Smith1237's Blog

517 Final Paper

Sterling — Sat, 01 May 2010 18:29:36 +0000

Here is my final paper for our 517 course. Hope you enjoy reading it!

Powerpoint Presentation

Sterling — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:16:29 +0000

This is a Powerpoint Presentation about my case study student and the BIP implemented during my weeks of full-time student teaching. Enjoy!

BIP Progress So Far…

Sterling — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 14:50:39 +0000

Well, I have been on Spring Break this week but I have continued progress with my Case Study student with his Behavior and Homework Chart up until that point. He has not done as well as I had hoped that last week, but I think that a big reason for the increase in behavior issues and incomplete homework was because it was the week before Spring Break. He still did better than he used to do on homework and behavior and I told him how much the class enjoys his Challenge Math Problem.

The students were even asking why the Challenge Problem was not put up for a couple of days and my case study student looked sad. I had a talk with him about the agreement we had and we can’t put a problem on the board unless he turns in his homework and earns a star each day for his behavior and work completion. Some students were asking if they could put problems on the board, too, and I stated that we already had a Challenge Problem for the Day, but maybe we could discuss it at a later point and incorporate more students. I think this helped encourage my case study student to do his homework because he saw how interested the students were in the Challenge Problem. However, now I have another dilemma… what do I do about the other students in my class who want to get to write a problem on the board? I don’t want this to turn into a competition and I don’t want the other students to think that my case study student gets special privileges. Any suggestions?

Response to April Article: Effective Classroom Management

Sterling — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:36:04 +0000

I think a big cause for concern for first year teachers is implementing effective classroom management practices. We have been advised/warned that implementing effective behavior management strategies into our classroom within the first three weeks of school is critical to maintaining a positive learning environment for the class. This is a relatively small window of opportunity to ensure that everyone has a positive experience in the classroom for the rest of the year. That is why I read this article on effective classroom management; I want to go into my first year of teaching as prepared as possible so to eliminate as much of the stresses and worries that comes with being a teacher.

Recommendation #1: Provide students with effective and meaningful instruction.

This seemed like a no brainer to me. If we teach students effectively and the students find the information we are teaching to be meaningful and engaging, the students cannot be both on-task and off-task at the same time. If students are engaged and on-task, they will not be engaging in disruptive behaviors simply because they will be focused on the learning taking place.

Recommendation #2: Address challenges facing new teachers in creating a positive classroom context.

This includes effective transitions, effective use of classroom space, ensuring positive interactions between students, clear communications and expectations for various activities (individual work, group work, test taking, etc.)

Classroom rules; they should be aligned with school wide behavior plan, they should be clear and concise (to the point), they should be meaningful (the students should know the reasons WHY these rules are put in place), and rules should be stated in a positive manner.

Recommendation #3: Provide professional development on classroom management linked to schoolwide behavioral support.

Schools need to address a few school wide positively stated behavioral expectations that apply to all students and staff in all settings (i.e. -”Be respectful”); this sets up the framework for the individual classroom settings

Monitor these expectations using data (How well is it working?)

Conclusion: These three recommendations provided by this article set up a whole school and individual classrooms with the tools to create a positive learning environment for both students and faculty. Most of the information I read in this article has been set up at the school where I student teach, but it helped a lot to read written concretely and be able to relate it to my school and classroom experiences.

BIP progress

Sterling — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 22:08:59 +0000

So week one down after implementing the BIP for my case study student… So far he is 4 for 5! He has a chart with stickers and I have been very impressed with his change in motivation. Putting a math problem he made up is proving to be exciting for him and gives him an incentive to get the work done for homework that he usually omits. He also has been getting his grandma, his driver, or his mother to sign his planner (which all the students have to have a parent or guardian sign on their planner that they did their hw). I am very happy with his progress and my CT and I have begun work on giving him a self-monitored math plan. This will keep him out of trouble when he gets bored in math lessons because he can progress at his own pace. This will help instruction for the rest of the class because the rest of the class is on a different pace. I’ll keep you posted on the rest of the week before Spring Break!

Reflection of Project Thus Far…

Sterling — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:04:53 +0000

So my observations were simple and the pattern I found was easily comprehended. The method of finding a way to improve my student’s behavior on the other hand is a little more difficult. My student acts out in class on a regular basis. It is clear that he does it for attention. I have talked with him about it and he says that he behaves the way he does because he wants the girls in the class to notice him. My student does not act out when he is engaged in an activity. But the only activity I have been able to get him engaged in is math. He LOVES math. But for the rest of the day, how do I maintain his interest in the other subjects or find some way for him to not be disruptive to the rest of the class. So, my main goal so far has been to keep him engaged and on task. Easier said than done. It’s hit or miss if I find a topic that interests him besides math.

I have decided to extrinsically motivate my student. Since his love for math is so strong and his disinterest in other subjects is equally strong, I have told my student every day he behaves and turns his homework in, he can write down a challenge problem that the class can try to solve for candy or tickets. The class calls him the human calculator and loves to try the problems he makes up in class. I have implemented the system with a chart and stickers. It started this Thursday and the student is officially 2 stickers for 2 days of success! He turned in his homework on Thursday and Friday, got his planner signed and behaved better than he has been in the past. I am interested to see if it carries over through the weekend. It is especially motivating for me to see his homework being turned in because he has not done this in literally months. He simply just does not turn in his homework. To see his homework completed and his planner signed by his parents was very exciting to see and hopefully this will be a system that works for the rest of the year!

