Re: Transition from Poor MGMT After Break?

More | Report Post

On 12/28/11, t wrote:
> Thank you so much for your prompt response!

Well, I'm all for being somewhat deliberate at times. The idea that
it's rude to talk when someone else is speaking is cultural and by no
means a commonly understood custom or commonly accepted behavior.

I would market such things to them as rather another certification of
sorts - it's well and good to become certified in MS Office and
graphic design but there's Much More to the work environment than
those skills - valuable though they be.

How do you conduct yourself in the work environment? Not by talking
when someone else is talking. You will have to do some listening in
the work environment even when it's boring.

We can't equate school and work - too many teachers do - and there
are fundamental differences like - you can quit your job and you get
paid to do it - the latter is a powerful incentive. You don't get
paid to go to school.

So you can't say 100% of the time that your classroom would be a
'work environment' - that would be too much and too tedious - but I'd
think you can be very deliberate in teaching them what is proper
behavior in the work environment - conflict resolution,
brainstorming, working in teams, recognizing strengths and delegating
tasks accordingly and affirmation - affirming the good work of others
and being affirmed by your colleagues.

Create your own 'certification process and exam for that - write it
up and you could market it...

"Let's shift into 'work environment' mode, girls, to listen to this.
"Now let's shift back to collegial mode - nice work as great workers
in 'work environment'!"

>
> You were right about how they are savvy and have no patience for
> traditional teacher jargon. I have been serving the same
> population in a much different capacity for 4 years.
>
> I neglected to mention that the class is a certification prep
> course for MS Office and graphic design. Their last projects were
> a travel brochure and greeting card. Next, I want them to create
> a survey (movies, music etc.) and then take it.
>
> Most of them have taken the course, which adds to their
> impatience. Although they require step-by-step instructions for
> most tasks and they have never been exposed to how instructions
> are phrased on the actual certification exam - "Find all
> occurrences of the text "expert" and replace it with "qualified."
>
> My individual meetings would be less focused on the "we" pep talk
> than surveying how they learn best and what each of us needs to do
> to accommodate their learning style, disability, etc.
>
> Putting the goals aside, I read the various articles on procedures
> and considered explaining appropriate behavior during the
> different parts of class.
>
> THOUGHTS?
>
> On 12/28/11, Sara wrote:
>> On 12/27/11, t wrote:
>>> I started teaching a class of 12 girls in a juvenile
>>> detention facility almost a month ago. In retrospect, my
>>> classroom management has been poor. In addition to more
>>> structure, I need to give the students more interesting and
>>> challenging assignments. Otherwise, boredom sets in...and
>>> side-talk and so-on.
>>
>> More interesting and challenging assignments sounds like a very
>> good idea - that takes energy, time and creativity.
>>
>> I'd also say - take the approach that school fills their time
>> while in detention. These girls have shattered lives -
>> traditional school curriculum will roll off their backs.
>>
>> And so will the individual discussions I think though I'm sorry
>> to say that. These girls are very savvy and very jaded - they
>> won't believe or trust in the 'we' that you're going to put
>> forth to them.
>>
>> I'd put them on a writing project or projects. Get them to
>> write plays that tell the truth of life today. You might even
>> be able to market pieces written by girls in juvenile detention
>> - you could easily get publishers to at least read what they write.
>>
>> Or have them write their memoirs after you teach them what a
>> memoir is. I'd suggest watching Freedom Writers to get some
>> ideas. Contact the Freedom Writers Foundation for their help.
>>
>> Let the girls write to authors out there who will surely respond.
>>
>> Slam Poetry / Spoken Word poetry also comes to mind - you can
>> youtube dozens of performances. Slam and rap doesn't have to be
>> obscene or violent. Let them write their poetry and perform it.
>>
>> Most traditional school curriculum doesn't leave room for
>> students to be themselves, to express themselves. I think you
>> gave yourself your own best advice when you said you need to
>> give them more interesting assignments. Give them something
>> that values them - most school curriculum values information
>> but doesn't value students. You don't need better management -
>> you need mo' bettah curriculum.
>>
>> Reviewing the goals of the class etc. will just sound like more
>> of the same to these girls. Watch Freedom Writers - it's an
>> interesting film based on the teaching approach of a teacher in
>> a very urban school.
>>
>> Let the girls watch it too.
>>
>>
>>>
>>> On Monday (Jan 2nd), I plan on reviewing the goals of the
>>> class, including why they should care about those goals, and
>>> discuss how class will be restructured to accomplish those
>>> goals.
>>>
>>> Next week I also plan on meeting the students individually
>>> to discuss what WE (as in the student & I) need to do to
>>> succeed.
>>>
>>> Any advice on getting a class adjusted to better class
>>> management?

Posts on this thread, including this one