Length of Lesson
1 to 2 hours
Standards
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.2
Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.3
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.
Instructions
- Ask students to imagine they are a first year teacher, and consider the following questions:
- What subject and grade are you teaching?
- What will you do on the first day of class?
- What will your rules and consequences be?
- Discuss student ideas and responses as a class.
- After the class discussion, show the Classroom Management Techniques video.
- Guide students in a discussion of the techniques presented in the video and how it compared to their earlier discussion.
- Was there anything in the video you found surprising? Explain.
- Which aspects, if any, of the video matched up with your personal view on managing a classroom?
- Which aspects of your personal view of running a classroom will you change after viewing this video?
- Distribute the Classroom Management Techniques quiz, and allow them to share their answers as a class. Provide additional guidance as needed.
- Complete one or more of the activities listed below (or extend the lesson over several days to allow time to complete all of the activities).
Class Expectations Role Play Activity
- Ask students to consider their class from the earlier discussion, and determine five class rules they would implement, reminding them that rules will vary for each grade and subject.
- Students must develop a plan for involving their classes in creating their class rules; plans should include a specific method and details on how to execute that method. Possible methods include:
- Each student writes a rule they feel is important and shares it with the class.
- Display cards that list different rules and allow students to pick those they feel are most important.
- Hold a class election to choose rules.
- When students have developed their plans, they will become the teacher for the class.
- Each student teacher must first inform students the grade and subject for which the plan has been written.
- Students will play the role of new students as the 'teacher' implements their strategy.
- At the end of the activity, allow 'students' and 'teachers' to process what they learned. Possible discussion points are listed below.
Questions for Students
- Did you like the chosen activity? Explain.
- Did this activity make you feel like you had a say in the class rules? Explain.
- What did you feel was the weakest point of this activity? The strongest?
- What could have made this activity better?
Questions for Teachers
- What worked well in your activity?
- What did not work well and how will you change it?
- What was the most difficult part of the activity to implement?
- Were the rules created what you wanted to see for your classroom? If not, how will you adjust this activity in the future?
Setting the Mood Activity
- Ask students to write down three ways they intend to set a positive classroom environment. For example:
- Shaking hands at the door.
- Playing music as students enter.
- Asking students to share good things at the beginning of class.
- Playing icebreaker activities.
- Explain that students will practice their techniques together. Each student should choose one method for setting a positive class environment. Allow students a few minutes to prepare their plans, if needed.
- Choose one student to stay in the classroom and ask the other students to step outside of the classroom.
- The student teacher should indicate to the students in the hall that class is beginning, and will then implement their plan.
- When the 'teacher' has implemented their plan, ask:
- What went well?
- What kind of overall mood did you feel the class had?
- What parts did you like and which did you dislike? Explain.
- What changes will you make for your classroom in the future?
Student Engagement Activity
- Ask students to think about the classes they chose to teach earlier in the lesson.
- Explain that they will be developing an authentic learning activity for their class, and will implement this activity with the other students in the class.
- The subject matter and unit are at each student's discretion.
- Reiterate that an authentic learning activity is one that helps students see how material relates to the real world and their lives.
- Allow students ample time to thoroughly develop one engagement activity.
- Have students take turns implementing their activities with the class.
- At the completion of each activity, discuss:
- Was this activity relevant to the subject matter?
- Did it relate the material to a real-world situation and/or the students?
- Was the material effectively presented through this activity?
- What about this activity made it work or not work?
- What changes will you make to improve it?
Using Wait Time in the Classroom
Cooperative and Collaborative Learning in the Classroom
