Chapter 6

In my foreign language classroom, it is essential that students are able to learn and perform in a few different ways.  Learning a language is unique in that we read, write, listen and speak to comprehensively cover the content area.  How students learn and process material cognitively has a profound impact on how they tackle the information and at which areas they excel or struggle.

Some students make mental connections about vocabulary or grammar with visual aides, others with rhymes or songs and still others with repetition and verbal practice.  Although I want them all to be proficient in every area, I recognize and accept that this is not reality.  They may demonstrate proficiency in one area and not another, focusing their attention on an area in which they are confident. This makes the process easier to learn even if it is not the most ideal situation.  Learning a foreign language can be intimidating and frustrating (in much the same way that the "language" of Math is to some of us).  Students in my class are given ample time for practice, process and application in real-world ways.

As a Spanish I instructor, I want my students to gain foundational language skills and process grammar rules and the learning of vocabulary in much the same way that we did as young humans as we all learned our native languages.  I want them to be able to take many different bits of information (that have been delivered in a variety of fun and interesting ways) and process them into clear (and hopefully correct) sentence structure, clear pronunciation and appreciation of the Hispanic world.  They should be able to take the information and make their own meaning and understanding out of it.

In my case study, a few seniors are being increasingly disruptive in the class with little regard for others' presentations and for teacher reprimand.  The students have failed to process the previous verbal reprimands.  They do not recognize the impact that their actions are having on classroom productivity and on their instructor and peers.  Assisting them in the development of a meaningful learning set of proper classroom behavior would prove that they have a true understanding of their disruptive behavior, rather than just knowing that they were wrong.  The WHY questions always provoke more meaningful responses.  Asking thought-provoking questions about their behavior and the impact they had on others makes it real for the few at fault.  They are better able to "put themselves in someone else's shoes" and change their behavior.  Lastly, students should be able to "practice" their skills.  They should be given an opportunity for change and better behavior, whether or not it is incentivized would of course be up to the teacher.

Field Trip - Barb Rentenbach

"b u, b enough, b light, with u b" is a catching opening quote that Barb provided her audience. Barb Rentenbach is a mute, adult author that is living with Autism.  She refers to herself as an "Aut"and provides her readers with her perspective of living within her autistic world. Through her perspective she is able to open the minds of her readers and portray the level of intellect that exist within her mind.  She entertains the perception of most individuals viewing "Auts" as mentally handicapped.  Through her aspirations and dedication, she is able to provide society with the truth about the sacred mind of autistic individuals.

Throughout her presentation, Barb provided many insights into her level of intellect.  She also provided a great deal of helpful tips and recommendations for those who work with or live with autistic individual. One of her quotes that stood out to me was, " The right teacher can help Autism be a prism, not a prison..." She explained that she experiences no physical or mental juggling like the rest of the world, and is able to connect on a greater level with objects, rather than people. She emphasized that Language is an awkward way to communicate for auts, but that their thinking is not at all faulty.  Typing makes it easier because the speed of each thought can be controlled one letter at a time.  An auts thinking is not easily translated into words that can be spoken. Multiple choice provides a good communication strategy, through the use of typing. Computers and tablets are objects that can successfully bridge the communication gaps.

Barb stressed that auts are not often seen or treated as equals, therefore do not typically receive appreciation from others.  She explained that being appreciated by her email fans "is like a soft cashmere sweater that feels warm and extravagant, and she can hardly believe that it is for her." We learned that compassion is not between the healer and the wounded, but it is in an equal relationship. Connecting with auts on their level is a way to show them we see them as equals.  This allows them to better communicate with us, rather than making them feel that we are trying to fix them or get them on our level. They need decision making power, responsibility, and goals. Barb also stressed the importance of allowing auts to be alone at times, each day, inside of their Autism.

