Managing Sixes

Never have I seen a more organized and well run classroom then I did when I observed grade 6 this week. I was blown away by the setup of the classroom, the anchor charts around the room and the meaning behind every detail of the classroom. I felt like I learned more practical classroom management strategies in this one observation day then all the previous combined. It was the first time I sat down and took true observation notes in order to avoid forgetting a single detail. 

In my cognition textbook Educational Psychology I learned about classroom management in theory. I found it very useful to read as it discussed getting off to the right start, creating a positive classroom environment, developing good routines and developing a positive relationship with students. In this grade 6 portable I saw all of those theories put into practice. Every paper has a bin, every tool has a place and every shelf is designated. The teacher in this portable is clearly respected by her students. They follow instructions, work independently and execute tasks efficiently. She explained that she has high expectations for her students but that she would do anything in her power to help them achieve their goals.

The routines in this classroom are excellent. Students know that after each nutrition break they are to come into the portable, put their lunches away and begin quiet independent reading until the next lesson begins. If a student is absent, a folder is place on their desk and when work sheets are handed out, one is placed in the fold to help that students catch up when they return. Class jobs are assigned and listed on the white board to help the class run smoothly. Students know where to find any resources they need because everything is well labelled and well organized. Students also understand that it is their responsibility to put things back as they found them and to respect their classroom.

This teacher uses a rewards system to recognize good work and good behaviour. Her motto is, "they win as a class and lose as a class". When something is rewarded a student can pick a number from a bucket and place a cross over the number on the chart. Once the class gets enough numbers to fill a row they win something. In conjunction with that, when students waste time talking during a lesson or behave inappropriately the teacher puts a tick under 'time owed' at the front of the room. This adds up to how much time the class owes her at a given recess. The organization, reward system, consequence system and student expectations are all strategies that contribute to excellent classroom management skills and this teacher exemplified all the strategies used in my cognition textbook!