Classroom Management Chatboard

Joel R. Thanks Steve. I feel this discussion has come full circle. Grading participation seems mostly subjective, but in trying to find ways to do so objectively, it gets very murky and difficult, and ends up being rather subjective anyway. You're right about using these grades as "influencers". Again, the only reason we grade participation in the first pl...See MoreThanks Steve. I feel this discussion has come full circle. Grading participation seems mostly subjective, but in trying to find ways to do so objectively, it gets very murky and difficult, and ends up being rather subjective anyway. You're right about using these grades as "influencers". Again, the only reason we grade participation in the first place is encouragement, for all students, regardless of level. And despite your skepticism, I have plenty of students every semester who are at a C or D level but have lots of motivation, almost passion for English, and a strong desire to improve. They sit in front, write down everything I say in class, and try their best in multiple other ways. But come test time they just don't have the chops to score among the best in class. It's nice to let them know that their situation isn't totally hopeless, that all their effort and participation in class isn't meaningless. They won't be getting an A because of it, but it is recognized and rewarded. Without that little bump, I imagine many would be more prone to giving up or resigning themselves to their low grade, rather than actively working to improve it.

On 9/25/13, Steve wrote: > On 9/24/13, Joel R. wrote: >> Steve >> I get why we must speak a language to learn it, I speak a second language, and I get > that speaking the language is a valid goal to be fostered. > > But to fully understand your students you're saying the ace students > would not participate unless their ace grade was threatened. And > saying for the weaker students that a participation grade can lift > their grade. > > With that it seems to me you've answered your own question. Grading > as an objective exercise is a bit like the magician striving to > convince the audience that it's really magical when he pulls the > rabbit of the hat. But we do a fair bit of that in education. > > If the reason to grade participation is to keep the ace students on > their toes, then tweak if you will their participation grade to do > that. If you want the weaker students to have hope, give them > hopeful participation grades. > > It really can't be both though we'd like it to be. You have a very > subjective goal to give participation grades but you're looking for > an objective way to subjectively influence student participation. > > If you give participation grades as 'influencers'', then > 'influence' as the student's need dictates. That's simply logical. > > I'd still be somewhat skeptical that students with Cs and certainly > Ds on exams can chatter away orally but that they would try to do > that in the face of their Cs and Ds would be magical. > > >> Thanks for your response. Participation is part of the grading to >> encourage class involvement, creating a group communicative >> atmosphere. In keeping with language as living, breathing subject >> that must be practiced rather than just studied, we encourage >> students in their little amount of actual class time to speak and >> participate. I teach abroad and most students treat English like >> math or history and merely study it without ever practicing or >> using it, which leads to large percentages of students who can >> ace a test but not order food or tell you about their weekend or >> handle any other small conversation. >> >> Grading is certainly based on their mastery of the material. 50% >> of the final grade comes from the midterm, final exam and >> quizzes. We also have an oral exam, given once diagnostically at >> the beginning of the semester and again at the end, worth 10%. >> Grading participation encourages the top students who will ace >> all the tests to not sleep through class without penalization, >> in keeping with our goal of providing an active group >> atmosphere. It also encourages the C or D-level students to make >> efforts in class, which can be rewarded with valuable points >> should they struggle with the exams. In my opinion 10-15% from >> participation is good policy, for this situation. >> >> The university sets the grading protocol but the staff administer >> it themselves (no guidelines on how). I can't say exactly what >> the other professors do but I guess their scores are more >> subjective. Without specific tallies or pulling numbers somehow >> from participation, they just hand out their scores based off >> what they see and how they feel each student did. Perhaps some >> don't score daily but all at once at the end. I think there >> should be some objective basis to it though. >> >> But thank you for the stark reminder that grading personalities >> shouldn't have a place in my classroom. >>

Sep 26, 2013

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Michael K Joel,

You bring up a great point about how grading students' participation can give those kids that need it an extra boost on their grade come test time.

Do you have experience with students who do very well on tests, but show little class participation? If so, how have you handled those situations?

Mike

Sep 26, 2013

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ODD

by Ashley Hyde

Sep 24, 2013

Hi! I am in a classroom management class. I will begin student teaching in January, and I need some advice. We are learning about student disorders, and I would like to know how some of you pro teachers handle students who have "Oppositional Defiant Disorder" or "ODD"?

All advice is appreciated! Thanks!

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Michael K. Ashley,

That is a great question! I have never had a student that has been professionally diagnosed with ODD, but I would imagine that I have had several undiagnosed ODD student in my classes over the years.

First I would make sure to have a good relationship with the student's caseworker--and keep the line of communication open. ...See More

Sep 25, 2013

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Kate Milani Hi Ashley,

I have not had any students with ODD but I do have a good friend whose son has ODD. If it is an official diagnosis, the whole family is involved in counseling and treatment. I know that her family has to follow a strict schedules and routine to help manage the problem. Consistency and positive reinforcement are also important. ...See More

Sep 25, 2013

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Managing Adult Learners working in pairs

by Kate Milani

Sep 25, 2013

I teach courses where adult learners learn new software skills in a workshop type of environment. I demonstrate a new topic and then the learners complete practice exercises on laptops. There is usually one laptop for every two students. I set the expectation that both students will have “hands on” time for each exercise, but it does not always...See More

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Joel R. Kate

Thinking about it as an outsider or imagining I'm in one of your workshops, I feel like pairing participants with stronger skills to ones with weaker skills is a great strategy. The weaker-skilled person will obviously benefit but the stronger one will too, as per that Einstein quote that goes something like "You don't really underst...See More

Sep 27, 2013

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Kate Milani Hi Joel, Thanks for your input! I will give this strategy a try.

