Chapter 4

Chapter 4a & 4b

          Chapter 4 was a very interesting and helpful Chapter for not only me, but for other first year teachers as well. What first grabbed my attention when reading was the word "conducive." In Chapter 4 a conducive learning environment was defined as on that is "emotionally safe, that helps students to perceive the importance of what is being taught, that helps them realize they can achieve, and is instructive and supportive in the procedures for doing it (Kellough, 110). I found this to be incredibly helpful because I believe that students who feel safe and feel that the information they are learning is relevant to their own lives they will be less likely to have disruptive behavior and will also grow as a learner and person. To have the connection with students, students must feel that their classroom environment is being supportive of their efforts, that the teacher whole heartedly cares about them, that the teacher respects the student and they are welcome in the classroom and the learning is challenging but not impossible. One thing that I notice about young adolescents is their want to fit in. Many times the disruptive behaviors that are created in a classroom are because students feel the need for attention. As a teacher, one must learn how to react to these situations and guide the disruptive student back on track. This is very tricky for middle school teachers because their students are going through a very awkward time. Students are trying to figure out their place in life, they are dealing with hormones and other emotional factors and in addition to all of these things, many may come from rough psychological backgrounds. When I have my future classroom it will be important to implement a strict but respectful management plan that way students understand the expectations of the classroom. By doing this, my teaching can be effective and well-organized and have a "business-like classroom" where I can properly motivate my students to learn free from distractions. Ginott commented on the importance of "communication with the student to find out his/her feelings about a situation and bout him/herself." I feel that teachers should truly learn everything they can about their students that way they can facilitate learning with each student in the most beneficial way possible.
          The Chapter also spoke on "dead time." When teaching it is important that ones classroom runs with no dead time (time where students have nothing to do) because this is what often creates the disruptions. The teacher must then spend even more time getting the class back on track. When I have my own classroom (preferably a first grade classroom) I am planning on using some type of positive reward system where students are rewarded for doing the right things. This way I can model and reward those who are doing the right things and keep them motivated to continue to do the right things but also get those who are acting out back on track.