Secrets for Secondary School Teachers (9 page)

One creative variation that is somewhat time-consuming (so you may need to set aside time for it during the second meeting of the class) is to ask the students to work cooperatively in small groups to invent their own rules. Although
initially their suggestions may be silly and inappropriate (“We don’t need any rules!”), you will be amazed at how wisely they will create exactly the guidelines that are needed. Your job in this exercise is to draw out of them their own commitment to follow rules they develop for themselves. This allows you, at a later time, to be able to say to them, “Look, you are the ones who decided that nobody should be disrespected in this room. I’m just following through on what you came up with.”

However rules are explained, you must let students know what behavior is expected and what will happen if they don’t follow the guidelines. Be specific and give examples. For instance, if you are bothered by students getting up during the period to sharpen pencils, then tell them, “Pencils should be sharpened before the bell rings. Otherwise, you’ll be writing with dull points.” Explain the purpose of rules—to meet the needs of students for respect and safety and to promote an academic environment in which learning can occur.

S
OME
S
AMPLE
R
ULES

Think of the rule setting as constructive discipline. You are setting up a behavior code that will avoid conflict in the future and provide the students with an environment in which they will be ready to learn. The following examples illustrate the kinds of rules that you might consider implementing. (Again, check your school policies to make sure you are being consistent with them.)

Students should be in their seats when the tardy bell rings.
If the tardiness is to be excused or not counted, the student must have a pass. Otherwise, the student must report to the dean’s or principal’s office.

Homework is due at the beginning of the period.
The alternative, of course, is that the students will do it during class and turn it in at the middle or at the end of the period. Some
teachers prefer to have the homework turned in or placed in a basket before the tardy bell rings, so that students will concentrate on the lesson and not on finishing their homework.

Covered textbooks are to be brought to class every day.
This rule must be stressed, especially for students who come from other countries where procedures may be different. Some schools provide copies for students to keep at home and have a class set available for school use. So, this rule will not be appropriate for all.

Books that are covered remain in better shape and last longer. Also, covers give students an acceptable place to doodle, and the desktops will stay cleaner (we hope). The students can change the book covers to fit their moods. Here’s a teaching tip: You can encourage students to put helpful information on the book cover, such as creating time lines for history, or mnemonic devices related to your subject.

Raise your hand and wait to be recognized before speaking.
By the secondary level, most students understand the reason for this and are used to the practice of this necessary rule. However, after a break from school, students need to be reminded.

Be courteous and considerate to all students and faculty.
Review manners and etiquette. Let students know that swearing will not be tolerated and name-calling is not acceptable. An atmosphere of respect must prevail.

T
HEORIES AND
M
ODELS OF
C
LASSROOM
D
ISCIPLINE

There are almost two dozen different models of classroom discipline, each with its own perspective. Although a discussion of classroom management theories is beyond the scope of this book, we feel it is imperative that you give serious thought to
your philosophical beliefs on this subject and how you want to manage your classroom. You have already thought about this a lot and discussed it in your education classes. Now is the time to talk to other teachers in your school to find out what has worked best with this particular student population in this specific setting.

Based on your research, develop a policy and practices that are consistent with your beliefs and comfortable for you to implement. The secret is to be proactive rather than to wait for trouble to start. In order to be effective with students, you must be clear and firm. Students will benefit if you provide a supportive structure that is implemented fairly and consistently. When (not if) you experience difficulties, make sure you have given ample time for your selected approach to be implemented before you try another one.

C
LASS
S
YLLABUS

If your class syllabus is available, a logical next step would be to distribute it to your students. If not, at least present the main ideas. First, identify the specific course objectives. Explain the requirements for the class and the evaluation system. The grading scale should be clearly stated. The attendance and makeup procedures should also be carefully explained so as to prevent problems in the future. Set a firm policy on the completion of makeup work and tests. Inform students of your policy on work turned in late. Will it be corrected? Will it be graded? The syllabus sets the framework for the class proceedings. It is worthwhile to commit time and effort to its construction, as it will be read and used by students, parents, and the administration.

G
ET TO
W
ORK

If there is any time left, start a lesson. Believe it or not, most experienced teachers can get through all the steps mentioned
previously and still save some time to address the course content. We are not saying that that is a reasonable expectation for a beginner, but at the very least, be prepared to get into a lesson. By doing so, you will feel reassured that there will be no dead or wasted time.

In your first lesson, be creative and clever. Remember how important first impressions can be. Teach something new that presumes the students have little prior knowledge of the subject (this makes sure everyone is on equal footing). Or, pose a stimulating question related to your subject. Let students leave with something they didn’t have when they walked in the door—a new idea, a skill, an interest, a piece of information, an “itch that needs scratching.”

