Students feel safe and secure when there is a set of classroom routines. Please reflect upon what classroom routines your cooperating teacher uses in the classroom.
What are the established procedures in the classroom such as attendance, beginning class, ending class, clean up, etc? What is the physical arrangement of the classroom, tables, desks, positioning, etc? How does the teacher transition the students from one activity to another? Reflect upon the classroom routines - Are the routines providing a positive, safe, and secure plan to ensure student learning? do you agree with the routines that the techer uses? Why or why not?
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I believe one of the reasons I would make a good math teacher is because I am organized. That was a skill i noticed all of my math teachers in high school possessed. They all had a strict routine, and I appreciated it. I loved coming into class getting points for homework and going over problems students had questions on, then starting the next lesson for the day. Math class was where I was most comfortable because I knew there wouldn't be twists and turns that would stress me out.
ReplyDeleteI also think that certain classes need to have a different kind of routine. Everyone learns in different ways. Some students need excitement and change to stay focused. They might lose interest if the lesson becomes boring.
ReplyDeleteThe basic routine for the class I have been watching is when the classes switch from one room to another, the teacher makes sure they are all seated and then they proceed to go over homework and review questions from the day before. Then they start on their new lecture for the day. One thing I have learned however, is that as a teacher you cant really expect your plans to work out everyday. You absolutely have tyo be flexable, because you never know what types of school activities students will have going on at the time of your class so schedules can get a little crazy.
ReplyDeleteI'm observing a high school english teacher and I think the class routine varies with each hour. You have to make minor adjusments according to each class because of special circumstances. For instance, first hour begins at 7:40 AM so you cant start class expecting students to be ready and alert right away. My teacher allows for some "warm up" time where she engages the class in conversation. Likewise with her third hour which is split in half by lunch. When the students come back for the second half of class directly after lunch they have tons of energy and are obviously not thinking about the first half of the hour so the teacher quickly begins class and tries to reign the students in right away. One thing I don't really care for is the set up of the classroom. There are three rows of desks on either side of the room facing eachother so that there is a larger aisle in the middle of the room and the board is at the front. I think this set up allows for students to be easily distracted by one another. I do however like that the teacher has a pre-assigned seating chart for each class and I plan on using seating charts in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteMy observation teacher has a very sturctured lesson. It starts with the students coming in and getting into lines. Next they start their strecthing and exercises. after they do whatever activity he has planned for the day.
ReplyDeleteI believe every class should have stucture no matter the subject. It gives the students a better chance to learn and succeed in school.
ReplyDeleteI agree that structure in the classroom is very important. I know that without structure, I'm much more likely to feel stressed and overwhelmed about my school work.
ReplyDeleteI am currently observing a first grade classroom so there is always something exciting happening or someone off track but I think my teacher does a very good job accommodating the kids and working to fill their needs and make sure they understand everything before moving on in the daily routine. Every morning when the kids get to school they put their backpacks away, move their apple to their lunch choice, and pick up a morning work. to eliminate having to take attendance every morning my teacher looks at the apples that were not moved to a lunch choice to determine who is not there that day. The morning work that the children do is normally a topic that was taught the previous day so they can practice and review. My teacher has autistic children in her classroom so she has to move at a pace that works with both types of kids. She does not move on to the next subject until the one they are working on is mastered, so technically her routine varies day by day but I believe it is still a routine, just done in a way that best fits the kids. As for desks, she does not have them set up in the typical rows, she changes them once a month and who each child sits by so that the children get to sit by everyone and experience learning from a different “view”. She has the kids help her move the desks too, they think it is a reward.
ReplyDeleteBrooke,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you, the routine and pace of a classroom should be based off of the children, their behavior, and their learning. Like I said above my teacher I am observing has autistic children in her classroom this year, so she is moving at a different pace than she was last year when she had the gifted children in her classroom.
I haven't started mine yet because my teacher has not called me back. Should I call again?? But in other classes I have been in the students have assigned seats and attendence is taken as quick as possible. Once it is taken the session begins. Pretty simple.
ReplyDeleteMy teachers always had assigned seating. It really is benificial for the teachers in more ways than one. It helped with attendance and if the student did not return from recess or something the teacher would know that the student was missing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with John Belaska he said that every time a teacher would get a new class that the teacher would go over homework and review previous chapters that was discussed last class. I agree with that method when teachers did that it always helped me.
ReplyDeleteI'm observing an Middle school History Teacher and the first day he got new desks. By today he had a new seating chart posted. He uses language the kids understand and it works. If I had heard bounty hunters for slaves being called Boba Fett, I would have gotten it immediately. He's laid back but has a great understanding and sets high standards.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Stephanie said. You have to teach each class a little differntly.
ReplyDeleteI haven't started my observation yet, but from past experiences in high school and lower grades assigned seats seemed like they always helped the teacher take attendance quickly everyday and get to the lesson as soon as possible. Since im going to be observing a P.E. class i know that in my high school classes we would have squads and when we would do our warm ups before the lesson started our teacher would take attendance and then we would both finish around the same time. I think that these are all good routines to stay organized and get through the class effectivly.
