A Classroom-Based Scenario - Case Study Example

Analysis of a room-based Scenario Being an effective teacher encompasses a wide spectrum of responsibilities – from designing an environment conducive to learning, to planning appropriate lessons for students and implementing them with effective educational strategies to being able to manage the class well and instilling discipline in the students, to involving parents and coordinating with others regarding the provision of quality education for the students. The scenario in Mrs. S’s class is typical in most classrooms, and there is much that can be done to improve it, if only teachers stop and reflect on their own performance on the job. Lesson planning/ preparation The lesson on historical artefacts was prepared well, as there were actual items to be explored by the class. Children find it stimulating to really touch objects, as if its feel helps them retain the lesson better. However, it seems that the teacher did not plan well the execution of the activity because the children seemed to be at a loss on what to do. The holding back of information regarding the artefacts might have been deliberate, as the teacher may want to know if they can figure these things out themselves. After discussion of the lesson, the teacher sent them on tasks that were not equally stimulating. One group (drawing of artefacts group) may envy the task of the other group (actively exploring the artefacts to really get to know these and make intelligent guesses as to the function and make of the material unless they switch tasks after a period of time. Organisation of resources (human and physical) There may have been a lack of artefacts to go around. To augment this, books with real pictures may have been used, or the children may have been given homework to know who can lend Greek artefacts to the class. In that case, parents will know what is happening in class too and they are given an opportunity to participate in their child’s schooling by searching the house for the artefact needed. Human resources may also be lacking for the number of children in class. There was only one adult apart from the teacher and this is not enough. The teacher does one on one coaching, but could not concentrate on the children with her that she also divides her focus among the children. This left her stressed, as manifested in her impatient behaviour with Fiona in helping her with a math task, and guilty, as she cannot concentrate on Robert, who she needed to coach individually because he has learning disabilities and requires more specialized teaching. Part of classroom management is the designing of a learning environment suitable for the students. In a particular research, it was found out that when the quality of the physical environment declined, teacher restriction and control increased, the teacher’s behavior became less friendly, the students became less interested and involved, classroom rules increased, and conflict among children increased. It was likewise observed that the learning environment influences, and directly contributes to, children’s behavior and levels of learning. The physical environment should reflect the goals and expectations of the teacher. It will also dictate somehow to the children how they will behave in the classroom (Brewer, 2001). Behaviour management Handling a class of 30 young children is very difficult if one does not know classroom management techniques. It was observed that children come and go, slipping out of the attention of the teacher and questioned as to what they have done. The teacher should have a clear system and routines to follow so that the children know what to expect. An effective teacher is a good planner. She anticipates everything and anything that can happen to her classroom. Thus, it is essential that she comes up with a classroom management system to cover everything she needs to do and remember. Classroom management involves not only the management of student behavior but everything that goes on in the class… from preparation for the class day, to what transpires during the day and even up to when the students leave, to the nitty gritty of the physical environment which must be conducive to maximize the learning of her students (Crosser, 2002). Of course, a teacher can only do this if she is adept in developing a program developmentally suited for the age and grade level of her students. Crosser (2002) also advises that the classroom management covers the arrival and departure of the children; transition times; during interactions with equipment and materials; and during conflict management. Mrs. S. should anticipate how children will behave during these periods, so she can prepare for anything. In the case at hand, the arrival and departure of the children were not organized, since they were boisterous coming in and getting out of the classroom. Such behaviour may be sustained for a period of time, such as during class hours, so Mrs. S could have done transition activities to calm them down. Other distractions such as the cleaning of paint of Suki and Adam and the shoes of Peter may be delegated to the supervision of the teacher assistant, Mr. C. He can also explain to the individuals what they missed in class while they were out so they are not disoriented when they come back in. Having routines not only organizes the day, but gives the children security of what happens next. Use of questions, instructions and explanations The disorganized behavior of the children in Mrs. C’s class may stem from the fact that she herself did not provide clear guidelines to follow. She just reacted to whatever happened, like asking some children