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It is easier to be a tyrant and vindictive punisher to corral students like a drill Sargent. However that is not what a good teacher is there to do. We are there to share insight about a subject, a knowledge, an experience, a skill, a sum of information that will enhance those students lives and give them tools to be successful in their own lives. Employing quick punishment for questioning or behavior that is not disruptive or wrong destroys the critical learning relationship that students grow as they come to learn from a great teacher. We must be firm about goals, about staying on target and if there are questions that push the boundaries of knowledge, great we can research that question and circle back. A teacher in many ways is a regulator who might control how often a person speaks, for example, in American style educational class rooms all the students are expected to present their viewpoints on a reading, presentation, topic, etc but if the teacher has one student who always talks or another who is really shy about talking, it might be necessary to control who speaks and how often. "Children are not just adults in the making, they are people whose current needs and rights and experiences must be taken seriously. They ought to be able to make choices because people of any age ought to have some say about what happens to them." another quote I like is this one "The ultimate reason to give children a say is that it can help them to make their own good decisions, to grow into ethnical and compassionate people."

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There is a relationship that is created between teachers and students in any classroom, be it a positive or negative relationship due to the amount of strictness or flexibility of the teacher. While I fully believe that a teacher must not be seen as a vindictive tyrant who is eager to punish students for asking questions which sets up a culture in which students believe they will be punished for questioning presented facts and information. That is training those students to be docile clones and not academics who push the boundaries of knowledge and advance our technologies, social justice or other industries. "Many classroom management programs use language of choice against students as a kind of weapon: “You chose to misbehave” or even “You chose to be punished.” What such programs conspicuously fail to provide is what students truly need: The chance to make real decisions about what happens in the classroom. Some of these decisions concern the academic part of their education---what to learn, and how, and why."

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This reminds me of the recent educational method that the Bush presidency tried called "No Child Left Behind."
That was a disaster in that the teachers were graded by how many students passed the school's tests rather than whether the students actually learned the informational material that they had been exposed to, and it punished the teachers when students did poorly on those tests, so what resulted was teachers simply gave A grades to all their students. "Children are not just adults in the making, they are people whose current needs and rights and experiences must be taken seriously. They ought to be able to make choices because people of any age ought to have some say about what happens to them." Teachers must be allowed to teach students without fear of punishment so long as the methods used are positive and within educational standards.

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Becoming a teacher is a great opportunity for us to share a skill, knowledge and experience with others. The method by which teachers present and pass on their information can be more effectively done by engaging one's students in a positive manner. Chapter 6 really went over how "If we want children to take responsibility we must first give them responsibility." and "We teach reading, writing, and math by having students do it, but we teach democracy by lecture." I believe this to be true that if students are going to truly learn the material that is presented, they must have an opportunity to ask questions, to explore and question facts and that the teacher must not employ punishment or terrify the students into limiting their educational experience.

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This meme helps to encapsulate something that concerns me about becoming a teacher - I personally do not feel very positive about standardized testing in general, and as much as I am able, I want to teach in a way that avoids it. As Kohn (2006) states near the end of the chapter, "...researchers have discovered that when teachers are pressured to improve students' performance on tests, they tend to act in more controlling ways with students..." (p. 100). It makes complete sense to me that the more that a teacher's 'hands are tied' due to test-score standards and more traditional ways of teaching/assessing, they in turn will resort to classroom management styles that also are geared towards those results. This, to me, works to destroy the essence of self-responsibility and empowering ownership of the classroom in the students, as the test scores end up becoming a type of 'reward' which is sought after simply because it's what they 'should be' going after. I can't say that I can see a way around this dilemma yet, but I am not a very big fan of the way that schools are funded by federal government based on their overall testing scores. The pressure coming down from the district, administration, and teachers is palpable to the students - and students are robbed of a learning environment that is geared towards democratic teaching, and does not give them any say in the matter either. As Kohn (2006) says, it might take some time for teachers and administrators to move away from the traditional practices that they were taught in their own education - but I can't help but think that there must be a better way to assess our students in a holistic manner that doesn't create the reward/punishment scenario based on how well they do on exams.

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By the end of the chapter Kohn touches on the topic of punishments and for me it bought up this meme. I currently don't have a classroom but when I do I want to make sure that any punishments/ consequences I give, don't effect the class as a whole. At the moment I'm not sure how I feel about them because I feel that the consequences for not doing assignments/ getting in trouble made me a better student, made me the student I am now honestly. But on the other hand I could see how they could make our students feel singled out, upset, and resent going to school. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

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Funny enough, I had this told to me in my Gov/Econ class my senior year. It fits perfectly with the idea that Khon is rebutting. Our classrooms should have spays for students to participate in what they're learning, the rules and guidelines should be decided as a class. If we want to encourage students to grow in to responsible adults, democracy is usually a part of that. this meme to me points out that disconnect between student and teacher.

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A big portion of this chapter was about teaching responsibility and giving students the ability to make decisions. I think it's also important to hold them responsible to the things they decided on as a group. I feel that, especially at a high school level, it's important to hold our students accountable and to our high expectations, without making them feel horrible if they don't meet them.

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I thought this was a good connection to the Khon chapter as much of the chapter talked about how some teachers try to control their classrooms without giving options or wiggle room. This reminded me a lot of how my teachers felt about teaching, especially as we got close to breaks. They were just trying to find ways to occupy our time and keep us managed. I think that the job might feel like crowd control at times but I think there are benefits from having unstructured time in the classroom as well.

