Building a Transformative Teacher

Classroom Management Plan

- Be Sincere in All You Do

This is another way of saying put your best effort out there all the time.  In attempting to develop students who are ready for college, or the work force it is important that we teach them the importance in taking pride in their work and always giving their best effort.  the beauty of this type of "rule" is that somedays a students best, or most sincere effort, may be 75% rather than 100%.  If they are honest with them self then this idea has served its purpose.

There is really no disciplinary consequence for tis "rule", rather a natural one.  If students do not give a sincere effort hen they have no one to blame when they do not see the outcome they desired.  

- Be Respectful

This rule applies to self, others, and property.  It is important to teach the students that even if you disagree with someone you can still have respect for where they are coming from.  Being respectful of others also means allowing others the right to learn.  This rule encompasses the idea of not fighting with others.  It also encourages respect for the teacher, which we all will appreciate.  We have all noticed students who become bored and begin writing in books or on desks.  We should be teaching them that property that does not belong to us is to be taken care of and not destroyed.  This lesson will carry out into other areas of their lives. 

Depending on the level of disrespect, consequences may include writing a formal apology, staying after school to clean desks (or whatever property was destroyed), phone call home, stepping outside the classroom for a certain amount of time, or a visit to the office.

- Use Appropriate Language

Students are encouraged to use academic language in order to practice it, since it is not being used outside the classroom.  This also means there is no cursing in the classroom.  The classroom is a sanctuary for the students and teacher and needs to feel safe.  Harsh words, cursing, does not create that atmosphere.  I hear a lot of cursing outside the classroom and I want to enforce that that kind of language is not appropriate in the academic realm.  Hate speech will not be tolerated.

Students will be warned the first time, unless the offense is something that needs to be dealt with more extreme measures (Hate speech).  Students who use hate speech in the classroom will be removed for a enough time for the teacher and student to discuss the comments made.  A phone call home in order to set up a conference with student and parent will made on first offense of hate speech.  After the first warning students will be asked to write a brief statement explaining their reason for using such language.  A third offense will result in a phone call home.

- Be Ready to Learn

This means that when you walk through the doors into the classroom all distractions are left outside, to the best of the student's ability.  Students are expected to bring books, homework, notes, etc, everyday to class.  Students are expected to have cell phones on silence as well as ipods off and earphones out.  If students have something going on that is going to be a distraction (family, boy/girlfriend) students will need to bring it to my attention (I do not need to know specifics, but need to be made aware that life is distracting them so that I can have a heads up to any lack of attention).  

Students who fail to follow this will see the effects when grades come around.  Students will have cell phones taken until the end of the day on first offense and on second offense parents will need to come pick them up.  Same goes for ipods.  

- Be Willing to Take Chances and Make Mistakes

I believe it is imperative that students be willing to make mistakes.  We all learn from ours and others mistakes so it is important that students are willing to take those chances to be wrong in front of their peers.  This rule also means that the teacher has a responsibility to establish an environment in the classroom where students feel safe enough to do this.

This is a learning community issue.  Students not willing to take these chances will not gain as much from the class as could have been gained.

Rethinking Schools: Teachings Revolving Door (Extra Credit)

This article caught my attention simply because of the title.  I have been working in the education field for 10 years and have heard on numerous occasions the problem of holding onto new teachers.  This was my understanding of the development of BTSA.

The article addresses the issue as one that has no answers.  Teachers leave for many reasons: pay, resources, lack of respect, etc.  The article focused around low-income schools and the problems they face.  As of 2004-05 the average salary for a teacher was about $32,000, however, for high-poverty schools this amount was lower.  The students at high-poverty schools end up getting teachers that have little to no experience so they have not yet developed effective teaching strategies, and it is at these schools that creativity and experience are needed most.  As the opening biography highlighted, many teachers go into the profession dreaming of being the next Mr. Escolante from Garfield High School (reference to Stand and Deliver).  The problem is that teachers are not prepared for what they are going to experience in these schools.  A program similar to medical residencies is being explored.  This would be a one year program where teachers are trained while on the job in these schools.  Seems to be an interesting idea, and is one that is supported by President Obama.

