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EdPsy
399 OL Casey Jo Burrus |
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Lesson 1: Getting Started with Classroom Management
Wolfgang, Chapters 1, 2, & 14.
Assignment -- Introduce us to you as a teacher. Discuss the “levels of teacher maturity and discipline models”, and relate how well they describe your situation. Do you think the strategy to construct your own personal management approach from among those presented in the textbook, is a reasonable one?
Philosophies of Discipline: Based on the inventory on page 9, I fit into the Rules-Consequences category with Relationship-Listening following close behind. I set up a structured discipline plan, but willingly listen to students's thoughts and opinions. I believe the students need structure, but must realize that they have the power to decide for themselves how they should behave.
Developmental Levels of Discipline: As a third-year teacher, I fall somewhere in between the Intuitive-Survival and Reflective-Confident teacher. I am still new enough to the profession to rely heavily on instinct. At the same time, I have a collection of discipline techniques that I use on a daily basis. I am willing to incorporate new techniques suggested by colleagues and professionals into my existing plan.
Assignment -- Think of a situation in your private/professional life -- outside of school or you as a teacher -- that is arranged in a similar manner to the Assertive Discipline strategy of encouraging people to act in a certain way. Describe that situation, how well it worked, and how well you liked it. Would you like to be in that kind of situation for 6 or so hours every day? If you can't think of such a situation, speculate on why it doesn't occur very often outside of the school environment in your life.
In reading the AD Chapter in Wolfgang, and listening to the other responses, I have decided that Assertive Discipline can be found in our private lives. It is one of those things that has been around long enough to filter throughout the society as a whole.
It is a major part of our decision-making process. There is a definite pattern to informed decision-making: 1) learning about the options; 2) determining possible consequences of each option; 3) speaking with others who have made similar decisions: 4) making decisions. Then, once the decision has been made, the individual must live with the consequences of the decision: Good Decision -- Positive Reinforcement and Bad Decision -- Negative Reinforcement.
Assignment -- Is an Orchestra Conductor a true metaphor for teaching? Does it fit me as a teacher? In what ways does it work, in what ways does it fail? Is there a better metaphor for a teacher? Describe it.
An Orchestra Conductor is an accurate metaphor for teaching. Teachers have control over many task as the same time. A juggler is also a good metaphor for teaching.
Last updated: April 17, 2004