Classroom Management Main Page
- EDEL 414 - EDSE 415
George Ball – Fall 2002
1.
Philosophy of
classroom management
My philosophy of classroom management can
be compared, in many respects, to the construction of a building. The effectiveness of my classroom throughout
the school year will depend upon the early establishment of a strong
“foundation.” Three elements, in particular,
are key to ensuring that this foundation is set firmly upon solid ground.
First, it is essential that expectations
and classroom rules be established with considerable student input during the
first days of the year. The specific
objectives of that process will be discussed in greater detail later in this
plan. Second, it is critical that a
positive, healthy classroom environment be created at the very beginning of the
school year. The environment I seek in
this regard is influenced primarily by the theories of William Glasser which
will be discussed further later in this section. And third, it is important that adequate time be invested early
in the school year for students to learn and practice those skills that will
ensure effective technical management techniques. Student’s proficiency in responding to my cues, directions and
signals in a timely, consistent fashion will pay dividends throughout the
school year in the form of valuable learning time not lost.
Once this “foundation” has been firmly
established, we can then – and only then - begin to build upon it with
confidence. Much like the case of
constructing an actual building, though, it is important that conscious steps
be taken to maintain the structure throughout the school year to prevent its
deterioration with the passage of time.
For this reason, my philosophy of classroom management also includes
some basic principles to ensure proper “maintenance” of the structure.
These include – first and foremost -
consistency, for without that all of my good up-front work will, in all
likelihood, be quickly destroyed.
Students are highly perceptive and will readily note when appropriate
follow-through is absent, or where rules are unevenly applied. I must, therefore, make a conscious effort
to be consistent and even-handed in my treatment of students, and in the application
of our classroom rules.
I must also strive to be positive in all
things, including in my use of verbal and body language. An important element in this is that I avoid
becoming pulled into power struggles with students, and not lose my emotional balance. Without question the “little things” are, in
fact, quite “big” – my words, my body language, and my attitude speak volumes –
and I need to ensure that what they say is positive.
It is also essential that I treat all
students with dignity and respect, for such treatment will breed the same from
them in their treatment of both me, and their peers – in effect, I set the tone
for the entire class. The concept of
respect is key to the establishment of the desired classroom environment, but
probably most so in the application of appropriate consequences for the
violation of classroom rules. The way
in which those consequences are carried out will determine whether a
potentially negative situation results in a constructive lesson learned – from
which students actually grow as a result – or, one that proves to be
destructive and, therefore, eats away at the carefully constructed foundation
in which so much has been invested.
2.
Assumptions
regarding the nature of young people and learning
My philosophy of classroom management is
based upon the following assumptions regarding the nature of young people and
learning.
Students want – and need - to be part of a
group. They all have, to some degree, a
desire to be loved and to feel a sense of belonging to a larger community.
Students desire freedom and a degree of
personal control over their own destiny.
This desire for freedom can take many forms, both positive and
negative. Positive manifestations will
emerge where students are provided clear opportunities to exercise their free
will. Likewise, negative manifestations
will literally “rear their ugly head” when student’s have little, or no,
opportunity for self-determination. The
backlash resulting from such regimentation is among the most corrosive student
behaviors working against the effectiveness of this classroom management plan.
Students want to feel good about themselves
and their competency. For this reason,
it is important that I provide positive encouragement for the application of
sincere effort and improved proficiency, and not just end results.
Students want to enjoy school and, in
context, have “fun” – and when they do, they learn more. As such, lessons need to be engaging and
promote opportunity for genuine enjoyment – and even outright fun, where
appropriate.
Students want to learn. They have a desire to grow in knowledge and
proficiency. This desire is also fed by
positive words of encouragement regarding process, not just end results.
Students want to be – and can be –
responsible. They possess a strong
desire to “grow up” and be more adult-like, particularly during the difficult
years of adolescence. Increased
responsibility can be learned – like anything – with practice, therefore, it is
important that I give student’s opportunities to practice being responsible.