Attending the presentation by Barb Rentenbach was a mind-blowing experience that I never expected. She is a brilliant individual that is changing the face of the Autism Spectrum.  I was astonished by her abilities and motivation in life.  She is dedicated to changing societal opportunities for other autistic individuals. Her message to society is summed up in the words "Assume Competence", while stressing to other auts to discover their "own" shape and connect with others.

"Neurodiversity is more than good....It's God!"  ~Barb Rentenbach

Chapter 6: Learning & Cognitive Process

      As a world language teacher, my ultimate goal is to see my students able to understand the target language, grasp its profound components, and produce it accurately. I order to achieve this target; we both (teacher and learners) have to effectively contribute.

     The acquisition of a foreign language is a learning process in which all the components of the cognitive learning are pertinent. I encourage my students to actively participate in the learning process and also to keenly use different strategies to process information in order to construct their personal understanding of the content to which they are exposed in L2 class.

     Furthermore, knowing the key role of memory in cognitive learning and   the importance of its three processes namely: storage, encoding, and retrieval; I encourage my students to actively use their memories to grasp the target language. However, they are constantly reminded to resort to additional cognitive processes such as reasoning, abstract thinking, and decision making.

     It goes without saying that teacher has a crucial role to play in facilitating the students’ cognitive process by providing opportunities where they are  actively involved and fully developing  their abilities to analyze the language all through meaningful tasks and engaging activities.

 CSEL intervention case study:

      In real life it has been proven that Idleness is the root of all evil. In a classroom setting when students are not active they become inattentive thus they shut their learning exertion and/or misbehave.

      In high school, students have different interests and get easily distracted; sometimes learning it is not a top priority to them.

      An effective teacher must find the tools to actively involve these learners in their own learning process, where their undivided attention is geared toward knowledge or skills acquisition. Teacher should favor meaningful learning over rote learning as the learning theories have proven its efficiency.   

     The need to organize and structure meaningful learning activities is obvious to keep learners interested and engaged. They have to be physically and mentally involved so the learning keeps flowing smoothly.

      Teacher has to enhance the meaningfulness of new material to increase the chances of its being anchored to what is already known. In addition, this material must be organized to be easily relatable to what is already known and appropriately sequenced to facilitate integration.

      Effective classroom strategies have to be carefully formulated then implemented to maximize chances of success.

Chapter 6

A) First and foremost studetns should learn to pay attention or to focus. Unlike physical skills That cn be performed by muscle memory, the mind can only focus on one thing during the learning process. Unforotunately some students have difficulty with the building block of learning. That is to be learned. The essential skill of paying attention on foucusing is the foundation for all learning.
If attention is being focused the student can begin the process of constucting information in a way that it can be organized and intergarted into the memprocess. To do this the student must encode or modify the informationso that it can be stored. Weather students understand the labels of declaritive or procedual knowledge is not important. What is important is that they understand some knowledge is "how things are" and some knowledge is "how things are."

B) In order to gain students attention a bell ringer or activating stradegy can be used. By getting the students attention or getting them focused as soon as they enter the room the chance that there will be productive behavior will quite possibly increase. If productive behavior increases chances are undesirable behavoir will be less.
Another tool of cognitive learningthat might help bring the class back to a learning enviroment would be a hands-on activity. An activity that teaces procedual knowledge is much more likely to keep the students engaged and likely to discourage undesirable behavior.
To futher bring the class to a pint of cooporation an activity that will ctivate their prior knowledge could be used. Because the students are confortable with what is being taught, they are more likely to participate in a meaningful manner. Such participation should also help to discourage the rowdy boys, the note passing, and the testing.

Chapter 6- ED PSYCH 410- Gabrielle Ambrose

Some of the things I want my students to be able to do in relation to cognitive learning include: being able to elaborate on topics presented in class, being able to apply knowledge to their long-term memory through the use of mnemonics and also being able to focus on the lesson and content being presented.

