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Student Teaching Chatboard

Student Teaching

by elizabeth england

Sep 1, 2011

I will be student teaching in the spring. I wish I could be able to in the fall, since most of the spring is focused on standardized testing. What are some good ways to present the rules in a nice way to the students when they begin the class?

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Kate On 9/01/11, elizabeth england wrote: > I will be student teaching in the spring. I wish I could be > able to in the fall, since most of the spring is focused on > standardized testing. What are some good ways to present > the rules in a nice way to the students when they begin the > class?

Hi Elizabeth,

I am current...See More

Oct 4, 2011

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oldteach Actually, since you are student teaching in the spring, I have good news and bad news- bad news: Your mentor teacher has already established the rules for what is, after all, her classroom and you are stuck with them. You may not agree with some of them, but you have to follow them anyway. Good news: spring student teaching means the rules are esta...See MoreActually, since you are student teaching in the spring, I have good news and bad news- bad news: Your mentor teacher has already established the rules for what is, after all, her classroom and you are stuck with them. You may not agree with some of them, but you have to follow them anyway. Good news: spring student teaching means the rules are established and all you have to do is enforce them. Good news: Spring student teaching means way fewer discipline issues. Bad news: you miss seeing how a veteran teacher establishes the rules/routines for her classroom in the fall. Hopefully, this can be a topic of discussion between you and your mentor teacher. So relax about student teaching and concentrate on what you will want for rules when you get your own classroom. Think about the rules your mentor teacher uses. Which do you think are effective? Which would you change? Something to think about- I always found that teaching routines-how you want something done each time it is done- were far more effective then "rules", which kids see as negative.

On 9/30/11, KK wrote: > My third grade son came home and said "my teacher made us sign this rule > agreement, but we didn't all agree to it." His principal objection was > that there were no warnings built in to the system, but that's a side > point. I think it is far better to present them than to pretend to > generate them together, as in that example. > > I have also done the rules both ways, and prefer to present them myself. > One problem with doing them together is that the conversation is really > long and the kids really know what the rules are already, unless you have > radically different expectations--the rest is just semantics. I keep them > simple, but I also have consequences ready and they're understood. One > idea I picked up was to present "My Job" and "Your Job." I keep these > posted in the room--I have three things and so do they. We have a > discussion about why these expectations are in place, and what consequences > there are if we are not doing our jobs effectively. > > With some groups, I have brought students in to other kinds of class > decisions, and I tend to have a lot of choice within my class anyway, so > the buy-in piece is still available, but the class expectations are > non-negotiable. > > I notice some teachers run their classrooms by their attitudes and others > by their rules. That can go either way. Some teachers have a fairly > stern, tough exterior and kids don't mess around with them. I'm not that > kind of person, so I have the rules and consequences up front and in place. > I can be myself, but the rules are known and the consequences are > reasonable and ready, so there's no uncertainty on anyone's part about what > will happen next. Some teachers are so rule-driven that they don't really > pay attention to individuals and what's really going on, though, so that > can be problematic, while other teachers have attitudes that make the > majority of students want to buy in to whatever is happening. Honestly, > the best way to prevent discipline issues is to plan appropriately > challenging and engaging activities for each student. That will take care > of 90%, and your rules are there when you need them for the other 10%. > > > On 9/11/11, I prefer,,, wrote: >> As a teacher (who frequently hosts student teachers) I've done the >> rules both ways. We create, make a poster, have everyone sign and >> assume that that creates a higher level of "buy in." >> >> I've also stated the rules myself, posted, and explained them. Then >> explained that they are non negotiable. >> >> Philosophy aside, I've found the second has far more success. >> >> Bill Jensen, author of the Tough Kids series (and a favourite of mine) >> came and spoke in my division recently. He said that when you suggest >> to kids that they are creating the rules you also suggest that they >> have the right to decide if they will follow or not. >> >> It tells them that the adults are not comfortable being in charge, and >> then gives the kids too much power. >> >> In his example he said, "How many adults here were asked to buy in to >> the laws of our society? You can work through political channels to >> change a law you find unfair or unjust, but no one gives a crap if you >> agree with the laws or not. Try telling the officer who pulls you over >> for speeding that you don't buy in to that law. Or if you shoot >> someone dead try explaining that you don't personally agree with the >> rule about killing others." >> >> I hadn't really thought about it from that perspective but I did note >> previously that telling kids the rules seemed to work better for me. >> It was nice to hear that someone else agreed. >> >> That being said, as a student teacher if your CT is all for group >> generated rules you are pretty much stuck.

Oct 22, 2011

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"Negotiating the class rules democratically" is SO phony! LOL...so if the class votes, democratically, that they should all be able to leave five minutes early, or chat with their friends for 15 minutes a day, or take ten minute texting breaks, the teacher's really going to go along with that?

They can have all the democracy they want when they're 18. The teacher sets the rules.

On 9/11/...See More

Oct 26, 2011

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Sara On 9/01/11, elizabeth england wrote: > I will be student teaching in the spring. I wish I could be > able to in the fall, since most of the spring is focused on > standardized testing. What are some good ways to present > the rules in a nice way to the students when they begin the > class?

I'd say first - keep your list of r...See More

Nov 8, 2011

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carol I wanted to student teach in the spring. I think getting a teaching job after that is easier. I could be wrong. Do student teachers really make the rules. I thought they basically followed the classroom rules. I am teaching special ed so it may be different for me. I am excited and scared. I have not gotten my placement yet. Hopefully I will soon. ...See MoreI wanted to student teach in the spring. I think getting a teaching job after that is easier. I could be wrong. Do student teachers really make the rules. I thought they basically followed the classroom rules. I am teaching special ed so it may be different for me. I am excited and scared. I have not gotten my placement yet. Hopefully I will soon.

On 11/08/11, Sara wrote: > On 9/01/11, elizabeth england wrote: >> I will be student teaching in the spring. I wish I could be >> able to in the fall, since most of the spring is focused on >> standardized testing. What are some good ways to present >> the rules in a nice way to the students when they begin the >> class? > > > I'd say first - keep your list of rules as short as possible. I > have one rule - maybe two - "What we do in here must be safe. > Nothing we do in here should endanger anyone else either > physically or emotionally." > > That's it. When a kid runs, I'd say "Is that safe?" > > Longer lists of rules sound like gobblety-gook to kids. And I > present my two rules in the air of "This is common sense and > good for us. We don't do this because I said so - we do this > because it's simply good for all of us." > > I'm not making my two rules for my best interest or my > convenience. It's for the safety and well-being of the > classroom community. If as the year unfolds, we see the need > for more rules, I can make them. But I didn't make one the day > one child crawled in his locker and another child closed the > locker door thereby locking the child in his locker. > > Did I make a rule then "No locking each other in your > lockers."? I asked the kid and the class - was that safe? Was > shutting the door on Jimmy a safe thing to do? > > Rules are to serve us and I present it in that light. We don't > obey the punctuation rules just because they are rules - we > obey them because our writing is clearer if we do. The rules > are there to serve us and to promote our safety and well- being > - not to keep us from doing things.

Nov 8, 2011

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