Students want recognition, from both their
teacher and their peers. As a result,
it is important that student’s be provided the opportunity to illustrate their
proficiencies in both private, teacher-only settings, and also publicly, with
their peers.
Students want to take pride in their
work. As such, quality of work – and
the “quality” of what’s learned – should be encouraged and rewarded over sheer
quantity.
Students want to take pride in their
school. In some sense, this relates to
the desire to “belong” discussed above.
Opportunities should be provided for students to participate in
activities involving the larger school community.
And last – but certainly not least –
students want clear rules outlining appropriate classroom behavior with clear
consequences for non-compliance. Simply
stated, students want and need structure – with appropriate outlets for
self-determination and freedom – and look to see those principles consistently
applied. Done faithfully and justly, this
can provide a real-life lesson on how to live in our democratic society – one
characterized by freedom, but with clear rules that respect the rights and
freedoms of others.
3.
A brief
review of three theorists
My classroom management plan draws at least
in part from nearly all of the concepts and theories studied over the course of
this term, but is based most closely upon the work of the following three
theorists – William Glasser, Linda Albert, and Fredric Jones. In some instances – particularly in the case
of Albert and Jones – I draw upon only certain elements of these theories, but
all three have played a substantial role in informing my thoughts and beliefs
regarding effective classroom management.
The most influential of these three
theories are the concepts outlined by William Glasser in his “Basic Needs
Theory.” As suggested in the previous
section, Glasser’s theory coincides closely with my beliefs regarding the
nature of young people and learning.
Glasser’s focus on the basic needs of “Love and Belonging,” “Power,”
“Freedom,” “Competence,” and “Fun” forms the central core of my approach to
classroom management. These principles
serve as the essential “seeds” from which the specific elements of the plan
grow. They guide the establishment of the
“foundation” upon which the entire school year is built, as well as the various
behaviors and objectives I seek to reinforce throughout the year to “maintain”
the overall structure and its continuing effectiveness. Of all the theorists studied, I am without
question most comfortable with the ideas and concepts expounded by Glasser.
Linda Albert’s “Cooperative Discipline
Theory” also includes several key elements that have guided the development of
my plan. The most useful concept from
Albert’s theory is the “Three C’s” – Contribution, Connection, and Capability –
and the implications of those ideas to classroom management. In many respects, these concepts are quite
consistent with the “Basic Needs” outlined by Glasser. This, in and of itself, likely accounts for
much of my affinity with Albert’s theory, but I also found her use of these
concepts to explain why students misbehave, and her resulting
thoughts regarding the development of a classroom code of conduct to be
especially useful. I also found Albert’s
view of teachers, students, and parents acting as “partners” in the learning
process to be insightful.
The third theorist that added considerably
to my plan is Fredric Jones’ and his “Positive Classroom Discipline
Theory.” In the case of Jones, there
were certain very specific features of his theory that I found to be
useful. Among these are the concept of
“prevention” being the “best medicine,” the strong emphasis on non-material
rewards, and the focus on ensuring that all elements of instruction have
intrinsic educational value. One
specific component – the concept of providing a learning-oriented “Preferred
Activity Time,” or “PAT,” to reward desirable behavior – is a good illustration
of the practical ideas found within Jones’ theory. Both observation and personal experience have confirmed the
effectiveness of PAT’s in the classroom.
1.
Expectations
of students
The following summary describes my personal
expectations regarding student’s participation in the learning process. Before beginning this summary, though, it is
important to note that I would also at the beginning of the school year ask
students to share with me and the class their own expectations of
what they seek to achieve in the coming school year. I believe this is an important step in reinforcing student’s
sense of ownership for the class and the direction we take. This process will also serve to inform and
shape my teaching and the design of instructional plans for the class.
My first expectation of students is also
the most important – that they consistently apply a sincere effort to the
learning process. Such effort is
critical to both their personal success, as well as that of the entire class. With the application of such effort, all
involved will move towards realizing their full potential – without it, an
opportunity will be lost to at least some degree.
