Re: Managing a Class of 30 Freshmen

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Classroom Management Chatboard

Managing a Class of 30 Freshmen

by Michael K.

Sep 23, 2013

Hi There,

Two of my French classes consist of 30 high school freshmen. I would like to allow for more collaborative work and interactive games and activities, but notice that classroom management becomes an issue with a group of that size and maturity level. I don't want to miss out on learning for the sake of having fun.

Grouping systems to allow students to work with different partners each day, popsicle sticks to call on random students, and an entering the room routine with bell ringer work are all aspects of my classroom management that have been effective with this group. I would like to find ways to maintain a healthy working environment, while also allowing for a bit of fun and movement, but do not want to lose order with a group that is both large and young (sometimes the freshmen lack a bit of maturity).

Any ideas?

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Richard Rossi I agree that this could be a tough thing to do with a class size that big. As a coach I have 20 players that I need to be in charge of for my position. If I want to pair them up I do it myself by making pairs of who I feel would work best together without getting out of control. I need to know my players on their level to see how they act in a grou...See More

Sep 26, 2013

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PamG Hi - I also teach freshman from time to time, and struggle with innovative ways to teach yet still control the class!

One thought I have is to have a detailed rubric for students to follow. Where you have a group activity, with different roles for each student? Then they are working in a collaborative fashion - each working on their own p...See MoreHi - I also teach freshman from time to time, and struggle with innovative ways to teach yet still control the class!

One thought I have is to have a detailed rubric for students to follow. Where you have a group activity, with different roles for each student? Then they are working in a collaborative fashion - each working on their own piece, and then at a pre-determined time (maybe you make an announcement), the groups would share within the small groups what they had learned/accomplished, with you moving from group to group adding to the discussion?

On 2/23/14, Megan Stam wrote: > Hi Michael, > I also teach freshmen and I have found that my > best behavior > outcomes occur when students know that there > is some type of > individual accountability check or post-test > coming. I often > get frustrated when I see one A-student in > the group > ferociously working to complete everything as the > other 2-3 > students joke around. To solve this, I started > creating > scenarios where I may check in with any one of the > group > members at the end of the group work or that each > student would > write their own response or answer their own > set of questions > about the activity. Although some students > still need a couple > of reminders throughout work time, > knowing that they will all > be held individually accountable > for the information seems to > tap into their intrinsic > motivation and keep them focused. > > On 9/23/13, Michael K. > wrote: > >> Hi There, >> >> Two of my French classes consist of 30 high school >> freshmen. I would like to allow for more collaborative work >> and interactive games and activities, but notice that >> classroom management becomes an issue with a group of that >> size and maturity level. I don't want to miss out on >> learning for the sake of having fun. >> >> Grouping systems to allow students to work with different >> partners each day, popsicle sticks to call on random >> students, and an entering the room routine with bell ringer >> work are all aspects of my classroom management that have >> been effective with this group. I would like to find ways >> to maintain a healthy working environment, while also >> allowing for a bit of fun and movement, but do not want to >> lose order with a group that is both large and young >> (sometimes the freshmen lack a bit of maturity). >> >> Any ideas? >> >>

