This week my university supervisor, who taught first grade for 35 plus years(imagine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) talked to me about classroom management. The half hour time frame, as I said before, makes me crazy. So instead of establishing procedures and teaching them, I have been just rolling in and getting to the art. Well, that is not working. I guess I thought that because the classroom teacher had trained them in behavior, and was in the classroom when I was teaching, that the fifth graders would continue with those procedures. Nope, not happening.
So, my supervisor suggested that I find cues that work for me, and teach them to the kids. Countdown from 5 for get quiet and get seated, or clapping hands to start the kids clapping hands as they scurry to their seats (geez, after the PE health thing on clapping.........) or blinking the light off and on, or something. Any ideas on this one? I would like to do something that works at any age level, since I run back and forth from k-12 throughout the day.
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And we thought high school was a different world...I think these techniques that you have mentioned are necessary but they really crack me up, especially at 2 am. I think the lights out idea works at both ages/stages and is not too demeaning for secondary students, although, whatever you do, the students have to be trained to respond so it only works if you are there regularly. Otherwise, I think you have to use the same techniques that their teacher normally uses.
ReplyDeleteYou are admirable in that you can still function at 2:00 a.m. I had to give that up in consideration of survival. Thank you for your response. The idea of using what they already know is absolutely true. I think I will just ask the fifth grade classes to teach the techniques to me, and spend a good part of Monday getting to know them better, while talking about some styles of art. It seems amazing that spring term is basically over, and I have had so little time with my primary class. Many combinations of factors, but again, the repetitive trips to LaGrande have made it impossible to have any continuity with these students so far.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya. I'm hoping now that classes are done, I can get down to business with my students better. As far as the attention getting situation, I think if you talk to them about expected behavior and ask them what they would like to do (clapping, 3-2-1, etc.) to gain their attention, they might be more likely to quiet down when you ask.
ReplyDeleteAnother strategy is to raise your hand, then the students raise their hands to be quite. Once everyone has their hands raised and you have their attention, you can proceed. The benefits are that it works well in a noisy classroom since it is very visual and not all of the students can hear the clapping. It also works well because you don't have to stand by the classroom light switch - you can be anywhere in the classroom. Best of luck to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks all!! I also realize that I like a fun, relaxed attitude in art class, but I have to have order to make it work for everyone. So tomorrow we will decide how to get our attention rounded up!! Yeehaw.
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