I am happy to report that I had another good day at school! I was less nervous and things felt more routine! I was able to interact with the students more today. I got to take them to and
from different things in the building and teach a lesson. It was nice to jump right in and practice my teaching skills! I saw many positive
interactions between teachers and students today as well. I noticed right away that my
cooperating teacher tries to be very positive with students. She told
the students that she would never yell at them, but might need to simply redirect them if they are off task or can't focus.
One example of teacher-student interaction that stood out happened today while my class was seated on the floor for a group discussion. A boy was having trouble focusing, was off task, and needed to be moved. My cooperating teacher simply asked the boy if he would move
and sit next to another student because she thought he could focus
better there. Her words were kind, but direct. She told students that if they are asked to move
during a group discussion, it is because there might be a spot in the group where they can focus better. I felt like this method was less
disruptive to the group than others I have seen and did not make the student feel like they
were being harshly punished in front of their peers. I hope to remember some of these examples and hopefully use them in my own classroom.
I am looking forward to day three and more chances to teach students!
Another reason why I like Ms. Liepitz's style of redirecting is because it includes a reason that's tied to learning. Asking the boy to move to improve his focus says a lot about why the class has behavioral expectations. Rules are there to improve learning, not to make the teacher's life more easy, or to show your complete submission to arbitrary expectations. Nor does her comment embarrass the child-I've heard many teachers say, "Move to a new place; you're distracting everyone." (While this may be true, it's not the best way to interact when you're calling out a kid--on Day 2--for fidgeting, or whatever.)
ReplyDeleteJane frames the redirect, as you said, in a firm, but affirming way that proves she's putting kids first.
You may be surprised by how quickly you adopt Jane's style of teacher-student interaction, especially if what you've seen already aligns with your beliefs about managing a classroom that's respectful and learning-centered.