Classroom / Lab Management for CTE Session 2 Framework for Teaching Domain 2 Classroom climate and environment, Procedures and Routines (including Group-work) , and Maximizing Instructional time/ Student Engagement

Creating a Structured and Welcoming Environment If a new student walked into your classroom before anyone else arrived and looked around, what would he possibly think to expect from your class? (From what he saw, what impression would he get about you and/or your class?) Write your response on your whiteboard

Physical Components of Classroom Environment With your table group, write a list of 5-10 things a teacher can do to insure that the PHYSICAL classroom environment is as positive and efficient as possible.

Let’s compare lists! An effective physical classroom environment is… Attractive Well lit Functional Comfortable temperature Safe Pleasant smelling Welcoming (upbeat) Set up so all students can see the board Decorated with age and curriculum appropriate things Well organized supply areas Easy to maneuver through rows Systematic (for things like retrieval of missed work) Free from clutter or trash Organized (seating chart) Free from non-essential furnishings

Essential Components of Classroom Climate With your table group, write a list of 5-10 things a teacher can do to insure that the classroom climate positively defines relationships among students with each other and the teacher.

Let’s compare lists! A positive classroom climate or environment is… Respectful Organized (seating chart) Non-threatening Supporting of learning and collaboration Warm and friendly Welcoming (upbeat) One in which students are willing to take risks Systematic (for things like retrieval of missed work)

The topic of classroom environment and climate will be inherent to most everything we do in this class! Closure activity: From our conversation, and the lists generated, what does your table think the three most essential elements are to creating an environment that is conducive to learning? List them on a slate and be prepared to share!

Find Someone Who…. This activity will get you up and moving around. Only sign each person’s paper once. Ok if you don’t have all squares signed.

Objective Topic: Procedures and Routines Do: Explain how well taught procedures lead to efficient classroom routines Determine procedures that would be effective in your classroom Level of Thinking: Applying

Task: Independently, on your whiteboards describe the difference between procedures and routines

Procedure Definition: What the teacher wants done in the classroom for the class to operate in an orderly manner. Procedures promote structure and allow students to develop respectful and trustful relationships with their teacher and peers. They enable teachers to effectively manage activities.

Procedures: Slate activity: With your table group, brainstorm at least five different things that you could have procedures related to that would help your class to run smoothly.

Procedures answer the questions of what to do when: The teacher wants the class quiet The bell rings (beginning or end of hour) It is time to clean up Working with groups Students are done with work early Students have questions Students come back from being absent Students need to get the teacher’s attention Papers need to be turned in Returning scored papers Transitioning from one activity to another Your additional ideas

Take a look at the Classroom Procedures Worksheet Take a highlighter and highlight any procedures that you would benefit from having in your class When you have time on your own, think through what your directions will be for the students to follow

Effective teachers implement a classroom management plan with procedures that prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

Directly TEACH Procedures Using these steps Choose those procedures that are most critical for your classroom/lab operation to focus upon (no magic number – everyone’s situation is different) Explain what needs to be done clearly Rehearse until they become routines Reinforce and re-teach until they become efficient student habits

If students know what to do, they will not do what they are not supposed to do.

Routine Definition: What students do automatically without being prompted or supervised Well defined and rehearsed procedures become routines. If reinforced consistently, routines should be established in about three weeks.

Mrs. Ferguson’s example

On the back of your Find Someone Who sheet Closure On the back of your Find Someone Who sheet Write down four routines that you would like to implement in your classroom. If you feel like your routines are already satisfactorily in place, write instead four routines that your students follow regularly that help your class run smoothly!

Effective Group-work requires very clearly communicated expectations and procedures

Grouping Students Expectations (Structure) – Don’t “wing it”! Start with pairs working together, then go to 3-4 Be sure students know expected behavior Provide a rubric for grading prior to student work to they will know what they’ll be held accountable for learning and producing In most cases each student should be graded separately Let’s take a look at a “shell” for a grading rubric

To ensure success.. Teacher constantly monitors and provides feedback Teach students to be respectful of the ideas of others The task must be interesting and challenging Each student has a meaningful role (keep groups small enough to insure that this is true) Grading criteria is clearly communicated and understood Teacher constantly monitors and provides feedback

Time for a Think/Pair/Share Independently answer create a mental answer for this question – Why is it preferable for teacher-selected rather than student-selected groups? Pair up to discuss Share with the entire group!

Considerations when grouping students Task to be completed Longevity of the groupings Ability levels Special needs of students Should friends be in the same group??

Forming Groups Teacher selection usually works best Combine ability levels Occasionally try random selection for one-time groupings: Birthday months Numbering off Similarity groups (color of shirt, favorite ice cream, etc.) Index cards/popsicle sticks w/names drawn

Closure – Create a rubric for a project you do on the worksheet provided (Ok to work in pairs if you don’t have an idea) Traits (teacher lists in this column everything to be graded specific to the assignment) Weak ( ) (need for revision outweighs strengths) Developing ( ) (strengths and need for revision are about equal) Strong ( ) (strength outweighs the weaknesses; some revision is needed) Excellent  ( ) (shows knowledge and/or skill in the trait; many strengths present) Points Earned Contribution to Group’s Effectiveness Student contributed consistently by sharing ideas and workload. Was polite and respectful to group members   .

Time for a break!

Objective: Topic: Engaging Students to Maximize Use of Instructional Time Do: Describe ways to engage students and use class time to its greatest advantage L.O.T.: Understanding

Greet your students at the door! Invite them to sit Give any expectations for what you want them to get started on while you are taking roll, etc.