I believe it is extremely important for students to elaborate on topics presented in class because this implies that they understand the material and that they are able to apply what they have learned to real world concepts. For example, if I was teaching a lesson on the Civil Rights movement, I could ask questions such as, “Explain why African Americans and Caucasians were not able to use the same restroom during these times” or “Why did so many people gather at Washington in 1963 and what was their reasoning for gathering there? (The March on Washington)”. Questions like these would help students to recall facts and help them to know why certain events are important and how they changed history. These questions also give way for students to elaborate on the subject at hand.

Apply knowledge to long-term memory can be a difficult process; however, through the use of mnemonics, students will be able to remember facts more easily and they will be retrieved quickly when they are needed. Mnemonics can include: creating a song to remember facts, creating a poem to remember facts, or creating a word acronym to remember facts. Mnemonics help tremendously when trying to remember important information.

Trying to grab and hold onto the attention of students is an extremely difficult task. However, carefully choosing tactics to keep students attention can prove to be helpful during lessons. For example, giving students the chance to do something physically stimulating during the lesson can keep their attention. This would include creating a circle and giving one person a ball of yarn, having students name the different animals and plants in that habitat while passing the yarn to each other. Another fun activity to do during a lesson to keep students attention would include providing breaks in between the sections of the lesson so that students have a chance to process the information they have just learned.

My case study was the elementary case study in which one student is disrupting her peers and the peers at her table are disruptive as a result. The main student who is disrupting her peers would probably not execute this behavior if she was engaged in the lesson. Some things I could do to keep her engaged during the lesson would be to include physically involved things during the lesson, such as incorporating activities during the lesson that require movement. I could also give students a concept map to fill out during the lesson so that they stay engaged and focused on the lesson. By seeing the information and doing to act of writing the information out, students have a better chance of remembering the information they have just learned. Another thing I could do to keep her from disrupting her peers would be to incorporate different instructional methods into my lesson such as: moving students into different groups, having students interact with the classroom environment (have them measure items in the room if it is a lesson on length, area, etc.) and having students work on problems independently. By doing this, the students may be able to store these concepts into long-term memory by being able to apply their knowledge to different situations. Lastly, I could give students breaks in between major concepts of the lesson so that they have a chance to stretch and take in all of the new information that they have just learned. By keeping students involved in the classroom and being sensitive to their needs as far as taking in new information and processing this information, students can remain on task and actively engaged.

Chapter 6

Based on my experience as Math teacher, I have observed how much my students struggle on processing new information in a way that helps them to storage it in long-term memory; for that reason the main skill I would like my students to be able to do is reasoning. The ability of reasoning by themselves, form concepts, and come out with conclusions will help them in the solving problem process. During the process of reasoning they have to retrieve background knowledge and connect/associate it to the novel concepts in order to come out with their own concept and conclusions. It is my job, as teacher, to guide my students in this meaningful learning process, since I consider it the key in future problem solving situations. I would help activating background knowledge and elaboration through questions and authentic activities relevant to the students to create a sense of surprise to them, at the same time, improve maintaining their attention. Additionally, I would present different organization techniques that will help them in making connections. Moreover, I would like them to use rehearsal, since that will help students to move their knowledge from declarative knowledge to procedural knowledge, which will stay in the long-term memory.

CSEL intervention case study:

 In the High School Case Study I strongly believe that if we, as teacher, make the new information meaningful, logical, organized, and visually attractive and interesting to students, several behavioral issue can be corrected or avoid, because in many cases frustration or lack of interest is the cause of such behaviors; therefore they can encourage productive behavior in the students. However, when I think in these ideas, in theory it sound idyllic, but in practice, we –teachers- need a lot of experience to reach to the point where we know our students so well that we are able to plan our classes using relevant and meaningful activities for our students, authentic task, and significant assessment so that we capture their attention and make them feel part of the learning process.

 

Field Trip

Reflect on what Barb and Lois shared. Consider answering the following questions: (1) What surprised you? (2) What did you find beneficial to apply to your own teaching context? (3) What concerned you or contradicted your assumptions?

