Comments on: Find A Mirror (Total Teacher Transformation Day 2) http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/total-teacher-transformation-find-a-mirror-day-2/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: GBhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/total-teacher-transformation-find-a-mirror-day-2/#comment-5507 GB Tue, 05 May 2009 02:58:07 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=1554#comment-5507 This is very good advice. I blogged <a href="http://docereestdiscere.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/teaching-differently/" rel="nofollow">earlier in the year</a> about a speaker we had for a teacher inservice while I was student teaching who said the same thing in a slightly different way: "Classroom management is <i>self</i>-management." I've never forgotten that. Here's an idea that I've had but haven't tried (so <i>caveat lector</i>): If you're reflecting on classroom management problems, write a space for discipline into your daily preparation. I'm a big believer in planning as a tool to help work out classroom management problems, and I think that it behooves us as teachers to think about what problems happened yesterday (or the day before, or beyond that, especially chronic behaviors) and adjust our planning to accommodate (read: eliminate) those sorts of issues. (When I say "write a space," I mean literally: if you write out your lesson plans, make a place for what changes you will make this lesson to get rid of problems.) I think this would go nicely with the sort of reflection - no pun intended - that Joel's talking about. Another thing that I want to throw out there: I had a chance to discuss an outgoing teacher's habits with an administrator. This teacher was a poor planner and suffered with poor classroom management, and the administrator said that it was because the students knew that the teacher wasn't respecting them enough to be prepared. Being unprepared doesn't just make you look unprofessional; it makes students think that you don't care enough about them to bring all you can to the classroom to help them learn. Food for thought. This is very good advice. I blogged earlier in the year about a speaker we had for a teacher inservice while I was student teaching who said the same thing in a slightly different way: “Classroom management is self-management.” I’ve never forgotten that.

Here’s an idea that I’ve had but haven’t tried (so caveat lector): If you’re reflecting on classroom management problems, write a space for discipline into your daily preparation. I’m a big believer in planning as a tool to help work out classroom management problems, and I think that it behooves us as teachers to think about what problems happened yesterday (or the day before, or beyond that, especially chronic behaviors) and adjust our planning to accommodate (read: eliminate) those sorts of issues. (When I say “write a space,” I mean literally: if you write out your lesson plans, make a place for what changes you will make this lesson to get rid of problems.) I think this would go nicely with the sort of reflection – no pun intended – that Joel’s talking about.

Another thing that I want to throw out there: I had a chance to discuss an outgoing teacher’s habits with an administrator. This teacher was a poor planner and suffered with poor classroom management, and the administrator said that it was because the students knew that the teacher wasn’t respecting them enough to be prepared. Being unprepared doesn’t just make you look unprofessional; it makes students think that you don’t care enough about them to bring all you can to the classroom to help them learn. Food for thought.

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]]> By: Tom Anselmhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/total-teacher-transformation-find-a-mirror-day-2/#comment-5470 Tom Anselm Mon, 04 May 2009 16:22:09 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=1554#comment-5470 Joel, this is a very ambitious endeavor,especially at the end of the year. But one that is extremely important and will prove to be valuable to many, I am sure. And maybe this is the best time of the year for this sort of thing, since so many of us are looking for ways to better ourselves from what we were the past 8 months. This series will give us all something to reflect upon as we roll down the days to the end, but then take time to recharge over the summer months. Today's topic couldn't be more on target, and you're right in saying that just recognizing this is a huge step in the right direction for any teacher, rookie or veteran. Tom Anselm Joel, this is a very ambitious endeavor,especially at the end of the year. But one that is extremely important and will prove to be valuable to many, I am sure. And maybe this is the best time of the year for this sort of thing, since so many of us are looking for ways to better ourselves from what we were the past 8 months. This series will give us all something to reflect upon as we roll down the days to the end, but then take time to recharge over the summer months. Today’s topic couldn’t be more on target, and you’re right in saying that just recognizing this is a huge step in the right direction for any teacher, rookie or veteran.
Tom Anselm

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