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I remember having substitutes who were absolutely not prepared to deal with our classroom - we were a particularly rowdy bunch most of the time.  In retrospect, I feel bad for the subs who were obviously not given the proper information ahead of time, or were simply expected to put on a movie and just make sure that we didn't do anything too obnoxious.  I can't remember a single instance of the type of meeting that Kohn (2006) describes with the class gathering to discuss expectations for times when we were going to have a sub, with the teacher asking "...the students what they think might be useful for making sure the days he is away will be spent productively" (p. 89).  I think this is a profound idea, and I would like to try and incorporate such meetings when I am a teacher, and I love the collaborative effort that also makes the students responsible for their own learning without putting undue pressure on subs who don't know the specific students and class dynamics as well as they do.  This might help to circumvent the problem of a sub not having as much 'authority' as the regular teacher - back when I was in K-12, I remember that subs hardly ever got much respect from students, and meetings before/after having subs might have helped to solve this dilemma.

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Although this chapter brings into question whether "getting the class to quiet down" is actually a desirable thing (due to the fact that it is discipline/behavior-based traditional mindset), I think that this meme captures the idea of student-led decision making and input well.  One aspect in particular is the description of 'class meetings,' which can be used to make students learn to take on responsibilities for themselves.  As Kohn (2006) states, "...apart from the invaluable social and ethical benefits of class meetings, they foster intellectual development as well, as students learn to reason their way through problems, analyzing possibilities and negotiating solutions" (p. 90).  Empowering students to actively solve problems will not only help them have more ownership of the tasks and work that they are doing with their peers, but will also better prepare them for the world once they have finished their compulsory education.  In this respect, having a student speak up when behavior is happening that they don't like can be seen as a positive thing, especially if the focus isn't just about order for order's sake.

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In the section about class meetings, Kohn uses a high school math teacher from Massachusetts as an example of how to devote time for class meetings in a high school block schedule (Kohn, 2006, 91). I have never tried structured class meetings in the high school German classes I teach because I’m often short on time in our block schedule. While reading this section of the chapter, I felt more optimistic about challenging myself to devote time to class meetings. My students and I, much like the teacher and his students in Kohn’s example, are “prisoner of the absurd high school schedule that divides the day into 45-minute periods of unrelated subjects” (Kohn, 2006, pg. 90), but I need push myself to try planning in time for class meetings and observe the outcome. On that note, there are so many spectacular memes that describe how I feel about high school bell schedules, but this one best represents how I feel when trying to remember the schedule, plan around the tight transitions, or remember how restrictive the schedule is on students. I’m impressed with my students when they know the bell schedule by heart and can handle transitioning between so many different subjects throughout the day. As an adult, I would not feel comfortable moving between meetings about eight different subjects with short passing times. I’m excited for the upcoming school year because the school I work at is embedding an Advisory period and club/activity time into our school days to give students and staff a break from the traditional bell schedule. The Advisory period will be dedicated to class meetings and check ins, while the club/activity time will give students an opportunity to choose where in the building they want to be and what they’d like to do as a break from our traditional bell schedule. I’m hopeful that I’ll feel more comfortable offering class meeting time in my German classes after trying it out in Advisory, while feeling less pressure of the bell schedule and five-minute transition time between classes.

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While this meme clearly isn't set in the classroom, I was reminded of this old saying when Kohn (2006) was describing "threatening punitive consequences" (p. 82).  I have had teachers in the past who would use this type of threat to try and get students to do what they wanted, often without much success.  As this meme dryly states, using negative reinforcement and discipline tactics that punish students for "undesirable" behavior is only ever going to be a short-term gain for the teacher, if at all.  Such tactics are completely devoid of giving students a say, and will work to widen the divide between the 'authoritarian' teacher and their students.  As Kohn (2006) states about the recess scenario with the 2nd grade teacher, "...everything in this classroom changed when the teacher stopped commanding and started listening..." (p. 80). True leadership is collaborative, and shouldn't need to resort to heavy-handed discipline tactics that probably won't work anyway.

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"It sounds easier than it is, this business of holding class meetings" (Kohn, 2006, p. 90). I loved this section on class meetings and the benefits that can be gained in the negotiation and classroom community by regularly holding class meetings. Teachers must be very clear on the purpose and value of doing the meetings because there are so many competing priorities and pressures of time, it would be easy to skip it for something that feels more urgent. Ultimately, though, I think Kohn makes the case that holding the class meeting, talking through important issues or conflicts that are arising or future decisions that need student input is time very well spent. It will save time in the future enforcing a guideline that students did not choose or defending a decision that students had no part in. I agree, however, that holding effective class meetings is not easy. There are many factors to consider in organizing and facilitating these meetings so each student feels safe to contribute and there is a positive way to reach consensus.

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"The truth is that if we want children to take responsibility, we must first give them responsibility, and plenty of it" (Kohn, 2006, p. 84). This is worth reflecting on and figuring out how to do in practice. I appreciate that Kohn shares many examples of when responsibility and decision making are not shared as well as when they are shared. It helps me to envision how I might implement these ideas with my future students. I made this meme because when students are constantly told what to do or are led to believe that they have a say, but their ideas are ignored or over-ridden, they may shut down and give up engaging. It can be demoralizing to ask their opinion and then explain it away or argue against it. Ultimately, as teachers, we want to be a part of creating informed and critical thinkers who will be our future leaders. "Anyone who truly values democratic ideals would presumably want to maximize children's experiences with choice and negotiation" (p.85). There are so many opportunities for choice and negotiation in the classroom, if we are willing to give up some control.

