Description
The
focus of the reading and discussion in EDAT 6615
this week was on effective learning environments. In this module, teachers
learned how time impacts learning and how to prevent or manage student behaviors
using strategies to prevent and respond to student behavior problems. Teachers
also learned how an effective learning environment informs intentional
teaching.
Analysis
We first
start by exploring what is an effective learning environment. According to Slavin
(2012, p. 272), creating an effective learning environment requires the teacher
knowing a set of techniques to create a positive, productive classroom
experience. These techniques are referred to as classroom management, that not
only allow for teacher to prevent or respond to misbehavior but also allows
for the effective use of class time. The best way to start good classroom management
is to have effective instruction that is engaging and well-structured in a way
that students are motivated and are working at a challenging yet rewarding
capacity. Even with planning an effective lesson, teachers must still be
prepared to discipline those students who are seeking to be a behavior problem without
taking away from the instruction. Good discipline prevents or responds to
existing behavior problems to reduce them from occurring again.
Impact
of time on learning is more than the length of the class but the time spent
with a student being engaged in the learning. The allot time that we have
students in our class can be maximized by using every bit of time given instead
of making excuses for time lost. We can also prevent late starts by having a
clear start time and by having extra things in place that will lengthen our
students engagement in the lesson so that we do not waste valuable learning
time by finishing a lesson early. Some other ways a teacher can maximize allotted
time is by preventing classroom interruptions, not wasting too much time on
classroom procedures, keep instruction at a paid pace, and minimizing time
spent disciplining students.
Engaged
time is the amount of time students spend doing assigned work. Engaged time can
be different for each student depending on the individual’s attentiveness and
willing to work (Slavin, 2012, p.275). Teachers can increase the time that
students are engaged by making sure that what they are teaching are interesting
to the students, the transitions from activity to the next a smooth, and making
sure that all students are paying attention even when doing group work.
Teachers also want to be aware not to overdo these things because it can be
detrimental to learning in several ways.
Some
practices that are essential to effective classroom management is making sure
that teachers start the school year off right by making sure that they have a
clear plan to introduce classroom rules and procedures and spend day carrying
out this plan until the students are familiar with it (Slavin, 2012, p. 278).
Teachers need to also make sure that they spend the beginning of the year
working with the whole class even though they may eventually place the students
in groups. Teachers also spend time introducing procedures and practicing
procedures. Teachers also make sure to respond and stop any misbehavior.
Classroom rules should be few, make sense and be fair to the students.
Some strategies
for managing routine behaviors will include prevention, Nonverbal cues, praise
of correct behavior that is incompatible with misbehavior, praise for other
students, verbal reminders, repeated reminders, and consequences. Nonverbal cues and praise of good behavior are
normally enough to get students on task but in the case, it is not, verbal
reminders can help diminish misbehavior over time. The teacher must make sure
that they are consistent in the expectations of proper behavior. Students
misbehavior can be maintained if the teacher gives too much attention to the
behavior or if they can gain approval from their peers. Releasing a student
from completing unwanted assignments can also maintain misbehavior because they
will observe that the way to get out of doing something they do not want to do
is by misbehaving. When these strategies fail to work, they teacher can seek behavior
modifications that will help change behavior over time by identifying target
behaviors and reinforcing those, establishing a baseline for targeted
behaviors, selected things to help reinforce good behavior but also selecting punishments
for bad behaviors. As the misbehavior become more under control, the teacher
can reduce the frequency of reinforcers.
For more
serious behaviors, teachers can seek prevention programs that allow students to
have a role in the function of the class. This includes letting them tutor
another student or leading activities.
Teachers will also need to identify the cause of misbehavior to better
help students manage them. Teacher should also continue to remind students that
they expect to follow the rules and making sure that students report to school
to maintain good behaviors. Requesting family involvements in minimizing
misbehavior is also crucial as they will play an important role in helping with
the creation of a behavior plan once they have been notified too many times of
unwanted behaviors. Other students can help with decreasing misbehavior by
being peer mediators to help their classmate solve a problem. Last of all,
there should be a school-wide policy to combat bullying.
Reflection
This
chapter reaffirmed some of the things that I have been practicing in my classroom
the past few years. Having good classroom management strategies have always
been the difference in a teacher being and effective teacher or being a
noneffective teacher. I have seen teachers who have had great content knowledge
and even great lesson plans, but you would not know that because the students were
always so unruly or inattentive to the teacher. I have even had teachers say
that they did not want students to fear them, so they were more relaxed on their
classroom rules. While all of that is nice, I have always known that once you
condition students to believe that there are not consequences for good or bad
behaviors, you will have lost control of your classroom for the duration of the
year. To me, respect of classroom rules and expectations lead to students
becoming more engaged because they respect you and want to hear what you are
saying. In that moments when you have established respect, now all you must do
as the teacher is make them excited about learning so they will stay engaged
and paying attention.
I have
witness time and time again the destruction teacher discipline plans because of
lack of school support even when the rules mimicked those of the school. I have
also been a teacher who tried to maximize my students engaged time but fall
victim to unwanted disruption by my colleagues and administrators for things that
were not dire. I believe that everyone in the school need to be on board with
maximizing student allot time and engagement time to minimize unwanted
behaviors.
Reference
Slavin, R. E. (2012). Educational psychology: Theory and
practice (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
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