I think it is important to try and address the issue of retention, however, I also feel that if someone does not have their heart in it they shouldn't be there.  I think the problem really starts at the recruitment level.  It seems that almost anyone can become a teacher and there is really no filtering process in place.  I have many friends who have tried to do other things in life and failed so teaching became a safety net to fall back on.  To be honest, I have lost friends because of this attitude.  I don't believe retention is the issue, I think its getting the right people.  We should be doing more to find the teachers and encourage them to study to become teachers.  I knew I was going to be a teacher since I was 10 years old.  I know that this is my calling in life and I respect it more than I could every put into words.  I have spent years working with youth trying to find the right age group for me to work with.  These are the strategies we should have in place to secure teachers.  I think teacher prep programs need to have higher expectations form their applicants.  Tutoring is wonderful, but have you worked with all levels, in and out of the class?  Do you know what age group you will be most effective with, or are you trying to get your feet wet with student teaching.  Personally I think its too late at this point to decide what age group to work with.  It will not surprise me when half the teachers from the year's program are out in a few years.  What about schools like National, or Phoenix, where students are "buying" their credential?  I will get off my soap box, but one last comment, we need great teachers not warm bodies.  We need to design some sort of filtering process to guarantee that we get great teachers, then train them, then give them support.  Pay is simply a sign of respect, but I know any real teacher doesn't concern themself with pay.  My greatest compensation has not been monitory, it has been the letters from previous students that still come on my birthday.  The students will tell you if you have impacted them not a paycheck, and to me that is at the heart of every great teacher.  Retention comes from the heart not from surrounding someone with mentors.  Just my humble opinion.

Rethinking Schools: Teachers Evaluating Teachers

A very interesting concept.  Although not discussed in the article, this seems to be the model for BTSA, or at least what i have heard about BTSA. 

The teacher's union in Cincinnati developed this program in order to address the question that was being asked about whether anyone really cared about incompetent teachers.  The program is designed to take experienced teachers out of the class for two years to work with new teachers, mentoring them and provided assistance.  However, controversy arose when the union decided to also write in the contract that these experienced teachers would also work with veteran teachers that were not effective teachers.  These teachers were recommended for "Intervention" and were given two years to improve.  The consulting teacher has the authority to recommend firing the veteran teacher, or not hiring the new teacher.  Many unions outside Cincinnati feel that this puts too much power into the hands of these consulting teachers and can strain the relationship between teachers.

The plan seemed to be successful.  The article only refers to the piloted cases dating back to 1991.  What I found really interesting is that the teachers were noticing more teachers not making the grade versus administrators.  This idea was captured in the article which referred to a teacher, "Like many teachers, she felt the traditional evaluation process was a joke."  The consulting teachers were more rigorous in their observations and then stuck around to assist the teacher, recommending workshops, planning, and even doing demonstration teaching.

This article really brings to the surface the idea that teachers are very sensitive people.  It is amazing the obstacles this program had to overcome to be implemented.  If we as teachers are really in the profession to help students then why would we ever be offended by receiving help in becoming better.  With all the jobs I have help in my life, this profession stands above the others when you discuss the idea of further training or collaboration.  The atmosphere I have experienced in education the past ten years is that many teachers feel they have it down and don't need anyone else telling them how to do it.  What makes us so special that we feel we have mastered something that can never be mastered.  Every class we will ever teach will be completely different than any other.  What works one year is not necessarily going to work the next.  If we as new teachers enter this field with the same feelings of this is my class and this is how I do things, we will not affect the change that we have been talking about all year.  It is imperative that we come with open minds, ready to learn what needs to be learned, and always continue to pursue new techniques and strategies.  I know I talk about sports a lot when talking about education, but I feel they go hand in hand.  Look at any great athlete: Tiger Woods, Tony Gwynn, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Joe Montana, etc, each has/had a coach that instructed their performance.  These guys are said to be the greatest at their sport and they still had coaches helping them improve.  WAKE UP TEACHERS!!!  I don't care how good you think you are, you can always improve.  GET OVER YOURSELF!!  If you don't want to improve and work at this profession, get the hell out of it and go do something else.  This isn't about you or your ego, it is about the students and making a better world for tomorrow.