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I loved Kohn’s suggestions for classroom arrangements and turning choices over to students (Kohn, 2006, pg. 86) about how and where to sit in a classroom within limits discussed collectively. In the past, I always set my classroom up to have a variety of seating options and flexible spaces where students could go during class if they wanted or needed to move. I opened the choice to my students to decide where they wanted to be throughout class within a set of limits we decided together, but then covid hit! When we went back in person in April, I was disappointed that I had to use traditional-looking desks in my room that other people arranged for me according to the restrictions. My students asked a lot if we could move furniture, and we all held out hope for this school year that we would be allowed to bring back aspects of the old arrangement. This meme perfectly describes how I look and feel right now waiting to hear about a game plan. I don’t mind most of the restrictions, but I really want to know how I can arrange my classroom and how much I can allow my students to be involved in creating a space they feel comfortable in when they’re in my room.

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After Kohn (2006) gave the examples of two teachers, I liked the follow-up section about how and why students should be involved in decision making. For example, Kohn (2006) discusses that instead of using manipulative phrases or threatening consequences if students don’t follow rules, students can reflect together on what they need to transition successfully. I feel like the threatening and manipulative phrases listed as examples (“If it takes everyone as long to do ____ today as it did yesterday, we won’t get to do ____”) set students up to compete with each other and disrespect each other in the case that an activity, reward, etc. is taken away only because an arbitrary rule about transition time couldn’t be followed. Instead of students working together to create reasonable, maintainable boundaries and routines in their classroom by making decisions as a group, students impacted by the phrases Kohn describes are led into a mindset that any one student could cause a major loss or consequence for the entire class.

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"The ultimate reason to give children a say is that it can help them to make their own good decisions, to grow into ethical and compassionate people . . . "(Kohn, 2006, p. 83). We can't expect children to be in a very structured environment their whole upbringing and then magically learn how to make good decisions. The only way to get good at decision making is to make lots of decisions, in school and outside of school. Teachers have an opportunity to foster these critical thinking and decision making skills by sharing the responsibility for creating the classroom environment that the students actually want.

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The story about the teacher and her students lining up for recess was a relief to read. It is reassuring to learn about teachers who are still learning how to be teachers, and are open to doing that with their students. I feel a bit iffy about this meme - is it celebrating that there were no "behavior issues" for once when coming back from recess? Shouldn't the fact that there are persistent "behavior issues" when leaving recess point to a larger issue? Is there really a cause for celebration, if the teacher just managed to have more control over the students? I think a scenario like this does not call for celebration, instead it should analyze the situation and identify what went differently that lead to no issues.

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This meme is not entirely related to the chapter, but I was reminded of it when Kohn wrote about a teacher who allowed students to change positions in order to read or write. I don't know about everyone else, but when I start reading or writing I shift positions numerous times and always end up kind of looking like a pretzel. It upset me that students are expected to sit at their desks in the same stiff position, all day, and be able to produce or take in knowledge. Basic body autonomy is being taken away, no wonder students are tired, apathetic, and disinterested. If they can't get comfortable enough to read, how are they expected to learn?

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https://i.imgflip.com/5jq7gq.jpg

"Kids tend to be more respectful when their need to make decisions is respected; they are likely to be better behaved when there is no need for them to struggle to assert their autonomy"(Kohn, 2006, p. 81). I believe this is true. Kids, like adults, have experiences, opinions, ideas and they will be more engaged and content when teachers give them the opportunity to share their ideas and be heard. No one likes to feel like they are being controlled or constantly told what to do. I imagine it would make kids want to act out more and push back more if they were never given the chance to express their needs and participate in the decision making in the classroom.

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Traditional classroom decorations depress me, and it something I want to avoid entirely. I like the example of the teacher Kohn provided, who left her walls empty and allowed for her students to decorate the classroom. It reminded me of how a new apartment/room does not feel like home until I have put up my posters and knick knacks on the walls. The same must apply to classrooms. For students to feel safe, comfortable, included, seen, they must feel like the room is also theirs. An initial way to do this is to allow them to add pieces of themselves to the room - their own decorations and work up on the wall can do a lot.

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On pages 78-80, Kohn (2006) describes two teachers who both started with strict rules, however, the second of the two teachers described in the example reflects on her own behavior and allows student input to drive a decision about how students come inside from recess. I like this meme because it seems to best represent the first teacher of the two described in Kohn’s example. The first teacher’s constant attempt to stay in control only creates an environment where students’ behavior and reactions to things are assumed to be negative or rule-breaking, while the second teacher, by reflecting on and changing her behavior, experienced positive change. I found it encouraging that the second teacher in the quoted example slowed down to reflect on her students’ reactions to lining up at recess and worked with them to find a solution.

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I always disliked it when teachers did this. It relies on an expectation that was usually not made clear, and then blames the students for not following an unspoken rule. This reminded me of classroom built expectations, opposed to those provided by the teacher. If students are talking or doing something that causes the teacher to have the above reaction, there is an absence of communication. Like Kohn points out multiple times through Chapter 6, it is important to allow autonomy and give students the opportunity to define what classroom expectations should look like. A teacher setting expectations without necessarily sharing them is not useful.

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"It is good to give students the chance to pick their favorite option from a list of possibilities. It is bettern when they can sometimes generate the possibilities."