Time Management OVER PLAN! It’s better to have more to do and not enough time to do it than to have students with extra time on their hands! Kids get into trouble when they are not constructively engaged

Golden rule of 15 minutes Teachers should limit themselves to no more than 15 minutes at a time at the board, showing a PowerPoint, or lecturing

Bell to Bell Instruction Focuses on maximizing all available instructional time! Does NOT mean that the teacher lectures from “bell to bell” Lessons should be chunked into different activities involving as much student action as is appropriate for the objective!

Bellwork is a Great Way to Start Class! The FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF CLASS TIME IS CRITICAL!! Use it to your best advantage with an engaging bellwork assignment

Bellwork aka “warm ups” or “bell ringers” A daily routine that can incorporate activating students’ prior knowledge and serve as the lesson’s introduction Having a bellwork routine allows teachers time to take roll silently as the students respond to the bellwork prompt

Good Bellwork Questions Direct the students to link past experiences or something they already know directly to the current learning Or… Review concepts from prior lessons

Bellwork tasks are only important if they add to your content, engage the students and are valued by both the student and the teacher.

If students suspect that your bellwork is only a means to keep them quiet, they won’t take it seriously.

Directly Teach Students the Bellwork Routine Have the task/question on the board or screen prior to students entering the room. Have a designated place for bellwork logs (if using) to be picked up at the beginning of the week, or hand them out on Mondays. (Still have the central location for those absent Monday to get a log when they return to school.) Teach students to come into class, get their assignment logs out immediately, and work quietly. Stamp for participation or pick up and grade logs on Fridays.

Bellwork Log

When students are meaningfully engaged in their learning, your job will be much easier and more enjoyable

Student Engagement – It’s not optional The article included in tonight’s handouts comes from this very good book. Check out the website www.schlechtycenter.org

Profile Elements Rebellion Retreatism Ritual Compliance Engagement Strategic Compliance Ritual Compliance Retreatism Rebellion

Engagement (High Attention and Commitment) There are five ways that students respond or adapt to school-related tasks and activities: Engagement (High Attention and Commitment) Strategic Compliance (High Attention and Low Commitment) Ritual Compliance (Low Attention and Low Commitment) Retreatism (No Attention and No Commitment) Rebellion (Diverted Attention)

Activity - Each of you will be assigned one of the profile elements (two people will work on the Design Considerations portion) Read the section of the article related to your element Be prepared to describe it to the group with the aide of slides that you will be given once you’ve read your section silently

Profile Elements Engagement: Rebellion Retreatism Ritual Compliance Strategic Compliance Ritual Compliance Retreatism Rebellion Engagement Engagement: High Commitment High Attention The task, activity, or work students are assigned or encouraged to undertake has inherent meaning or value to the student.

Engagement The student sees the activity as personally meaningful. The student’s level of interest is sufficiently high that he persists in the face of difficulty. The student finds the task sufficiently challenging that she believes she will accomplish something of worth by doing it. The student’s emphasis is on optimum performance and on “getting it right.”

Students who are engaged: Learn at high levels and have a profound grasp of what they learn Retain what they learn Can transfer what they learn to new contexts

Profile Elements Strategic Compliance Rebellion Retreatism Engagement Ritual Compliance Retreatism Rebellion Strategic Compliance Low Commitment High Attention The task, activity, or work has little or no inherent meaning or value to the student, but it is associated in the student’s mind with outcomes and results that are of value (e.g., a good grade or “points”.) Strategic Compliance

Profile Elements Ritual Compliance: Rebellion Retreatism Engagement Strategic Compliance Retreatism Rebellion Ritual Compliance: Low Commitment Low Attention Students are willing to expend whatever effort is needed to avoid negative consequences, though they see little meaning in the tasks assigned or the consequences of doing those tasks. Ritual Compliance

Profile Elements Retreatism: Rebellion Retreatism Ritual Compliance Engagement Strategic Compliance Ritual Compliance Rebellion Retreatism: No Commitment No Attention The student is disengaged from the task, expends no energy in attempting to comply with the demands of the task, but does not act in a way that disrupts others and does not try to substitute other activities for the assigned task. Retreatism

Profile Elements Rebellion: Rebellion Retreatism Ritual Compliance Engagement Strategic Compliance Ritual Compliance Retreatism Rebellion Rebellion: No Commitment No Attention The student refuses to do the task assigned, acts in a way that disrupts others and/or attempts to substitute tasks and activities that he or she is committed to in lieu of those assigned by the teacher.

Design Qualities Lessons must be well planned with the following factors considered: Relevant, interesting and authentic Allows for problem-solving Students know what is expected of them Students are encouraged to take risks Collaboration is encouraged Students are acknowledged for good work Students are allowed choice in topics and/or ways of completing the assignment

Engaged Classroom Profile Engagement Strategic Compliance Ritual Compliance Retreatism Rebellion

Creating the Engaged Classroom takes work! There must be positive rapport and a feeling of trust and respect between the teacher his/her students Table group discussion – What can teachers do to foster an environment of trust and respect in their classrooms?

Students need to trust that the work assigned is meaningful …. even when the meaning isn’t immediately evident to them When they trust their teacher students know that some routine tasks are necessary in the learning process If there is no trust, many students will be unwilling to work on tasks that they do not find interesting

Create a risk-taking environment Encourage students to: take chances, even if they may be wrong ask questions when they are uncertain Begin by having an explicit conversation about the climate you want in your classroom. If you want people to participate verbally even when they are uncertain, you should say so.

What was this section about? Why is the concept important to teachers? 3 W’s Closure What was this section about? Why is the concept important to teachers? Now What? What are you going to do with the information?

Important Homework for our final session! Please bring: A) Copies of whatever beginning of the year handouts you give your students to bring home to share with their parents that provides information about your class! B) A copy of your school’s discipline procedures. (Ask at the front office if you need to – If your school doesn’t have its own, we will look at the district guidelines for student behavior.)

See you next week!