As much love to get out of the classroom, I absolutely hate writing lesson plans for substitutes to follow. First of all, there are way too many subs that do not understand math. Second, I use so much technology in my classroom, and frankly, I don’t trust them with it.
Anyhow, that’s not what this post is about. Today, I actually did get out of the classroom, and had the opportunity to sit in a classroom management workshop presented by Rick Morris, creator of New Management. And truthfully, the extra sub-preparation work was worth it.
He wasn’t the most dynamic speaker (though in his defense, he had just contracted a cold), but if anyone can keep me awake for an entire day in a “learning” setting, then that definitely deserves kudos. So kudos to him!
What Did I Learn?
First of all, none of this theoretical crap. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the theory and find ways to incorporate it into my everyday classroom procedures/lessons. But if I’m going to listen to a guy give tips on how to teach, then I want real ready-to-use strategies that I can implement … well, yesterday!
That, he did:
- Sign Language
- Student Numbers
- Timers
- Sound Makers
- Class Cards
He shared much more than that, but according to him, those are the five strategies he could not teach without. We’ll see. As much as I would like to try/talk about all of those strategies, my mind will get bored, and this post will never be finished. At the same time, my students will get overwhelmed and they will never be used correctly. So let me focus on just two three (it was too hard to choose just two).
Sign language. I’ve actually thought about this before, not only for the purpose of classroom management, but just because I thought it would be cool and different. Not only that, but after Winter Break, I actually told my students that my resolution was to have a conversation in sign language at least once per day (that resolution didn’t last long).
However, his presentation on its use in the classroom was very compelling. Teachers already use body language and signs to speak with students non-verbally. But his idea of using it to assess learning, distinguish and handle questions quickly, or even ask a student if he/she is finished with an assignment, signaling them to either get back to work, or help me out.
The basics: The letters a, i, c.
- a – When a teacher asks a questions, the student signs the letter ‘a’ to inform the teacher he/she has an answer.
- i – If a student has a question about the lesson, the letter ‘i’ informs the teacher that they have an important question that needs to be addressed.
- c – If a student has a comment, the teacher can acknowledge the student and get to it when appropriate.
These basic hand signals allows the teachers to prioritize students raise their hands. Questions must be discussed first, and always get the highest priority.
Student Numbers. I’ve actually considered using numbers student numbers my first year teaching, too. However, being introduced to the GradeCam, I didn’t feel the need for the student numbers.
Student numbers is a great way for holding students accountable for completing work. One problem I have is not knowing what students have turned in their homework or classwork until I enter them into my gradebook. By the time that happens, the students are out of sight, out of mind, and I have no procedure to hound them on these missing assignments.
Having student numbers eliminates this problem by creating a number of ways of quickly collecting, collating, and finding missing numbers to easily identify which students have not turned in their work. This makes it a lot easier to followup with students immediately and hold them accountable.
Now that I think about it, maybe it might be even faster if I better incorporate the GradeCam into my homework routine. But sometimes, aside from the clutter that it makes on desks, paper is still the easiest and simplest way to organize.
Class Cards. Why I’m not already using this? I don’t know. I’ve used plenty of methods of calling on students equitably, including (but not limited to) class cards, student calling software, random number generators on Excel, seating charts, etc. I have never used the popsicle sticks, though — yuck, 150 popsicles is too many to eat.
Even though I’ve used the class cards, I don’t think I used them correctly. My problem? I called on students looking for the right answer. It’s strange, because now I don’t use a reliable system of calling on students, yet a do a much better job of having multiple students answer, whether or not the correct answer had already been given.
Anyway, that’s the first thing I’m doing next week. Now, I can ask multiple random students, and sort their cards according to answers so I know who I can return to for further explanation.
Conclusion
Anyway, there’s more to be learned, more to be said. Am I going to remember all of it? I highly doubt it. Two things I will start immediately: sign language and name cards. I think it’s time I work on better ways of calling on students equitably, and engaging all students in class discussion.
Oh, by the way, you can find more information on Rick Morris at his Web site at http://www.newmanagement.com
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