When I am working with a young people and there needs to be a choice made, but I also want to have that person and or group to feel like they have a say in the outcome, I do provide folx directed options. As a basic example, let say I want the person to wear a sweater because it is cold outside and we're going for a walk. I may pick out two sweaters, one red and the other blue. The person gets to choose the color of sweater they are going to wear, but their still getting a sweater. Would you like an apple or a bananna, you're still getting a piece of fruit.

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“To talk about the importance of choice is also to talk about democracy. At present, as Shelly Berman (1990, p.2) of Educators for Social Responsibility has drily noted, We teach reading, writing, and math by [having students do] them, but we teach democracy by lecture.” Anyone who truly values democratic ideals would presumably want to maximize children’s experiences with choice and negotiation."

"Studies support this view. Students who are able to participate in making decisions at school are more committed to decision making and democracy in other contexts."

"More important, the hard work of listening, considering others’ points of view, and fashioning new solutions—in short, the guts of democracy."

The above statement hits the nail on the head for me in multiple ways. Using authoratitive discipline practices not only disengage and disenfranchises students, it doesn't provide modeling for students of how to live in a democracy. As teacher leaders we need to model and co-create environments with students which foster and support democratic ideals, like group problem-solving, engaging within community, finding and working towards compromise, agree/disagree.

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"A teacher once told me how much her students' morale improved when she started letting them read or write in any position they chose- sitting, standing, or lying down anywhere in the room. That struck me as a little bit depressing because it pointed up how the norm is to deny students even the most basic control over their own bodies". (Kohn 1994, page 85)
When reading this it made me think about the many reasons why as a student we are put into these small little desks in school.  The one word that pops into my mind is "order". It is supposed to create order for the teacher and the classroom and to support learning. Though as we have learned that is not always the case. There are some students who have difficulty sitting for long periods of time... in fact I would think a lot people have difficulty... especially in such as small little chair. If anything giving them such rules like sitting up straight and have a certain posture in school creates the idea that school isn't supposed to be fun but work.
I have noticed in the past couple of years there are more things on the market such as fidget squares which are little tools that help children with concentrating in the classroom. I think the important thing is to acknowledge the students and create an environment where their needs are met and that they won't get distracted while they learn.
I chose this meme because I kind of reminded me how as a student this chair was one of the most annoying things about class because it didn't fit all my books and I was also left handed so I would have to turn by body a certain way to actually make use of it! But it goes to show how as students we would have to adjust how we sat whilst in these desks. Whether that be stretching our backs out or twisting our spines!

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I came across a thought which was posted on a teacher instragram feed, and it stated, "They're not giving you a hard time, they're having a hard time." Our students and humans in general, when you feel like someone may be giving you a hard time, take a moment and think about how they, the student, might be having a hard time.

In refence to the Kohn text, "Consider a rough syllogism. Major premise: children misbehave when their basic needs have not been met. Minor premise: children (like adults) have a basic need to experience themselves as “origins” of their own behavior as opposed to “pawns.” Conclusion: misbehavior will diminish when children feel less controlled.”

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"The ultimate reason to give children a say is that it can help them to make their own good decisions, to grow into ethical and compassionate people - not because it will make them internalize what we want them to do. Our decision about how we involve them in making decisions should be guided by what helps that to happen."(Kohn 1994, page 83)
I think this meme is pretty good at representing the chapter in the sense of how giving orders and commanding students to behave doesn't necessarily work. In this chapter we learn more and more how giving students the chance to make their own decision in the classroom can help them grow as people and help the learning experience as well. It's important to find a balance!

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As I get further into this subject of Classroom Management and the idea for future implementation, I keep thinking about the industrial complex and output orientation that functionally and foundationally our American school system was founded on. This against the backdrop of a more organic native plant like garden. One is better for machines and things, and the other more beneficial to organic life forms, e.g., humans.

On page 82, Kohn provides the example of many classroom management programs use the language of chose against students as a kind of weapon: “You choose to misbehave” or even “You choose to be punished.” Further down the page Kohn states that, “the first benefit is that giving them (students) some say will make it more likely that they will do essentially what we want. Choice promotes compliance and minimizes misbehavior.”

Not to be completely reductive, but if you treat students with some respect for their rights and autonomy, they will be better stewards of their behavior, instead of total lockdown control.

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There was a part in the chapter where a teacher couldn't understand why her students were misbehaving in line after recess outside. She starts to worry about what the principal will think and then asks her students what the problem was. She then learns that the reason why they were antsy was because they didn't understand why they had to wait out in the hot sun and just go inside the room instead. After the teacher give the students a part in fixing the problem. (Kohn page 79)
This part made me look back on my own experience in school. I remember in seventh grade, for some reason the teachers were furious with all our hall because we didn't walk to our classes quietly after lunch. So they made us walk in lines (I remember it being so embarrassing) right after lunch and would yell at us until we were completely silent. I think there were times where they made us go back if it wasn't quiet enough for them. But I remember how furious we all were and humiliated in front of the other halls! I haven't thought about this in YEARS! lol! But this meme really worked for it :) It kind of reminds me of them! LOL. Though! In the excerpt, It was really nice that the teacher asked her students the reason why the line wasn't working, and looked at her motives for wanting a line in general. It was awesome that the students themselves got the chance to decide on a course of action. Which I think is what we need more of!

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The relevant question, as Thomas Gordon (1989, p. 9) emphasizes, is not whether limits or rules are necessary, but "Who sets them:  the adults alone or the adults and kids - together?"