Lois was Barb's voice. Barb wrote how Lois knows her enough to know how to speak what Barb has written. Their relationship was beautiful. Neither would have the career they have without each other. I was very surprised to see how "low-functioning" (I really hate to use the term..) Barb was. I knew she was nonverbal, but I expected to see no signs of disability other than that. It honestly only impresses me more to hear how brilliant she is through her writing. I found the notion to make no assumptions of people's intelligence until I get the chance to know them. I also learned to assume that they can communicate, I just have to find out how their communication works - search beyond words to find out. I also learned to meet the person in their "world" - spin with them, rock with them, don't speak. I was concerned at my assumptions. I would have never thought Barb was at brilliant as she is. My assumptions were definitely contradicted!!

Ch 13

I believe setting classroom "expectations"as opposed to calling them rules is certainly important, as it sets the tone for the year. As we previously discussed, having these expectations written somewhere in the classroom might be helpful as you could refer to them directly. I also believe the physical environment of the classroom will have a major effect on behavioral issues. Having pencil sharpeners accessible at multiple locations (so that students don't need to cross the entire classroom to access them), a comfortable area for independent or group reading, a desk setup whereby students can be placed in view of the teacher from all locations, all would lead to a more conducive class. In the case study in Ch 13, I would (early on in the semester, before the issue "spread") take each child aside quietly (in order not to embarrass them) and re-emphasize the class expectations, ask if they have any concerns, and then re-emphasize the consequences (both positive and negative) of fulfilling or not fulfilling those expectations.

I have not had an opportunity to address my CSEL case study yet so will add my continuum of responses to this post once I have done so.

Chapter 13

My classroom will have to be conducive to a great learning environment by taking into account the needs in my class constellation. The way the room is laid out must not be too constricting nor too "free wheeling" The physical setup of the room has work for those in the class with physical disabilities. I also think it's vastly important to have an area of the room where individuals can read if they have nothing else to do. In order to make sure that all students felt involved in the classroom dynamic I would have us as a group come up with class rules & expectations during the beginning of the year. The groups I would create for group projects would have to be carefully planned out in order to make sure that I was splitting people up fairly and not by clique or or pairing students who frequently act out with each other.
In my current ElEd placement I notice a lot of the students who finish work quickly have time to get others off task so I need to come up with activities the students would know to do once they have finished the work required of them.

Case Study:
Lisa is the student in question in the El Ed case study. Her aberrant behavior seems to arise during group work.
First, I would try to correct the behavior simply by differential reinforcement, by vocally reinforcing classmates when they are working on task with their groups and making an example to the class as a whole.
If this is not successful at motivating Lisa to work with her group, I would then take her aside and discuss the behaviors which are disrupting class. I would ask her to come up with a signal that I could use that she would recognize when she is causing issues within her group, so she and I could communicate about the behavior during class without interrupting other students or embarrassing Lisa.
If this behavior is implemented and still does not work, I might try and set a goal with Lisa and involve her group. They could draw up agreements about how they will work together and what Lisa will be responsible for, and what the rest of the group will be responsible for.
If this strategy does not work, whenever the behavior occurs I would have Lisa pulled aside and do extra work during class time.
If all else fails, I would have no choice but to schedule a meeting with Lisa's parents to discuss the behavior.

Chapter 13

Maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning is a crucial component in the impact a teacher can have on their students. I would arrange my elementary special education classroom seating in groups.  I would put four desks together in a group, with two desks facing two others.  Each group would have their own activity box that includes children’s scissors, markers, pencils, crayons, and counting chips.  My classroom colors would be vibrant and inviting, but the walls would be organized to provide minimal distraction.  The only wall displays would be current activities that the students are participating in. The environment would allow me to move freely around the room, interact with the students, and monitor their work and behavior. I would allow for open communication in my classroom, discussing progression with students on a regular basis. I would consistently observe how my students interact in the environment and adjust things accordingly, as to always strive to keep my classroom a “safe place”.

