Module 5 - Chapter 15

For this last module, Chapter 15 stuck out to me the most because it talked about the basics of assessment which goes hand in hand with our final project on the test analysis.  Two forms of assessment we are most familiar with are formative assessment which happens in class during instruction and summative assessment which occurs after instruction, such as the final exam.  According to the book, formative assessment is the most important because summative assessment cannot adequately assess the student alone.

The most debated aspect of teaching I am continually hearing is the use of tests and their reliability.  According to Woolfolk, all tests are imperfect estimators of the qualities or skills they are trying to measure.  I have to agree, for the most part, I have always done well on tests because I would study super hard, but after the test, I never thought about that subject again.  I feel there is a better way to assess what your students have learned.

Standardized tests are a huge hot button topic these tests are not always reliable or there can be errors in scores.  According to standardized test companies, they now report scores using a confidence interval or "standard error band" that encloses the student's actual score.  This allows the teacher to consider a range of scores that might include a student's true score ( the score the student would have gotten if the measurement were completely accurate and error-free.) This is crazy to me that even the test company is letting the teacher know the measurement is not accurate and error-free.  We need to take this into account when assessing our classroom at all times.  Tests do not accurately measure every individual.

This area of chapter 13 really interested me because I have had areas in school I was very interested in but did not do so well on the test.  This, in turn, turned me off of the subject and I never really tried or wanted to be involved in this area of learning again.  I think we as teachers can come up with something better to tell if our students are learning.  Maybe a combination of a better type of test and some other type of assignment.  I would like to give the students a choice as well, I think that makes a huge difference in their grades.

Module 5

Analyzing key factors behind our student's motivational levels will be beneficial in our classroom instruction. Within traditional educational guidelines, it is essential that we create grading and performance scales for our students. Doing so, can self-handicap a student's motivational outcomes. Within Chapter 12, self-handicapping is discussed as a factor that limits a child's performance because he or she believes they lack the ability to understand the concepts. Us teachers need to realize these occurrences and provide our students with evidence that their effort will pay off and that they can improve on previously failed concepts. Focusing on motivation, teachers need to guide their instructions on intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. My research paper focused on this topic and I sided with external rewards to help keep elementary students motivated. I stated that school is not necessarily a choice in a child's life, so teachers may be discouraged if a child does not have the inherent need to learn. Providing rewards and goals for the students can help brighten up the environment and keep the ball rolling. The chapter accompanies some motivational classroom difficulties to anxiety. I am very happy the chapter touched on this subject because anxiety and other mental capabilities are coming to light in our world. In traditional settings all students were expected to behave and get their work done. In new age, we need to understand that there are factors in the classroom that we cannot necessarily control. As teachers we need to learn about these instances as much as possible and do whatever means that are necessary for the child to grow in a welcoming classroom environment.

Having classroom group discussions can be a difficult task for planning. It will really depend on the teacher's specific classroom and students. The grade level and class will serve as a variance as well. Within group discussion chapter 14 states that it can be unpredictable and may cause issues that were not expected to happen. Group discussions can inspire students to collaborate with others as a team and to focus on the end goal. This type of communication is used in professions all over the world, so getting students to practice at it can be vital to their futures. Teachers need to consider their students and understand that some students may be weary or not as confident to speak up in a group. This doesn't serve as an indicator that the child is not progressing or knows the material. It can just illustrate that the child is not comfortable or excited in that setting and doesn't wish to participate.

Chapter 15's emphasis on standardized testing was a little daunting. I believe standardized testing contains way too many variables and the results are not valid. I believe the educational departments across the country use these standards because it gives them a form of quantitive data that they can manipulate and help them answer the big questions in their board meetings. Having such a emphasis on standardized testing limits the students educational careers because some teachers may just be focusing on this one test and that is it. I have this extreme bias because I remember my AP English class from Junior year of high school. It felt like a bootcamp and it was a miserable experience. The class could have offered education on higher English learning concepts but we focused on the ACT day in and day out. 

Module 5 - Connors

Module 5! Wow, that was fast! As much as I would like to say that was easy, I was not. I think I not only learned so much about the coursework, but I also learned a lot about how to manage myself and how I learn/retain information. I think with every chapter I was able to apply different areas to self regulate. I made plans to keep on schedule, I created a visual time table, developed rewards (coffee and candy) and punishments (extra work on Sundays) if I slacked off. I realized from our current chapters that I am more of an intrinsic learner though. I put more value on the quality of work that I put out than the reward. So, needless to say, the coffee and candy only got me so far. lol I really enjoyed creating the quiz and especially enjoyed giving it to coworkers and family members. Although my husband was particularly annoyed with me since he did not "study" ahead of time and I would not help him not to mention he doesn't work in the education field.

I really enjoyed Bloom's Taxonomy although I feel like I need a lot more practice with it. I now am noticing the objectives  at work and how the teachers I work with are creating them. I look forward to understanding these concepts more in depth as I continue on in the program and in the future working as a teacher. I especially enjoyed thinking about the terminology that is used with Bloom's. I don't think I every noticed how specific word usage could help a student to achieve a specific concept you  are teaching, which now seems obvious to me, but I never really thought about it. I think the levels make a lot of sense and it makes me think of the knowing versus performing section of Woolfolk. Students and learn something and memorize it, but can they perform it? Can they modify it or combine and create? That really does create a higher level of understanding and learning. It's been very difficult to have an online class and it's definitely tested me over the last 5 weeks, but I have really enjoyed the work and challenge.

Module 5

Chapter 12 - we learned what Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation is. The most interesting piece of information for me was Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, Physiological needs, begin with food, drink, oxygen, rest, etc. Students that are tired and mal-nutritioned will be lethargic in school and have a hard time learning. The second tier covers Safety needs, Protection from potentially dangerous objects or situations. They compared physical illness here, but I immediately thought of students fighting and or accidents on the playground. Love and belongingness, covers receiving and giving love, affection, trust, and acceptance, being a part of a group. Students with broken homes, or unhealthy relationships with parents may suffer in a group setting as well as struggle emotionally in class. I have seen this recently with a student who's mom hasn't been around lately because she has a new boyfriend. The student's grandmother has been taking on more of a parent role and the student has begun to act out emotionally/behavior in class.  Esteem needs covers the esteem and respect of others, self esteem and self respect. A sense of competence. I like this and will use this from now on when asking students to take pride in their work.  Cognitive needs, is the knowledge and understanding, curiosity, exploration and need for meaning. A student's ability to comprehend information and retain is what I gathered from this. Aesthetic needs, is beauty in art and nature, symmetry, balance and order. How I interpret this is what goes up must come down. If a student is bad there will be consequences, if a student in my experience has a melt down, they will usually come out out it. Balance is key here. Self actualization, realizing your full potential, "becoming everything one is capable of becoming." This is the highest goal and some people might not go their whole lives without realizing this. These hierarchy needs would be great to display in a classroom as well. 