I also expect students to take risks in my
class. Students will grow in knowledge,
understanding and competency to the fullest extent possible only by feeling
free to explore beyond the boundaries of what they already know. Doing so will undoubtedly result in many
mistakes along the way and the need to ask many questions. This expectation has an important bearing on
the classroom environment we seek to construct, an issue that will be addressed
in the next section.
I expect student’s to think creatively, and
look beyond basic explanations and simple, straightforward answers. It is only through taking “possession” of
knowledge that students take on a deeper understanding of its meaning. This might include students recommending
related areas of study in connection with the planned curriculum. It is my hope that students will have the
interest and the initiative to dig deeper into material beyond mere
regurgitation of the facts.
I expect students to participate actively
in all forms, both individually and in groups.
An element of that participation should involve a willingness to assist
their peers in every setting, as well as a consistent display of respect for
others and their ideas. This is to
include a respect for other’s weaknesses, or where their opinions may be in
conflict.
And finally, I expect students to be
accountable for their actions, both individually and when working as part of a
group. This includes taking pride in
the quality of their own work, as well as that of the entire group, where
appropriate.
A consistent theme running throughout all
of the foregoing expectations is student’s making a sincere effort to do their
best in all things. As noted at the
beginning of this section, each success we are to achieve hinges upon that
requirement.
2.
Expectations
of classroom environment
My expectations for the classroom
environment mirror and support those for students as outlined in the preceding
section. All teachers seek to create an
environment that is “conducive to learning.”
The specifics of what that means, though, is determined directly by what
is expected of students. In other
words, the environment in the classroom needs to be in concert with what is
expected of students, or those expectations will remain unmet. As in the case of student expectations,
student’s input will also be sought regarding the expected classroom environment
to once more reinforce a sense of ownership for the class.
Consistent with my most important
expectation of students – that they apply their best effort in all things – my
classroom environment needs to be such that it encourages that behavior. As such, there needs to be a focus on offering
students positive encouragement for trying hard and pushing themselves to do
their best. In other words, there needs
to be significant emphasis on process, and not just on results.
I expect my classroom environment to be one
that encourages risk-taking. My
classroom needs to be a place where it is acceptable to be wrong, or to admit a
lack of understanding. It needs to be
one where questions are not only acceptable, but are encouraged. As suggested previously, only by encouraging
such exploration will student’s full learning potential be realized.
My classroom environment needs to foster
creative thinking and be open to new and different ideas, including with
respect to student’s suggestions about areas of study. It also needs to be flexible enough to
incorporate those ideas to modify curriculum, when and where appropriate.
The environment needs to be sufficiently
open that active participation by all is encouraged, both in small group and
whole-class settings. Students should
be encouraged by the environment to freely provide assistance and support to
their peers. An atmosphere of respect
should permeate the classroom – respect for others as individuals and for their
ideas, especially when student’s thinking does not coincide.
My classroom environment expects all to be
accountable for their actions – to themselves, to the members of their working
groups, and to the entire class. The
overall sense of the classroom should be one of community and working for the
common good, not only for one’s self, but without a loss of focus on the
importance of individual responsibility.
In essence, my classroom environment will mirror society as a whole
where both self-accountability and accountability to others – our families and
the wider society – are all important to both individual success and the
success of the whole.
3.
Rules and
Policies
Rules and policies governing my classroom
will be established at the very beginning of the school year. The format used for establishing these rules
and policies will involve full class discussion to ensure student input to –
and ownership of – the results.
Student’s input will include determination of the appropriate
consequences for non-compliance with these rules and policies.
It is critical that the specific rules and
policies be in alignment with the foregoing expectations for both students and
the classroom. As such, their
formulation will occur immediately following a whole-class discussion regarding
those expectations to ensure a clear relationship between what we expect to
achieve, and the environment we intend to construct to enable us to reach those
objectives. Consistent with those
foregoing expectations, the rules and policies will stress the importance of
respect for others and their ideas, honesty, integrity, and
accountability.
