If you have a door you can close and your students are moving from one classroom to the next, just tell your students to line up in the hallway and wait for you to get back. Go to the RR at the beginning of passing period and if you are a few seconds late getting back, I guarantee your students will understand.
I don't bother to go to a faculty RR since the student RR is closer. I can make the trip in the four minute passing period.
My co workers are more than willing to keep an eye on my room for a few minutes if I ask them to.
Nan
On 10/06/13, happyteachermom wrote: > Hello! I wondered if you had any tips/tricks for finding > time to take a restroom break. I don't want to leave > students unattended. So far, the only solution has been to > limit fluid intake, but that makes me have headaches. It's > not the end of the world, but it would be nice to be able > to drink water throughout the day and not have to worry > about when I'll be able to use the restroom next. Any > suggestions?
Our principal has advised to call him when needed, but so far he has not been required in our classes. On 10/06/13, happyteachermom wrote: > Hello! I wondered if you had any tips/tricks for finding > time to take a restroom break. I don't want to leave > students unattended. So far, the only solution has been to > limit fluid intake, but that makes me have headaches. It's > not the end of the world, but it would be nice to be able > to drink water throughout the day and not have to worry > about when I'll be able to use the restroom next. Any > suggestions?
On 9/24/14, Giovanna Doll wrote: > Hi HLee. Regarding your question, “Can we treat students different > when it comes to classroom management because of how they react?” > I think that as teachers we need to make clear to students that > our behavior brings consequences. When the reaction of the student > is disrespectful, although we need to be calm when addressing > disrespectful students, the consequence of disrespect should be > not a warning but a time out and/or a letter to parents. > > Nevertheless, I think that it is up to the discretion of the > teacher how to handle certain situations with specific students > and that it is something we need to clarify to the students at the > beginning of the school year when we establish rules and routines. > > > As you say Jenna. It is not fair treating all the students the > same. It is fair offering to students the opportunity to success > recognizing their individual learning styles, biases, limitations, > and needs. > > > > > > On 9/23/14, Jenna wrote: >> Giovanna, >> >> I appreciate this post, and I think it's a really important >> topic to bring up. I think you're right, there needs to be a >> balance and sense of fairness for discipline and management >> in the classroom. I believe, instead of "equal" the word is >> "equity." If we treat all students "equally" 100% of the >> time, that won't work because all kids need different things. >> Think if we did the same or "equal" reading instruction to >> all levels of kids...that wouldn't promote growth and >> progress. Instead, equity is knowing each student and >> adjusting your teaching to meet their individual needs. >> >> Jenna >> >> On 9/23/14, LeeH wrote: >>> On 9/23/14, Giovanna Doll wrote: >>>> Researching about Classroom Management, I have found some >>>> statements where the phrase “no exceptions” is included, >>>> like “A consistent approach with no exceptions are your >>> key >>>> to success in classroom management.” (Morisseau). Then, I >>>> ask, does treat students fairly mean treat all students >>>> equally? Can teachers really treat all students equally? >>> I was just wondering the same thing. Can we treat students >>> different when it comes to classroom management because of >>> how they react? Some students respond better then others to >>> certain things. If you have a student that when corrected >>> on a behavior gets very upset and disruptive is it better >>> to let the behavior go? I think it is impossible to treat >>> all students equally but I think we need to keep it as fair >>> as possible. I have seen where a student got privileges or >>> what seemed like privileges when they were not doing what >>> was expected of them in the classroom. Soon more and more >>> students started to act out to get this treatment. We have >>> to find the middle ground.
As Grasha (2002) says “Because one-on-one interactions offer the opportunity for more tailored conversations about students’ gains and struggles with the course material, style differences are particularly important to notice and attend to.” We need to be aware of each student's learning preferences.
Reference: Grasha, A.F. (2002). The dynamics of one-on-one teaching. College Teaching, 50, 139-146.