Module 5

Finding out the motivators behind a student's success is how teachers will get the most out of their classrooms. Chapter 12 "Learning and Motivation goes into heavy detail about this exact idea. There are many factors that can go into the final outcome of what some might think is an 'A'. Each student is different and therefore the motivators and individual goals are different. In order to decipher these aspects, one must look at a student cognitively, emotionally and behaviorally. Extrinsic and intrinsic motivators play a large role and appear quite differently even though they are on the same spectrum. Intrinsic motivators are those that are done when the individual has no obligation to do so. Extrinsic, on the other hand, include outside forces acting on the outcome. I think motivators, and discovering what those are in each of my students will be key in their success.

When students walk into my classroom, that is exactly what he or she will be doing: walking into my classroom. I determine the strategy, goals, and the best implementation of things I see fit. As mentioned about, each student is different and needs to be catered to. No student should be left behind, no matter how different or similar. Chapter 14 "Teaching Every Student" states in clearly in the given title. I agree with the text when it states that proper training and knowledge is crucial in the success of the classroom and the teacher, him or herself. There's a difference when teaching facts or memorization, compared to that of empathy or relationship building. The resources and different activities need to be tailored to the students especially when they are different from the norm. That does not mean either is right or wrong, but the needs of the student must be met.

Chapter 15 discusses a touchy subject of "Classroom Assessment, Grading and Standardized Testing". The effects and methods that are discussed in this chapter I agree mostly with, but that could all change when I step into the classroom and see how my students react to such. Learning should be fun and engaging. If students are just in the classroom to get the highest grade or pass the test, then we are failing them as a whole. As each of these chapters focuses on, every student is different. Grading scales may differ, assessments may differ, there is no uniform to these things or at least there shouldn't be because there is no uniform of a student. Although most administrations most likely want to see numbers regarding the students because it is easier to understand and compare or contrast, the best answer is hidden within the assessments where the student is able to be observed on their knowledge. From my conversations with other teachers, it seems as if more and more schools are obsessed with the numbers, and that scares me because again, we are not serving our students, which is what we were all called to do.

Module 5

Chapter 12 focuses on motivation in education, and different styles of motivation that can be used to reach various types of students.Like many psychology subjects, there are varying views of motivation based on different schools of psychological thought. Schools such as behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, social cognitive, and sociocultural have their own theories and concepts. I personally found the Social Cognitive view of motivation particularly interesting because it considers motivation to be a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors meaning it come from both inside of the individual as well as motivators independent from the individual. (P. 447-448) I found this relatable to my career goals as a future coach because I believe that motivation has a large part in sports, and that motivation is most effective when it is perceived by the athlete themselves as well as a motivating external factor such as a coach. I think motivation techniques are going to be important in my future as a coach, and knowing different ways to motivate different types of students would be significantly beneficial for me as well as my athletes as a future coach.

Chapter 14 revolves around being able to teach different types of students. The chapter also goes into detail about what makes an effective teacher, and shares research on teaching and planning. The section on Rosenshine’s Six Teaching Functions (P. 541) and how these six portions of teaching as regarded as a framework for the basic teacher. The six basic functions include:

1. Reviewing and checking the previous day’s work
2. Presenting new Material
3. Providing guided practice
4. Giving feedback and correctives based on student answers
5. Providing independent practice
6. Review weekly and monthly to consolidate learning

I found this framework extremely relatable because this formula is the formula that was followed by roughly 99% of the classes I have been in during my entire academic career and it was interesting to be able to put a name to the academic routine I have been exposed to over my academic career.

Chapter 15 includes classroom assessment, grading, and standardized testing. This chapter is really applicable to us as future educators because now more than ever schools are stressing student success on standardized tests scores. Standardized test scores also often used to dictate funding school districts may receive from federal and or state governments. I found the following quote from the textbook (P. 579) to be close to my feelings on the importance placed on standardized tests in the modern school system. “Wiggins continues to argue for assessment that make sense, that tests knowledge as it is applied in real-world situations. Understanding cannot be ,measured by tests that ask students to use skills and knowledge out of context.” I agree with this sentiment that we need to try and judge knowledge in a way that is more complex than just repeating information and other common questions used in standardized testing. I believe that in my future when creating assessments, it is important to be aware of the level of thinking I want my students to achieve and to create my assessments to be more than just the basic level of assessment.

Teacher Interview

Teacher: Jessica Jenkot

Subject(s): Middle School English

Location: Walt Disney Magnet School (CPS)

I conducted my interview with a family friend, Ms. Jenkot. She currently is a Middle School English educator at the Disney magnet school in CPS and has been at that specific school for the past three years. Unlike myself, she has always wanted to be an English teacher and has pursued her field since graduating high school and swimming/studying at Truman State University. And after college she spent a few years teaching English in Spain, so while she is relatively young by teacher standards, I believe that her experience in different settings and populations would provide a good brain to pick for this interview. The interview was conducted over the phone, and the follow are my notes of the conversation and I will try to flesh them out as clearly as possible.

Questions:

How would you define/describe your classroom management philosophy? That is to say, what informs your decisions to make sure your class runs smoothly on a daily basis?

• Many factors/things
• While middle-schoolers, respect is the center of management, all ages want to feel respected and safe. So I try to establish a room where people feel safe and respected and WANT to respect each other because of that. This year she implemented a system instead of yelling at them, she handed out “reminder” token; 2 token loss of precipitation points, 3rd is a home contact. Worked well; no yelling, everyone knew what it was for, you're not yelling at the bad kids and robbing the good students of their attention, but overall you seem successful so far. Emphasis on establishing a good class environment, reminding the expectations, and holding firm on the rules. It hard to remain 100% consistent but overall effective in maintaining classroom environment.

How do you handle disruptive/misbehaving students who make it difficult for others to learn?

• Chip system is in place
• It's hard to have a “good system” 24/7 try to avoid sending me to the dean or out of the class
• Redirections, or removing from a specific group/setting
• Picking your battles is important, sometimes it's better to tolerate a “goofy” kid and pick your battles than try to constantly enforcing the rules to avoid bringing the class to a halt.
• Says knowing which battles to fight comes from experience and knowing your students/class

How does the organization of your room (student desk arrangements, teachers desk, furniture, proximity to students, etc.) affect your classroom management plan?