This brought back so many memories because we use to always joke that how adults always say they care about our safety and put your seat belt on, but y'all ok with us riding the bus with a complete stranger driving us to and from school and field trips.
We use to always say thank goodness the Lord has the wheel too lol.

This is why adults and kids should work together lol.

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“I don’t want to hear, “Golly, two pages. Do we have to write two pages? What if we...?” “It’s not “Let’s make a deal” here. I’ll just say, “Gee, I think you can write three or four pages on yours” (Dabney et al. 1994, pp 63-64)” (Kohn 2006, pg 79)

When reading this excerpt from Kohn, I think my jaw dropped to the floor! I am very thankful I didn’t have a teacher who did anything like that, but I did have teachers who kind of had an authoritarian approach to learning. What got me in this part was the usage of “Golly” and “Gee” it was as if she was making fun of the student in general and treating them as if they were dumb. For some students writing an essay can be difficult. Especially when you know you have to write a certain amount because there is a lot that goes into a paper. So I think as a teacher you need to be sensitive with that and know that writing can be challenging for students. Also, of course, your class might not be the only class they are taking, so the fact that they want to know the page count and or hesitant you need to be aware also. I chose this meme because I felt like it kind of went with the excess homework part :) When you're like "great"... more work!

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the chance to make real decisions about what happens in the the classroom. (Kohn, pg. 81)

This is an example of what students really need in the classroom and in life. Even though something can be taught to you, you will always learn best if you're involved in the actual process, or being hands on, or having a say so on how a subject can be taught. Students can grasp the concept better, especially if they make a mistake, they can see it for themselves and the teacher and student can come up with a solution together, instead of the teacher just telling them they made that mistake.

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Another way to engage students and bring them into decisions that will impact their education is asking their input about how desks should be arranged. I really appreciated the discussion on Friday about various ways to organize desks in a classroom. I created this meme because I felt that it sums up that conversation, as well as the concept of structure vs. control, as discussed in Kohn's chapter 6. Allowing students to have input about how a classroom should be set up, specifically whether rows or horseshoes or pods work better for the classroom, should be a serious discussion in all classrooms. As a student, I have personally never seen a benefit to forcing us to sit in rows. I feel that it discourages classroom discussions of any kind, potentially eliminating possible opportunities for deeper learning to occur.

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We cannot expect children to accept ready-made values and truths all the way through school, and then suddenly make choices in adulthood.  Likewise, we cannot expect them to be manipulated with reward and punishment in school, and to have the courage of a Martin Luther King in adulthood.

This was hilarious cause it summed up the face expression my daughter makes sometimes when she talks about the choices she makes in school. I believe you have to be real with these students and always be truthful about life and experiences. Always communicate with one another about what works best for each individual because each value and truth can be different.

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I created this meme to illustrate something that I don't recall reading about in our textbook: different classrooms with different student engagement. We have read about how allowing our students to help shape classroom norms provides them with a sense of ownership in their own work. I was thinking about how this would play out in a group of friends, where one of the friends is not in a classroom where students have a voice. How would not having the same opportunity to share opinions about classroom processes and rule impact a student? How does having teachers who engage students in classroom decision making, and also having teachers who dictate all of the rules, impact the student body, when some students feel included and others do not?

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Conclusion: misbehavior will diminish when children feel less controlled.  Kids tend to be more respectful when their need to make decisions is respected; they are likely to be better behaved when there is no need for them to struggle to assert their autonomy.  Specifically, students are more likely to go along with a request, all things being equal, when they have some choice about how to carry it out. (Kohn, pg.81)

I agree with this statement as long as you let the students be aware that even though you are giving them choices to make because they deserve to make those choices as much as the teacher does. That they don't take advantage of the freedom you are giving them because it still comes with being a responsible student.

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I created this meme while thinking about the following quote: "No less important than letting students challenge the status quo was the teacher's willingness to admit that there may be no good reason for what had always been done, and (as a result) to reconsider the original request" (Kohn, 2006, p. 79). The reading from both this class and Dr. Bright's class earlier this summer is really opening my eyes to how I want my classroom to be. I know many current teachers who push that left button every year without considering whether that strategy is working- not for them, but for their students. As a future teacher, I feel like all of the teachers I have been looking up to in recent years automatically gravitate to that button on the left. I am looking forward to finding my own personal teaching style and classroom management style so that I can walk in to my first classroom and hit the button on the right without hesitation.

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The first two sentences from chapter 6 in Kohn's textbook sums this meme up. "The construction of meaning is an active process. It can't be done unless the learner has substantial power to make decisions" (Kohn, 2006, p. 78). When students are allowed a seat at the table when creating classroom norms, they buy into and take an active role in their own education.

I created this meme to represent how teachers may think that they are doing what's best for their students by creating many rules for their classrooms. However, for students to thrive and take an active interest in their own education, they need to feel as though they have a voice.

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“Everything in this classroom changed when the teacher stopped commanding and started listening, even if that happened only out of desperation.” (Kohn, 2006, p. 80)

This meme caught my attention because one of my endorsements is mathematics. I believe that future math teachers should pay more attention to students and their learning. Math teachers also need classroom management strategies. Math teachers should not only be limited to showing the concept, but also the application and reflecting on the concept. This meme is interesting because many students do not develop the skills to answer certain questions, but that is where we need to put into practice the classroom management strategies and resources necessary to provide quality education.

