First weeks of this school year

As I reflect on the first six weeks of this school year, overall, I am pleased with the start. I have tried to implement several ideas from NTI this summer into my classroom. I have the "line of transition" on the floor as the students enter the door and have explained how they should transition. I use the "lights off" method to get the attention of my students when the noise level gets too high. Also, I have used some of the "take five" things fromt he notebook, which the kids seem to be enjoying. I try to refer to my classroom procedures as often as possible when need be. Even when utilizing all of these things, the students still get off task at times and I feel that, on some days, it is a true struggle to get much work out of them. Last week, I started using writing assignments as a form of discipline and they seem to be good. The writing assignments are paragraphs that I have students who choose to remain off task copy. They emphasize the importance of the student staying on task and the problems that his or her not doing so cause to the teacher and within the classroom. Like I mentioned, I am truly trying to utilize several of the things from class this summer, but I often reflect on something that I should have used or said after the fact. I am hoping that with practice, I will continue to grow as a teacher.

I think the thing that I have had the most problems with this year is stopping class towards the end of the period for closure and transfer-out. If I am doing a lecture or something that requires them to remain seated, I typically watch the clock and am able to fit it in. Although, I still can't get the timing completely right yet. On the other hand, when I am having the kids work in groups and when the room has to be fixed, I find that it is harder to do. Mostly, it is hard to get the kids attention again at the end of group work, after they've reorganized the room. Getting them completely quiet to close out after group work has been difficult for me to do. As, the year continues, I hope to master this, as well as other issues that may arise. All I can do is take it one step at a time and that's what I am doing.