Classroom Instruction

It has been cited by many education leaders that it takes at least 3 years to develop into a decent teacher and at least 5 years before growing into a master teacher.  Use the attached file (Syllabus and Classroom Procedures.doc) to assist you to make outlines and education plans of growing into an effective teacher then eventually a master teacher (teacher leader). Edit the file to resemble your content area.

 Use this assignment to learn how to develop small group instruction. Watch the video [click here]  for instructional methods

-

Find Your Multiple Intelligence Learning Style [here]

A career in teaching can be incredibly rewarding, but it can be demanding as well. Teachers need to master several key skills to be successful in the classroom. New teachers are often so focused on trying to do a good job that they make small mistakes, which can lead to poor student and teacher performance. Since each new school year brings a new group of students with their own unique needs, even seasoned teaching professionals can make these common mistakes in the classroom.

1. Substituting Assignments for Teaching

Although most teachers routinely assign homework, worksheets, projects, and other items as part of their lesson plans, some make the mistake of equating assignments with teaching. Just because an assignment reflects a learning objective and yields a grade for the grade book does not mean that the objective was taught. Teachers should use assignments to reinforce objectives that they have already taught. Assignments can also be used for student practice or for teachers to assess students’ understanding of concepts, but giving an assignment should not be a substitute for teaching. 

2. Assuming a Lesson Taught is a Lesson Learned

Most teachers recognize that different students have different capabilities and learning styles, yet many still assume that once they have finished teaching the lesson, students will have learned it. In reality, the lesson might have worked for some students while leaving others with little understanding and much less mastery of the material. Effective teachers recognize this and develop other methods to present material. They monitor student engagement and response to gauge whether or not their approach is working.

3. Inadequate Planning for Classroom Management

Without proper classroom management, even the most experienced educator will have trouble teaching effectively. Good classroom management requires teachers to be proactive by developing a plan at the start of the school year that allows them stay in control the classroom. Teachers who wait to develop a plan until after they experience behavioral issues will face the difficult, if not impossible, task of trying to regain control after they have lost it.

4. Overly Rigid, Inconsistent, or Unfair Discipline Policies

Effective teachers develop a discipline plan at the start of the school year, communicate it clearly to students, and apply it in a consistent and fair manner. Punishing the entire class for the behavior of a few, punishing some students but not others for the same infraction, or applying rules in a haphazard manner all undermine the teacher’s authority and leave students without clear expectations and guidelines for behavior.

Having an overly aggressive or rigid approach leaves the teacher without the flexibility to adapt rules to fit the situation. A teacher who is flexible enough to accommodate different learning styles and arrangements can create a classroom that fosters learning while preserving behavioral boundaries.

5. Low Student Expectations

Generally, students will seek to perform at a level consistent with performance expectations. Teachers who teach in low-performing schools are particularly susceptible to making the mistake of setting low expectations for student achievement. In other cases, teachers set low expectations based on their perception of what an individual student is capable of. Teachers can avoid making this mistake by setting high expectations that are reasonable and appropriate and by communicating their belief in their students’ ability to achieve goals.

How to Avoid Making Common Teaching Mistakes

Teachers can avoid common classroom mistakes by:

Using assignments to reinforce, but not replace, classroom teaching

Assessing student response to ensure that each lesson is effective

Establishing and enforcing an equitable discipline policy

Adapting lessons and rules to accommodate individual student needs

Setting challenging goals for achievement

If you find yourself making any mistakes in the classroom, often simply being aware of the mistake or enlisting the help of another experienced teacher is all that is needed to rectify things.

Classroom Management Techniques

Adopted from Dominican University 

Refine your Educational Philosophy and teaching style which allow you to keep students engaged within your comfort zone. Develop instructional strategies that are effective for you.  There are many strategies available but which one do you like to use.  Later, determine which ones would be effective for improving educational outcomes and increasing student learning.  Find ways to assist with managing student behavior and keeping trouble students on task.  Determine methods to work with colleagues to improve student learning outcomes across content areas.

-

 Educational Philosophy, Classroom Management Plan [here] and Lesson Plans [here]   

-  

Moblie, AL article Teaching Common Core Standards  

-

Use the links to develop your Classroom Management Plan

 -

TOP 16 CLASSROOM CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT TIPS

Smart Classroommanagement Website

Classroom Management Guide

Classroom-management-keys/

Through your work for this course you should be beginning to develop your ideas about how best to manage your classroom. There is certainly no one best way and teachers develop their own style of classroom management. This also remains a work in progress as teachers change and develop their style according to their experiences and the classes they teach.