My CSEL Elementary Case Study will draw from a social cognitive perspective.  My student, Lisa, gets angry with the other students in her small group if she does not get the job she wants.  She also refused to do her part. 

In response, I will first remove Lisa from the group and provide her an individual task that is significantly less exciting. I would breakdown the importance of the role assigned to her in the group, and advise her that her group will be at a disadvantage without her participation.  I would inform her that assuming responsibility for her very important role in the group is necessary to continue working with her peers.  I would then provide that she is to sit alone and work on her task, while the rest of the class works in their groups.  I would then provide that if SHE decides that she wants to go back to her group and resume her assigned role, she may discuss it with me.

This provides a sense of ownership for her role and allows Lisa to feel as if she is making the decision. 

It allows her to carry some weight in her decision and feel like she has some control in her learning experience. 

H Holt - Chapter 13

Based on both my review of the text and my short time as a teacher thus far, I create a learning environment that is conducive to learning by being consistent.  Students walk in to my room and know what I expect.  I voice my expectations to them beginning on day one.  This includes how to have class discussions, how to turn in homework, what notes should look like, what you should be if you are not understanding, what to do if you want to push yourself.  Basically, I seek no idle time.  I want to use every minute I have with my students as productively as possible.  In addition, I do not want any students “hiding”.  All students need to feel accountable, and as if their voice matters.  At first I foster this by making the students do team building games, then I make them repeat each other, then I build to whether or not they agree with, etc…

In my experience, the main thing is that I must be well planned.  In addition, I need to have a good idea of the kind of thinking and questioning I want to foster with each class. 

When the students do not meet my expectation, I tell them or provide them feedback via email for example.

As far as the high school case study, my continuum (starting with 1) for dealing with the misbehavior would be as follows:

1.     Ask why my students have time to text in the first place?  If I were in my class would I text and pass notes?  (Consider my procedures, planning, rules, class norms.  Have I failed to properly communicate them?  Have I not required high things of my students?  Make adjustments accordingly.

2.     Do I simply need a better seating arrangement?)

3.     Consider the level of work I am asking my students to produce versus what they are capable of.  Is it unobtainable?  Is it too easy?  How can I ensure that the work I have them do will get them invested?

4.     Research my students – how are they doing for the rest of the building?  How have they done in the past in my subject? 

5.     Have a dean/administrator/colleague come in and observe my class.  What am I missing?

6.     Speak with my students about what is working and what is not working.   Construct a plan of action based on their feedback and implement it.

7.     Contact the students parents.

8.     Conference with the students and the parents and possibly other teachers, especially if this is a pattern.

9.     Get the administration involved (with full documentation of all my approaches.)

Chapter 13

    I believe that environment is so important when it comes to classroom engagement. Not only the physical environment, but the social environment as well. I will always remember my sixth grade teacher as being one of my most influential teachers ever. Going into her class I was extremely shy and hardly ever spoke. During the first few weeks of class she made sure to make us feel as comfortable and at home as possible. For example, I remember her telling a girl to really blow her nose and not worry about what anyone thought. She was constantly doing little things like this to break the ice between us. I know the blowing the nose thing is a small detail, but I will always remember how comfortable we all grew as a classroom, and how once winter came around, everyone was freely blowing their noses as loudly as needed. Little things like that really made the classroom feel so safe and comfortable to be in. everyone accepted one another and we never ever felt ridiculous when asking questions or attempting to do work.

     I know that this likely won’t be an issue in a pre-school classroom since children at that age rarely seem to be self-conscious about a whole lot. But I do want to make the environment feel like a second home to the children. Of course there will be rules and expectations but I believe that a welcoming environment is important when learning. I believe that it is important to allow students to be a part of the decision making in the classroom, even as early as preschool. Allowing children to help guide the lessons helps to keep children engaged while expanding on their interests. Enforcing rules and trying to stop the root of problem behaviors works really well in preschool classrooms so I will be sure to do that as well. 

