How to maximize the time you have

1. Managing the Religious Education Classroom: How to maximize the time you have

2. What will we accomplish duringthis time? • we will explore students’ behaviors and their cause; • we will determine some components of good classroom management; • we will consider our own practices and plan for change; • we will make a commitment to do our best.

3. PLANNING COMMUNICATION OF GOALS REGULATION OF ACTIVITIES CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT SUPERVISION MOTIVATION EVALUATION SIMULTANEOUS HANDLING OF: PACING SEQUENCING TIME ORDER FOCUS SURPRISE FUNCTIONS OF THE MANAGER

4. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY GOOD CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT? • THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT ACTIVITIES WILL MOTIVATE THE STUDENTS; • THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE LEARNING STYLES OF STUDENTS; • THE ABILITY TO HANDLE THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE; • THE ABILITY TO ASSESS CORRECTLY

5. Skills • Listening • Following directions • Sharing • Social Interaction • Cooperation • Problem-solving • Organization • Service

6. Listening Following directions Sharing Social Interaction Cooperation Problem-solving Organization Service Which of these skills do your students need to master?

7. PHYSICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT STUDENT BEHAVIOR WEATHER SENSE OF TIME CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS COLOR DARK/LIGHT PHYS.WELL-BEING OPEN/CLOSED LEARNING STYLE NOISE, SMELL AFFECTIVE CLIMATE SENSORY LEARNING PREFERENCES

8. REALITY CHECK: 1. WHAT DID YOU JUST HEAR THAT YOU WANT TO REMEMBER? 2. HOW WILL YOU APPLY IT TO YOUR SITUATION?

9. THE BASICS • USE OF TIME • GROUP MANAGEMENT • DESIGNING ENGAGING LESSONS • GIVING DIRECTIONS • MANAGING PAPERWORK • DELEGATING RESPONSIBILITIES • HANDLING MISBEHAVIOR • BEGINNING OF THE YEAR

10. What are some other skills you’d like to master? For example: • Use of technology • More participation • Use of teaching materials • Inclusion of all students • Cooperative learning • Projects

11. Time on Task: Timewasters • Lack of Planning • Lack of clarity in giving direction • Students unclear about supplies and materials they need • Students unclear about how to get help • Lack of routine for distributing and collecting materials • Lack of planning for transitions

12. KEYS TO MANAGING THE CLASSROOM • ROUTINE • RULES • RESPECT • REFLECT • REVIEW • RETURN • REACT

13. 1. ROUTINE If classroom activities are not carefully structured, disruption can occur, inviting additional disturbance by students.

14. Routine: some suggestions • Prepare well in advance • Be consistent • Let students take care of routine tasks • Give clear concise directions • Make routine tasks sequential • Periodically review the routine

15. 2. Rules Students need defined, mutually agreed-upon enforceable standards of behavior with logical consequences for misbehavior.

16. 2. Rules • Involve students in rule-setting • Involve students in consequence-setting • Give concrete examples • Be consistent in enforcing • Post the rules and communicate them to students’ homes

17. Some Basic Rules: • Come to class prepared • Pay attention to directions • Work quietly when the teacher is not present • Respect other persons and their possessions • Wait for the teacher to call on you before you answer a question or ask for help

18. Ignoring Inappropriate Behavior • 1. The problem is momentary; • 2. It is not serious or dangerous; • 3. Drawing attention would cause more disruption; • 4. The student is usually well-behaved; • 5. Other students are not involved.

19. 3. R-e-s-p-e-c-t Students need to know that they are respected as persons.

20. 3. Respect • Familiarize yourself with students’ learning styles • Learn motivational techniques • Convey high expectations to all students • Speak and write respectfully • Be fair

21. Students Like Dislike

22. Learning Pyramid Average Retention Rate Lecture----------------------------5% Reading--------------------------10% Audio-visual---------------------20% Demonstration-------------------30% Discussion Group------------------50% Practice by Doing----------------------75% Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning------------------------90%

23. 4. Reflect Effective planning, solving of problems, strategizing as to instructional approaches requires some time for reflection.

24. 4. Reflect • Strategize approaches to problems with other teachers • Plan lessons that call for a variety of learning activities • Plan for a “Plan B” • Be sensitive to clues and cues from students

25. Classroom Seating sweet spot reluctant learners

26. 5. Review Summarization, careful assessment and testing, homework that offers reinforcement and application of learning obviate a sense of “drift”

27. 5. Review • Design tests to assess • Develop and communicate homework policy • Allow students to start homework • Summarize each lesson • Summarize each unit

28. 6. Return Students respond to feedback, whether written or spoken

29. 6. Return • Return all written work in a timely manner • Look for ways to give some positive feedback • Provide ways in which to reinforce learning • Try to give immediate feedback

30. 7. React Realize that teaching is a human activity where there is mystery and, perhaps, even magic

31. 7. React • Convey a senseof excitement about learning • Ask probing questions • Relate learning to real life • Strive to involve all students • Use low-profile intervention • REACT!

32. Some Questions: 1. How does the arrangement of my classroom enhance my teaching objectives? 2. How do I manage transition time? 3. How do I signal for attention? 4. How do I alternate classroom activities? 5. How do I manage student written work?

33. Some more questions.... • 6. How do I develop and teach rules? • 7. How do I communicate with parents? • 8. How do I divide and allocate tasks? • 9. How do I model acceptable behavior? • 10. How do I insure age-appropriate behavior? • 11. How do I meet student learning differences? • FINALLY: What will I do differently this year, so that I teach smarter, not harder?