This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Challenge
What do you mean name one challenge in classroom management or laboratory? The whole thing is a major challenge. However if I have to isolate one major element, it would be professional behavior. How do you instill the importance of professionalism in the work place to teenagers? Although I have a pretty well behaved group overall, I still have students with the tendency of playfulness, especially the boys. Additionally I believe that a few are uninterested participants. As soon as I turn my back to help a group that is having difficulty, the horseplay starts. I have posted classroom and lab rules and asked for signed contracts. I generally have the student in violation read me the rule that they violated which curtails the behavior somewhat but not exclusively. Students in violation are respectful and obedient when caught; and it is not always the same student, although one of my special needs students is often involved. I have spoken with his specialist and he has offered suggestions from time to time that have not been effective. The disruptions although manageable are still draining on class time and effectiveness. I am open to all suggestions.
One things about the students is that they really don't take classes like ours serious. My take on it, if you feel that this class is a joke, when we go into the labs and cook you can not participate.I know this may sound mean but I can't afford to have a student injured or injure someone else. I have done this a couple of times and I have seen that they start to change. My explanation is that in the real world you can not go into anyone's job horseplaying, talking loud, excessive tardiness or not dressed appropriately. I model what I expect from my students.They are really smart, you must HOLD YOUR GROUND,if they feel you are going to give in to them they will take advantage. I was like that my first year, now they know when I say something I mean it. I have a young man that will do detention with me next week for eating something out of the refrigerator when a sub was here the other day, he will clean the ovens in the kitchen and mop the entire room.He took me as a joke but it was his peers that reported the incident to me. All the kids came to me giving ideas for punishment because they said they reminded him of our class/lab procedures and my expectations when I am not at school.He did come back to apologize and his parents made him replace the items that were taken. Now this young man understands the importance of doing what he is suppose to do.
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