    In the case of Willard, I would assume that he has difficulties in transitioning and staying on task. There are a few things that I would do to try and help Willard. First I would create a schedule board that is interactive. I would not only have a large on in the classroom, but I would also create a personalized one for Willard. I would make a big deal of this project. I would begin by telling Willard that I had a very special project for him and i would need his help over the next few days in completing it. I would begin by taking pictures of him participating in the class schedule then developing these photos and making a transition board for him. Throughout the day I would help him remove the photos that he’s already done and place them in an ‘all-done’ basket. Whenever Willard ask when it was time to go outside I would review the board with him. After a few times of reviewing the board with Willard I would instruct him to look over the board himself to see when it was time to out to play.

    In order to deal with Willard not staying on task during different activities I would try a number of things. First, I would create a small flip book of “Rules for Activity Time”. I would go through the same process of taking pictures of Willard being on task and creating a small book for him. Whenever he left from his seat, I would point to the book to gently remind Willard that he needed to stay on task. Also, I would think about taping off a section in front of his table for a stand up space. I know that some children work better while standing so I would allow Willard to try standing while doing his work to see if that would help him with staying on task.

Ch. 13

          In my future music classroom it will be very important for me to maintain high standards of classroom management skills, but more importantly to create a sense of community within my classroom. This is especially is a key factor within any ensemble. To have an excellent choir, the conductor (or teacher) must have the singers trust and commitment just like a teacher must have within the classroom. My  field rides a fine line between art and teaching, and it will be critical to maintain that balance in my classroom.
         As we discussed in class, music is most usually the "fun class" that every student looks forward to, but just because it is a fun class does not mean that it is time to slack off. When my students enter the room they will know it is time to work hard and work together to create music within our ensemble. My classroom will be set up most likely with risers and chairs shaped like a horseshoe. This will ensure that I can address all sections of my ensemble and allow the singers to hear each other's voices throughout the room, making it easier to blend voices and create unity.
         When studying music, or an other subject, there are difficult sections that students will struggle with. In my classroom students will be assigned to "sectionals." Each section being Bass, Tenor, Alto, and Soprano. I will have section leaders that I know are capable, and then on given days I will have them break into their sections to work on their music. This will create a sense of community and it will allow me to walk around the room and have time to work with each group. Also, this gives students a time to step up and take responsibility for their section and their music.
       
 Case Study:

Within my classroom I am having problems getting my seniors to focus on studying our music for graduation that we will be performing. They do not seem to care at all and continue talking, being disruptive, and are even becoming rowdy with one another. The first thing I chose to do is seat the group in a circle and ask them what is going on. The students know I genuinely care about them and we have a sense of trust in the room. This is one of my most advanced ensembles so I know something is wrong when they do not want to study their music and work hard. It is important for me to evaluate how I am addressing the issues at hand and how my teaching could be affecting them.
      In our class circle I find that the students are having trouble learning the music and find it extremely difficult. They are easily losing interest and do not like the piece that I have chosen for them to perform for their graduation. I have also found out that there are issues within my mens section and some new seating arrangements will be necessary.
      To fix the issue with the music, I have decided to pull three songs from my choral library that I think are appropriate for graduation and that the singers will enjoy. During our next class I will pass out the music and let them listen to it. Next we will have a vote, letting them decide which piece they would like to sing. This gives them an opportunity to pick their music themselves, which ultimately will give them ownership of the music and a sense of accomplishment because they picked it.
     The other issue I am having is with talking, phones, and seating arrangements. When students enter the room, I am now having them leave their backpacks at the front of the room, with their phones zipped inside. The only material they should have at their chairs are their choir folder and their pencil. I am also issuing a new seating arrangement within the choir. Instead of seating them bass, tenor, alto, soprano, I am going to mix them up into several quartets. This way they are sitting with new people and they also have new groups to work with when we break off to do sectionals. Another thing I am planning on doing is having the ensemble make a giant circle around the room with all voices mixed-no same part standing next to each other. This helps the singers to listen to each voice part around the room creating a unified sound within the ensemble. It will also help to create trust and unity within our classroom community.