The consequences for non-compliance with
these rules and policies will focus upon a balanced cause-and-effect
relationship such that there is both equity between the event of
non-compliance, and the resulting consequence.
Consequences will be administered in a consistent fashion and will be
delivered privately, whenever possible, to protect the dignity of the
student. The ideal administration of a
consequence will involve a discussion of the infraction and identification by the
student of the appropriate consequence.
This practice is designed to promote student’s continuing ownership of
the process, and also to reinforce the teacher’s respect for the student and
the student-teacher relationship.
The resulting product of the effort to
develop classroom rules and policies will be posted prominently in the
classroom, and copies will be provided individually to each student. Copies will also be sent home to student’s
parents for their signature, and return to the teacher. These rules and policies will be discussed
with parents during Open House and parent/teacher conferences, as appropriate.
1.
What do you
do instructionally to meet student’s academic needs?
There are a number of instructional
strategies employed in support of this classroom management plan. Most important of these is that I come to
class fully prepared to teach each and every day - without exception. If I fail in this, I not only fall short of
my own expectations, but I also let down each and every student in the
class. It is important to note on this
point that me not being prepared is contrary to my first
expectation for students – that they expend their best effort in everything
they do. For me to not do likewise is
simply hypocritical.
A second strategy is to take consistent
steps to ensure that each class gets off to a quick, productive start. The best method to achieve this end is to
begin each class with a consistent exercise that promotes a serious,
workmanlike atmosphere at the very outset of each class period. One excellent example of such an approach is
to require students to begin each class by responding to a writing prompt
posted on the board before the start of class.
A third instructional strategy is to ensure
that the each segment of the class period – from beginning to end - focuses
upon some substantive material that keeps students actively engaged. There should be no empty downtime, or
“breathers” – including during transitions from one segment of class to the
next – and each element of the class serves to further student’s learning in
some way. In other words, there is
literally a purpose to everything we do in the classroom, however, simple or
complex.
A fourth strategy is to employ a variety of
instructional techniques in each class.
Ideally each segment of the class should involve a different focus – be
it lecture, discussion, group work, etc. – such that there is a sense of
momentum and energy to ensure students remain engaged and interested in the
subject at-hand. A lack of these
qualities invites boredom that quickly poisons the learning process like a
cancer.
A fifth strategy is to call upon students
frequently during the course of the class period, including on a random,
involuntary basis. This approach is
designed to achieve a number of things, including encouraging student’s
attentiveness, promoting participation by all, and confirming student’s
understanding of the covered material.
This method includes calling upon students to summarize key points, or
earlier answers provided by other students.
It also includes inviting students to provide answers to open-ended
questions, thereby, encouraging exploration of ideas and challenging student’s
to go beyond their “safety zone.”
And last - but certainly not least – I make
room for “fun” in the classroom on a regular basis by providing time for an
educationally-oriented activity based upon popular game shows such as
“Jeopardy,” “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” or “Family Feud.” Such activities are important break to
provide student’s with a more light-hearted activity, but also serve the
purpose of showing students that learning can be “fun.” The usefulness of these activities in
providing insight into how much students understand about covered material
should also not be underestimated.
2.
What do you
do instructionally to prevent student’s need to act out?
It is first important to point out that
many of the strategies described in the preceding section are also useful in
preventing student’s need to act out.
These include being prepared for class; establishing the right
atmosphere at the beginning of class, and maintaining it throughout the entire
class period; managing smooth transitions between class segments with an
absence of downtime; employing a variety of instructional techniques; providing
ample opportunity for student participation; and allowing for genuine “fun” on
a regular basis.
In addition to these steps, there are also
a number of methods that should be used specifically with the idea of
preventing student’s need to act out.
Most important of these are techniques that
provide students with options in order to satisfy their need for power and
freedom. Examples include allowing
students to choose from among a group of assigned homework questions, requiring
them to complete a fixed number, but not all of those assigned. For example, students might be asked to
complete fifteen out of twenty questions, with the fifteen to be completed
chosen entirely by them.
