This week I have learned the importance, but difficulty of discipline in and out of our classrooms. I have been assigned to lunch and recess duty in rotation with the other second grade teachers. At first I was extremely nervous, feeling as though I am just a student myself I do not have the right to discipline these students, but then I realized as a student learning to be a teacher, one of my tasks right now is learning how to discipline students fairly and make sure they are learning to follow the rules. This week was the first time I had to complete these duties on my own as the sole person in charge. When I shadowed my host teacher and the other teachers, they made it look so easy. I have learned this week it is definitely much harder than it looks and my voice is never as loud as I think (that’s why a whistle was recommended and immediately purchased for recess duty). Coming from the outside, it is hard to understand all of the rules right away and things that you may think are acceptable may be completely unacceptable by another teacher. It is important to follow consistent rules with everyone involved, so that as teachers we can teach students that actions have consequences even if they are not ones they like.
Another thing I enjoyed following this week was the importance of having “time filler” activities on hand and prepared for those few minutes before lunch or at the end of the day waiting for the buses to be called. The last four years of school, and especially last year, we discussed how to prepare a time filler, but a meaningful time filler. You do not want something that has no educational value to it but rather something that relates to the students. For example, in my host classroom, after the class gets back from specials there is a fifteen minute interval before the students pack up and leave for lunch. Normally mountain math activities will be held at this point, but since we haven’t started that yet there was always fifteen minutes where is wasn’t enough time to start something so what do you do? My host teacher showed me how games like “sparkle” where the students spell out their spelling words in a line and eliminate their peers by saying the word “sparkle” at the end of the word, are perfect activities that are very fun for the students and also help them to learn their spelling words, pay attention, and listen to what the person in front of them said. Many qualities that is important for young students to learn. Another activity my host teacher did that I noticed the students having a great time with was “Around the World”. Now this game I have seen done with math skills, but I am sure there is a way you can manipulate it for other subjects as well. What would happen was my host teacher would pull out math flash cards. One student would start by standing at the desk next to him or her. They would both try to solve the same math problem as fast as they could. The one who got it right moved on to the next person, the one who got it wrong sat down. In the end, the goal is to make it all the way around and back to your seat. The students had a blast with this because it was speed, they were moving, and there was competition with their peers.
It is really amazing to me how much you learn once you are actually out in the field. It truly is much different when you are active and involved in a classroom rather than reading about how to have a perfect classroom. The real life experience is very helpful in building onto and adjusting my teaching philosophy.
Discipline is one of the hardest areas to master. The good news is that in order to figure that teacher voice out, you need to practice. It will come. I am not saying that it will be easy once it comes because kids are different and what works for one group might not work for another. You will larn so much this semester.
This week I have learned the importance, but difficulty of discipline in and out of our classrooms. I have been assigned to lunch and recess duty in rotation with the other second grade teachers. At first I was extremely nervous, feeling as though I am just a student myself I do not have the right to discipline these students, but then I realized as a student learning to be a teacher, one of my tasks right now is learning how to discipline students fairly and make sure they are learning to follow the rules. This week was the first time I had to complete these duties on my own as the sole person in charge. When I shadowed my host teacher and the other teachers, they made it look so easy. I have learned this week it is definitely much harder than it looks and my voice is never as loud as I think (that’s why a whistle was recommended and immediately purchased for recess duty). Coming from the outside, it is hard to understand all of the rules right away and things that you may think are acceptable may be completely unacceptable by another teacher. It is important to follow consistent rules with everyone involved, so that as teachers we can teach students that actions have consequences even if they are not ones they like.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I enjoyed following this week was the importance of having “time filler” activities on hand and prepared for those few minutes before lunch or at the end of the day waiting for the buses to be called. The last four years of school, and especially last year, we discussed how to prepare a time filler, but a meaningful time filler. You do not want something that has no educational value to it but rather something that relates to the students. For example, in my host classroom, after the class gets back from specials there is a fifteen minute interval before the students pack up and leave for lunch. Normally mountain math activities will be held at this point, but since we haven’t started that yet there was always fifteen minutes where is wasn’t enough time to start something so what do you do? My host teacher showed me how games like “sparkle” where the students spell out their spelling words in a line and eliminate their peers by saying the word “sparkle” at the end of the word, are perfect activities that are very fun for the students and also help them to learn their spelling words, pay attention, and listen to what the person in front of them said. Many qualities that is important for young students to learn. Another activity my host teacher did that I noticed the students having a great time with was “Around the World”. Now this game I have seen done with math skills, but I am sure there is a way you can manipulate it for other subjects as well. What would happen was my host teacher would pull out math flash cards. One student would start by standing at the desk next to him or her. They would both try to solve the same math problem as fast as they could. The one who got it right moved on to the next person, the one who got it wrong sat down. In the end, the goal is to make it all the way around and back to your seat. The students had a blast with this because it was speed, they were moving, and there was competition with their peers.
It is really amazing to me how much you learn once you are actually out in the field. It truly is much different when you are active and involved in a classroom rather than reading about how to have a perfect classroom. The real life experience is very helpful in building onto and adjusting my teaching philosophy.
Discipline is one of the hardest areas to master. The good news is that in order to figure that teacher voice out, you need to practice. It will come. I am not saying that it will be easy once it comes because kids are different and what works for one group might not work for another. You will larn so much this semester.
ReplyDelete