• Clear labels promotes responsibility / knowing where stuff is and being able to find it for themselves.
• No teacher desk, helps with organization, forces her to put things away correctly and not just pile on the desk
• Creates a calming environment so everyone knows where everything is and kids are responsible for turning in their work, no “I turned it in on your desk.” issues
• Less chaos
• Different areas to do work; such as “reading futon/rug”, flexible seating areas w/ 25 “traditional desks”, open areas allow fidgety students to go move around in the back freely without distracting other students.
• Lots of plants and natural lights to boost the mood for the teacher and the students alike
• Comfy area can be used as an incentive/ have to be caught up with class work to sit on the couch
• Easy ability to create small groups with group work

How do you “set the tone” the first day(s) of the school year to communicate your (discipline) expectations to students?

• Started off nice to kids attempting to get to know them, but now just one icebreaker to get to know, but then right away into the class to set the tone of using their brains right away
• Important to be nice, but also needing to show the need for mutual respect/getting work done
• Meeting in the middle between nice and kind and being a pushover
• Takes practice
• Important to create a welcoming environment to welcome students who may under-perform in reading etc.
• Established your own rule set THEN allowed the students add to the rules
• YOU set the bar and then allow for the addition, not on the same level, important to set boundaries and abide by them.
• Both parties benefit by having boundaries and structure, especially with younger kids.

A student is consistently late to your class. How do you handle the situation?

• Conversation about why they are late, seeing if there is an actual reason or if they're just choosing to be late. It is important to find the actual cause not just jump to the conclusion. Gotta see if it is in their control, and why they are making the choices, setting a clear expectation and punishment if the problem continues.

What is your administrations view of classroom management? Does it align with your own philosophy or does it differ in some way?

• It's a mx of combining school wide policies in your own classroom you may not agree with. Phones/etc. Wish there was a more formal detention/punishment system She has to enforce her own punishment which punishes herself as well as the student. Can't just “send them to the dean” you have to implement your own punishment systems and hold your own detentions, can't just sent them to in-school suspension or the dean's office.

• The kids write their own emails/letters to their parents explaining why they did something/ creating ownership. Having the students explain it to their parents and not allowing yourself to be the middleman. Forcing them to own up to their behavior creates responsibility and having the parents explaining themselves. Establish a line of communication between you and home and keeping it open and constant if the situation needs it

How do you feel about “non-traditional” classroom setups (groups of desks instead of rows,open seating etc.)? Do you think they are beneficial, or provide more opportunities for distractions and misbehavior?

• They can be both
• Kids are good but you need to provide structure especially depending on the age, their ability to make good choices is hard at many ages.
• Providing flexibility is a good option but depending on the age group, structure and enforcement is very dependant on the age and the group of kids
• Next year your looking to develop more concrete times and procedures when you can utilize the non-traditional aspects of your classroom.

In summary: I believe that this interview was extremely helpful in not only discussing classroom management itself, but also providing insight that a majority of a teacher’s style or habits come from experience and thus evolve over time. I think that is my main takeaway from the reading and activities of this module: that you can read about different techniques and management styles in the text or hear about them from other educators, but the only correct way to find out what works for YOU and your classrooms is to try them for yourself. I think this interview specifically reflected on the importance of chapter 13’s content of learning environment, boundaries, rules and how it can affect learning. And throughout our conversation, I could tell that Ms. Jenkot wasn’t implementing rules just for the sake of being in-charge, but instead laying the expectations for her class and how it must be conducted in order to be successful. I really enjoyed talking with her because you can tell that her classroom is based around respect and feeling safe, and I believe that those are two crucial emotions to not only base your classroom around, but also in all aspects of life.

Module 5

Hey everyone,
This is our last blog for this particular class, how sad. This week has been one that has been brutal. From working on our exams, to finding people to take them and analyze the results. I did enjoy this project because it did give me glimpse into the future and seeing how teachers create exams or test. It was interesting and frustrating at times creating questions because I wanted to be creative but also wanted to follow the given guidelines. Out of all the assignments, this one got me the most excited continuing this program because I felt like we're almost there.

When making the exam I tried to make he questions fair to those who have never taken this course because I knew the material covered may be confusing for others. The chapter I decided to go with was chapter 1, an introduction to the course kind of. I wanted everyone to get a feel of what they will experience in the class and as a teacher.

Module 5

In Chapter 12, although I've encountered Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (p. 449) in many other classes, I hadn't truly contemplated it's relevance in the educational setting until I actually observed children whose learning ability directly tied into their level of needs.  In my classroom, when children come to class hungry or tired, they are literally incapable of learning, let alone behave in an appropriate manner suited for the classroom.  I had a student with a new baby sibling whose crying apparently kept the student from getting a good night sleep, fall asleep at her desk during a raucous discussion about fairness of indoor recess.  On many occasions students arrive at school without eating breakfast.  When this happens usually their main focus is on the clock all morning as they wait for lunch time to arrive.  Not much learning can or does take place when students are hungry.  Only when deficiency needs are met, can students move onto higher levels where learning can take place.

In Chapter 14, I found the description of direct instruction interesting.  I've studied teaching by using  the inquiry method, and I employ this via project-based learning as opposed to direct instruction at every opportunity.  Direct instruction is well-suited for lower level taxonomies such as remembering, and although direct instruction results in higher standardized test scores, the "quality" of learning is arguable (p. 542).  Direct instruction does not support higher level critical thinking like project based learning does.     



             

Module 5

In chapter 12, I found the topic of sociocultural conceptions of motivation to be particularly interesting. I think this is a topic that is kind of understood as existing but isn't always addressed. I think a reason or that is that it would appear to be common sense. The people you hang out with or the company you keep so to speak, have a way of influence you. In our intro class, we discussed the importance of building relationships with our parents and communities at our new schools and fresh new teachers. How this truly aids a child in learning. This concept is saying just that. If we make sure to keep people who want to learn around our children, then we are setting the perfect stage for them to become learners in their own right. This also shows why it is detrimental when there are children in the classroom who are disruptive. They tend to draw attention and get followers to act the same as them. It turns into a bit of a group think method. I think this is why it is important to be stern and follow through with reprimands as opposed to open ended punishments. 

In chapter 14, the topic of seatwork caught my attention. As a substitute teacher, seatwork is probably one of the most often used filler work I am given to present to the students. This normally includes some complaints, a lot of bathroom breaks, and a hefty amount of disruptive behavior. Of course I am in a special circumstance as students will push their boundaries much more with a stranger, such as me their substitute teacher, than they would with their actual teacher. I have had a few opportunities in my subbing where the teacher did actually allow me to teach a lesson. This was such a different experience because I was able to create conversation and engage with the students. Otherwise, I am normally just handing out busy work and constantly asking students to quiet down and do their work. I can definitely see how detrimental this type of work could be to a student who is already struggling. Its almost as if these students crave the interaction with the teacher. Seatwork obviously is needed at some point in time or another but it definitely should be limited. 

