Question or Problem
How do I create an engaging first day of school lesson plan identifying student interests, instructing classroom management procedures, and engaging students in their first taste of the content for the first unit of instruction? (Added Challenge: How do I create the inviting and comfortable learning atmosphere I desire based on my teaching philosophy?).
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| getchemistryhelp.com |
...doing research on activities and classroom procedure practices... hypothesizing that students will enjoy planned activities and walk away with understanding of the course...
Testing the experiment
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| wallsheaven.de |
In lab on Wednesday I had my students do a bellwork activity by writing some information down about themselves. Following this, I went over the objectives, and led them in an icebreaker. There was much more to my lesson, however this was what could fit in the 10 minute time period for the lab.
Analysis and results of data
I really enjoyed planning and facilitating this lesson plan! My students (classmates) had some strong characters as they acted out different types of students. One had a cell phone addiction, and others shared inappropriate comments or put-downs that I had to correct. After watching the video of the lab, I think I did a good job of paying attention to the behavior of my students. There were only a few behaviors that I didn't notice that I should have taken care of. (Still growing those eyes in the back of my head, I guess). Despite those few unnoticed behaviors, I think walking around the room, engaging with students, and approaching them as soon as I noticed the misbehavior helped.
On the other side of this, I know I need to work on managing those students once I've caught them. After hearing some very helpful and supportive feedback from my peers, the biggest thing I got was to be more stern, and serious from the second an issue happens so students immediately know that I'm not playing around when it comes to misbehavior.
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| stephaniemulac.com |
It always seems to be the case that I think of good responses after the fact but in the moment, I'm never quite sure what to say. I think this is difficult because each student reacts to a response in different ways. While one student may be receptive to a "teacher stare", another might need to be pulled out into the hall way 2 or 3 (or more) times before they get their act together. Knowing that there are many options and that they differ from student to student make discipline difficult for me. Especially when I have to do it in the moment.
Conclusion
I truly welcomed the suggestions of my classmates because I think their perspective and honesty helps me more clearly see where I need improvement as well as see what my strengths are. Discipline is the key area I need to improve!
Otherwise, I felt very good about being in front of the room, leading the activities, and transitioning.
Leaving Thought
"If it's both terrifying and amazing, then you should definitely pursue it"-Erada
I really like how you are using the scientific method in your teacher prep, that is genius!
ReplyDeleteI seriously think that you did a great job in the lab. you seemed confident and prepared and that goes a long way in classroom management I believe.
As we were discussing earlier, there needs to be a balance of being assertive and creating an inviting atmosphere. You have to let the students know that you are leading the classroom and establish boundaries but at the same time we need to develop a good rapport with the students so that they want to learn what we have to offer. That comes with time and practice so keep repeating your experiments and learning from the results!
Well done Miranda on finding a creative way to facilitate your thoughts on the teaching performance!
ReplyDeleteKeep on grinding! I am proud of you!