E
NDING THE
P
ERIOD

Don’t let the bell end your class;
you
end it by timing your final words to be spoken before the bell rings. Advise students to leave in an orderly way. Remind them if there is any homework due. Say goodbye with a smile. Show them you are looking forward to seeing them the next day. Make eye contact and say a few words to as many students as you can when they file out of the room. Remember, this is your home during the school day and you want them to feel that way as well.

T
IME
C
ONSIDERATIONS

If you are on an abbreviated schedule on the first day of school and your first meeting with the students is a short one, then two adaptations to this plan are suggested. First, wait to review the syllabus until the second day. You may have additional students enrolling after the first day, and they might not appear until the second day anyhow. Second, instead of explaining all the details of class procedures during this brief class period, use a short, get-acquainted activity in which the students work in pairs or in small groups. Your main goal is
simply that they will leave their first contact with you saying to themselves (and one another), “Hey, that teacher’s pretty cool. That class could be interesting.”

A C
HEAT
S
HEET

I (Jeffrey) was so terrified before I taught my first class that I actually wrote out a “cheat sheet” of notes for myself, because I thought for sure I would forget one of the 2,000 different things I wanted to remember. But the idea of bringing notes or an outline with you is a good idea.

The following is a suggested agenda for “Day One:”

Greeting

Say “Good morning” or “Good afternoon.”

State your name.

Identify the room and subject.

Introduction of Yourself

Say who you are and where you came from.

Tell about how you came to be a teacher.

Mention your interests related to the subject and outside of school.

Introduction of the Subject

Describe the topics of study.

Mention typical class activities.

Show a sample of projects or products.

Show the textbook.

Introducing the Students to Each Other Through an Activity

Have students introduce themselves and/or share collected information with the class and/or collect written responses.

Class Rules

Discuss the importance of rules.

Present a list or have students develop their own rules.

Distribution of the Syllabus

Go through the syllabus and answer questions students might have regarding grades and assignments.

A Quick Lesson

Briefly engage the students in an activity related to your subject.

Dismissal

Remind students of what they need to be doing before next class. If possible, end on a dramatic note. At the very least, say goodbye in a warm manner.

  6  

Developing Plans for Instruction and Assessment

“
W
hat are we going to do today?” This is often the question that students ask as they come into the classroom. And it is usually followed by, “Will we be doing anything different?” or “Are we having a test today?”

As the instructional leader in the classroom, you need to be ready. Once the students come in and the bell rings, the students’ eyes will be on you. It is the moment for you to take charge and commence the learning activities. A well-developed plan will be your guide. It will provide you with your selected objectives for the day, a sequence of activities, a list of needed resources, and assessments. While school districts or principals may request a particular format, there are common elements found in most lesson plans. A general daily lesson plan format follows in
Figure 6.1
on
page 61
, after a short overview discussion on long-term and unit planning.

L
ONG
-T
ERM
P
LANNING

Take a look at the entire curriculum for which you are responsible and do some preliminary curriculum mapping. This means look at the content standards and decide on the most appropriate sequencing of material. You will also want to estimate how much time will be needed for each topic or content area.

In your planning, note the dates of school vacations, standardized testing, school events, and final exams. This long-range planning gives you a global view of how you will proceed and points out the necessity of keeping a steady pace throughout the year. Most likely there will be adjustments to the plan along the way, but your initial outline will give you a good idea of how to proceed.

You may also be ready at this point to do a textbook correlation, that is, to identify which chapters or sections of chapters in your textbook match the standards. Or, you can examine the content of the textbook as you plan your units.

U
NIT
P
LANNING

Now you are ready to break down the curriculum into units and go into more depth. Integrate concepts or skills together around a topic or theme. If you are using a textbook, you will see how the author or authors have chosen to do this by presenting material in chapter format. The teacher resource books and supplementary materials guides may even provide a number of scope and sequence charts for your consideration, based on the length of your semester. However, you do not have to follow this lead. You can pick and choose material from various chapters for a particular unit. You are not required to have the students tackle the text from “cover to cover.” (There is rarely enough time to do so.) Select the information that supports the content standards for your course.
See what supplementary material, such as books or articles, will also support student learning.

Formulate Essential Questions

Today, many educators see the value of structuring learning based on questions. Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe suggest developing essential questions to engage students and guide their learning. The questions should reflect what you consider to be essential and enduring knowledge, reflect the heart of the discipline, and stimulate discussion. Questions should be open-ended and worded in a way that your students can understand them. By using essential questions, you help students make a personal connection to “the big picture.”

With the questions in mind, you can begin to identify the general types of learning experiences you want to provide, the resources you will need, and the best assessments to measure student achievement. For the day-by-day instruction, daily lesson plans are used.