The focus for EDAT 6115 this week was
on effective classroom management. In Chapter 11 Slavin helps us to understand
the impact of time and time management on student learning and prevention of misbehavior.
Slavin discusses how teachers can prevent and manage routine misbehaviors.
Slavin shares strategies for prevention of and response to student behavior
problems. Slavin shares how the knowledge of effective learning environments
can inform the intentional teacher. (Slavin, 2020)
Analysis
Slavin
shares that an effective learning environment will include strategies that
teachers can use to create a positive productive classroom. “The most
effective approach to classroom management is effective instruction” (Slavin,
2020, p. 280). To have an effective learning environment the classroom should
be well organized with activities, instruction, and materials that will use
time wisely from the start of the lesson or class period to the end of the allotted
time. It is more important how the time is used in the classroom than the
amount of time on the clock. (Slavin, 2020)
Teachers
should use the allocated time wisely to prevent off-task behaviors. To prevent
loss of time teachers should make good use of all of the time allocated and
available. This will include making sure that classes and lessons start on time
to show students that learning is important. Teachers should also use all of
the time up to the last minute so that students are not shortchanged by ending
lessons early or going overtime and preventing them from being on time for
other lessons, classes, or activities. (Slavin, 2020)
Some
strategies for preventing interruptions were included. To prevent interruptions
teachers can put a “do not disturb” sign on the door during lessons, have a
basket for papers that need the teacher’s attention, and postpone anything
that can and should be postponed until the time between lessons or after school.
(Slaving, 2020)
Teachers
should teach procedures early in the year and model those routines and procedures.
The students may need gentle reminders occasionally. Some examples include
calling the whole row to line up once they are ready rather than one student at
a time and having designated times for pencil sharpening and restroom. Use student
power to pass out and take up materials. (Slavin, 2020)
Teachers
should maintain a rapid pace of instruction to keep students engaged and on
task. Teachers should also minimize the amount of time spent on discipline during
lessons. Also, teachers should use the engaged time effectively. (Slavin, 2020)
While
engaging students in lessons, teachers can maintain a rapid pace and use a variety
of modes of presentation. Teachers should also offer frequent opportunities for
students to participate in the learning to cut down on the amount of seatwork.
(Slavin, 2020)
Slavin
shared three rules for managing classroom transitions. Teachers can give a
clear signal such as a code word, bell, or hand signal when students are to
transition. Make sure students know what they are to do once they have
transitioned. Be sure to have all students make the transition at once rather
than one at a time. (Slavin, 2020)
Teachers
should have a plan for maintaining group focus during lessons and seat work.
Teachers can also use overlapping to continue lessons while addressing minor
behaviors. Teachers should also be careful not to overdo time on task as this
is not beneficial to student creativity and higher-order thinking skills.
(Slavin, 2020)
Slavin
did share that in a student-centered classroom the classroom management style
will look a bit different. The teacher will need to spend time addressing the
rules for cooperative and peer work during group student-centered learning. The
focus should be to maintain student learning and promote a social community that
promotes learning and good behavior. (Slavin, 2020)
Some key practices can help a teacher build and maintain an
effective classroom management system. One of the biggest things is to start
the school year off right by establishing the rules and procedures. The teacher
can involve the students in the creation of the rules. The rules and procedures
must be clear, specific, simple, and explained and taught from the first day of
school. The teacher should only have a few rules. The rest would be procedures.
Slavin shared four “all-purpose” rules such as being courteous, respecting others’
property, being on task, and raising hands to be recognized. (Slavin, 2020)
Slavin
shared several strategies for maintaining routine misbehavior. The principle of
least intervention includes procedures such as prevention, nonverbal clues,
praise of correct behavior, praise of other students, verbal reminders, repeated
reminders, and consequences for behavior. Slavin also shared that Applied
Behavior Analysis (ABA) can be used to manage more serious behaviors. (Slavin,
2020)
Some
reasons for misbehavior include gaining teacher attention, gaining peer attention,
and release from unpleasant activities. Once the reason or target behavior is
identified through observation, the other steps to (ABA) include establishing a
baseline, choosing a reinforcer, choosing a punisher, observing behavior during
implementation to compare to the baseline, and when the behavior is reduced
from the program, reduce the frequency of reinforcement. (Slavin, 2020)
To
prevent serious behavior problems teachers can use prevention programs,
identify the cause of the misbehavior and find rewards to use as incentives,
enforce the rules fairly, and enforce school attendance. Some other ways to the prevention of behavior problems include practicing interventions, getting the
family involved, using peer mediation, confronting bullying, and judiciously
applying consequences for behaviors. (Slavin, 2020)
Slavin
says that “intentional teachers are leaders in their classrooms who take responsibility
for managing time, activities, and behaviors” (Slavin, 2020, p. 306) The
intentional teacher will plan instructional time, minimize interruptions, focus
on increasing engaged time, start the year right, manage routine misbehavior,
use positive classroom management methods, appl proved practical behavior
modification as needed, use proven methods such as group contingencies and
home-based reinforcement, involving parents, and apply consequences. The
intentional teacher will always use praise and reinforcement and reserve
punishments as a last resort. (Slavin, 2020)
Reflection
I feel that the concept of having an effective
classroom management system in place is exactly what is needed for my first
graders. The biggest points that really impacted me were the idea of having a
few rules that students help create and using that time allotted wisely.
Effective learning environments,
classroom management, and time management will affect my classroom going
forward. Last school year I started off thinking I could just do positive behavior
management. My class felt out of control, and I spent a lot of time dealing
with behaviors. I struggled with time management due to student behavior, but
also because I would overshare and get off on a tangent.
I can use what I have learned to
become a better teacher. I have been working with some classmates in another course
that gave me a few ideas for addressing these issues. One idea was to use a
timer on my ViewSonic Board to keep myself and my students on track. Another idea
was to begin the year by having the students help me create no more than five
rules. I will write them on chart paper and have all of the students and myself
sign the rules. Then, we can post it near our school-wide expectations PBIS
matrix. The last idea was to keep a little checklist/chart to use as I walk
around the classroom to check student work during independent and group work.
This will help me keep track of who understands and who doesn’t at a glance.
This will help me plan future lessons and small group times. The ideas and
strategies that I found in Slavin’s work that I will try are just making sure
that I start and end lessons at the appointed times so that students learn the
importance of learning and are not short-changed. One other area that I will be
working on is using class rewards as incentives as this will be useful for
maintaining good behaviors.
Reference
Slavin, R. E. (2020). Educational psychology: Theory and
practice (13th ed.). Pearson Education. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088HBVY4X/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
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