On 9/24/14, Kent wrote: > This conversation brings to mind a situation I had in a > CAD class several years ago. In my class when I am helping > individual students, I will sometimes look at a drawing > with a student and delete dimensions that are in the wrong > location or are not necessary at all. Several years ago I > did this with one of my students and he freaked out > because I was deleting dimensions off of his drawing. I > learned a very important lesson that day. You can't always > treat students the same way because they perceive your > treatment in very different ways. You need to be fair and > expect the same behaviors from everybody but you need to > tailor your interactions to the individual student. > > On 9/24/14, Giovanna Doll wrote: >> Hi HLee. Regarding your question, “Can we treat students > different >> when it comes to classroom management because of how they > react?” >> I think that as teachers we need to make clear to >> students that our behavior brings consequences. When the >> reaction of the > student >> is disrespectful, although we need to be calm when >> addressing disrespectful students, the consequence of >> disrespect should be not a warning but a time out and/or >> a letter to parents. >> >> Nevertheless, I think that it is up to the discretion of >> the teacher how to handle certain situations with >> specific students and that it is something we need to >> clarify to the students at the beginning of the school >> year when we establish rules and > routines. >> >> >> As you say Jenna. It is not fair treating all the >> students the same. It is fair offering to students the >> opportunity to success recognizing their individual >> learning styles, biases, limitations, and needs. >> >> >> >> >> >> On 9/23/14, Jenna wrote: >>> Giovanna, >>> >>> I appreciate this post, and I think it's a really >>> important topic to bring up. I think you're right, there >>> needs to be a balance and sense of fairness for >>> discipline and management in the classroom. I believe, >>> instead of "equal" the word is "equity." If we treat all >>> students "equally" 100% of the time, that won't work >>> because all kids need different things. Think if we did >>> the same or "equal" reading instruction to all levels of >>> kids...that wouldn't promote growth and progress. >>> Instead, equity is knowing each student and adjusting >>> your teaching to meet their individual needs. >>> >>> Jenna >>> >>> On 9/23/14, LeeH wrote: >>>> On 9/23/14, Giovanna Doll wrote: >>>>> Researching about Classroom Management, I have found > some >>>>> statements where the phrase “no exceptions” is >>>>> included, like “A consistent approach with no >>>>> exceptions are your >>>> key >>>>> to success in classroom management.” (Morisseau). >>>>> Then, I ask, does treat students fairly mean treat all >>>>> students equally? Can teachers really treat all >>>>> students equally? >>>> I was just wondering the same thing. Can we treat >>>> students different when it comes to classroom >>>> management because > of >>>> how they react? Some students respond better then >>>> others to certain things. If you have a student that >>>> when corrected on a behavior gets very upset and >>>> disruptive is it better to let the behavior go? I think >>>> it is impossible to treat all students equally but I >>>> think we need to keep it as fair as possible. I have >>>> seen where a student got privileges or what seemed like >>>> privileges when they were not doing what was expected >>>> of them in the classroom. Soon more and > more >>>> students started to act out to get this treatment. We >>>> have to find the middle ground.
Murphy, K. (2010). Is my teaching disturbing you? Strategies for addressing disruptive behaviors in the college classroom. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 81(6), 33-44.
that nicely address much of the bad behaviors I see in a college classroom. The primary idea was to address classroom behavior in three phases, essentially before, during and after. I like this idea, I think that the before and during approaches would also be useful for the trainings I deliver. The trainings are one ofs - so I don't go back to the same group more than once. Follow up on behavior might help the next trainer, so I do mention generalities to the contact person for the training - but nothing more than things like "boy, people were sure getting fidgety!", and "I think I might ban cell phones next time I give a training" (said in a joking way). Usually the contact person understands and agrees, but I don't know if they talk to the teachers later.
I think the trick is to plan for what behaviors might happen, address them at the beginning of the class (or training), and then act in a way that might keep some behaviors from happening.
