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.
Friday, October 3, 2008
challenges!! 3rd week
I am facing the same challenge that I faced last year. My students struggle to keep quiet during role call. I have asked them nicely, waited til they are quiet, and implemented the light switch. Nothing I seem to do has an effect on the students. I thought about reward but do not think I should have to reward for such a simple task. I am sure most of the issue is 26-32 girls in one room. I know this is small compared to other teacher's struggles, however it is incredibly important to my school that we get an accurate count. I hope someone has an idea that I have yet to try. Thanks for all your input!
Hey Amiee,
ReplyDeleteI have a quote calendar and each student is responsible for bringing a quote on their designated day. They love it. I have a section on the board for each class period and thats where student write their daily reflection quote. Other students much reflect on the quote (what it means to them, what they think about it, etc.) While they are doing that I take roll. I don't know if that will quite them down but try it. maybe you could have them quote about hair things or fashion things. I think another teacher mentioned that she gives some of her talkative students a few minutes to talk later in class maybe that will quiet them up at the start of class. Ooh, maybe they could sketch a hair style daily...
Getting the students into class and completing role call on a timely basis presents challenges for me also. By the time the last bus arrives from our feeder schools, we are twenty or more minutes past the tardy bell. It is rare for all of the busses to arrive on time.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I have found useful is a bell-ringer, or activity, to review previously covered material, or something from current events or math. You might be able to use brainteasers. I allow one of my lead students to conduct this activity freeing me up to meet and greet students as they arrive and check them off on the roll or attendance card. I also have them to sign in which could possibly be incorporated into a role. By getting them engaged into learning as they arrive, it allows for an easier transition into the main subject when the last bus arrives and while they are reviewing, exercising their minds I am taking the role.
I hope that these ideas give you some ideas on resolving the role call. This is what I have found helpful and am always looking for new ideas as this will continue to be a challenge.
Thanks,
RS in Alpharetta
I started several things this year which seems to be helping regarding the role and getting the students focused from the beginning. Each student has a name tag and notebook that they obtain when they walk in the room. They have several essential questions on the board that they are to answer in their notebook as soon as they arrive. I am able to check the role by quickly looking at the notebooks left on the table and also quickly glancing at a seating chart which confirms who is absent. The room is quieter at the beginning because they are focused on answering the questions which are usually related to what we covered the day before. This also allows me to start with a quick recap from the day before with the class. The students receive a participation grade based on their daily entries in their notebooks which encourages them to be more focused and diligent in class. Hope these suggestions are helpful to you.
ReplyDeleteHi Amiee,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this will work in your classroom or not but I tried it when I had large classes the first 2 years. I stopped calling the role orally. I gave the students assigned seats and expected them to be in them,otherwise they were marked absent. I then just printed my seating charts every morning and completed the role in this manner. It did work for me but again layout of room may dictate.
Hello, Amiee
ReplyDeleteRole call is very important in my school system also we actually have homeroom for 10 minutes before school starts 1st period. If the teachers mark the student wrong in homeroom there marked absent all day eventhought they may be in school.
What normally helps me is a bell ringer. I assigned a bell ringer to my class every class period something I write on the board for them to transfer in their CRJU notebooks concerning maybe a current event topic or something concerning the class topic it's usaually a generic questions that makes them think and write a detail answer in their notebooks. While this activity is going on I take the role, because class is normally quiet.