The purpose of this assignment is to begin this process of developing a management style that works for you. This plan will enable you to better understand how you will teach and increase your confidence in your approach to classroom management. It is proactive rather than reactive to student demands. However, in the light of the realities of your student teaching placement you may wish to amend this plan and it is essential to remain flexible. You may wish to write a new plan at the end of your student teaching and a rationale for your amendments. At this stage the plan should be seen as your ‘ideal’ as the realities of your student teaching placement may mitigate against some of your plans.

At appropriate points you should refer to the relevant theorists that we have discussed in this course.

The plan should include the following: (you should give a rationale for your choices)

1.A philosophical statement on your beliefs about classroom management. This should include a description of what you believe to be your teaching style.

2.Room arrangement map, or maps for different types of activities including a student seating arrangement, teacher desk, resources, displays, etc. You should include a written explanation of your choice of arrangement(s).

3.Classroom rules — How are they arrived at? What might they include? How are they communicated to students, parents, administrators etc.

4.Classroom procedures — How are the lessons structured? How do they start and finish? This should also include some of the principles of your assessment and grading plans.

5.A description of how you intend to encourage and respond to positive students and how you will manage students that are behaving negatively in your class. What techniques are you going to use to maximize the effectiveness of your classroom management? You should refer to specific techniques that we have discussed in class.

 Steps to effective instruction

1.  General lecture

2.  Discuss homework projects

3.  Overview of Flipped classroom activities and assignments

4.  Elaborate on assessment

5.  Students collaborate and share

6.  Assessment criteria reinforced  Assessment Tool Types.doc 

10-Day Challenge

Use Learning Contracts [here] to establish a goal for classroom behavior based on a certain reward

Give certificates of completion and a pizza party (if approved by the administrator)

Design a Leadership Award using the school's plaque maker.  This will reinforce student ownership

Classical or "Pavlovian" Conditioning

We used  EDUCATEAlabama Rubric.pdf  to guide us in to knowing what the state department uses to determine what effective teaching looks like

-

Then compared it to Danielson Framework correlation with InTASC.pdf to show how principals use the info to simplify teacher evaluation.

-

We transitioned into using HigherOrderActivities.pdf  to create an activity that would drive classroom instruction

-

Higher Level Thinking

 Creating

 Evaluating

 Analyzing

Lower Level Thinking

 Understanding

 Remembering

You are required to develop an assessment for the activity. Use this website to create a rubric during the final exam Rubistar

 Develop a 5-page synthesis investigating various instructional strategies used in your content area, grade-level, or cross-curriculum.  Some topics may include a) assemble research on the advantages (and disadvantages) of a block schedule, b) invite colleagues to share perspectives, c) activities to improve instruction by participating in seminars or professional meetings on teaching; d) design of interdisciplinary or collaborative courses or teaching projects; e) design of new teaching methods; f) use of new methods of teaching, assessing learning, and grading.  (100 points)

An example of a Classroom Management Booklet  Classroom_Management_and_Discipline_Plan Project.doc 

Revise Teaching Philosophy, Brochure and Newsletter

1.  Create a brochure and newsletter Due 

2.  Attach resume, brochure documents in Livetext  Due 

3.  Copy and paste philosophy  into Livetext    Use Alabama Quality Teaching Standards to revise

4.  Create a google site  (copy link and send it to me)

5.  What make an Effective Teacher  EDUCATE Alabama Rubric 

Create a brochure and newsletter Due 

  NEWSLETTER and BROCHURE  

Prepare a newsletter and brochure that you would send out to parents when you are teaching.                

Include:  „ 

• • Your approach to instruction  „ 

  • Curriculum, academic goals, and activities  „ 

  • Academic expectations and procedures  „ 

  • Grading guidelines and procedures (how grades are determined) Created rubrics  

  • Tests and quizzes, student projects  „ 

  • Dates report cards are issued  „ 

  • Classroom rules and procedures, consequences, and steps for referral  „ 

  • Parent – Teacher conference (meeting times/dates, participation)  „ 

  • Positive rewards  „ 

  • Websites specific for your area  „ 

  • Contact information (i.e. school, personal, email, telephone)   „ 

  • Parents need to sign the sheet concerning the classroom management and discipline policy 

Attach the newsletter and brochure documents in Livetext.  Copy/Paste your resume and philosophy in Livetext