Reflection of Project: 517

Sterling — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:34:09 +0000

I have been observing and recording data on my student using the ABC behavior analysis form. I thought this would be best because my student exhibits behavior that have a variety of cause and effects. I am interested to see if there is a pattern between cause behavior and effect or consequence of behavior. I am hoping this form will show me a pattern in the relationship between the cause, behavior, and consequences of the behavior. My goal is to help my student understand the reasons for the consequences and develop skills to control his behavior to decrease the amount of time spent dealing with the consequences. So far I am just recording and observing behavior and reflecting on the possible reasons for behavior.

517 Blog #2: Chapter 7 Salend

Sterling — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:33:41 +0000

WOW this chapter had about a million ways to effectively manage your classroom. These ideas and methods of implementation were great but definitely a lot to take in. So, I decided to read this in the general context of my own classroom. I thought about my students, their strengths, needs, and behaviors. I looked at the ideas and ways to improve upon some of the areas in my classroom management practices and improve upon them as best I could.

Some of the things I will take from this chapter are the relationship building strategies. I believe this is soooooo important and I do not think I have done enough letting my students know I find them interesting and care about them outside of an academic context. No excuses, time to do better. I think conducting class meetings allowing the students to dialogue about their feelings and thoughts on a matter is crucial. The students know that their ideas are valued and they get to learn more about the topic and ways they can all improve. I also think that taking time to ask the students about their own personal interests is critical. It shows the students we are not only interested in them as individuals but also it shows that we are willing to take time out of our own agendas (grading papers, getting materials ready, emails, etc.) to get to know them. This means a lot to students and I remember the teachers that took the time to get to know me in school were always my favorites.

Another thing I will take from this chapter is the consistent and clear expectations with rewards and consequences. First year teachers and student teachers… this is crucial! The students know that you are new and want to see how you respond to different situations. I think we all need to remember that what kids really want is fairness, consistency, and clear expectations. If the rules and responsibilities are not made clear or the discipline is not consistent or fair, this will set up a negative relationship. Even if we want to “be nice” and let the students off the hook every once in a while, doing so only reinforces the behavior and sets up an unfair classroom because surely not every kid is going to get a second chance or a free pass. So, consistency and fairness- showing equity and respect for every student by maintaining clear expectations and consistency in consequences and rewards is what I strive for in my classroom.

Lastly, it was really helpful to see how the BIP is going to work. It shows us how to take notes on observable behavior, that can be supported through data ad specific instances of behavior. It teaches you to look at not only why the student as an individual may be behaving a certain way, but also the social and cultural influences that impact the behavior. The “ABC” method really will help me gain insight into the perceived function of the behavior.

Overall, CH.7- a lot to take in, but really informative using examples and showing practical applications and implementations

Until next time…

My CT’s Classroom Management

Sterling — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:23:32 +0000

I kind of wrote about this in my last blog for 517, but I’ll touch up on some of the things I have seen in my CT’s practices. It said in the article that classrooms should be inclusive and accepting, promoting membership and community. I agree with my discussion group member Liz’s comment on her blog…. “Duh!” This is pretty obvious, if any teacher feels differently they should not be teaching. However, actions speak louder than words and you can talk all day long about inclusive classrooms but if you don’t implement practices that effectively promote inclusion and acceptance, your words mean nothing.

My CT’s classroom management practices really do promote an environment that values every child. She implements practices that include everyone and she teaches students to care about each other, which makes the classroom a place where conflicts are minimized. Cooperation and friendship are what drives the classroom. We have a Kindness Chain, where the students share and write down instances where a classmate showed kindness to someone. The act of kindness is written on a slip of paper and stapled into a circle (like a chain link) and the chain grows everyday. Over time the classroom has become decorated with this chain. The students can look at it and remember times when they showed kindness or someone showed kindness to them. It’s pretty cool and the stories shared by the students are moving.

My CT also stops from time to time to have family meetings, where the class holds a discussion on an issue that she has noticed or something that needs to be improved. For example, my CT had to hold a discussion about 4 Square at recess. The students consistently argue over rules and points and are sometimes driven to tears because of the frustration of the game. My CT talked about rules and working together and also brushing things off when you don’t win a point and have to go to the back of the line. The students came up with a plan to make 4 Square at recess a more positive and cooperative experience. They proposed whole class 4 Square… I guess it should be called 24 Square! One student was put in charge of Googling official rules for the game, which the class will adhere to. This type of working together and including everyone, but also holding everyone accountable and responsible for their role in the class is really what effective classroom management is all about. My CT held a discussion where rules, responsibilities and rationales behind the rules were discussed. The students responded very positively to the “family meeting” and I think this experience really shows how conflicts or problems should be dealt with.

Mad Hot Ballroom- watch it!

Sterling — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:55:54 +0000

Here is the trailer link:

So yesterday one of my roommates asked if I had ever seen the movie Mad Hot Ballroom. I said no and so we rented it and watched it that night. I had no idea based on the title of the movie that it was a documentary about a ballroom dancing program that was introduced to school systems in New York City for kids who live in areas that are low income and at risk for gangs and other dangerous activities. This program was implemented in an effort to give kids an activity to get involved in that would increase self-esteem and provide a way to learn life lessons through ballroom dancing. The program concluded with a dance competition which was awesome to watch, but what was even more amazing were the stories and the children involved. I don’t want to tell too much in case any of you rent it, but it is really worth it and it shows some of the issues we may deal with as teachers in the future but also the hope that we all have to make a positive impact on children’s lives.