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I found this meme very interesting and related to classroom management. In this meme, I can clearly see the application of classroom management and the importance of establishing rituals, routines, and rules to avoid interruptions. Students have the right to interrupt the class to ask a question, but they should know that there are ways to avoid losing the concentration of other students and also to avoid delays in class. Rules are therefore essential in the classroom.

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"Students learn how to make good choices, not by following directions." (Kohn, 2006, p. 78).

I found this meme interesting, and I related it to the previous quote from chapter 6. In my opinion, I believe that students should obey the classroom rules. However, we as educators should have some flexibility without falling into the "manipulation" of students. Chapter 6 also talks about student participation in decision making, i.e., taking into account the students' opinion is a good strategy for classroom management, and it can keep them engaged with the teacher.

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“Let’s meet two real teachers. The first is a 6th and 7th grade teacher in Oklahoma who makes up all the rules and insists that students obey them without questions” (Kohn, 2006, p. 78)

I found this meme interesting, and I related it to the Oklahoma teacher's way of teaching who insists that students must obey the teacher's orders or suggestions without questioning anything. These teachers should think about opening spaces for student opinion. I believe that when opinions are taken into account, students will learn better. It is also important to mention the rules that should exist in the classroom, for example, the correct time for students to ask questions and avoid interruptions.

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“Purpose - A restriction would be more legitimate if, for example, its objective were to protect children from hurting themselves as opposed to imposing order for its own sake.” (Kohn, pg. 86)

This meme highlights one of my biggest concerns as a future biology teacher, there are gonna be a fair amount of labs and hands-on activities that could be potentially dangerous if proper lab etiquette is not followed. How to present this to the students and manage situations where maybe an individual might not listen. Unfortunately this is a situation where I must set rules that need to be followed, for good reason. Discipline and handling difficult situations is my biggest concern besides the safety of everyone.

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“A teacher once told me how much her students’ morale had improved when she started letting them read or write in any position they chose- sitting, standing or lying down anywhere in the room. That struck me as a little bit depressing because it pointed up how the norm is to deny students even the most basic control over their own bodies.” (Kohn, pg.85)

This resonates with me because the transition between my Montessori school in Chile to the sit-in-your-desk and listen here in the states, was very difficult for me. In Chile we had activities all throughout the room, we learned at our own pace and only talked to the teacher if we couldn’t understand the activity. This is where this meme comes into play, something as simple as, I had to go to the bathroom, I went. I will always remember my confusion for getting in trouble for leaving to use the bathroom when I needed to during my first day at an American school. Why was I not trusted to go pee???

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“The ultimate reason to give children a say is that it can help them to make their own good decisions, to grow into ethical and compassionate people-not because it will make them internalize what we want them to do.” (Kohn, pg. 83)

This really ties into my personal goal as a future teacher, not just to teach my lessons and teach biology, but to help my students become who they want to be. Making your own decisions, mistakes, accomplishments is such a big part of growing up and shaping you into the adults that we are, why take that away from our students. I think this meme represents this idea so well, because we can put a student in all these different spots, if they want to talk and do their own thing, they will. Why not listen to them, and talk to them so decisions can be made by everyone to benefit the class.

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“Children are not just adults-in-the-making. They are people whose current needs and rights and experiences must be taken seriously. They ought to be able to make choices because people of any age ought to have some say about what happens to them.” (Kohn, pg.81)

I absolutely love this passage and while this meme is sad, I think it shines a light into a big issue in our field. I think as educators we focus so much on helping students become the best learners they can, helping them grow into young adults that will flourish in the world. I think we make a lot of decisions based on what the future is expecting of them. We often forget that they are exactly who they are supposed to be, they are their own person with their own expectations for their own future, and their own rights!

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When establishing an expectation for myself in classroom management I sometimes will think of what I will be capable of when I am my most tired. If I want to lead a reflection at the end of a class each time will I be able to keep them consistent and productive. This also relates to how the students are feeling at the beginning of the day versus at the end of the day.

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Where students sit in the classroom can have an impact on focus and productivity but is not the only metaphorical piece of the classroom management puzzle. If expectations are agreed upon and the class has a mutual respect for each other and the teacher, where they sit should not be as important. However, that’s not always the case and assigned seats may be necessary until respect is achieved. If the students are in on the decision making I can also see them speaking for where they want to sit. If they want to sit next to their friend they will make a decision that will support that want. I often find comfort in simply being told what to do and know that I have students who need that at times as well. The more time we spend deliberating what to do the less involved they become.

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Educators who have spent years pursuing the goals and practices described earlier in this book ought not to expect a rapid conversion to democratic teaching (KOHN, 2006, pg 100) Classroom management has always been a continuously changing practice that might work one for one class and different for the next class. There is not a set of rules that must be followed to be successful but practices and approaches to being culturally responsive and democratic with students. There may be methods that a class attempts for a couple months that then decide as a group that they’re not working. Overall, it takes time and attention to manage a classroom.

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Sure enough, researchers have discovered that when teachers are pressured to improve students’ performance on tests, they tend to act in more controlling ways with students, giving them less choice than do teachers who are free to facilitate students’ learning (Deci et al. 1982).

When people don’t play a role in what is expected of them they are less motivated to achieve their goals. Even when we have learned that certain methods in education are not effective there is still the issue of what is possible with the resources given.  Without a way to measure student’s development how can teachers know what areas need improvement and what areas have been successful. Nevertheless, the way students' development is measured has a great impact on how they are learning.