ReplyDeletei agree with most people so far in saying that assigned seats are helpful for the teacher. It might not be a favorite for the students, however it should make things like attendance easier for the teacher.
ReplyDeleteEveryday at the begining of class attendence is taken, and students are usually given a rundown of what will be covered that day. All the desks face towards the front of the room where the smart board and teachers desk is located. To the left of the room is the lab area. There are usually three or four main topics the instructor wants to go over and she quickly transitions from one to the other after she is done with a topic. I strongly agree with the way this teacher goes about her day. She allows the students to interact during lecture, ask questions on anything that is related to the chapter they are learning or even the subject. I also like the use of the many worksheets and handouts that the teacher uses to reinforce the material covered. If I were teaching a class, I would probably be more lecture based but I would have a very similar structure to the way this teacher teaches.
ReplyDeleteTo Korey W.
ReplyDeleteI have been in classrooms were the desk face each other and I don't beilive it is very distracting. In fact, for english classes I prefer it because lots of discussion occurs and it's easier to see whos talking. I do like the permenant seating chart tho. It can be very confusing for teachers who have to learn over 100 names a year when the students are constantly moving around everyday. Have you noticed at all how college does not have assigned seats but people usually sit in the same seat everyday anyways. I think we have been conditioned for way too many things. lol
I am observing a 1st grade teacher and she does this really unique thing where she claps three times and the students have to clap three times back and she keeps doing it till everyone knows that it is time to listen. Even the PE teachers were doing it. I noticed that all the students like that they have a weekly line leader too. The structure is nice and friendly for every student.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Zachary said,
I think it is weird that we seem to condition ourselves to sit in the same seat. But even in school if we had the choice, ourselves in our of makeup know what works best for us and what will make us comfortable choosing. Just like how some students prefer sitting with friends and some know not to because they may not pay attention.
I am observing a Second teacher and she sites a peom about certain things she wants the children to do such as line up in a single file line or to be quiet. This makes the children listen to what she is saying and stay behaved.
ReplyDeleteI also agree about how even we sit in the same seat though not required to. It is a comfort thing and can either help us learn better or make it worse because of the amount of talking that may take place.
ReplyDeleteClassroom routines help students stay organized for example, if students know that homework is collected at the beginning of the hour they have it ready to pass in instead of randomly shuffling through their things throughout class. It also helps students organize their schedules. For example, in my class role is taken orally at the beginning of class so students have to show up on time and are not able to have someone else sign them in. Classroom routines also help students quickly learn classroom rules. It practices what the teacher expects over and over again. For example, in my class, the teacher stops talking during lecture if students are talking at same time as the teacher and makes them stay after to finish lecture. Also, all students face the front for a certain reason, it teaches them to avoid distractions and pay attention to what is being posted on the board. Classroom routines greatly benefit classes in general.
ReplyDeleteI have only been in my host class room once.itwas the first day of 4th quarter so the two classes i sat through were pretty repetative.My host teacher let everyone sit were they wanted.she told them that this would be a trial to see if it could work. I fould it interesting when one lil girl came up to her and asked to be given a seat,the teacher just told her to sit were ever she wanted and she didnt seem to like the idea. Ive always thought that all kids liked being able to sit were ever they wanted.I fould it interesting that there are kids that feel uncofortabe having to make that decition.this is something i will consider as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteI like how Luarens host teacher tells a poem about what she wants the kids to do. that is a good tech and very simple.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t observed a classroom yet because of softball but in my high school classes each class was very structured. We always started with a review of the previous days work, then notes, then the application of what we learned. Although this part of the class was structured each class moved at different levels and needed help with different topics. In almost all of my classes we had the typical rows, which wasn’t always the most effective.
ReplyDeleteBlake,
ReplyDeleteI wish my highschool teachers would have had assigned seats in their classes. When kids get to sit by their friends they don't always get the highest amount of learning possible... although I didn't mind at the time.
Attenance is alwas takn at the begining of class after lunch and a the end of the day. I am a a catholic school so we do prayrs at each break aswell. The physical arrangement is desks and thy ar all spaced out evenly in rows. For highschool ages i agree with this layout ecaue tis age group teds to be a little mor distracted therefore i agree with this arrangemet. Also the teacher always gives reflection questions as he transtions from one activity to another which i think is very usefull becasue it ensuresthe attention of the stdens.
ReplyDeleteTo add to erica b's post i think that thatcan be a wrong seatment arragement becasue some knds like this girl can be left out which kills theirs confidence and self esteem!
ReplyDeleteI am observing a preschool teacher, and she is great! The children are always doing some sort of exciting and educational activity. All of the students have a very easy time trasitioning from one activity to the next. For example, when the students need to transition from "choice time" to lunch, the teacher has them clean up and sit on their alphabet carpet after they are done cleaning up their toys. I think that the carpet is a great transitioning tool and I will definitely have one of those in my classroom!
ReplyDeleteTo Zachary Kling,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that teachers should let the students interact and discuss during lecture because some kids can't understand things the way the teacher is saying them, so it can help to have another student explain. Also, it is very helpful to be able to debate and really discuss topics in great detail.