Chapter 13 Learning Environment

             Whenever I envision what my classroom will be like, it is always very calm, peaceful and safe feeling. Physical environment has always, always been important to me - my mood mirrors the mood of the environment around me. Taking this approach, I would want my classroom to be calm, safe and peaceful, but also to provide an environment that supports creativity. All of these visions are for a very young classroom, by the way. I personally hate florescent lighting and would love to light my room with actual sunlight (open the windows), lamps and Christmas lights if I am able to. I also want my classroom to feel personal and homey to the students - I could do this by reusing frames each year to showcase the students' artwork, their pictures, etc. Obviously, seating is an extremely important and relevant issue to consider when thinking of an environment conducive to learning. I want to be a Special Education teacher, so I am sure I will have to sit down and learn the best way possible to seat my children. Any student that is an English language learner, or who has a speech and language impairment will need to be near the front of the room to hear me clearly and to have access to me for clarification or questions, for example.

             Communication and clear establishment of classroom expectations and guidelines are two things that need to be addressed at the beginning of the school year. I want my students to know I support them, that I am interested in them, and that I am there to teach and help them to learn. It is important that the students know firsthand the classroom expectations or "rules", and the discipline that will come if the expectations are not withheld. I want the students to know why the expectations are there, not just that I like rules.

            I also want the students to know and support each other. To steal Tab's idea, it would be amazing to have a class discussion about our strengths and weaknesses! I could begin by telling mine and letting the students know that I am not perfect and that I make mistakes. The students could share what they think another student's strengths are, and add to the list as the year goes on. This would be such a sweet way to provide a safe classroom where everyone feels like they belong. It would allow the class to be open, honest and vulnerable.

            Lastly, planning instruction plays a big role in the learning environment. I want to set high, yet realistic, expectations for the students to learn, and I want to encourage them to reach these goals. My instruction needs to support each student. This will include accommodations, modifications, and even the use of service providers in my school's community to best meet the needs of the students. 

        

            Now to discuss my case study. I have 25 kindergartners, and Willard does not understand personal space, and struggles to stay engaged and follow classroom expectations. First, I will have a meeting with Willard to discuss all of these things and why they are important. I want him to be able to explain to me why it is important that he learns these three things. I will try and encourage him that he is a huge help and big team-player in the classroom, and that without his good behavior the learning for the class is put at risk. 

            If this does not work, I will start manipulating his personal environment to support this behavior to happen. To steal an idea from a Special Education blog that I have read, I will use tape and paper to visually show Willard where he should be. This includes putting a colored tape square around his desk indicating this is where he should be during class. I can do the same in play areas (such as bean bags for free reading time or playing with blocks) so that he can still have his own space during free time. The blog also described taping colored feet on the floor where the line should stand when lining up at the door. I could also place big red STOP letters at the doorway so Willard can visually be reminded not to leave the room. Along with the tape, I can provide time within instruction or within seat work for the class to sit in a different part of the room (aside from their desks). This will give Willard freedom to "roam" if he cannot resist, but still under my approval. Specified areas for him can be taped off as well. 

           Lastly, I will create a behavior intervention plan with Willard. This will include another meeting with him where we discuss that his behavior now calls for discipline. I want him to understand that I am not punishing him because I don't like him (remember, he is in kindergarten), but that I think it is important that Willard learn during class and that his behavior is keeping him (and other students) from learning. I can monitor Willard during class with partial time sampling observation. This would be that I have a timer, every time it goes off I check to see if Willard has followed his instructions. He and I have a signal of whether or not he did; if he did, Willard can place a blue chip in his cup. At the end of the day, if Willard collects 8 chips, he can have five extra minutes of free time (a reinforcer that he decided upon). This behavior intervention plan allows for positive reinforcement. Willard can take responsibility of his behavior, and "reward" himself by collecting his chips and picking his reinforcer. As Willard gets better at keeping up with this behavior, I will raise the amount of time between the timers, and the amount of blue chips he has to collect. Hopefully this will be a good learning environment for Willard!