In chapter 15, I think I enjoyed reading about the different kinds of tests much more than anything else. I personally prefer to have essay question tests. I feel that this is truly the best way to assess a students understanding of the material. I have been there before where I am taking a multiple choice exam and I go through the test looking to see if another question might hint at the answer for me. An essay doesn't allow that. It forces you to either know the information or you don't, or the hidden answer is that you can partially know the answer for at least some credit. It leaves a lot more grey area for the student to work with than just knowing that 1 of these 4 options is the right one, and if I don't chose the right one then I get the whole thing wrong. 

Teacher Interview

Teacher: Mrs. Bettridge-Flyn

School District: Elgin District U-46

1. How would you define/describe your classroom management philosophy? That is to say, what informs your decisions to make sure your class runs smoothly on a daily basis?

I set up a clear set of rules and expectations. I make sure that these rules and expectations are clearly posted in the classroom so that everyone can see them, and I can point them out when needed. My rules and expectations are generally simple, be respectful, take turns talking, come into class and gather pick up papers. By creating a routine with my classroom management I find that my day runs much smoother and the students know what is coming and there are no surprises, which is helpful in a special education class.

2. How do you handle disruptive/misbehaving students who make it difficult for others to learn?

I am very lucky that I have aids in my classroom. If one of my students gets visible upset or is having a hard time in class, the aides can give them a break by breaking away from the group and taking time to calm down. Before it gets to that point I try to figure out what is causing the behavior. Most of the time they just need a reminder that we do not act that way in class.

3. How does the organization of your room (student desk arrangements, teachers desk, furniture, proximity to students, etc.) affect your classroom management plan?.

I always make sure that my desks are not too close to each other to cause distractions. I usually have my desks in a semi-circle centered around me while I am teaching because it draws their attention into me and there are fewer distractions.

4. How do you “set the tone” the first day(s) of the school year to communicate your (discipline) expectations to students?.

I always have a handout that is sent home explaining the rules and expectations. I also go over them with the students so that there is no confusion. Because I am a special education teacher I work with each students IEP to make sure that they know what is expected of them and that it lines up with their IEPs.

 5. A student is consistently late to your class. How do you handle the situation?

I generally do not have that problem, I probably would try to figure out what is causing them to be late on their route to my class. I would talk to the student or talk to the teacher of the class that they are coming from and try to eliminate the distraction.

9. Have you had to deal with students who have gotten into physical altercations? How did you handle it?

Yes, I have, I have had students get upset and throw things at myself and at other students, usually, then I have to call the dean and try to defuse the situation. I can’t allow them to hurt themselves or others so usually they are removed from the classroom and taken to the deans.

10. Instead of sending a student to the dean, what are some disciplinary methods you found effective in the classroom?

I tend to use my aids to remove the student from the group and they will talk to them and see what is going on. I also communicate with the parents quite a bit to see what they are seeing at home and if it lines up with what is happening in class.

11. As an experienced teacher, what is one thing you wish you knew in your first years of teaching? Are there trends you can see in your school with new teachers and some of the struggles he or she may face?

I wish I knew how much time I was going to spend outside of hours working on lesson plans, grading, coming up with projects, and even worrying about my students. This really wears on you and first-year teachers all seem to have this hit them at once and they have a hard time balancing their work and their worries and their personal lives.   

Summary:

After talking to my Aunt about her teaching career I really had a lot to think about for my future classrooms management. I am not going to be a special education teacher but I think that a lot of students could benefit from a little more patience and cooperation on the teachers part. 

Teacher Interview

Teacher: Kelsey Liaromatis
School: Bristol Grade School
Grade: Kindergarten
Years of Experience: 5

After reading about the various ways in which classroom management can be shaped in a school setting, it was very intriguing to interview my good friend and teaching role model, Kelsey Liaromatis. Mrs. Liaromatis is currently in her fifth year of teaching five year old students. Although, our friendship started from our similar passion for teaching many years ago, this young woman is continuing to succeed in her short, but very successful years of leading a classroom. Over the years, Kelsey has shared many "behind the scenes" tips, complaints, and joys of working in the education field. However, this time around,  I was able to help grasp a better insight on just how rewarding and tiring her work as a teacher can be. The following information will summarize her responses to the questions that were asked in relation to topics that we are covering in this course.

1. How would you define/describe your classroom management philosophy? That is to say, what informs your decisions to make sure your class runs smoothly on a daily basis?

•  Building a rapport with your students will help any teacher have control of his/her classroom management. I base my management off of learning about each student, and the way that works best for them. Not every student can handle their behavior in the same way, or respond the same way to a whole-class management system. I think this needs to be made individual for specific students.

2. How do you handle disruptive/misbehaving students who make it difficult for others to learn?

•   For this I definitely lean on the supports of my colleagues. If the student is so disruptive that needs to be removed from the classroom, I have the support from our school social worker or our building principal. If this is a case that can be handled in the classroom, I make sure to take that student aside as to not draw more attention to him/her. We discuss at the beginning of the year how everyone learns in different ways, and sometimes we need special tools to help us learn (ie. Sitting in a wobble chair, bean bag chair, or using fidgits)

3. How do you “set the tone” the first day(s) of the school year to communicate your (discipline) expectations to students?

• The first week or so of school is mainly “fun, get to know you” kinds of things along with routines/rules and procedures. We read books like “Have You Filled a Bucket Today” “How Full is Your Bucket” “Spaghetti in a Hot Dog” and “Wordy Birdy.” I teach students that my expectations are for them to be kind to one another, and that it feels good to do good. We also use the 5 rules of whole brain learning – Follow directions quickly, raise your hand for permission to speak, raise your hand for permission to leave your seat, make smart choices, and make your dear teacher happy. (we focus a lot on each… but the last is my favorite. The students need to know that they can make you happy (or unhappy) and strive to “fill my bucket.”

4. A student is consistently late to your class. How do you handle the situation?

• At my level, kindergartners are not in charge of when they arrive. I make sure to greet them with excitement and tell them I  am so glad they are there. If it becomes an issue, I will call parents to discuss what their child is missing out on because they are always late.

5. What classroom management strategies work best for you? Are there strategies that some teachers use that you disagree with?

• I mainly use the clip chart system, and there are many people who do not agree with this. However, I think it is important for students to understand not-right choices, and be able to correct them. With having the students be able to clip up and down unlimited times, they have the opportunity to clip up, although they may have made a poor choice. It teaches them we make mistakes, and that they are loved and accepted and can change their choices.

