Greg Week 14

This week was a bit challenging. Classroom management and reteaching strategies came into play a lot!

This week we started a new unit in math, I was told to jump forward a couple chapters in the math text book to graphs and data. Which I could tell from the first lesson they were not understanding it very well. But I moved on to lesson 2 anyways. This is when I knew that I needed to stop and go back and reteach this skill of reading line plots. I would relate this to standard 5, instructional delivery. The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning.  This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student. I had to go back and think of a new way to teach reading line plots. I found a new work sheet and reteach how to read them. Doing this made it possible for me to ensure that the students knew how to read and interpret graphs so we can move on to reading other graphs. When I checked the homework, the students had made impressive improvements.

This week I’m not sure what it what but the students are CHATTTY! I guess maybe the weather or the time of the year, but they are non-stop Even in the lunchroom the students have been getting in trouble and I was told they had a silent lunch. I have been trying really hard to be patient with them and try different strategies to keep them quieter and manage the classroom. I would relate this to standard 4, learning environment.  The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal-setting. One my strengths my patience I would say. So, I have just been doing a lot of waiting and looking at the talkers. I reward the student in the classroom who get quits or set the example for the other students. The reward is a hawk buck for a weekly prize drawing at the end of the week. I make a big production about when I hand them out to the students, typically the same 3. I find that rewarding the good behavior is better than criticizing the bad behavior and keeps me calmer and stress free. This creates a more positive learning environment for the students and for me.

On to week 15!