copyright 2001 by allyn and bacon creating learning environments chapter 12

Copyright 2001 by Allyn and Bacon

Creating Learning EnvironmentsChapter 12


Overview

The Need for Organization Creating a Positive Learning Environment Creating a Learning Community Maintaining a Good Environment for

Learning The Need for Communication


Concept Map for Chapter 12

Creating aPositive Learning

Environment

The Need forCommunication

Creating aLearning

Community

Need forOrganization

Creating LearningEnvironments

Maintaining a Good Environment

for Learning


The Need for Organization


Ecology of Classrooms

Characteristics of Classrooms:– Multidimensional– Simultaneous– Immediate– Unpredictable– Public– Histories


Basic Management Task

Gain & maintain cooperation

Motivate & engage Adjust management

to ages of students


Age Related Needs Early elementary: teach rules & procedures Middle elementary: monitor & maintain Late elementary & beginning high school:

– Diplomatically deal with defiance

– Motivate those immersed in social life Senior high school:

– Manage curriculum

– Adapt academics to student needs & interests

– Teach self-management


Goals for Classroom Management

Time for learning– Allocated time– Engaged time or time on task– Academic learning time

Access to learning Participation structures Self-management


Where Does the Time Go?

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Total Time

Attended Time

Actual Academic Time

Engaged Time

Academic Learning Time

Hours


Creating a Positive Learning Environment


Strategies from Research

Rules and procedures are required Plan spaces for learning Plan for effective classroom management Get off to a good start


Classroom Procedures

Administrative routines Student movement Housekeeping Lesson routines Teacher-student interactions Student-student interactions

See Guidelines, Woolfolk, p. 441


Rules for Making Rules Do’s and don’ts Often written down and

posted Set the atmosphere Consistent with school

rules Consistent with

principles of learning Make a few, good rules


Rules for Elementary School

Be polite and helpfulRespect other’s propertyListen when others are speakingDo not hit, shove, or hurt othersObey school rules


Rules for Secondary School

Bring required materials to classSeated and ready at the bellRespect and be polite to everyoneRespect other people’s propertySit and listen while others speakObey all school rules


See Table 12.1, Woolfolk, p. 443, and Table 12.2, p. 444

Consequences of Breaking Rules

Plan ahead “Bill of Rights” Reasons for

appropriate behavior Self-management Penalties


Categories of PenaltiesCategories of Penalties

Contact parentsContact parents

Express disappointment

Lose privileges

Exclude from group

Write a reflection

Detention

Visit the principal’s office


Planning Spaces for Learning

Interest areas Personal territories Action zone Seating

arrangements See Guidelines,

Woolfolk, p. 446


Room Arrangements

Be aware of the action zone Horizontal rows: whole group presentations Clusters or circle: student interaction Fishbowl or stack: close up demonstrations


Getting Started : Elementary

First day well planned & organized Deal with student’s main concerns Teach rules & procedures Whole group focus Appeal to student interests Monitor the whole group Stop misbehavior quickly


Getting Started : Secondary

Establish rules, procedures, and standards Clearly communicate standards for work Consistently enforce expectations Monitor students closely Deal with rule infractions quickly Shorter work cycles for lower ability

students Monitor student progress carefully


Creating a Learning Community


Three ‘C’s’ of Classroom Management

Cooperative community Constructive conflict resolution Civic values

See Table 12.3, Woolfolk, p. 450


Maintaining a Good Environment for Learning


Maintaining a Good Environment for Learning

Busy students are better behaved Supervise students closely Include cues for desired behaviors Clear steps for activities Provide necessary materials Engage students in authentic tasks Employ curiosity, interest


Prevention Is the Best Medicine

WithitnessOverlappingGroup focusMovement

managementMonitor!!!


Dealing with Discipline Problems

Make eye contact Verbal hints : name dropping Ask students if they are aware of the consequences of

their behavior Remind students of the relative rule or procedure Ask the student to state the correct rule or procedure and

follow it Assertively tell the student to stop the misbehavior Offer a choice


Special Problems with Secondary Students

Work not completed:– Teach students how to use a daily planner– Keep accurate records– Enforce established consequences– Do not grade on ‘the benefit of the doubt’

Continue to break rules:– Seat student away from other students– Catch them before they break the rules– Enforce established consequences– Don’t accept promises


Special Problems: Hostile Behaviors

Get out of the situation as soon as possible Give the student the choice to cooperate Allow a short cool down period Talk privately in the hall Send another student for the assistant

principal Conference with a counselor, parents, other

teachers Keep a record of the incident


Special Problems: Violence or Destruction of Property

Send for help Get the names of all participants Disperse any crowd Do NOT try to break up a fight without help Inform the school office of the incident Follow the school policy


The Need for Communication


Message Sent = Message Received?