Another effective practice is to grant
students “passes” to forego consequences for certain classroom rule violations,
completion of homework assignments, or the privilege of dropping a quiz score
in the computation of their semester grade.
Creativity can be employed in giving these “passes” humorous titles,
thereby, instilling yet another sense of light-hearted fun into the classroom
community. Favorite examples include –
with due thanks to Dr. Bluestein – “ Get Out of Jail Free” and “Don’t Bother
Me, I’m Having a Bad Day” cards.
A final thought on this subject in the way
of summarization is this – it is important that we be ever mindful of the need
to treat students with respect at all times.
Doing so breeds the same behavior in students – promoting respect for
teacher, peers and the classroom community.
And over the long-term, that is the most durable way to promote a
healthy environment that overcomes student’s need to act out.
3.
How does your
assessment approach promote the goals of your management plan?
My approach to assessment supports the
goals of my classroom management plan in a number of ways. The overall approach itself is key in that
no single assessment tool is dominant.
Instead, I employ a variety of tools that measure student’s performance
over a broad range of activities that promote the use of a variety of different
skills.
Formal assessments include both objective
and performance-based tools, but with a relative weighting skewed in favor of
performance measures. All assessments
are accompanied by clear rubrics that ensure students have a thorough advance
understanding of all requirements.
In addition to these formal measures, my
overall assessment approach also focuses extensively upon student’s effort and
progress. A portion of each student’s
grade is based upon these factors, consistent with their relative importance
from the viewpoint of my expectations of students. A high value is placed upon student’s expenditure of sincere
effort and the achievement of positive progress in their learning and
competency.
Assessment also includes an element devoted
to student’s active participation in group and whole-class activities. In this area, there is special attention
given to those instances where students exhibit a willingness to take risks in
reaching beyond their traditional “safety zones,” including their response to
leadership opportunities within group settings.
4.
How do you
allow for variable styles, cultures, and circumstances in meeting the diverse
needs of your students?
I allow for variable learning styles by
conducting a learning style inventory assessment within the first few weeks of
each school year. Using those results,
I am able to focus consciously on the variety of different learning styles
present in the classroom, with special emphasis placed upon reaching out to
those students with learning styles different than my own “ENTJ”
orientation. While it is critical that
I remain faithful to my own style in my teaching, it is equally important that
I am mindful of the differences that exist between mine and other styles to
ensure that my teaching methods do not serve to alienate, or intimidate,
students who might be uncomfortable with my orientation. In this regard, it is important that I apply
a variety of instructional techniques that are accessible to students with
varying learning styles.
I allow for different cultural backgrounds
via a number of different steps. Where
possible, I try to include in my instruction appropriate references to a
variety of cultures, not just those present in the classroom. In this way, I seek to broaden student’s
horizons and attentiveness to the wider world outside the classroom. In addition, I encourage students to discuss
openly in class the perspectives they bring to the lesson based upon their own
cultural background and heritage. In
all such activities, I stress the importance of our being respectful of all
cultures and encourage a mindset that looks to learn from – not criticize – the
differences among people from different cultural backgrounds.
It is also essential that I be mindful of,
and sensitive to, students from socio-economic backgrounds different than my
own. It is important to recognize that
not all students have the benefit of a stable home life, and many – out of
necessity - must take on added responsibilities not normally expected of
adolescents to make their families successful.
At the same time, though, I need to exercise care to not take “pity” on
such students, but instead hold them to the same high standard of performance
as the rest of the class to ensure that they too reach their full
potential. In so doing, I will help
provide them with a sound education – their best chance for advancement and a
better life.
1.
From your
point of view, what motivates students?
a.
In the
short-term?