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"Students learn how to make good choices, not by following directions." (Kohn, 2006, p. 78). I liked reading chapter 6 since it offers excellent practical classroom management advice. According to Kohn's book, students form reasonable outputs if we teach them how to make better decisions rather than forcing them to follow the rules. Setting limits, in my opinion, is important, but we as educators must ensure that these constraints do not interfere with our relationships with our students.

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Raising our hands before speaking is class demonstrates respect and to catch people's attention, yet some students are unaware of this. Teachers should be able to educate students why it is vital to treat people with respect by asking them to engage in activities while maintaining self-discipline and taking responsibility for their actions. As Kohn points out in his book, it is always beneficial to give children some autonomy since they can learn to be responsible and make good decisions from a young age rather than waiting until they get older.

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"The ultimate reason to give children a say is that it can help them to make their own good decisions, to grow into ethical and compassionate people not because it will make them internalize what we want them to do." (Kohn, 2006, p. 83). It was fascinating reading this chapter since I feel that it is our responsibility as educators to assist students in becoming responsible. Many people assume that it is the role of parents to teach their children how to make good decisions. However, because kids spend so much time in schools, we should encourage them to be responsible because it will result in positive outcomes for our classroom.

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This meme reminds me of some of my Mexican teachers during middle school. Teachers at that time would constantly urge students to be respectful and follow the rules or face severe consequences. My biology teacher, for example, suspended three students for nearly three months because they frequently interrupted other students and she refused to work with them. After reflecting on chapter 6, I came to the conclusion that enforcing disciplinary rules or threatening with consequences would not address a student's misconduct. Educators should think about making rules, but not with the intent of punishing students. Instead, they should be willing to listen to and understand the needs of students and constantly be willing to help them.

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"The benefits of letting students decide far outweigh the disadvantages of implementing a silly proposal." (Kohn p. 99)
I really like the way that Kohn talks about classroom democracy as trial and error, but super advantageous to learning how to be autonomous inside and outside of classroom. Something my students decide on may seem a bit outside of my norm, but that doesn't mean that I can't learn a new way of doing things throughout the journey to having a democratic classroom.

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"It seems quite paradoxical: 'a curriculum that urges problem solving and critical thinking and a management system that requires compliance and narrow obedience.' But it is more than a paradox: it is ultimately an 'oxymoron'." (Kohn p. 92)
I always found it quite interesting throughout my undergrad that my professors would lecture about finding my "voice" as a writer, but when it came time to reading my graded papers, I was marked down on grammar because my "voice" did not share the typical academic speak. I want to make sure that I am a teacher who practices what I preach within my classroom management.

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"A teacher once told me how much her students' morale had improved when she started letting them read or write in any position they chose---sitting, standing, or lying down anywhere in the room" (Kohn p. 85)
I have really been thinking about the idea of allowing kids to work in whichever position they choose. I think it would be awesome to have multiple writing/reading stations that give students the option of how they want to work for portions of the class period.

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Kohn quotes Constance Kamii, "We cannot expect children to accept ready-made values and truths all the way through school, and then suddenly make choices in adulthood." (Kohn, 2006, p. 84)
I really connected with this quote in that I have always felt that I struggled with making decisions. Looking back, I can relate a lot of my past education to the opposite of a democratic classroom.

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I don’t believe I’ve ever attended a class meeting in K-12, either as a student or as staff. To incorporate time for students to share information about their lives, or for them to plan and reflect… this is certainly all new to me. As I’ve stated with my other meme, I’m a little wary of allowing too much democracy in a classroom; I’m afraid that students won’t take the meetings seriously, or won’t suggest appropriate decorations for the class (I once had a student attempt to decorate the wall nearest him with images of anime women wearing revealing clothing). However, I now understand this can happen because students have never had this degree of autonomy or responsibility allowed to them before, and so they might lash out because they’ve never been in a classroom where they didn’t have stringest rules imposes on them always. It will be a fine line to walk, but I’m hoping to learn how to navigate these class meetings, and perhaps, to let them navigate themselves.

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I’m fascinated by Kohn’s differentiation of Structure vs. Control. Like her, I was particularly saddened by the inability of the students to feel like they could choose the best position for themselves to read; once they could, however, their morale improved greatly.

Kohn states, “Each aspect of life in a classroom offers an invitation to think about what decisions might be turned over to students— or negotiated with students— individually and collectively.” (85). By incorporating a big of democracy into the classrooms, students can negotiate how they would like to keep track of hall or bathroom passes, how to share materials, how to complete a class project, etc. Despite this, it’s important to note that, while creating structure in the class, mechanisms of control can still seep into them, i.e. making sure that students are dressed appropriately for the weather vs. making sure that they’re dressed appropriately for different reasons. I hope Kohn delves into this difference more later in the text.

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In a broad sense, I’m quite excited to be applying a lot of the strategies from both Kohn and Pinto’s texts to the classroom. When I first began as an educational assistant, I very much reproduced the same rules and expectations in my classrooms that were imposed upon me: no speaking when an adult is speaking, no complaining about assignments, etc… essentially, it was a very similar attitude to the Oklahoma reading teacher Kohn writes about at the beginning of the chapter. Never mind that I wasn’t an exceptional student K-12 and that these stringent rules were perhaps related to my bevy of dismal grades, I simply didn’t really know how else to manage a class.
That being said, I’m looking forward enter into classrooms where I will stop commanding and start listening. Introducing my students to democratic norms as opposed to reproducing hierarchy the way I learned it will be far more beneficial for me and my students, and actually make them more responsible at the same time.

