Becky Rents 1/ONS I m1. Iv. vi. Observation 3: Classroom Management and Routines Grade: Preschool Students: 6 boys, 4 girls Setting: Preschool classroom at the Children’s Campus on R.V.C.C Multi-Age (3-4 years old) classroom, 10 students, 1 head teacher, 2 teacher assistants Pre-Observation: The purpose of this observation was to talk about the techniques used to handle students in the classroom as well as the schedule they adhere to. Within this conversation I also asked for examples of their schedule and different disciplinary actions that are used. Many of the questions I asked were, “Do you follow the specific schedule posted in the classroom?" “Is the schedule created by the district?” “How do you respond to misbehavior?” “What are the consequences?” “Do conflicts go unnoticed?” “Is there a class system for rewards and punishments?" “When are parents notified of misbehavior?” “When does the director get involved?” “How are the teachers assessed?” With these observations | can lean techniques of managing a classroom and of following a schedule that I may use in the future. also looked out for any changes that I would make if I were the teacher adhering to the schedule and managing the classroom. and ask the cooperating teacher Data: the classroom that I observed in, the schedule is posted both outside and inside the classroom. The one posted outside the classroom is a specific ist of the times and activity that goes along with each. (See Appendix I). The schedule starts at 7:30 AM, when children first arrive, and ends at 6:00 PM, when the students leave. ‘They are all aware of the schedule since the exact same one is posted inside. This schedule includes pictures of the children performing each activity, so it is more specific. 1 was not allowed to take a picture of this schedule because it had pictures of the children on it. Each activity ranges from half an hour to an hour which gives enough time for it to be completed. Rest time is the longest, which allows the students ample time to have naps. ‘The schedule is created by the director of the school, Kathy Griffin. She uses The Creative Curriculum to verify that each activityvu. follows the guidelines set up by the curriculum. My cooperating teacher has authority over the learning centers because she creates and changes each one accordingly to follow The Creative Curriculum. They are the most specific part of the schedule and allows the teacher to be flexible. If one student is not always there, she allows them first choice for the centers, When it gets close to 11:00 AM, all the students are given a five minute warming. This way they know to start cleaning up in their center. When a child misbehaves the child goes through a “sit and watch”. This is equivalent toa “time out”, they just use a different name. They talk with the student and ask them if they know what they did wrong. If they have done something unsafe to either themselves or others, the teacher stresses upon the classroom safety rules. These tules are posted inside the classroom and include “Be safe for yourself, friends, and the classroom”, If the student continues to misbehave the next step is to send them to the director, Kathy. She sits with them and discusses with them why their actions were inappropriate. The next step for misbehavior is talking with the parents of the student. Both the director and head teacher consult with the parents on a plan of action to take in order to prevent this misbehavior. When rewarding a student for good behavior, both the head teacher and teacher assistants use praise. For example, “That is very good sharing!” “Good job on following the safety rules!” The director, Kathy walks in on days that she is in to check on the teachers. She makes sure that the teacher is following the Creative Curriculum and how well the students are progressing. She focuses more on those who have problems with others or with communication and speech problems. If she sees any inappropriate practice from the teacher she writes them up and dismisses them. Any infraction will go on the person’s personal record. Analysis: When dealing with conflicts, both the head teacher and teacher assistants do their best to address all the conflicts. However some conflicts do go unnoticed, if the student is quieter about it or it goes away in a matter of seconds. It is much easier for a teacher to notice a conflict that involves a loud confrontation between two students. Sarcasm is never used to address a conflict. It is answered with questions in a stern tone such as, “Why did you do that?” “Why would you put another student in danger?” I agree that sarcasm should never be used to address a conflict. Especially with this age group of kids you want them to be able to learn right from wrong. At an early age they need to start to learn what actions are ok and what are not. I can understand if a conflict goes unresolved if'a student is quieter about it. It is important that you are aware of the students around you and do your best to address the concerns you do see. Recommendations: One technique that I really liked from www.parenting.com, is that when addressing a students conflict you should go on your knees to talk to them. I notice that a lot of time the head teacher will bend over and yell at the student. Although this is effective, I can see how scared the child is. Asa teacher I don’t want my students to be afraid of me. With this tactic, the interaction is less scary to the student and uses a direct approach and is very impactful looking a student directly in the eyes.XII. Citations: 13 Discipline Tricks from Teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www. parenting.com/gallery/13-discipline-tricks-from-teachers?page=3