I often find myself teaching workshops to professors and sometimes I think professors make the worst students. Sometimes they also make the best students. I think what you were talking about with managing expectations and setting rules is a good tip. I think you need to pick which rules you strictly follow and which you can let go if it is a small infraction. Jen, I don't know if I would let gratuitous use of cell phones slide especially if it was causing other students to be disengaged. Is that what happened with your students?
Edutopia has a good presentation posted about classroom management titled X. You can find it here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17X6HboD2TWXBgRmh9xFuGCD91aD5U0IboNBlu1rdo nU/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000#slide=id.g2b95dc2aa_0102 . One of my favorite slides is the one suggesting that you don't have to reprimanding every small misbehavior. I think if you do, it just ends up distracting everyone else.
Forgive me if I start turning this discussion in another direction, but what do you do with the overachievers. I often find in my workshops that there is that one person that knows a lot about the particular topic I'm teaching and likes to over-share. It's hard cutting that person off because they are so enthusiastic, but they are preventing you from getting to other content and potentially. My strategy is to redirect this person by suggesting that we have a more in-depth conversation after class. What do you with your very eager students that might be hindering others?
On 9/24/14, Josh H. wrote: > Jen and Pam, > > I often find myself teaching workshops to professors and sometimes I think > professors make the worst students. Sometimes they also make the best students. I > think what you were talking about with managing expectations and setting rules is > a good tip. I think you need to pick which rules you strictly follow and which > you can let go if it is a small infraction. Jen, I don't know if I would let > gratuitous use of cell phones slide especially if it was causing other students > to be disengaged. Is that what happened with your students? > > Edutopia has a good presentation posted about classroom management titled X. You > can find it here: > [link removed].
I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and she didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the girls’ room.
So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to. Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’ room at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of the room except during the designated bathroom break. OK – I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in this situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed to? Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom break when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she didn’t. Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 hours and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common sense in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never become one of those.
When a student wants to get out of class, a bathroom break looks the ideal excuse for getting out. So, I understand school policies. It is part of classroom management, which depends upon our ability to avoid making big mistakes. However, it could be a big mistake if you misjudged and did not granted the permission to your student because time later she could lose control at her seat.
We, teachers need to balance the ideal with the practical. Then, exceptions to rules and procedures may apply when it is necessary and it is up to the teacher judgment. I think you did the right. It could be great if you explained to your supervisor the reasons of your decision.
On 5/06/14, Cat wrote: > I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a > Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time > supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon > and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. > That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their > seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I > had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with. > > I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes > after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to > me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she > hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t > really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that > she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but > somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and she > didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at > the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can > kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She > apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go > later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the > girls’ room. > > So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to. > Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’ room > at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my > principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention > and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of > the room except during the designated bathroom break. OK – > I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in this > situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she > couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed to? > Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom break > when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she didn’t. > Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 hours > and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere > to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common sense > in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never > become one of those. >
Steph SchragenYour concern is admirable and your actions I'm sure were very appreciated by your student. I completely agree, if I were in your shoes I would have done the same thing. Yes she may have needed to "go #2" however, she is a young female student and could very well have gotten or had her period. I know this may be an uncomfortable discussion for you, ...See MoreYour concern is admirable and your actions I'm sure were very appreciated by your student. I completely agree, if I were in your shoes I would have done the same thing. Yes she may have needed to "go #2" however, she is a young female student and could very well have gotten or had her period. I know this may be an uncomfortable discussion for you, however this could very well have been the case. If this were the case, it would be terrible and completely unrealistic to not allow the poor young female the right to be able to use the restroom. Holding if one was in need to go to the bathroom could cause infections such as UTI, bladder, and kidney infections. And not allowing a young female to use the bathroom during that particular time of the month can cause even worse infections, discomfort, and toxic shock syndrome. So really you were looking out for the well being of your student as all teachers should. I would really dispute these facts and really sit down with your administrators and principal about some more lenient rules in pertaining to bathroom usage. Great Job!