While intrinsic factors still
play some role in the short-term, student’s near-term motivation depends more
heavily upon extrinsic factors. First
and foremost of these, of course, is the assignment of grades. Given this focus, it is important that the
system of assessments cover a wide range of activities that measure student’s
proficiency in a variety of skills. The
specifics of these concepts were discussed in some detail in the preceding
section, but it is important to reiterate here that student’s grades be based
upon a balance of objective and subjective measures. Grades should reward not only successful completion of formal
assessment tools, but must also compensate students for their active participation,
risk-taking, creativity, expenditure of sincere effort, and overall academic
progress – in essence, there should be as much reward for mastery of process,
as there is for results.
In addition to grades, it is
also important to provide students with other forms of reward in return for
both their compliance with classroom rules and policies, as well as for their
achievements. I am particularly fond of
Fredric Jones’ idea of a “Preferred Activity Time” to reward positive classroom
behavior. The idea of providing
students with an enjoyable, education-oriented reward for good behavior is a
highly motivational practice that, at the same time, provides sound educational
value.
Another effective means to
motivate students over the short-term is to provide opportunities for
recognition, including from peers. Such
recognition need not take the form of formal awards, or certificates. In fact, less formal channels - such as enabling students to showcase
their best work – are, in many instances, most effective.
Last but not least, it is
important to not underestimate the power of simple, positive reinforcement in
the form of words of encouragement to motivate student’s short-term
performance. Such steps are most
effective in supporting student’s efforts to stretch themselves beyond their
existing horizons. For it is here that
new skills are learned, deeper understanding is achieved, and intellectual
growth occurs. And that is our ultimate
purpose in the classroom – to encourage that spirit of exploration and development
that leads, hopefully, to a lifelong love of learning.
b.
In the
long-term?
Motivation for the long-term
is, on the other hand, driven largely – if not entirely – by internal
factors. Such motivation manifests
itself in the desire to learn new skills and master their performance,
generally not for any form of external recognition or reward, but rather for
the personal satisfaction that comes from such mastery. The driving force behind long-term
motivation is individual growth and improvement at things the student
deems of personal interest and importance, as opposed to those things that
external forces decide are important for the student. It is obvious then, that we as teachers can
– and should – do little to cultivate student’s internal motivation beyond
promoting a love of learning and exploration.
It is up to students to discover and decide for themselves what will
motivate them for the long-term.
2.
How do you
plan to motivate your students?
The various means by which I plan to
motivate students for the short-term were addressed in some detail within the
foregoing section. This section will
focus upon the more difficult, but worthwhile, ways in which I hope to spark
student’s motivation for the longer-term.
In general, all of these methods revolve around a single objective –
fostering a life-long love of learning within my students. As noted earlier, there can be no more
admirable objective than this for us as teachers.
I plan to motivate students for the
longer-term, first, by providing where possible for a variety of options within
lessons to enable students to explore related subject areas of personal
interest. In this way, I hope to
encourage students to explore subject matter more deeply – to experiment with
different ways of looking at problems, considering content, and constructing
meaning – to enrich their own understanding of the underlying material. It is only through such self-exploration
that students will discover those subject areas that interest them so deeply
that they become self-motivated to master them.
In a similar vein, I also plan to provide
students with a variety of learning environments and opportunities to explore
and master a number of different skills.
These include opportunities for individual study and reflection, group
activities, leadership roles, and public speaking opportunities. As in the case of subject matter content,
only through self-exploration will students discover for themselves those
skills of greatest interest, and with potential for self-mastery.
3.
How would you
characterize your approach?
I would characterize my overall approach to
motivating students as one very much focused upon nurturing and encouraging
self-exploration, discovery, and personal development for the long-term. While the short-term – that period measured
by the length of the current school year – is undeniably important, the
greatest impact will be made through the stimulation of student’s interest for
the longer-term, hopefully for life.
As such, it is my objective to provide
intellectually stimulating lessons that trigger student’s desire to dig deeper
into subject matter, to think about it critically and reflect thoughtfully upon
its meaning, to freely offer their opinions, and ultimately – where the level
of intellectual interest is sufficient – to make it their own. The fruits of these efforts will often not
be evident in the timeframe of a single school year, or even over a student’s
school career. That fact, though, in no
way diminishes the joy and meaning this love of learning may bring to a
student’s life. I have personally been
so blessed, and would only hope to have the same impact on others during my
teaching career.
