Classroom Management

This summer I was asked to serve in a panel discussion for new teachers to my district.  Having never done this before I wasn't sure what to expect but I accepted the invitation. I enjoy helping others and welcome any opportunity to serve in that role for my school and district.  There were a total of five teachers on the panel and the questions ranged from payroll questions to ability to collaborate with other teachers.  Many of the newly hired teachers were veterans that were simply new to my district but there were some new hires fresh from college.  All in all, it was pretty harmless.  Then I was asked the question that took me by surprise: As a new teacher how do I maintain control of my classroom? What surprised me the most was that I didn't have a good answer.  I feel like I have good classroom management and work hard to do so.  What frustrated me was that I didn't know how to articulate this to another teacher.  Clearly, this is a common question to many new teachers so I began reflecting on how I'd answer this question the next time it was posed. So here it is in five easy steps:

1. Accept that failures and struggles will happen and classroom management is an ongoing process. It's hard to learn this by watching others and you never really know what you'll tolerate until you're alone and in charge of the classroom.
2. Don't worry about what you perceive to be happening in other classrooms.  Classroom management is not about keeping students quiet, it's about keeping students learning. Decide what is acceptable in your learning environment and set a plan to maintain that expectation.  Some teachers demand silence while others allow productive discussion.  My classroom would be perceived as chaos to a teacher that demands silence but my students know the boundaries and learning is taking place. If students are learning than the classroom is well managed.  
3. Address poor behavior immediately.  Don't assume it will take care of itself. 
4. Reward good behavior immediately.  I was once told, "reward what you want to see again." I've held on to that because its good advice.
5. Be yourself.  Don't accept the old adage that your not supposed to smile until Christmas.  Students can always spot a fake. Classroom management is about creating a learning environment not intimidating kids.  Don't fake an attitude, but be yourself and the students will respond to being able to connect with you personally.  

Twitter as Professional Development

I was introduced to Twitter as a tool for professional development by my tech coach (@jrichardson30) almost exactly one year ago. Since then I've gone through phases where I have been engaged in conversations and others where I forgot those conversations existed. Still, I've recognized Twitter's value but always felt I wasn't experiencing it to the fullest.  Today that changed as I began working with my reading coach to explore the idea of using literacy circles with primary sources in my 7th grade classroom.  She and I spent an hour making adjustments to the lesson so that it would be more appropriate for non-fiction writings. I showed her my sources and felt confident in the plan that she had shown me.  However, I was still uneasy and wanting to discuss this with someone that had tried it before. Its the same uneasiness any teacher feels when they leave their comfort zone.  That feeling is professional growth, but it's still uncomfortable. That's when the thought occurred: Twitter.  So I grabbed my phone and sent a simple tweet.

I'm about to commit a week to studying primary sources leading to the Dec of Ind. any suggestions? #sschat

Two hours later I had sources and ideas being tweeted back to me from others that had been in my shoes before - uneasy but motivated to try. Their suggestions and sources were helpful but their willingness to support another teacher's professional growth was the most encouraging. Thanks @grkenyon & @johnsonmaryj. Your professionalism will help me grow and I'll pass that on to another teacher when given the opportunity. Together we'll grow our profession and reach students across the country. This would not have been possible without Twitter and that was a conversation worth having.

Be Better Today

Be better today: it's something I have to remind myself to do daily. I'm a planner by nature by my fault is that I sometimes look so far into the future that I overlook today. Dealing with change is a challenge of teaching. Those of us that strive to improve have an added burden in that we create much of the change ourselves. Constantly tweaking, adjusting, or flat out changing a lesson to try and make it a little (or a lot) better. So much to do, so little time to do it and it's all in the name of designing an engaging classroom for our students. Gone are the days of having a binder of lessons that teachers can recycle year-to-year. I'm quickly learning that change is not always about improving, sometimes it's just about keeping up. That's why I have to be better today. Planning for next year may only leave me a little behind. My students deserve better.

Turning a New Year Into a Better Classroom

The beginning of a new year is always an enjoyable time for me. Optimism rules my emotions as I reflect on the past year and how I can improve the next one. This school year is my first back in the classroom after a hiatus and the environment has changed. The first semester was a blur as I completed my master's degree, absorbed the changes since my last classroom experience, and dealt with personal issues in my life. I'm thankful for the number of people that have helped me with this transition and look forward to the upcoming improvements. By reflecting on the past - its challenges and successes - the future becomes brighter and this is most clear in the classroom. Here are the top three improvements I'm striving to work on as I move into the new year that will serve as a foundation for the remainder of my career:

1. Make every activity relevant - This is easier said than done but I have seen how the attitude of my students changes when they are invested in a project or assignment. Everyone wins. The students learn and the lesson is smooth. 
2. Collaborate more - The last class I took as a graduate students focused my attention on how schools change. The most important thought I took from the course was the power of collaboration for changing teachers, classrooms, and schools. Honestly, my attention on collaborating with other professionals for professional improvement is up and down. For the new year I want to be more consistent in finding a professional learning opportunity every day. 
3. Support others - I improve when others improve. This year I will look daily for the chance to assist another student or peer. Being a resource for others is one of the only ways I can challenge myself to continue to grow professionally. 

Now the hard part: getting it done. That's why I'm writing the blog. Writing brings thoughts to life and serves as a source of accountability. Do you have a plan to improve this year? Feel free to share.