I think my classroom management is getting better in some classes and worse in others. I thought maybe looking back on my classroom management plan for this assignment might help me figure out why...
Here are some observations I made looking back on my plan from this summer:
- First, I think my definition and philosophy of classroom management hit pretty head on. I still very much agree that the goal of classroom management is to create a positive learning environment with as few interruptions as possible. I realize this the most when I'm in a classroom where there is NOT enough learning going on because of the interruptions. My philosophy on the importance of consistency and communication is still very important to me, but I think I could do a better job of keeping this up in my classroom.
- I think my rewards system has been working out REALLY well. Middle school students respond incredibly well to rewards, and it works really well for both for positive and negative reinforcement because they do NOT want the rewards taken away from them.
- My consequences need another step. I am incorporating writing assignments into my consequences starting tomorrow. I have given out too many warnings and not followed up to the next step all the time. A lot of that has to do with what my next step is. My consequence list reads:
Warning......Conference Outside......Detention/Phone Call Home......Office.
I haven't made enough phone calls home, and our school doesn't have detention. I need something else!
In general:
I think my classroom management was going really well until last week or the week before. I missed a couple days for workshops, and I think I didn't come back strong enough - I was just excited to see my kids!
Today I gave a quiz to my 5th period class (my repeaters) that I'm hoping will be effective. I told them that since they weren't listening to me that they must know everything I was about to go over with them and they must be ready for a test! The ones who were talking the most did terribly I'm sure, and I'm hoping they use that low test grade as a reason to stay quiet.
...as far as finding out what might be making the differences in my success in the classroom, I don't think I found a definitive reason, but I do want to reestablish structure in my classroom. I agree with what I said this summer about the structure, communication, and consistency being the most important aspects of classroom management, and I think that is the area I can make stronger in ALL classes.
I had a major feel-good moment today :)
One of my softball girls wrote an essay about me for her English class. She (we'll call her M) and another one of my players (P) come into my classroom every morning before school to hang out and sometimes for help on homework.
Today, P said, "Coach Hall, M wrote an essay about you. It says all types of bad stuff about you. You should read it."
I knew she was joking, and I smiled and asked M if I could read it. She blushed but excitedly got it out of her backpack.
The prompt for the essay: "Write about your role model"
....and she wrote about ME!!!....
Her essay was soooo sweet and made me really happy. It was awesome to see some of the little things she picked out that I do that she admired. She stretched the truth a tad about what she comes into my room for, saying I help her with ACT stuff (and not the typical gabbing-session about the Hills or The Game)......but hopefully eventually that's what it will be for! What's even better - it was a well-written essay!