6. What is your behavior management plan? (rules, consequences, rewards, etc.)

• We use a rainbow clip chart that has emoji faces to help them understand good choices go up, poor choices go down. Consequences only mainly come when students land on red – parent contact. Otherwise, I just speak to the student so they understand why they’ve clipped down. When a student gets to pink, the whole class cheers for them – as this doesn’t happen often!

          

7. Instead of sending a student to the dean, what are some disciplinary methods you found effective for in classroom use?

• Not allowing a student to sit by their friend, parent contact, 1 on 1 conversation to problem solve how we can fix the issue, or even taking time away from their favorite activity.

8. How do you feel about “non-traditional” classroom setups (groups of desks instead of rows,open seating etc.)? Do you think they are beneficial, or provide more opportunities for distractions and misbehavior?

• I love non-traditional feels! In my class, you will find tables for the students. I have a variety of sit spots: carpet squares, animal chairs, scoop chairs, bean bag chairs, reading pillows, rubber-banded legs on chairs etc. I think students learn best when they feel the most comfortable.

After taking a look at the dialect that took place between Mrs. Liaromatis and I, I noticed many significant similarities in her methods of handling classroom management compared to chapters 7 and 13 in Woolfolk's text. For instance, in chapter 7, a scenario was presented from the views of a fourth grade student who listed her reasons of liking school. She mentioned that she likes when the teacher reprimands students in a private manner instead of yelling at them in front of the class. Landrum and Kauffman suggest, "soft, calm, private reprimands are more effective than loud, public reprimands in decreasing disruptive behavior". (Pg. 270, Landrum & Kauffman). This information relates to how Mrs. Liaromatis described her ways of handling similar behavior in question two. I believe i handing situations like this in the same way. I believe that in doing so, you are respecting the relationship between yourself as a teacher and your student. As Alberto and Troutman suggest, "punishment can interfere with developing a caring relationship with your students". (Pg. 271, Alberto & Troutman).

In question 3 of the interview, Mrs. Liaromatis discussed how she sets the tone for her classroom. She described the way that she sets her expectations and rules to her class. As noted in her response, I was quickly attentive to the fact that she was very detailed and precise about what exactly needed to be performed in the classroom in order for her students to act appropriately. In chapter 13, the first weeks of classes are discussed. Woolfolk states that a well-managed class is built upon determining a room design, rules, and procedures. In fact, these are the first steps needed to aim towards this successful classroom environment and effective teachers build on this beginning. Evertson, Emmer, and their colleagues found that effective class managers have well-planned systems for encouraging students to manage their work (Pg. 502, Emmer & Evertson). In my future as an educator, I will make sure that I follow this same approach in order to set standards for my students and their behavior. I feel that giving the students specific expectations provides a commonality towards respect between the teacher, the student, and their peers.

Teacher Interview

For my interview I asked a teacher who is in her first year of teaching. I chose this specific teacher because she herself just graduated from the Trinity Education Program a year prior and she was the one who influenced me to do it. Through the interview, I could tell Ms. Harris was as passionate about teaching as she was when she said "I want to be a teacher" a few years ago. Through her wisdom, it is shown that there isn't a one-size-fits-all classroom technique. Within her class, she has noticed some successful strategies, while some strategies that failed. She looks to the other teachers in her school for advice and has learned that just because it may work in another teacher's classroom, it may not work in her own.

The most fascinating discovery from the interview was that Ms. Harris has switched up her classroom environment multiple times and has seen multiple reactions to the change. This was illustrated in Chapter 13's readings on classroom management, and Ms. Harris was able to give me a first-hand experience. Along with this chapter she states that she loves having a non-english speaking student apart of her class. Many first year teachers may be terrified of such a difference, but Ms. Harris is thrilled to learn and grow each day with this student. By understanding differences in the classroom, Ms. Harris encourages a cooperative environment by having the non-english speaker get assistance from the students that speak both English and Spanish. She states that the bond the child has with the other children who help him is very strong and she is happy that she can be apart of it. Her reward system for her students relates to Chapter 7's readings on operant conditioning. She uses both positive and negative reinforcement and sees this strategy working for her fourth grade class. When I asked her if she saw herself always using this strategy, she replied she hopes to think of something more creative.

As a first year teacher she is still learning the ropes, so she is happy to get by with the marble reinforcement technique. It was a pleasure to hear from Ms. Harris because it motivates me to keep moving forward with Trinity's program.



Question: How does the organization of your room (student desk arrangements, teacher's desk, furniture, proximity of students, etc.) affect your classroom?

1)  I have tried multiple kinds of student desk arrangements. I began with groups of 4. It was great for group work, but they did not perform well during independent work because of talking with each other and losing focus. I now have two E shaped rows. This has been working very well because they are able to work with each other as well as focus during independence. I have a U shaped table in the back corner for small groups. I have two carpet areas. One is in the classroom library and it is reserved for 2 students during independent reading time. The other carpet is in the middle of the classroom for use of the Promethean board and chart board for instruction.

Question: What classroom management strategies work best for you? Are these strategies that some teachers use that you disagree with?
2) I use a clip system for classroom management. It works for positive and negative behavior throughout the day. There is also whole class rewards and discipline system put in place. They can gain marbles for positive behavior during specials or lunch and can
lose recess time for whole class misbehavior. If the issue becomes more of a problem, they will receive a lunch detention and talk to the dean. This would result in a call home as well to keep the parents included in their daily behaviors.

Question: How do you work with students who do not have English as their primary language, and you do not speak the language?


3) I have one student who only speaks Spanish. He does have help from EL teachers some time during the day. When there is no EL teacher in the room, I ask other students to help translate things for him because my class is predominantly hispanic. I also will use
google translate to have conversations with him or translate whatever we are working on beforehand.

Question: How do you handle disruptive/misbehaving students who make it difficult for others to learn?


4) I have made “office areas” in my classroom for a quieter area to work. The students who are constantly disrupting others can benefit from these areas because there is less distraction for them. The students may get extra breaks if needed. I will also work one
on one with these students to ensure they are working to their full potential and not distracting others while working. I have also involved social workers and their special ed teachers of my concerns and have kept in contact with their parents.

Question: What is your administrations view of classroom management? Does it align with your own philosophy or does it differ in some way?

5) My administration’s view of classroom management is to deal with the issues in the classroom first. Unless it is a serious issue or an ongoing occurrence is when to get administration involved. I believe that this is a good way to deal with issues because the
less time out of the classroom the better for the students. There should be some sort of discipline plan in the classroom that can be used throughout the day to avoid having the students leave the classroom and miss learning material.

