Classroom Management - Essay Example

? room Management Introduction Teachers need to continuously think about how they will manage room space effectively so as to maintain an orderly learning environment for the varied learning activities expected to take place. Classroom organization and management are some of the key factors that determine the success of teaching and learning. This essay will briefly describe two in-class activities and two out-of-class activities, briefly describing two behavioral expectations a teacher would have for each of these activities. The essay will also describe two evaluation methods to determine the level of student understanding of classroom behavioral expectations and consequences. A. 1. In-class activities are those learning activities that take place inside a formally organized classroom (Charles, 2000). The two in-class activities that will be described in this section are the use of learning centres and computer stations; and student attention and participation during teacher-led activities. The use of learning centres and computer stations in classrooms is essential in aiding the learning activities taking place. A learning centre is defined as an area in a classroom which has a variety of meaningful activities and hands-on materials that provide the learners with opportunities to actively participate in their own learning (DiGuilio, 2000). A computer station in a classroom may be defined as an area within the classroom that is outfitted with computer equipment and furnishings for the students to be able to make use of the computer when learning. These two centres are usually equipped with materials that are meant to enhance and promote teaching and learning activities (Edwards, 1997). A. 2. When teaching K-8 students in a learning centre within a classroom, it is expected that the students listen keenly to and strictly follow the directions of the instructor. This is because the students’ learning centers are meant to provide the students with opportunities to apply, practice, create, discover and explore their skills. It is therefore essential that the students follow the directions of the teacher so as to achieve this learning objective. Another behavioral expectation of K-8 students in a learning centre is that they need to show respect for the property of the school in the learning centre. As earlier mentioned, a learning centre usually has plenty of hands-on materials that provide the learners with opportunities to actively participate in learning. The students are therefore expected to be courteous, respectful and considerate for the equipment at the learning centre and handle them with care so that they can fully benefit from them. In the computer station, the K-8 students are also expected to show respect for school property, in this case, the computers. They should avoid inappropriate behavior such as scratching or writing on the computers and mishandling them because they are very delicate and they need to benefit from them fully. The students are also expected to be on time for the learning activities taking place at the computer stations and come prepared for the activities. This will entail bringing all the necessary classroom materials with them. These include paper, pencil or books. B. 1. Out-of-class activities are described as those activities that take place outside the traditional classroom but within an educational context. The two out-of-class activities that have been chosen for this assignment are playground time or recess and field trips or assemblies. Playground time or recess is part of school activities that K-8 students are involved in during their day in school. Field trips are necessary so as to expose students to the abstract things that they have been learning in class. Assemblies on the other hand are inevitable in any school situation because there are many people who need to address their common goals. B. 2. During playground time or recess, it is expected that K-8 students conduct themselves in an orderly, respectable and responsible manner. At the play ground, the students should respect each other and desist from inappropriate behaviors such as rudeness, fighting, name-calling, inciting others or putdowns. It is also expected that the students respect the school property at the playground. These may include sporting equipment such as balls, toys and any other material on the playground that belongs to the school. The K-8 students should take care of these materials because they will need them again. During recess, students are also expected to use their time wisely and respect the time when it comes to going back to class from recess. This is important because it ensures that the students engage in the right activities at the right time. It also prepares them for the next class and ensures that they are on time. During field trips, the K-8 students are expected to show respect for the property of others at the places in which they visit. They should not touch or take things without asking to either to touch, use or borrow them. The students are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and respectable manner and avoid inappropriate behaviors such as playing, fighting, shoving and kicking during field trips. During assemblies, the students are expected to move to and from the assembly points fast enough without talking unnecessarily so as to save time. C. Evaluation is concerned with the assessment of something’s worth or significance using preset standards. In this context, evaluation entails all the necessary steps taken to determine whether all the students have understood the behavior expectations in and out of class. There are several methods that can be used to determine the level of students understanding of their own behavior and consequences. One method of evaluation is the use of checklists and anecdotal records to observe, monitor and record the behavior of students during the activities. This can be done alongside preset criteria to see if students were able to exhibit the expected behaviors. This will provide the teacher with the opportunity of knowing whether or not the students understood the behaviors expected of them and take corrective measures. Another method of evaluation is the use of student conferences whereby the students are involved in the process of goal setting and evaluation. In such conferences, the students are made to contribute in setting the behaviors that are expected of them and they later evaluate how they behaved during the lessons so as to see whether they met the behavioral expectations or not. They therefore have the opportunity to understand what is expected of them and know how to behave during activities in and out of class. References Charles, C. M. (2000). The Synergetic Classroom: Joyful Teaching and Gentle Discipline. New York: Longman. DiGuilio, R. (2000). Positive Classroom Management. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Edwards, C. H. (1997). Classroom Management and Discipline, 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons. MacKenzie, R. J. (1996). Setting Limits in the Classroom: How to Move Beyond the Classroom Dance of Discipline. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing. Read More