Math Blog #3: Classroom Management

 

    During my field placement experience, I got to observe my host teacher use a lot of classroom management techniques. One of the most important techniques she used, is getting to know her students. According to We Are Teachers, "Classroom management often boils down to getting to know, and build relationships with, many tiny humans". My host teacher knew all of her students' interests and would greet them every morning. A bunch of fifth graders come to visit my teacher before class, which shows how strong of a relationship she builds with her students.  When students have a good relationship with their teacher, they are more motivated to learn and want to do good. This definitely minimizes the amount of behaviors in the classroom. My host teacher also communicates positively with families, which is another great classroom management strategy. Telling parents positive news about their child is a good way to reinforce that positive behavior in the classroom.

    My host teacher was very consistent, insistent, and persistent. The consequences are the same for students who are being unkind or acting out. She also never really yelled at the students, she used claps, which are a less stressful way to get their attention. When my field partner and I were given the opportunity to teach a lesson, we used the claps as a classroom management technique too. The students were riled up before the lesson, and a lot of them were moving around the classroom. So, I started the clapping sequence, and the students finished it. This helped the students regain their focus, and we were able to begin the lesson. I did the same thing when the students were heading back to their seats from the carpet, in order to get their attention to go over directions for the activity. We also built relationships with our students. There were a few students who gave us hugs every time they came to class, and those were the students who were more willing to participate in our lesson. 

    In my future classroom, I plan on using a token economy as a classroom management technique. Grand Canyon University states, "Teachers looking to reinforce positive behavior may try several different classroom management techniques before they come across something that works for them and their students. A classroom token economy is one positive reinforcement system that works for many teachers and students alike". Students will get a token for doing something good, and in return, students can exchange their tokens for rewards. Some examples of rewards are eating lunch with the teacher and a friend, sitting in the teacher's chair for a day, bringing a stuffed animal for the day, candy, pencils, erasers (or whatever the students are interested in). Instead of using an actual token/coin, I will have a classroom cash economy. Students will get paid in classroom money for turning in their homework early, attendance, good citizenship, and completing classroom jobs. Tasks will have a different value, based on the importance of the task.

    I look forward to using some of these classroom management techniques in my classroom! Especially the classroom token/cash economy!