Danielle Bowker's Teaching Portfolio 

Classroom Management

 

Creating and Positive Teaching and Learning Environment: 

 

I believe that creating a positive teaching and learning environment is essential to the success of the students within the classroom. Creating a positive teaching and learning environment involves planning out the physical classroom, and ensuring the physical set up is organized to support a rich learning environment. This also means treating all students with respect, and getting to know in the class as individuals. While I was completing my practicum I was placed in three different classrooms, grade 4/5, grade 3, and Kindergarten. While completing all of practicums, I was able to create a positive teaching and learning environment for the students within the classroom. I created a positive teaching and learning environment by:

• Getting to know each of the students as individuals (their interests, backgrounds)

• Showing each student that I cared about them. This was as simple as asking them about a hockey game the night before, or how their after school reading group is going (students responded well to this, and seemed to like that I remembered their interests outside of school)

• Teaching lessons based on the interests/backgrounds of the students within the classroom

• Providing experiential learning opportunities that allowed students to engage in “hands on” activities (this usually meant providing centres such as science and math centres)

• Encouraging all students (At times this meant providing individualized support for some students)

• Showing students they were cared about (ex. Waiting at the door each morning to say “good morning” to each student as they came inside, and doing the same thing at the end of the day)

• Following established classroom routines, rules and expectations (ie. Daily schedule was posted for students, classroom expectations were posted and followed)

• Respecting all students and providing equal opportunities for all students to learn

• Providing differentiated instruction to allow for the different learning needs of the students

• Utilizing effective classroom management strategies to minimize any disruptions to learning that occurred

• Student work was displayed around the classroom

• I provided students with different learning opportunities. They were given opportunities to work independently, in pairs, and in different groups.

 

Classroom Management Strategies: 

 

I believe that utilizing effective classroom management techniques will allow for more effective classroom management and create a more positive learning environment overall. During my practicum experiences I was placed in different classroom, with students of varying ages and needs. It was important that the classroom management strategies I implemented, were effective and would fit the needs of the individual students in the classroom.

 

 

During my time in each of my practicum classrooms, I utilized a variety of classroom management techniques. I changed these techniques according to the unique situation, and the individual student. Firstly, I always utilized the CALM model to deal with issues in the classroom. This meant that before deciding on a classroom management technique to use, I would first analyze the situation and consider whether there was a need for intervention (to use a classroom management strategy) I used my professional judgement to determine whether a situation required intervention. If so, I would then act and figure out which management strategy I would use to manage the situation, and lessen the disruption to the learning and the rest of the students in the class.

 

During my practicum experiences, I used a variety of classroom management techniques that ranged from non-verbal to verbal interventions with students. These strategies/ techniques included:

• Changing the pace and structure of lessons based on the students response and engagement to the lesson

• Encouraging appropriate behaviour (I always encouraged students when they were quiet, on task, or if they were showing me they were listening. Ex. “I like the way that Sean is showing me he is listening” so the rest of the class can take note of the behaviour)

• Re-directing off task behaviour from students (For me, this often meant calling on the student and asking them to answer a question during the lesson. If they were unable to answer the question I would tell them that was okay and I would call on another student to answer. The goal wasn't to embarrass the student, but remind them to remain on task)

• Providing cues for transitions or to get student attention. In grade 3 I would often say “Stop, look and listen” to get the students' attention or clap a rhythm and have the students follow along

• Signal Interference such as: placing my finger on my lips to indicate that students should be quiet and listening, putting my hand out to stop a student who is talking out of turn, or giving eye contact to a student if they are demonstrating off task or undesired behaviour)

• Proximity interference (often if students were talking during a lesson or demonstrating undesired behaviour, I would move closer to their desk and place my hand on their desk. This sent the message that I noticed their behaviour and wanted it to stop without disrupting the lesson)

   

  If non-verbal interactions didn't work, I would then utilize verbal classroom management strategies such as:

• Using peer reinforcement to stop undesired behaviour (This meant praising the students who were on task or listening, to correct the behaviour of off-task students, who would then correct their behaviour after noticing the praise given to their peers)

• Calling on the student by name (If I thought it was necessary and if I was still observing off-task or undesired behaviour after utilizing other strategies, I would call on the student by name. This would get the attention of the student while showing them that I was watching and observing their off task behaviour)

• Direct appeal (In most cases I would simply ask the student to please stop the undesired behaviour)

• Using positive phrasing (I did this often with students who called out of turn during lessons. I would say “As soon as you raise your hand you can have your turn to speak and share with the rest of the class” This sent the message to the student that something positive would happen once they stopped calling out)

• Reminding students of the classroom rules and expectations

 

Scenario:

 

In my Grade 3 practicum class, there was a student who would frequently disrupt the class. This would include behaviours such as calling out during lessons, talking with other students during lessons, or making noises such as humming, or singing. In other instances the student would demonstrate off task behaviour rather than listening to the lesson or completing the assigned task. These off task behaviours included playing with objects in his desk, or reading a book while the lesson was going on. These disruptions and demonstrations of off task behaviour often interrupted the low and pace of lessons, and were very frequent, occurring multiple times during the day. I used a variety of classroom management techniques both non-verbal and verbal to deal with the student and minimize the amount of disruptions.