Module 4: Unit 1: Activity 4: Reflection on Classroom Climate

There is a real difference between an expert in a field and being able to teach it. Probably the most important task for a teacher is developing a positive classroom climate in order for the student to absorb the material from the class. Being an educator means you are only able to pass along knowledge but create an environment that the student is receptive to learning. This mean developing a relationship with your students and making sure the students have healthy relationships with each other.


There are many strategies that are available to teachers to help provide this environment to the students. First and foremost it starts with the teacher. The teacher should provide the students with guidance and should control the behavior and subject matter of the class. While collaboration with the students in the classroom is important it should be noted that too much leeway can lead to chaos.  Successful teacher should be somewhat unemotional and have a matter-of-fact attitude about teaching. Too much emotional investment or having a too romanticized view of the class can lead to trouble.



This is not to say that teachers should be robotic, teachers should develop a relationship with each student. By knowing something about each student and providing lessons and content that is personalized for the students in their class it will create added interest in learning. Humor and friendly physical behavior (i.e. a pat on the back, high five, etc.) can also be effective.

A classroom needs consistency from the teacher when dealing with behavior, this goes for both positive and negative consequences. The impact of consequences are negated if they are not used consistency. For this reason, I think its important for teachers to keep their emotions and personal biases in check when dealing with students. In my teaching experience this has definitely been a struggle at time and i find it a good exercise to consistently try and look at the situation from the perspective of the student and try and determine why they are acting in the way they are.

A major factor that plays a huge role in how smoothly a class is run is how students treat each other and the level of respect they show one another. One of the ideas I found fascinating in this unit was the idea of facilitating emotional intelligence as a teacher. While having students develop this skills will make for a more enjoyable classroom  experience for everyone these are also qualities that make for better human beings. Sherri Gordon's article lists a lot great strategies that, aside from improving the classroom climate, also have the added benefit of increasing academic success and preventing bullying.

Finally, I thought the idea of using group work as a way to promote positive student-to-student interaction, improve academic performance, and even as a reduce bullying was enlightening. It is something i'm going to try and implement in some of my classes a little more. I have a few classes where there is a huge gap in the level of participation and it has caused some problems. I think this will be a great method to try to build some classroom comradely.  


Sources:

Marzano, Robert J. (2007) The Art and Science of Teaching. Alexandria, Virginia USA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Curtis, Diane (2003, March 13) Raise Your Students' Emotional-Intelligence Quotient. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/10-tips-creating-caring-school

Gordon, Sherri (2013, December 31) 8 Strategies for Increasing the Emotional Intelligence of Students. Retrieved from: http://bullying.about.com/od/Educators/fl/8-Strategies-for-Increasing-the-Emotional-Intelligence-of-Students.htm

Johnson, Roger T. and Johnson, David W. (2014) Encouraging Student/Student Interaction. Retrieved from: https://www.narst.org/publications/research/encourage2.cfm

Infographic on Individual Accountability in Project Based Learning

Module 3: Unit 4: Activity 5: Video Log: Reflection on Digital Tools for Learning

Some musings on the current and future benefit of touchscreen technology in the classroom.

Module 3: Week 4: Activity 1: Instructional Goals for Selecting Digital Tools

Technology in the classroom is something that when used correctly can bring an added element to a lesson and spark interest in students where there wasn't any before. However, when used incorrectly it can be nothing more than a time filler and actually create negative consequences.

Some topics just lend themselves to be better served by having additional visual/audio material or hands-on activities. It would be a boring lesson on van Gogh's paintings or Debussy's music without being able to see or hear the receptive artist's work. The possibilities for for interactive maps for geography or history lessons seem very attractive. Adding tech into the classroom gives the teacher the opportunity to enhance lessons when appropriate. The possibility of collaboration and group work using technology is also a factor that a teacher should not ignore. Applications like Google Docs gives the teacher a new and more effective way of monitoring the students work and progress. If a teacher has planned out their lesson properly and the tech adds to its effectiveness then it has been a success.

The problem is that too often, tech in the classroom can be used only as a reward or a time killer . If the teacher has not prepared their lesson properly or just wants to keep the students occupied and turns on a screen to show a video unrelated the lesson and may distract students from the original theme of the class. Also using tech in this way or only when they are playing games, basically purely for entertainment, might negatively associates tech in the minds of the students.

The potential for interactive websites, apps on iPads, educational videos and other tech are great as education tools. Teachers should strive to find a proper place for them in the classroom.

Module 3: Week 3: Activity 1: Reflection on Digital Tools

Is there one tool the stands out as being most effective? Why?


Although in the past I have used technology effectively in the classroom and for lessons, I currently am working with very young children and, aside from a CD player, there is no digital technology in the classroom. The most effective tools for me in as a teacher currently have been one which I have used to prepare lessons and learn about teaching techniques that I can use with my students. Websites such as Edutopia, TeachingChannel, YouTube, and, more specifically to Korea, the message boards on Waygook have all been helpful. I recently found out about Research for Better teaching and a blog by Kathy Schrock that i look forward to reading more about. So I guess i'll kind of cheat and say the Internet is the more effective tool for me.

In what other ways can you use these tools?

In terms of interacting with other educators and sharing ideas a lot of the websites I mentioned above have comment sections below the articles and have Facebook page or one on another social networking page. Edutopia also has a YouTube page  with hundreds of videos on various educational subjects.

How can you extend use of these tools in the classroom with your students?

A lot of the information I get from reading these sites is directly transferable to the classroom. Whether its a method for dealing with a behavior problem or a new lesson plan idea its brought into my daily lessons.