Hidden messages Body language Choice of words Paraphrase rule


Who’s Problem Is It?

Does this affect my role as teacher?

Student owned: actively listenTeacher owned: problem solve


Counseling: The Student’s Problem

Empathetic listening– Block out external stimuli

– Listen carefully

– Differentiate between intellectual and emotional messages

– Make inferences about the speaker’s feelings


Confrontation and Assertive Discipline

Use of “I” messages Passive or hostile responses Care enough to confront Clearly stated expectations with eye contact Do not debate ‘fairness’ of the rules Expect changes - not promises or excuses See Point▼Counterpoint, Woolfolk, p. 461


Confrontation and Negotiation Teacher imposes a solution Teacher gives in to student demands Gordon’s “no-lose method”

– Define the problem– Generate many possible solutions– Evaluate each solution– Make a decision on a solution– Determine how to implement the solution– Evaluate the success of the solution

Remember IDEAL? See Woolfolk, pp. 290-296.


Student Conflicts and Confrontations

Conflicts: goals and needs clash Violence

– Prevention is the best cure– High academic expectations– Genuine care for students

Mentoring, peer mediation, conflict resolution, social skills, relevance, community involvement programs


Steps in Peer Mediation

Jointly define conflict Exchange positions

and interests Reverse perspectives Invent 3 arguments

that allow mutual gain Reach an integrative

agreement


Respect & Protect Program

Respect & protect the rights of others Violence is not acceptable Target violence-enabling behaviors Clearly define violence

– Bully/victim violence– Normal conflict violence

Adult-centered and student-centered interventions

See Table 12.5, Woolfolk, p. 465


Families and Classroom Management

Parents as partners Clear classroom

expectations Communicate See Family &

Community Partnerships, Woolfolk, p. 466


Management Scenarios


Reflection Questions

Consider the following scenarios. Decide what you would do in each situation. Don’t stop with an initial response to the situation. Come up with a ‘Plan B’ just in case ‘Plan A’ would not work. Consider multiple perspectives for each scenario.


Elementary: ArtKent, Kari, and Krista are working together

on an art project. Kent needs the tangerine crayon to finish the trim on an Indian blanket. Kari really needs the tangerine crayon to touch up the sunset. Krista really REALLY needs the tangerine crayon to do the tree leaves. A major conflict is about to erupt! How will you use this as a learning opportunity to teach the concept ‘sharing’?


Elementary: Cheating

It is achievement test time, and you have consistently encouraged your students to do their own best work. However, during the reading comprehension test, you notice that Melissa is exhibiting ‘severe diagonal vision disorder’ (cheating). At least two other students have noticed, also! What prescription would you recommend to treat her malady?


Secondary: Defiance

You have just handed back the exam results. Sean is NOT one of your outstanding students, and is not happy with his grade. You ask, “Sean, do you have any questions on the exam?” His retort challenges the validity of your test, compares your IQ to your shoe size, states his opinion about your heritage, and suggests a place for you to take an extended vacation. Sean uses descriptive language and explicit adjectives. Your response?


Secondary: Vandalism

On a crisp, September morning, you go to school early. As you enter the building, you notice a white haze in the halls, but no smell of smoke. Suddenly you hear glass breaking and see three students with fire extinguishers burst out of the chemistry lab, spraying white every where, running toward you. Next?


Back Stage

It is after school on a nice day in May. You have to make copies of a test for your class tomorrow morning. You decide to take a shortcut to the teachers’ workroom through the back of the stage. You hear unusual but intriguing sounds coming from a dim corner of the stage and decide to investigate. You discover two students engaged in active and intimate physical contact. Now what?


Reflection Time


Summary

The Need for Organization Creating a Positive Learning Environment Creating a Learning Community Maintaining a Good Environment for

Learning The Need for Communication


Review Questions

What are the challenges of classroom management?

What are the goals of good classroom management?

Distinguish between rule and procedures. Distinguish between personal territories and

interest-area spatial arrangements.


Review Questions

Contrast the first school week of effective and ineffective managers.

What are Johnson and Johnson’s three C’s of establishing a classroom community?

How can teachers encourage engagement? Explain the factors identified by Kounin

that prevent management problems in the classroom.


Review Questions

Describe seven levels of intervention in misbehavior.

What is meant by “empathetic listening”? Distinguish among assertive, passive, and

hostile response styles. What are some options for dealing with

student-student and student-teacher conflicts?


End Chapter 12

copyright 2001 by allyn and bacon creating learning environments chapter 12

Documents

learning slide

bacon rules

organization slide

communication slide

bacon strategies

bacon goals

learning plan

good rules