This typical day – early in the third month of my “ideal class” – begins promptly at the bell, as students file into the classroom. After having taken the time in many cases to greet me and other students, they quickly find their seat and begin working on the writing prompt written on the board along with the day’s agenda. Upon completion of the writing prompt, we engage in a brief, whole-class discussion of the student’s responses. The elapsed time of this initial segment is approximately ten minutes, and is an established routine for this class. Students understand the importance of arriving on time and getting right to work on the daily writing prompt. This structure provides a clear focus to the beginning of each class, and serves to establish naturally a positive classroom environment conducive to learning.
The discussion of student’s responses to the writing prompt provides a seamless transition into the day’s lesson. Following a brief introduction, I lead the students in a whole-class discussion/review of the basic principles surrounding the day’s lesson by posing a series of anticipatory questions that establish a link to previously learned material. The elapsed time of this segment is approximately five minutes.
The introductory discussion is followed by a teacher-directed lesson wherein new material is presented. The format for this presentation is predominately via lecture, but includes frequent questions posed to students selected at random. The purpose of these questions is two-fold. First, they check for student’s incremental understanding of the new material as we progress. And, secondly, they ensure that student’s remain on-track, focused on the lesson at-hand, knowing that they might be called upon at random to either summarize some key point, or answer a question regarding the presented material. The elapsed time of this segment is approximately fifteen minutes.
The instructional segment of the lesson is followed by a small group exercise employing pre-assigned groups comprised of three, or four students each. The composition of these groups is based upon a variety of factors, including student’s learning styles, skill strengths and personalities. My thinking in establishing these groups has been guided by the learning styles inventory administered during the first week of class, a review of student’s cumulative files and past performance on standardized tests, as well as my observations over the first two months of the school year. With this knowledge I have designed the groups in such a way as to provide for diversity among their members. Each is composed of students with a variety of learning styles, levels of achievement, and personalities in an effort to increase their exposure to diverse perspectives and different ways of thinking.
The purpose of this segment is to allow students to work with the newly presented material in a collaborative, low-risk setting among fellow students. The objective is for students to share and test their ideas as to how they might apply the new material to a specific question, or problem. At the conclusion of the exercise, several groups will be asked to briefly share their thoughts with the entire class. The elapsed time of this segment is again approximately fifteen minutes.
While the groups conduct their discussions, I circulate among them with a number of objectives. These include observation and assessment, as the effectiveness of each student’s work in these group settings is an important element of their overall grade. I am also looking to facilitate the group’s discussions as required to assist them in getting started, or in overcoming roadblocks. And lastly, I am looking to assist groups in defusing problems where conflict, or counter-productive group behavior is evident. On this day, there is such an issue with one group. In this instance, a particular student – one who has frequently exhibited difficulty getting along with fellow group members in the past – lashes out against other members of the group over a seemingly inconsequential issue. Consistent with our class social contract that was agreed among the entire class during the first week of the school year, I provide this student with a warning regarding such behavior. Unfortunately, the behavior persists and I must remove the student from the group, isolating him in a separate area of the classroom where he completes the assignment on an individual basis without the assistance of his group. Experience has proven that such consequence-based actions – when applied consistently within the framework of our social contract – are usually effective in quickly defusing the problem. Today’s experience is no different as the remainder of the class proceeds without incident.
Following completion of the group exercise and the sharing of several group’s ideas, I conclude the class with a brief summary of what we learned today, and provide students with their homework assignment in preparation for the next day’s class. The purpose of the assignment is to enable students to practice today’s learning’s independently. This work will be reviewed in our next class session. The elapsed time for this segment is approximately five minutes. At its conclusion, the bell rings and students depart from the class after sharing brief “good byes” and “see you tomorrow’s.” It hardly seems possible that the period has passed so quickly, but I again take satisfaction from the feeling that our time together was effective, and has resulted in student’s truly learning something useful from the day’s class.