to wash off right before starting her lesson, then would be surprised at where they went when they came back. With the instructions for the activities, it was clear that the children were confused with which task they should do, as her instructions were not delivered well. With children at this age level, she should have given step-by step instructions to guide them accordingly. This is not to say that asking a lot of questions during activity time is not allowed, but giving clear instructions sets them off to begin their work soon so they do not waste any time. Mrs. S should learn the art of questioning to elicit the answers she wants. She should learn how to ask that encourage children to involve themselves with critical thinking and other higher-order skills. The motivation of children Mrs. S. could not seem to sustain the motivation of the children. When she asked them about what they talked about yesterday, it was a very open question that young children may be overwhelmed to answer. She could have given a guiding question to trigger their memories, something like, “Does anyone remember what it was about the past that we talked about yesterday?” Such a question may be more productive in eliciting wiser answers. The shy boy, David’s attempt to answer something that the teacher did not expect could have been given more recognition to motivate him further to participate. She should have asked him to elaborate, “Ok, what about not running in class?” Her response to Sarah’s correct answer, “Yes, that’s better” may have offended the shy boy further that he will not be motivated to try to participate anymore because his answer was not good enough. Her impatient tutoring session with Fiona was very intimidating to the child that she learned to divide due to fear. She may have been stressed out from all the children’s coming and going, raising various concerns that impede her from completing her tasks with the group of children with her. However, she should have maintained her gentle disposition with Fiona instead of taking it out on her. Effects on children’s learning of the above and The effects of a disorganized classroom management obviously make children disorganized themselves. The lack of clear rules and guidelines leave children wandering off, much like Peter who was asked to clean off his shoes, and Suki and Adam, who washed off their hands of paint. The teacher should know how to anticipate children’s behaviour and plan well so that she can expect Develop action points for improvement. “Piaget believed that children create knowledge through interactions with the environment. Children are not passive receivers of knowledge; rather, they actively work at organizing their experience into more and more complex mental structures.” (Brewer, 2001, p.6). He insists that children need to use all their cognitive functions. These theories were designed to form minds which can be critical, can verify, and not accept everything they are offered. Such beliefs reflect his respect for children’s thinking. Vygotsky (1978) believed that children’s intellectual development is influenced more by social context than by individual experiences. His theory places a great deal of emphasis on effective social interaction. Another theory Vygotsky came up with is the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD). He defined the ZPD as the distance between a child’s independent problem-solving level and that obtained under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (Wertsch, 1985). Wells (1997) cautioned us, however, that a ZPD is formed not just within an individual learner, but in the interaction between the learner, coparticipants, and available tools during involvement in a common activity. ZPDs, therefore, depend on the quality of the total interactive context as well as individual. This proves that a young learner’s exposure to peers, teachers and other adults and learning materials greatly influences his development. For Mrs. S’s class, she could knowingly introduce a slightly more challenging activity than drawing or painting the artifacts in the expectation that her students will be able to do it, even if they finds it difficult at first. A more interactive game like matching the artifacts with written labels with functions could have done the job. “Such cognitive apprenticeships are, of course, inherently reliant on a mentor or guide who effectively uses “scaffolded instruction.” (Bonk & Cunningham, 1998 p.40). As the term implies, scaffolds are temporary supports in the process of learning which are gradually taken away when the student is already capable of learning without them. Mrs. S’s class has a lot of potential. She should just know how to harness it with her own organization and creative skills to have motivated students under her wing. References Bonk, C.J. & Cunningham, D.J. (1998) “Searching for Learner-Centered, Constructivist, and Sociocultural Components of Collaborative Educational Learning Tools” in Electronic Collaborators. Retrieved on November 27, 2009 from: www.publicationshare.com/docs/Bon02.pdf Brewer, J.A. (2001) Introduction to Early Childhood Education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon Crosser, S. (2002), “Managing the Early Childhood Classroom”. Young Children, January 2002 Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Wells, G. (1997). “The zone of proximal development and its implications for learning and teaching.” Retrieved on November 27, 2009 from http://www.iose.utoronto.ca/~gwells/zpd.discussion.txt Wertsch, J. V. (1985). Vygotsky and the social formation of the mind. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Read More