Teacher Interview

For my teacher interview project, I was lucky enough to be able to interview a teacher in my family that has been teaching for 30 plus years.  Starting out with elementary education and moving on to high school students.  I did this interview on Sunday night, the questions were not completed yet, so I just asked her all of the questions listed.   I thought it definitely gave me a lot of insight into teaching and connected one of my biggest questions I have had since the beginning of the cohort. 

How will I manage my classroom and get the students to show everyone including the teacher respect.  I thought her answers mostly aligned with Chapter 13, especially page 494 going over routines, procedures, and rules.  Since she taught elementary for so long, a lot of the suggested rules in our text went along with the way Mrs. Baldwin expected her students to engage with her and the rest of the school.   Along with rules, procedures, and routines, she spoke a lot about getting the students attention and respect at the beginning of the year.  Getting Started: The First week of Class (pg 499) brings all of this together.  Stopping problems quickly (pg 506) was another section of chapter 13 I connected to my interview.  If you can get classroom management under control in the beginning of the school year, matters of discipline will be easier throughout the year when needed. 

Although I am related to Mrs. Baldwin, I never really got the chance to talk with her as much about teaching until recently.  Every time we are out and see an old student or a new one, they have so many great things to say.  I am hoping to use her knowledge of teaching to get started.  Maybe I will be as great a teacher as her someday!

Interview Recording

Teacher Interview

Name: Kamila Zaremba
School: DePaul College Prep
Subject: World and US History
Grades: 10-12

1. How would you define/describe your classroom management philosophy? That is to say, what informs your decisions to make sure your class runs smoothly on a daily basis?
I would describe my classroom management philosophy as democratic, respectful, and consistent. Democratic because at the beginning of the year we made a classroom constitution in every class in terms of expectations and consequences if there was behavior that was disrespectful. Respectful in terms of when something happens that is against our classroom constitution or the expectations of school conduct, I will tell a student exactly what was violated and then if they try arguing I ask them to stay after class so that we can discuss it. Or if they are doing things in partners and it will be cause too much of a distraction to the class, I take them outside the classroom and we talk about it 1:1. Consistent since students value consistency in regards to expectations. What informs my decisions is educational research, my own teaching philosophy, and the overall class behavior and needs.

2. How do you handle disruptive/misbehaving students who make it difficult for others to learn?
I partially answered this in my last response, so you can also pull from there. In my morning periods, things are usually more mellow since students are still waking up. If students do talk too much or get off topic, I redirect them and typically that is enough. In my last period of the day, where many of my students struggle with learning and many also have ADHD, I try to keep a tighter hold on the class. Oftentimes, this means we will do individual work compared to partners or groups because then we get very off track compared to the other classes. I stand by my students who usually get off topic more because the subtle action of me standing by them is usually enough to ensure they stay on track.

3. How does the organization of your room (student desk arrangements, teachers desk, furniture, proximity to students, etc.) affect your classroom management plan?
The organization of my room plays a big role in my classroom management plan. We have tables instead of individual desks. I have the tables in a U shape, a bigger U and a smaller U. Smaller U has 3 tables with 8 students there. They are closest to me, so I usually put the students who need to be redirect more often there. The larger U fits the rest of the students. This usually also aids with discussions, since we do a lot of those. My desk is in the back. I never use it. I sit at the podium in the front if I ever get a chance to sit, otherwise I am standing or sitting next to a student and moving to the next kiddo.

4. Instead of sending a student to the dean, what are some disciplinary methods you found effective for in classroom use?
If I have to ask students more than 3-4 times to settle down and it gets to be very loud, I keep them after class 1-2 minutes and they sit in silence. This usually only happens with my 8th period. I have done this once with 4th period, but that was a rare occurrence. We then discuss what should happen next time. Detentions are given out after I have redirected a student 3 times. I usually also email parents if I give a student a detention or if I know that parent participation will solve the behavioral problem more than a detention would. If this problem continues, I confiscate phones, call parents, talk to coaches (this is particularly effective), and have meetings with the student and parent(s)/guardian(s). Sending students down to the dean is not a common practice here since we do not have hall monitors and that is typically what happens when schools have them, so that the hall monitor walks the student down to the dean’s. Otherwise, the student will not go down to the dean’s.

5. Do you believe that a reward system is beneficial to classroom management? Does it help with student management?
I do not have a reward system. I do not think it would help with classroom management all that much. Expectations should be made together with students and then they should be followed. If you step out of those bounds, then there is a consequence. If a student is truly on task, I will speak to them one-on-one and let them know and call home that they are doing well. Especially, if they are usually the student who is disruptive.

6. What classroom management strategies work best for you? Are there strategies that some teachers use that you disagree with?
I believe what works best for me is my seating arrangement, verbal warnings, and one-on-one conversations. Additionally, since our students have iPads, we use Apple Classroom where I can see what they are doing. If they are on social media or playing games, then I can lock them into an app and have them work on what we are doing. I disagree with giving out detentions immediately. Something I wish I could implement brain breaks more often or meditating. When I notice at times that students are especially out of the norm, we stop everything and do a 3 minute meditation. Something that I have implemented once was an apology letter to me. I had turned around to set up a video on one of my classes and a group of 5 students started throwing around a roll of tape. I was disappointed in not just their behavior, but that no one said anything to get them to stop or say that’s not cool. I want them to say something when they see something, since as an American society we struggle with this and I want the next generation to do better. I disagree with reprimanding students in front of all their peers. That is why I have one-on-one conversations with them.

Summary of interview:
While conducting the interview with Kamila, I realized how much truly important an effective classroom management plan is. Although we read about how significant they can be, hearing it from an actual person and their way of reasoning for it was a completely eye opening experience. She started the interview off with a very strong point, which I also thought was important, regarding her philosophy as "democratic, respectful, and consistent". I could not think of 3 better words or ways of creating a classroom management plan. During the interview I kept thinking about to chapter 13 and the importance of rules, learning environments, communication, and disciplinary tactics. Each of these 4 things she mentioned in her interview and her explanations of how she implemented them made it even more clear to me as to how important they are. I was very happy to see that she mentioned the topic of technology since that is going to be my research paper topic and she made a very good point as to how technology can be used effectively. Kamila briefly spoke about methods of teaching and how her students learn best which I also enjoyed listening to. She was able to relate some of the things she does to chapter 7 in the book, which allowed me to get a deeper more personal understanding for effective ways to create positive student learning experiences. Overall the interview was a major success in my opinion and allowed me to get a more personal, first hand experience as to how teachers create the best environments for their students.

teacher interview

Dan Stekala

Teacher Interview

Mr. Darrell Reed, Physical Education/Health instructor at St. Laurence High School

Current experience: 13 years as a high school teacher, two years as a program adviser for a universities track team.

