Terms
Before jumping into this issue, it is important to clarify the terms of my inquiry question. First, consider behavior management. At its core, it sounds quite authoritarian, which is the opposite of the kind of classroom I want to create. Thus, it is important to explain that managing my students’ behavior is NOT the end goal. I seek out and implement behavior management techniques so that lessons can have the desired effect on my students. I believe that there are certain classroom norms that make it more feasible for students to achieve the lesson objectives than others. To restate, I seek not to create room full of automatons but rather, in appreciation of the classroom diversity, mesh the individual with the community of the class in a way that leads to learning for all. Both the terms “leads” in the sentence above and “support” in the inquiry question stress the need for students to elect to learn; I am under no delusion that teaching is a matter of pouring knowledge into students. Both student and teacher need to be active participants in the process. My argument here is that there are actions that I can take to make it easier for the student to learn, but I cannot do it alone; the student needs to choose to do so. How to “push” them in the direction of that choice is an inquiry question in and of itself but is discussed intermittently herein, primarily with regard to how motivation can facilitate classroom management.
Student engagement can take many forms and depends on the particular lesson. In general, it requires students to be thinking about the issue at hand. How can one gauge whether students are thinking or about what they are thinking? A telltale sign is what comes out of their mouths. Questions that students ask can reveal much about their engagement. Students probe into a specific aspect of the lesson that appeals to them and generate questions in the hope of discovering more. There are also summarizations disguised as questions; for example, when a student raises his hand and repeats a concept in his own words, tacking on a “…,right?” at the end. This is very distinct from the general “Wait, what are we doing?” type questions. The former is the student trying to ensure that he has understood the concept while the latter is likely from a student who has not been fully engaged.
Engagement is also possible during necessary quiet periods in the room. For example, during most lessons there are periods of direct instruction. During that time, or when a classmate is answering a whole class question, students need to remain quiet so as to hear what is happening. Signs of engagement when they are not speaking is looking at the speaker, taking notes, and raising their hands [1]. I am not inherently opposed to side conversations that are on topic, but for the few minutes of direct instruction, it is not ideal. Furthermore, my “teacher ears” are not developed enough to always distinguish between on and off topic conversations. A related issue is doodling, which depends on the student. Some seem to be truly listening and I can tell this based on their comments, while others seem to tune out of class completely when drawing. |
3rd graders raising hands.
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Kindergarteners exploring 10 sums with manipulatives.
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Finally, I measure learning by a variety of assessments, mostly depending on the lesson. For example, I evaluate short-term learning by exit slips or worksheets completed that relate to the particular lesson. More long-term learning can be seen through culminating projects and when students return to ideas weeks and months after the initial lesson on them.
Learning requires students to construct their own knowledge. As mentioned above, it is not a matter of me transmitting it to them; they need to struggle through concepts and make sense of it all for themselves (Oakes and Lipton, 193). This requires a certain type of classroom that allows them to do so, likely one with more freedom of movement and conversation among students than I have seen in either third grade or kindergarten. When selecting a behavior management strategy, I must ensure that it allows for this construction to occur. A classroom in which behavior management facilitates learning is one in which students feel safe moving about the classroom and expressing ideas on which they may only have a tentative grasp. The behavior management technique(s) would reward students for taking intellectual risks, for sharing, for treating each other with respect. In this ideal classroom, there would be a speedy way with which to deter and stop students from talking over each other and to engage all students at all points during the day. If a student deviated from the expected behavior, there would be a known and simple process for him to redeem himself. |
[1] Although it is important to listen to the comments they make when called on so as to see if they were actively listening or just waiting for their turn to speak (Hiebert, 48).