On 9/20/14, Kent wrote:
> I think you did the right thing. You are an adult, you are in a
> position of responsibility and you made a decision based on
> the situation at the time. You were there and it is easy to
> second guess somebody from afar. We are not robots and we
> do need to use common sense and have some compassion.
>
> On 5/06/14, Cat wrote:
>> I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a
>> Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time
>> supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon
>> and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to
> 10:05.
>> That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their
>> seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I
>> had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with.
>>
>> I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes
>> after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to
>> me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she
>> hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t
>> really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that
>> she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but
>> somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and
> she
>> didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at
>> the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can
>> kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She
>> apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go
>> later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the
>> girls’ room.
>>
>> So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to.
>> Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’
> room
>> at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my
>> principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention
>> and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of
>> the room except during the designated bathroom break.
> OK –
>> I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in this
>> situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she
>> couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed
> to?
>> Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom
> break
>> when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she
> didn’t.
>> Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 hours
>> and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere
>> to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common
> sense
>> in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never
I am just starting to integrate ipads in the classroom. I'm looking for ways to implement so that students are actively involved in using the ipads for more than a gaming tablet. What are some management ideas for kids sharing ipads (I only have 6)? Also what are some ideas for managing and integrating ipads and laptops?
One thought as to shari...See MoreThere are a lot of technologies available for managing technology - if there are a lot of iPads at the school you might want to look at something like CasperSuite. It is good at tracking what students are working on, and keeping track of what is installed on the iPads and limiting what students can do on the iPads.
One thought as to sharing iPads, perhaps have a timer that goes off when it is time for a new team member to work on the iPad? So you'll have a project they are working on in teams, and several different things to do. Timer goes off every 5 mins (or whatever), switch to a new team member?
I have always ...See MoreKeeping track of assignments, teaching personal responsibility and intrinsic motivation are always a key component of a Middle School setting. I have found over the years that while I can work towards these goals with my students at school, it seems to be the parents who ultimately get in the way of any progress being made.
I have always believed that Middle School is the time to "stop holing their hands" and really let them fail if you have to (it's a safer environment to fail than High School at least). While I keep my homework listed in the same spot in my room each day as well as on my class website, I just received an email from a parent who insisted that I must also post the homework on our schools grading system (it's a bigger hassle than it's worth) since their student just "won't" use their agenda. And that I must not count their child's last assignment as "late" since I didn't post it to this site.
How can you get parents to understand that it their child's responsibility to know the assigned work for the day and to figure out a system that works for their child--not their parents?
As an extrovert surrounded by introverts during my day, I was pleased to see this article, and some of the practical information included, starting with, “Don’t push or rush an introverted child, it will make matters worse.”
I would like to extend this notion to teachers of high school students and adult learners. How we manage in a learning environment needs to be modulated for the introverts. As learners who internalize new information, then think longer before speaking, or don't like speaking up in class, it's important to give them time to respond, which can mean asking some of the more extroverted and enthusiastic speakers to hold back. Additionally, helping the extroverts to reflect before speaking may help them to better position and focus their responses. Attention to the introverts may help foster a more balanced classroom environment.
The original post contains a review of "The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World" by Marti Olsen Laney.
Laney reassures parents, “Parents can have a powerful influence on introverted children growing up in a society that overvalues extroverts. Parents can help their child use their innate advantages such as observational skills, concentration and problem solving to transition into a new grade. If their parents recognize and value these qualities, their introverted children will develop confidence for an extroverted world. Introverted children, many of whom are intellectually gifted, have bright futures. They continue to bloom as they grow.”
Use these 10 tips to motivate your students, answer their questions about why school is important for them... why it matters to work hard, value education, and take school seriously.
If you have a door you can close and your students are moving from one classroom to the next, just tell your students to line up in the hallway and wait for you to get back. Go to the RR at the beginning of passing period and if you are a few seconds late getting back, I guarantee your students will understan...See More