Kate On 9/27/13, Joel R. wrote: > Kate > > Thinking about it as an outsider or imagining I'm in one of your > workshops, I feel like pairing participants with stronger skills to > ones with weaker skills is a great strategy. The weaker-skilled > person will...See MoreHi Joel, Thanks for your input! I will give this strategy a try.

Kate On 9/27/13, Joel R. wrote: > Kate > > Thinking about it as an outsider or imagining I'm in one of your > workshops, I feel like pairing participants with stronger skills to > ones with weaker skills is a great strategy. The weaker-skilled > person will obviously benefit but the stronger one will too, as per > that Einstein quote that goes something like "You don't really > understand something until you can explain it to your grandmother." > On common ground as participants rather than a teacher-student or > presenter-audience dynamic, hopefully the stronger person would be > happy to relate what they know. Two weaker-skilled people together > may waste too much time, not using the workshop efficiently and > falling behind, and two stronger-skilled people together may not > learn much from each other, finish early and feel the workshop isn't > a good use of their time. Pairing different levels would keep both > on their toes. This along with the set computer switch I imagine > would facilitate a high level of collaboration. Perhaps ask > everyone to rate their own computer/technology literacy, from 1 to > 3 or 5? (keep it simple) And pair the opposites accordingly. Just a > thought though, with no practical experience to back anything up! > > Joel > > > On 9/27/13, Kate Milani wrote: >> Hi Joel, >> >> Thanks for your response. I think your suggestions are good. I >> need to be more explicit in setting the rules up front and give >> people some type of que. Some of the reasons for not switching >> on their own is probably due to dominant personality types, >> skill levels and perhaps losing track of time. >> >> One of the purposes of pairing students (other than available >> computer resources) is for the students to collaborate on the >> exercises. I a perfect scenario they work together to come up >> with a solution. I am curious if others would pair together one >> person with more skill with one with less skills, match > skill >> levels or just do random pairing? >> >> Thanks, Kate

Sep 28, 2013

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Gender Differences in the Classroom

by Michael K.

Sep 28, 2013

I have a high school French 4 class with 15 seniors, all of whom are girls. It is the only class I teach that is not mixed almost 50% boys and girls, and it is the smallest class I teach, so my classroom of 31 desks looks large compared to the student body. I have noticed that the class is much different than any of the other 6 classes I teach. ...See More

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Sara On 9/28/13, Michael K. wrote:

Girls will receive this far less well and maybe not at all well from a male teacher and while I understand your good intentions I think you risk being misunderstood. Do you do the same thing in your classes with both boys and girls?

Cliques can have both boys and girls in the same clique and there a...See MoreOn 9/28/13, Michael K. wrote:

Girls will receive this far less well and maybe not at all well from a male teacher and while I understand your good intentions I think you risk being misunderstood. Do you do the same thing in your classes with both boys and girls?

Cliques can have both boys and girls in the same clique and there are certainly cliques at the workplace. That there are cliques does not mean that you can't work outside your clique.

Is every grouping of friends a clique? I'd say let them sit wherever and if want them to work together, them put them in projects with people outside their clique.

But frankly as a man you take a risk. The relationships between women or girls is different in nature from the friendships that boys have. That would be difficult for me to explain in any brief way but if this were my class, I'd celebrate that I had the opportunity if such a small class with no behavioral issues where everyone is motivated and good. Do you have such classes routinely at your school? Have you had many such glasses in your career with no behavioral issues and where everyone is motivated and good?

I have not had that experience often and on the rare occasions that I have had it we have a wonderful journey of learning. We go farther and deeper into the subject than I ever dreamed possible .

If you have such an opportunity at hand, why monkey with it? And so near to the beginning if the year? It may happen that through the year the cliques will naturally break down in your class as your class becomes a community from the shared endeavor and exciting journey that is learning a language. Let French work its magic.

Would you rather force them apart - which will not work - or have them come together of their accord?

thing in your classes with > I have a high school French 4 class with 15 seniors, all of > whom are girls. It is the only class I teach that is not > mixed almost 50% boys and girls, and it is the smallest > class I teach, so my classroom of 31 desks looks large > compared to the student body. I have noticed that the class > is much different than any of the other 6 classes I teach. > > At the beginning of the school year I noticed that the > students had their cliques and, when given the opportunity, > sat by and worked with only those students/friends. I > changed the seating arrangement and got feedback from the > students that they want to sit by their friends. It's an > elective course, the students are all motivated and good, > and there are very few behavior issues that I have to deal > with. > > The point is, however, I want the class to be able to work > with various people and to not be so cliquey. I > incorporated a seating chart and a grouping technique to > get students to work with various partners, instead of the > same students/friends every time. I believe that this is > teaching them how to work in the future with their > colleagues, as when we are adults, we do not get to always > work with our friends. > > Any advice that you may be able to provide, or experiences > in dealing with situations like mine would be greatly > appreciated.

Oct 5, 2013

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