Ch. 13 Learning Environment

Learning Environment

One of the most important things a teacher can do is to strategically arrange his or her classroom in a manner conducive to learning.  This includes how the desks are arranged, what direction they face, the placement of learning tools and the decor.  I would have a welcoming and bright classroom filled with things on the walls to help spark interest and motivation to learn.  Décor could be academically useful and fun.  It is imperative that the environment physically encourages and supports learning but does not overwhelm.  In addition to how the room is physically arranged, a teacher must also be strategic about where he or she places each student.  I would make sure that students with special needs are placed in the appropriate position for an optimum level of learning.  This may be in a certain position or partnered with specific students. 

As we have spoken about in class, establishing good student rapport is imperative in creating a positive learning environment where students can be motivated to learn.  Early in the school year, I would strive to learn a little bit about each student’s interests, hobbies, family and friends.  When students know you are genuinely interested in their lives outside of school and care about their well-being, it sets a positive tone for the year.

As the facilitator in the classroom, I would establish a good line of communication with my students, assuring that I set good examples and model both content and appropriate behavior, language and manners.  I believe that it is our duties as role models in students’ lives to set examples for respectful language and manners, especially when they may not receive these lessons at home. 

One important strategy for an effective classroom involves a sense of community.  As a class, we serve as a learning “team” – one that learns to work and learn together effectively for the benefit of all.  We can listen to and interact with others to gain more from the content of the lesson.  Structure in lessons, timing and transitions as well as differentiated learning for a variety of learners is also imperative for the “team” to perform at optimal levels.  Frequent monitoring and formative assessment can give us an idea about each student and their academic progression. 

Lastly, for the development and maintenance of an effective learning environment, one teacher is not enough.  I would use my resources within my school to gain more knowledge about best practices and policies and about specific students’ needs.  Oftentimes, parents are the first person with which a teacher should work to learn more about their students, but in some circumstances, they are not.  Regardless of a student’s home life, it’s important to establish a fair and open line of communication so that parents work you rather than against you for the betterment of their student. 

Based on my case study, there are few things that I might first try to remedy the increasingly distracting and disrespectful behavior.  I would begin by separating the students in corners of the room and maybe tie an assignment to the class projects/presentations not just for them but also for the entire class.  Depending on the severity of the disruptions, I might make it a high-stakes grade so that the students are more apt to pay attention to others.  A reflection on the presentation or even a quiz grade might promote a sense of interaction rather than just observation.  This might serve as more of a preventative measure but I could certainly make alterations to the lesson if this assignment were not already in place.  I would revisit the rules and consequences established earlier in the year, noting the no cell-phone policy of the classroom and the school.  Teachers can confiscate devices and students have to have someone from home come to retrieve it at the end of the day or they do not get it back.  Sometimes just the threat of confiscation is enough motivation to keep the distracting behavior with phones and notes at bay. 

If some of these less-intrusive tactics were not working I would give a detention, but a constructive one.  During the time period in off-school hours, the students would have to engage in a discussion with me about respectful language and activity.  I would hope to structure the conversation so that they reflect on their actions and how it negatively affected the learning environment.  Since the three boys are seniors, it might be beneficial to tie their actions to real-world experiences.  In a few short months, they will most likely be preparing for work, college or the military.  If they were to display the same behavior in these settings, they would be fired or kicked out.  I have always hesitated to assign writing assignments because I do not believe that yield the results teachers intend, however, if the assignment were constructive and personal, I may also use the detention time after the conversation to have them write. 

Lastly, if the three were continuing to be disruptive, I would include school administration and/or parents for assistance.  While it is imperative to establish yourself as an authority figure, one that can successfully manage a classroom no matter what, we always have a case or two where we need help.  If the behavior has continued to be detrimental to the positive learning environment for all, a teacher has to know when to say when and seek assistance.