New Teacher Wannabe: Classroom Management

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New Teacher Wannabe: Classroom Management

by km

Dec 8, 2012

Mentor Teachers,

Sorry, but another aspect of teaching with which I struggle is classroom management. During student teaching, my cooperating teacher didn't even require me to learn the students' names, and they acted up every time he was out of the room, even if it was just for a short time. Now, as a substitute teacher, I have even more difficult classroom management situations. I sometimes try a token economy where candy or small prizes are given out to students who follow the proper procedures, but, sometimes, it's still a disaster despite my best efforts. I know there is chain regular teachers need to follow, but, in your experience, what really works? Please give me specific details. What kinds of strategies and procedures do you use? I currently deal mostly with high school and middle school as a short- term substitute teacher.

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Sara On 12/08/12, km wrote: > Mentor Teachers,

Candy does not work and it worries me that you would think for a moment it would - children and teenagers are not lab rats to go through a maze for a piece of cheese.

Good lessons go a long way toward helping with classroom management as your other post seemed to know - if you bore kid...See MoreOn 12/08/12, km wrote: > Mentor Teachers,

Candy does not work and it worries me that you would think for a moment it would - children and teenagers are not lab rats to go through a maze for a piece of cheese.

Good lessons go a long way toward helping with classroom management as your other post seemed to know - if you bore kids, you invite problems from kids. And subbing - wow - that's very difficult classroom management.

There's no chain - every teacher has to find what works for them. As a sub, you don't need to worry about what lesson to teach - you've been given one. Follow it with a manner of being briskly pleasant, ignore minor disruptions and don't take anything personally. Kids will test a sub and it just goes with the territory.

Don't go in with a chip on your shoulder, don't expect them to bow deeply to you or kowtow. See yourself as there to keep everyone safe and don't see yourself as a sacred authority figure - to the kids, you're a stranger and we teach children these days to distrust strangers.

Stick to the lesson plan you were given and always have that lesson plan in your hand. Refer often to their teacher "Now mrs.Smith wants you to get this done today. "

Nothing 'really works' - subbing and teaching both are working with people and people aren't robots to be turned off and on when convenient. Good luck.

> > Sorry, but another aspect of teaching with which I struggle > is classroom management. During student teaching, my > cooperating teacher didn't even require me to learn the > students' names, and they acted up every time he was out of > the room, even if it was just for a short time. Now, as a > substitute teacher, I have even more difficult classroom > management situations. I sometimes try a token economy > where candy or small prizes are given out to students who > follow the proper procedures, but, sometimes, it's still a > disaster despite my best efforts. I know there is chain > regular teachers need to follow, but, in your experience, > what really works? Please give me specific details. What > kinds of strategies and procedures do you use? I currently > deal mostly with high school and middle school as a short- > term substitute teacher.

Dec 9, 2012

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km Could you explain to me step-by-step what you do each day to manage your class? What kinds of activities do you use and what kind of technology? How do you deal with rowdy students or deal with classroom disruptions? How do you handle discipline problems after already warning a student about his / her behavior once or twice? I think I need some per...See MoreCould you explain to me step-by-step what you do each day to manage your class? What kinds of activities do you use and what kind of technology? How do you deal with rowdy students or deal with classroom disruptions? How do you handle discipline problems after already warning a student about his / her behavior once or twice? I think I need some perspective. I've observed other successful teachers, but, like you, they can't tell me why they are successful; some attribute it to age and experience; others attribute it to good organization and use of technology. I'm willing to try whatever might work, and I think anything would help.

On 12/09/12, Sara wrote: > On 12/08/12, km wrote: >> Mentor Teachers, > > Candy does not work and it worries me that you would think for > a moment it would - children and teenagers are not lab rats to > go through a maze for a piece of cheese. > > Good lessons go a long way toward helping with classroom > management as your other post seemed to know - if you bore > kids, you invite problems from kids. And subbing - wow - > that's very difficult classroom management. > > There's no chain - every teacher has to find what works for > them. As a sub, you don't need to worry about what lesson to > teach - you've been given one. Follow it with a manner of > being briskly pleasant, ignore minor disruptions and don't > take anything personally. Kids will test a sub and it just > goes with the territory. > > Don't go in with a chip on your shoulder, don't expect them to > bow deeply to you or kowtow. See yourself as there to keep > everyone safe and don't see yourself as a sacred authority > figure - to the kids, you're a stranger and we teach children > these days to distrust strangers. > > Stick to the lesson plan you were given and always have that > lesson plan in your hand. Refer often to their teacher "Now > mrs.Smith wants you to get this done today. " > > Nothing 'really works' - subbing and teaching both are working > with people and people aren't robots to be turned off and on > when convenient. > Good luck. > > >> >> Sorry, but another aspect of teaching with which I struggle >> is classroom management. During student teaching, my >> cooperating teacher didn't even require me to learn the >> students' names, and they acted up every time he was out of >> the room, even if it was just for a short time. Now, as a >> substitute teacher, I have even more difficult classroom >> management situations. I sometimes try a token economy >> where candy or small prizes are given out to students who >> follow the proper procedures, but, sometimes, it's still a >> disaster despite my best efforts. I know there is chain >> regular teachers need to follow, but, in your experience, >> what really works? Please give me specific details. What >> kinds of strategies and procedures do you use? I currently >> deal mostly with high school and middle school as a short- >> term substitute teacher.

Dec 11, 2012

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