Sep 25, 2014

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JenFnyc On 9/25/14, PamG wrote: > Hi - > I also teach freshman from time to time, and struggle with > innovative ways to teach yet still control the class! > > One thought I have is to have a detailed rubric for students > to follow. Where you have a group activity, with different > roles for each student? Then they are working in a &g...See MoreOn 9/25/14, PamG wrote: > Hi - > I also teach freshman from time to time, and struggle with > innovative ways to teach yet still control the class! > > One thought I have is to have a detailed rubric for students > to follow. Where you have a group activity, with different > roles for each student? Then they are working in a > collaborative fashion - each working on their own piece, and > then at a pre-determined time (maybe you make an > announcement), the groups would share within the small > groups what they had learned/accomplished, with you moving > from group to group adding to the discussion? > > > On 2/23/14, Megan Stam wrote: >> Hi Michael, >> I also teach freshmen and I have found that my >> best behavior >> outcomes occur when students know that there >> is some type of >> individual accountability check or post-test >> coming. I often >> get frustrated when I see one A-student in >> the group >> ferociously working to complete everything as the >> other 2-3 >> students joke around. To solve this, I started >> creating >> scenarios where I may check in with any one of the >> group >> members at the end of the group work or that each >> student would >> write their own response or answer their own >> set of questions >> about the activity. Although some students >> still need a couple >> of reminders throughout work time, >> knowing that they will all >> be held individually accountable >> for the information seems to >> tap into their intrinsic >> motivation and keep them focused. >> >> On 9/23/13, Michael K. >> wrote: >> >>> Hi There, >>> >>> Two of my French classes consist of 30 high school >>> freshmen. I would like to allow for more collaborative > work >>> and interactive games and activities, but notice that >>> classroom management becomes an issue with a group of > that >>> size and maturity level. I don't want to miss out on >>> learning for the sake of having fun. >>> >>> Grouping systems to allow students to work with different >>> partners each day, popsicle sticks to call on random >>> students, and an entering the room routine with bell > ringer >>> work are all aspects of my classroom management that have >>> been effective with this group. I would like to find ways >>> to maintain a healthy working environment, while also >>> allowing for a bit of fun and movement, but do not want > to >>> lose order with a group that is both large and young >>> (sometimes the freshmen lack a bit of maturity). >>> >>> Any ideas? >>> >>>

Sep 25, 2014

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JenFnyc oops! That was a blank. Here's what I meant to say...

Another way to get a group moving, interacting, and learning is to have a "brainstorming" session, using sticky note pads. On your given topic, have all students write down ideas during a certain timeframe, then use the board or a wall to cluster responses into themes. While they are br...See More

Sep 25, 2014

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barhydtk I so agree with your comment of helping introverts. It's something special to watch introverted learners blossom and gain confidence when given the opportunity. The key seems to be to level the playing field a bit, giving all learners equal opportunity to participate in a way they are comfortable and feel capable of some degree of success.
...See MoreI so agree with your comment of helping introverts. It's something special to watch introverted learners blossom and gain confidence when given the opportunity. The key seems to be to level the playing field a bit, giving all learners equal opportunity to participate in a way they are comfortable and feel capable of some degree of success.

On 9/25/14, JenFnyc wrote: > > oops! That was a blank. Here's what I meant to say... > > Another way to get a group moving, interacting, and > learning is to have a "brainstorming" session, using > sticky note pads. On your given topic, have all students > write down ideas during a certain timeframe, then use the > board or a wall to cluster responses into themes. While > they are brainstorming, they don't know the themes, and > it's interesting to see who's ideas end up where -- that > can give you more to discuss. It also helps the introverts > contribute equally with extroverts. By writing down the > ideas or concepts, or French phrases -- whatever -- all > students participate. Perhaps an ensuing discussion is > less equitably divided as the students react to the > contents of the stickies, but sometimes the energy of the > group fosters more contributions to the conversation than > if the teacher were dictating the information. > > >>>> On 9/23/13, Michael K. wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi There, >>>>> >>>>> Two of my French classes consist of 30 high school >>>>> freshmen. I would like to allow for more collaborative >>> work >>>>> and interactive games and activities, but notice that >>>>> classroom management becomes an issue with a group of >>> that >>>>> size and maturity level. I don't want to miss out on >>>>> learning for the sake of having fun. >>>>> >>>>> Grouping systems to allow students to work with >>>>> different partners each day, popsicle sticks to call >>>>> on random students, and an entering the room routine >>>>> with bell >>> ringer >>>>> work are all aspects of my classroom management that >> have >>>>> been effective with this group. I would like to find >>>>> ways to maintain a healthy working environment, while >>>>> also allowing for a bit of fun and movement, but do >>>>> not want >>> to >>>>> lose order with a group that is both large and young >>>>> (sometimes the freshmen lack a bit of maturity). >>>>> >>>>> Any ideas? >>>>> >>>>>

Sep 28, 2014

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