Forms of Disruption in Class - Report Example

room Management Plan Learning Environment Nottingham Elementary School, Virginia Suburban room setting Target Population Target populationincludes the second grade students of Nottingham Elementary School in Virginia. Required Classroom Behaviors and Learning Expectations 1. Students are expected to listen and follow the teachers’ instructions When dealing with the 2nd grade students, it is important to train them to listen and follow the teachers’ instruction starting on the first day of class. Since the classroom is composed of more than 30 2nd grade students, the presence of inattentive students can make it very difficult on the part of the teachers and teaching assistants to monitor the learning progress of each child. 2. Students are required to respect oneself and other students Implementing the promotion of diversity inside the classroom will result to long-term benefits on the part of the students. Aside from teaching the students the value and importance of socialization, requiring them to respect one another at a very young age will help strengthen their values as a person. 3. Students are required to raise their hands before openly expressing his/her concerns in class Any forms of disruption in class will not only result to classroom mismanagement but also hinders the learning progress of other students. For this reason, the students are requested to raise their hands in case they have any questions they would like to ask related to the topic of discussion. 4. Students are prohibited to loiter around the classroom Loitering around the classroom while the teacher is teaching in front of the class could distract the attention of other students who are willing to learn. Therefore, it is important to let the students know that they are not allowed to walk around the classroom without the teacher’s permission. 5. Students are expected to come inside the classroom well prepared Each day, the teacher will be providing the students with short assignments. To ensure that the students have done their study at home, students are expected to be able to actively participate in the classroom discussion the following day. List of Reinforcement of Tokens and the Cost of Each Instead of punishing the students for not paying attention or misbehaving in class, it is best to make use of reinforcement techniques as a way of motivating the students to perform well and obliged with the expected learning outcome. Basically, the use of punishment technique can only demotivate the students more. Aside from making the students lose their interests in class, it will be more difficult on the part of the teacher to build rapport and win the trust and respect of each student (Maag). Even though the provision of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards is a good form of motivation for students in 2nd grade, teachers should be aware that small token of appreciation need not always have a cost. As part of encouraging and motivating the 2nd grade students to oblige with the required classroom behaviors and learning expectations, the following list of reinforcement and token will be considered throughout the semester: Expected Attitude and Behavior in Class Token and Its Cost Students are raising hand before openly expressing their concerns and queries in the class. Students respect other students, does not loiter around the classroom while the teacher is discussing a lesson, and students are listening and following the teacher’s instructions. Students come to class well prepared. Positive verbal praises. Reinforcement of token (i.e. candies, small gifts, verbal praises, etc.) is awarded based on the entire class behavior. Different brand of candies as a reward to students’ individual preparedness in class. Basically, the use of positive verbal praises is the most inexpensive yet most effective way of motivating the 2nd grade students to oblige with the class rules and expected behavior. For this reason, the use of verbal praises can be utilized in almost all of the class expected behavior and learning performance. Reinforcement of small tokens has to be distributed not only to each individual student but also among group of students (Edwards). For instance: The reinforcement of small tokens (i.e. candies, small gifts, verbal praises, etc.) when awarded to each student based on their ability to come prepared in class is more effective in terms of motivating each student to complete their homework each time they arrive home from school. By doing so, the teacher can avoid penalizing other students for the wrong behavior or failure of other students to complete their school requirements at home. On the other hand, teachers can also reinforce small tokens based on the entire class behavior. By doing so, teacher will be able to make the students as a group become aware of the need to observe the class rules in order to earn the unannounced reward for the day. Through the implementation of this particular reinforcement plan, each student will be made responsible to observe the class behavior and attitude of other students. Even though a student can cause the entire class to lose their opportunity to receive the small token of the day, majority of the students will be encouraged to show positive behavior inside the classroom. Procedures First Category As part of motivating the 2nd grade students to improve their attitude and behavior in class, the teacher will categorize the reinforcement of tokens based on three (3) sets of expected attitude and behavior in class. The first category which will be awarded with simple verbal praises will be based on the students’ class discipline particularly with the need to raise their hands before openly expressing their concerns and queries in the class. Each student who raises their hands before asking questions will be awarded with simple praise such as “thank you” or “job well done”. Second Category The second category will focus on observing the students’ ability to respect other students, avoid loitering around the classroom while the teacher is discussing a lesson in front of class and in occasions wherein the students are attentively listening and following the teacher’s instructions. Unlike the first category, the second category of expected students’ behavior in class will be rewarded with tokens (i.e. candies, small gifts, verbal praises, etc.) on a group effort basis. Applicable to the second category, the teacher will encourage the students to vote for a class leader to whom the teacher will instruct to keep $1 play money as points each time the entire class were able to behave in accordance to the expected classroom behavior (Maag, Behavior Management: From theoretical implications to practical applications). Basically, the rationale for asking the class leader to keep the points is to serve as visual motivation to each student as they continue participating in class learning throughout the entire semester. On a later date, the teacher will allocate assigned gifts or rewards base on the entire group’s collected points. As a way of encouraging the students to perform behave better inside the classroom, the teacher will post a token menu which clearly indicates the amount of points required for each reward. In general, the process of exchanging the token after a month could save the teacher so much time and effort when deciding and distributing the reward to the entire class. (See Table I – Token Reinforcement Menu on page 6) Table I – Token Reinforcement Menu Token or Points Rewards 1 – 15 Verbal Praise 16 – 25 Sweets 26 – 35 Juices 36 – 45 School Supplies (i.e. stickers, erasers, pencils, etc.) 46 – 55 Free Movie Pass How Tokens will be Stored Since rewards will be distributed on a monthly basis or the first day of each month, teacher will be able to wait for a couple of days before the end of each month before purchasing the class rewards. By doing so, the class teacher will be able to have a rough estimate the quantities of goods to be purchase for the entire class. Third Category The third category will focus on how prepared each student will come to class. Based on the assigned homework, the teacher will make it a habit to conduct a class discussion which aims to examine how well the students understood the assigned homework. In line with this, the teacher will either invite the students to raise their hand if they wish to participate in the class discussion. Also, the teacher will have the right to call on the students at any time of the day. By doing so, the students will be forced to pay attention throughout the entire class hours. With regards to the distribution of rewards, the class teacher will bring different brand of candies each day in order to reward attentive students in class. Classroom Design At the back of the classroom, the teacher will post the Token Reinforcement Menu and a blank chart wherein the class leader will be assigned to record the points earned for the day. Each week, the class leaders will be expected to tally the total points earned by the entire class. This chart will enable the class teacher and fellow students to monitor their behavioral progress on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. *** End *** References Edwards, Clifford H. "Relation of productivity in elementary school science to token reinforcement involving liked and unlked peers." Journal of Research in Science Teaching (1977): Vol. 14, No. 5, pp. 449 - 454. Maag, J.W. Behavior Management: From theoretical implications to practical applications. San Diego: Singular Press, 1999. —. "Rewarded by punishment: Reflections on the disuse of positive reinforcement in schools." Exceptional Children (2001): Vol. 67, No. 2, pp. 173-86. Total Number of Words: 1, 517 Read More