1. How would you define/describe your classroom management philosophy? That is to say, what informs your decisions to make sure your class runs smoothly on a daily basis? The philosophy is the 5 E learning model. Which is engage, explore, explain, extension and evaluate. Also to make sure every student participates, students are treated fairly and that he consistent with everything he does.

2. How do you handle disruptive/misbehaving students who make it difficult for others to learn? Talk to those students by pulling them to the side. Never wants to leave someone who just got in trouble alone. After you've taken them to the side, explain why you did so. If they continue to disrupt class, get them removed and have them serve a detention.

3. How does the organization of your room (student desk arrangements, teachers desk, furniture, proximity to students, etc.) affect your classroom management plan? Too many students in one class can be a challenge and separated locker rooms because you can't supervise all students at once.

4. How do you “set the tone” the first day(s) of the school year to communicate your (discipline) expectations to students? Have the student review the syllabus by themselves and have them go over it with their parents. Once they acknowledged what's to be expected from them have them both sign it and bring it back.

5. A student is consistently late to your class. How do you handle the situation? He would email the previous teacher to see if possibly they're letting them out late. If he finds out that's not the case, he begins to deduct point. However, he gives passes on coming late because the freshman lockers are on the opposite side of the building and the passing period of 3 minutes can still be too little for many.

6. What classroom management strategies work best for you? Are there strategies that some teachers use that you disagree with? What works best for him is holding kids accountable, whether that's good or bad. If it's bad, he doesn't want to prolong anything and have them know what they just did was wrong and on the other hand give them positive feedback for when they do something right or good. If the student has an excuse everyday for not participating or dressing, a deduction of points. The strategy he doesn't agree with is allowing students to go to the bathroom every day. The students should be able to use the bathroom during passing periods or during longer periods should use that time.

7. What is your administrations view of classroom management? Does it align with your own philosophy or does it differ in some way? The administration also follows the five E's. It 's the same one he uses in his class and was one of the one who came up with the idea for the school.

8. What is your behavior management plan? Point system for participation and seeing if they go above and beyond expectations. For good behavior, will recommend to principal for student of the month, which may include free lunch for the week or other such prizes.

9. Have you had to deal with students who have gotten into physical altercations? How did you handle it? Yes, had to get in the middle of a fight and got the area cleared out. Then sent a trustworthy student to grab a dean so they can escort the students from the class. Never want to leave the class unattended after something like that.

10. Instead of sending a student to the dean, what are some disciplinary methods you found effective in the classroom? Being consistent , firm, fair. Have to eliminate all issues as soon as they come up. Discuss the plan for the day with the students.

11. As an experienced teacher, what is one thing you wish you knew in your first years of teaching? Are there trends you can see in your school with new teaches and some of the struggles he or she may face? How to say no faster, you want to be liked by all your students so you usually let them get away with certain things such as going to the bathroom frequently. Once they see you're too friendly, they'll try to take advantage of that. The trends with new teachers are being inconsistent with their disciplining. They will let the students walk all over them and then let them feel like the job is overwhelming. The teacher must come in and set the rules day one and let them know this is how class will be and you must deal with it, but to also show that you'll be fair in doing so.

12. How do you work with students who do not have English as their primary language, and you do not speak that language? Ask another student to translate for them or a faculty member, but at the current school doesn't have that issue.

Teacher Interview

Name:  Nicole Cesari

School:  Moore Square Middle School (Raleigh, NC)

Grade level taught: 6th-8th (mostly 7th) (Middle School Science)

Interview questions:

1. What is your behavior management plan? (rules, consequences, rewards, etc.)

• At the school level, we have ROAR expectations that are posted in each classroom and throughout the school.  ROAR stands for: Respect everyone and everything, Own your own actions, Achieve your own goals, Remain Safe.
• In my classroom, I have 4 rules that are posted in my classroom and that are used to remind students of the most basic expectations.  They are to respect yourself and your future, respect your classmates and their right to learn, respect your teacher, and respect our school’s community and property.
• I use the online behavior management tool called Classcraft for daily behavior management.  This is similar to Class Dojo. It is a gamified behavior managment system, based off of World of Warcraft.  Each student becomes a different “character” and is put into a team of various characters to work collaboratively to help each other be successful.  Students earn XP (experience points) for meeting and exceeding expectations - such as when they are on task, helping a classmate, actively participating in class, etc.  Students use these XP to “level up” and earn “powers” when they do level up. These “powers” are what I use as rewards in my classroom. I’m not a huge fan of object rewards (candy, prizes, etc.), so these powers work as a great alternative.  Powers are freedoms that students earn based on their good behavior - such as the power to teleport to the seat of their choosing, or the power to become invisible and be able to use the restroom without using a hall pass, or the power to absorb a teammates damage.  Students also lose HP (or health points) for not meeting classroom expectations - such as when they are disrespectful to a teacher or classmate, when they are off task, or when they are not prepared for class, etc. When students have lost all of their HP, they “fall in battle” which is when they are given a consequence (such as a parent phone call home, isolated seating, letter of apology, etc.).
• In summary - Behavior management in my classroom is multifaceted!  There are school level requirements, such as documenting referrals and interventions in our online system, Easi.  And there is also freedom for me to design my own behavior management within my classroom. I chose to use Classcraft because it helped make expectations more explicit and tangible for my students so that they can actually see that good things happen when you meet/exceed expectations and negative consequences happen when you don’t do that.  

2. What is your administrations view of classroom management? Does it align with your own philosophy or does it differ in some way?  

• I believe it aligns with my own!  My admin gives us freedom to structure our classroom behavior management how we see fit.  They do require us to document more serious behavioral issues and actions or consequences that happened as a result, which can be tedious but is helpful when it comes to keeping data on student behavior to determine if more serious intervention is needed with a student.  My admin also encourages very equitable practices within the classroom. In other words, meeting students where they are and giving them the tools they need to be successful, even if that varies from student to student. They do not believe in a “one-size-fits-all” type of consequence or behavior management system.  They look at student behavior on a case by case basis - what other behavior issues has the child had at school, what’s going on in their home life, what interventions are in place/are effective/are ineffective, - and take all of these factors into consideration before just assigning a consequence. I try and do the same in my classroom.  

