed can help avoid problems before they even happen.  Slavin (2018) continues to offer that encouraging attendance, consistently using interventions, and involving family and peers can all have positive effects on more serious misbehavior.

Reflection:

Effective classroom management is essential for teachers to deliver instruction and student learning to happen.  For me, managing a classroom was not a natural skill to learn.  It was not something that I just knew how to do.  I also don’t feel like my undergraduate program in college did not prepare me very well to be an effective classroom manager.  I wish I could have read this chapter and learned about some of the strategies that Slavin (2018) suggests early on in my career.  Through my years spent in the classroom, I have found effective strategies that have been successful and figured out how to provide engaging instruction and manage my classroom, so students feel safe and can learn. 

One new thing I learned after reading this chapter was the seven steps that are part of a behavior analysis programs.  There are times when students may need a more organized systematic support, and I can see how utilizing these steps on order could be beneficial.  I have used some but not all of the steps when trying to handle more severe misbehaviors, and not in the order Slavin (2018) has suggested.  I can see how working through the steps could lead to a change in behavior.  Many times, when I try and deal with the misbehavior of a student, there is more than just one behavior that is happening.  Slavin (2018) offers that the first step of the program is to identify target behaviors and reinforcers.   I think this might be the most critical step of the program.  It seems obvious to just focus on one behavior to try and improve, but I have a habit of trying to fix several or all of the problems the student is having, and I end up not helping or improving any of the behaviors.  I also value the last step when the reinforcers are slowly taken away so that students eventually make appropriate choices, and function in a classroom without any extra support. 

I can see how understanding the principle of least intervention could help me to manage a classroom and become a better teacher more effectively.  When misbehavior happens in my class, my main goal is to get the negative behavior to stop, and I sometimes don’t make the best choice to make a positive change with the least interference of instruction.  Instead of “using the simplest intervention that will work,” I, for example, sometimes jump right into verbal reminders before I have tried nonverbal cues or praise (Slavin, 2108, p.280).  Starting with the least disruptive strategy can allow instruction to continue, which then will enable students to continue learning (Slavin, 2018).

The information presented this week about creating an effective learning environment and maintaining a well-managed classroom was a great reminder about things that I can do to support students and quickly handle incidents that are likely to occur during a school day.  This week in my discussion post, I discussed the problem I sometimes have with maintaining student attention during a whole group mini-lesson on the carpet.  I will be handling this situation differently after learning about choral responses.  I like that this strategy holds all students accountable for an answer, which will help in keeping engagement high among all students. 

Reference:

Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and practice. NY, NY: Pearson.