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.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
I wish...
I wish I would have had my lab management plan in place. Having these teenagers help run my lab has made it like a well oiled machine. They hold each other accountable for equipment usage and it's really great to see them take ownership of the program. This really frees me up to monitor the class as a whole. Last year I did everything myself, and it was beyond a stress factory in my lab. Now in my labs I see my students going to the managers for equipment, or questions. It really is amazing when at 15 minutes until the bell, I hear my time keeper yell out "5 more minutes, save your projects." I never thought that something as simple as class/lab managers would be such an affective tool.
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ReplyDeleteHal,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more. Student leaders have given me a little more freedom to do other things through-out the day such as prepare for the next class, enter attendance and what not. The students have also shown me on ocassion an easier way of doing the lab during the set up at times.
You have so much equipment. It is great that students have taken ownership of it. I only do a few labs with my intor students, but I have taken the lab management and used it in the classroom itself, treating the books, handouts etc as equipment.
ReplyDeleteI did the same thing last year. Checking out equipment myself left me unable to monitor the students that were in other parts of the room. It's so nice to be able to give the students an opportunity to prove how responsible and professional they can be. Also, I like having the opportunity to go to a kid I may be having a bit of trouble getting along with and saying, "Can you help me out? I think you'd be great at checking out equipment. Want to be my equipment manager this week?" The only time I've been told no is when the student thinks they are unworthy. I correct them, bolster them a bit and they get to feel good about taking a leadership role in class. We both come from the situation where if something has to be done, you were the only person who could do it. So, you begin your teaching career by looking at all these things you have to get done and assume you should get to work because you'll have to do them all yourself - never thinking of splitting some of that work up and handing it out to the students. What a long, long, way we've all come...
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post. I cannot believe how much difference it makes having a sop/lab management plan. My kids are very excited to have different jobs in the shop. They cannot wait to get started. This has alsocut down on the amount of shop tools that go missing. This one simple thing has cut down on my work load, made behavior problems less and made kis want to work harder, take ownership and learn more. The same thing goes for my classroom management plan. It has cut down on a lot of thing that were going on before I went to NTI. Thanks again for all I have learned at NTI.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! The time keeper is a great thing to have for them to do. I just have trouble getting them to bring a watch many of our labs are outside..
ReplyDeleteHal,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on this! I too was exteremely stessed thinking that I had to get everything done on my own. Once I had my Lab plan in place everything runs so smoothly. I seriously dont know what! I did without it!