3. How do you “set the tone” the first day(s) of the school year to communicate your expectations to students?

• MOST IMPORTANT THING - I learn ALL names by the end of the first school day.  How can I expect my students to listen to me or to care what I have to say if I don’t know who they are by, at the very least, identifying them by name.  That requires some studying on my part to memorize all 130 names, but I make it happen, and they are very responsive to (and impressed by!) that.
• On the first day of school, I stray away from spending the entire time talking about rules and expectations.  Instead, I try and plan an activity for them to interact with each other, work in teams, and do something related to science.  In middle school, they get enough rules and expectations drilled into their head and enough being talked at in their other classes, and I want them to know that this is a place where learning is enjoyable.  This also gives me an opportunity to get to know them as learners and to assess what strengths and weaknesses I have within each class.
• I send home a letter with more specific classroom procedures and expectations, and include a form that needs to be signed by students and parents saying they understand and adhere to those expectations.  This is a CYA kind of thing so that expectations have been communicated with both students AND parents at the start of the year so that if issues arise I have documentation that expectations have been communicated.  I don’t allow students to do labs in the classroom until this form is signed, so that gets them brought back to school pretty quickly!
• After the first few days, when I give them this letter/syllabus, I’ve done several different things to review rules and expectations.  I HATE talking at my students - it’s exhausting/boring for me, and I don’t think they get much out of it. One thing I’ve done in the past is a syllabus scavenger hunt, which I create based off of what I think is the most important info regarding classroom expectations and procedures.  I’ve also done an escape room type activity which requires students to 1) work in a team, 2) locate important things in the classroom (work turn in drawers, absent work binders, eye wash, fire blanket, school supplies), 3) read through the syllabus, and 4) do it all quickly and with a purpose!  That has been very well received by students, and I’ve seen that they remember more of that information afterwards.
• Another MOST IMPORTANT thing is to make sure I’m enforcing those rules and expectations consistently from the get-go.  In my earlier years teaching, I had a tendency to be more slack at the beginning of the year and then found myself having a hard time getting my students to behave as we got closer to the end of the year because I wasn’t consistent the whole time.  So, whatever expectations you set, make sure you are loyal to them and enforcing them with consistency. Kids know what they can get away with and they will CERTAINLY try it all!

4. How do you handle disruptive/misbehaving students who make it difficult for others to learn?

• This is usually on a case by case basis in my classroom.  The first thing I always try is changing seating/grouping for a student.  If they feed off of certain students, I try and remove them from those students and put them with students who will not react to their behaviors.  If that doesn’t work, I usually try isolated seating. My goal is always to try and keep them in the class using whatever method I can - a lot of times those disruptive or misbehaving behaviors are a tool for students who are struggling to be removed from the class.  They know that teachers don’t want to deal with all of that and will ask them to sit in the hallway or leave if they’re being disruptive, and it’s often easier for a struggling student to save face by just acting out and being removed from a class that’s proving to be difficult for them.  At my old school we had something called “Refocus” which was when you had a buddy teacher to send a student to if they needed to be removed from the classroom for some reason. That way, students weren’t sitting out in the hallway without an adult and they also weren’t completely missing instruction.  My buddy teacher was another science teacher, so if someone was misbehaving, they would go to her classroom, fill out a “Refocus sheet” which required the student to reflect on what they were doing, why they were doing it, and what they could do better next time, and then they would come back when they had cooled down/calmed down and reflected.  That also gave me as the teacher a chance to collect myself instead of reacting emotionally to a child who may have been really working my nerves.
• Ultimately, if nothing else works, I will remove a child from the class.  This is the absolute last option for me, or one only used in extreme situations.  I will try all other options before simply sending a child out in the hallway or to the office.  That’s part of my duty as a teacher is to accommodate for behavioral issues. However, if I do not have the authority to deal with the behavior, I will ask a child to wait in the hallway, call for an administrator, or ask another teacher for assistance.  

5. How does the organization of your room (student desk arrangements, teachers desk, furniture, proximity to students, etc.) affect your classroom management plan?

• This is part of my classroom management plan!  I have students set up in groups because we very frequently do group or partner work and I also often ask them to discuss things with a partner or group.  I also have several different seat assignments at any given time, which will change from day to day depending on the activity. Students have more stringent assigned seats that I have them sit in when the activity we’re doing requires more individual work.  Students are put in these assigned seats for many reasons - proximity to me if I need to keep an eye on them, placement near a buddy if they are a struggling student who is easily influenced positively by a fellow classmate, separation from students who cause reactive students to be disturbed, and of course preferential seating based on IEP or 504 plans.  
• Another part of my classroom setup that is intentionally designed for classroom management is my student center and supplies setup.  I have “Student Center” bookshelf which is where supplies are kept that students can use whenever they need to, without needing to ask me for permission or where something is.  I keep turn in drawers, basic school supplies, tissues, hand sanitizer, absent work binders, and a pencil sharpener on this shelf so students can freely use those things. I also have a tech station setup for students to check out technology in an orderly fashion when they need to use our class laptops, headphones, or tablets.  
• One of my most effective classroom management tools in the middle school setting is posting a warm up when students come into the classroom.  It’s difficult sometimes to manage that transition, especially since we are required to monitor students in the hallway, but also are required to allow our students to immediately come into the classroom, not have them idly waiting in the hallway.  I always have a Warm Up on the TV when students come in that tells them which seats they are sitting in, reminds them to copy HW in their agenda and/or turn assignments in from the day or night before, and gives them some basic task to work on until the bell rings.  In middle school, tight transitions are ESSENTIAL, and this warm up time can really help start the class productively without the teacher needing to be there doing it herself.

6. How do you feel about “non-traditional” classroom setups (groups of desks instead of rows,open seating etc.)? Do you think they are beneficial, or provide more opportunities for distractions and misbehavior?

• I think these kinds of setups could be either beneficial or distracting, depending on the surrounding circumstances.  If I’m asking students to individually work on something that requires a lot of focus, like reading and annotating an article, groups can prove to be distracting.  If I’m asking students to collaborate on a project together, rows of desks doesn’t foster the kind of environment they need for that activity. I try to plan my classroom setup around my activity - If I know students need to have a big discussion, I may set my desks and chairs up in a circle that day so they can easily talk without stuff in their way distracting them.  If I know students need to read a news article and take notes on it, I may give them the opportunity to spread out around the room to distance themselves from those who may distract them. If I have planned a lab activity, I may have students choose their own groups and, therefore, would allow them to choose their own seats with their groups.

I think one of the things that stuck out to me the most, is how much Ms. Cesari cares about making her class engaging for everyone. This is one of the things discussed between chapters 7 and 13. How do we teach our children in order for them to learn. Ms. Cesari takes something as boring as a syllabus and tries to make it fun and engaging for all of her students.

Another thing is the classroom management tool she uses. Ms. Cesari states that she likes to use Classcraft because it is makes her expectations very clear and lets her students see what happens when they exceed expectations and what happens when they do not complete their tasks.

I like that through all of this interview she really shows how much she tries to ebb and flow to meet the needs of her students. She tries to find what works for each classroom that she teaches and then she models her classroom around that.