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This meme is a little tongue in cheek, but I appreciate the idea of students thinking beyond self-discipline simply to meet the expectations their teachers set on them. Kohn gives us the example on page 84 of a 2nd grade classroom coming from recess early to hold a meeting to solve a problem amongst themselves while the teacher sat on the other side of the classroom. While it was expected for self-disciplined students to return from recess on their own, they were given enough autonomy to go beyond and solve issues on their own that might have otherwise required a teacher’s guidance. Like Kohn states, “The truth is that if we want children to take responsibility, we must first give them responsibility, and plenty of it" (pg. 83).

Thus far I’ve not been involved, or have seen, classrooms allow this kind of autonomy for their students. I’ll be honest, I’m a little suspicious of its viability. Especially having worked in K-5 settings, 2nd graders can be quite problematic in their conduct and in their responsibilities for a variety of reasons. Regardless, I would love to see examples like the one Kohn shared in practice, because it sounds quite engaging.

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"For administrators to share power with teachers, and teachers with students, is to undertake a monumental challenge. But we might well ask about the long-term implications of denying people a role in the decisions that affect them. (Kohn, p. 100, 2006)" I think this equality among admins, teachers, and students will ignite a positive change in schools. Administrators should not be solely in charge of making decisions regarding the school just as teachers should not either. We need to allow decisions to be made by all members of the school community. In this way, communication will also be smoother and less stressful because admins or teachers are not held fully responsible for any decision. Students having a say in decisions might ease parental communications.

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"It is good when students can meet as a class to make decisions. It is better when they can also meet on a schoolwide basis. (Kohn, p. 95, 2006)." I found this quote interesting because Kohn shows the importance of the full school community. This is a component to class and school meetings that I haven't considered. I wonder if students would benefit from more meetings and social interactions in various group settings. Perhaps deeper discussions and social interactions would limit students' overly talking during lecture and learning times. I would like to provide more time and freedom of expression in class and school meetings.

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I especially connected with Kohn's descriptions of classroom meetings. I often hold classroom meetings in my school and these are great opportunities to have important class conversations and discussions. Kohn describes the meeting as a place for deciding, planning, sharing, and reflecting. This is also a great opportunity to ignite student choice and decisions. I will definitely incorporate classroom meetings into my work as a time to include my students in the decision making process and hear their individual voices.

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"The truth is that if we want children to take responsibility, we must first give them responsibility, and plenty of it. (Kohn, p. 84, 2006)"  I like this quote by Kohn in chapter 6 because it demonstrates the need for children to develop skills through practice. By giving children power over decisions and exercising control over their educational lives, you teach them how to take responsibility. Kohn describes how children who actively participate in decision making learn "democracy in other contexts".  Giving children choices is an important part of my teaching process and I hope to develop this skills further.

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I wanted to put "Teacher is hard to find in the classroom" for the last one but it felt like it would be confusing without me specifically referencing  the Kohn passage on page 93, "Down the hall from this kindergarten was a 2nd grade classroom5 where it took me a few seconds to find the teacher. (Experience suggests this is usually a very good sign) (p.93). So I just captioned it at student led utopia because it doesn't seem possible to achieve but it is something to strive towards. It's interesting reading this alongside Pinto's text that talks about motivational strategies that include rewards. I realize these are two different takes on teaching strategies and I appreciate reading both texts to get a variety of opinions on classroom management strategies.

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This meme I fixed. I may have the Kohn and Pinto readings mixing together in my head. The chapter on seating in the classroom also has a lot to do with relinquishing power and having the students decide what is best for their learning. I thought of the example of the students who had a conflict on the playground and the teacher walked in to find them alone in the classroom, talking out their conflict to find solutions. I imagined them sitting on desks or on the floor, intent on finding a way to work out the problem.
On page 93 Kohn talks about the teacher who let their students sit, "...on the floor, on chairs, on tables, or wherever they were comfortable (p.93). It's not just for Montessori anymore folks!

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Before I continue I must say that I am completely ok with the fact that my homemade memes are not at all funny.
This absolute gem echoes what I was saying in the WRR from last time. In my experience as a specialist teacher who welcomes a number of classes into my space or I go to a number of classes... I can see the difference in behavior of the classes who have been abruptly freed from control and the classes whose teachers create an environment where the students have choices and they work together to talk things out. I liked how Kohn anticipated the transitional adjustment period that might take some time to work out after a situation where the students were under someone or many people's thumb.

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"This passage describes a breathtaking transformation, and I am not referring to the new plan for returning from recess. Everything in this classroom changed when the teacher stopped commanding and started listening, even if that happened only out of desperation." (p. 81)
This chapter focused on giving up control of the classroom and giving the students the agency to make their own decisions. Kohn says that giving the students choice promotes compliance and minimizes misbehavior. I made this meme because for some reason I thought of the hippy substitute teacher from the Simpsons when I thought about  a teacher who stops commanding and starts listening instead, (although he's still the one talking in this image).

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I really appreciated the discussion about the difference between structure and control, specifically the things that were listed in order to help with this distinction: purpose, restrictiveness, flexibility, developmental appropriateness, presentation style, and student involvement. As the text stated for the last one listed, it "brings us back to students' need for autonomy" (87). It's important to find a good balance between recognizing the individual needs of the students but also while continuing to actually teach.

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Over the course of the pandemic, self discipline has become all the more important. Without teachers being face to face with their students, it is much easier for them to get distracted. I am writing this as both a student and a teacher. Going back to classes in person will be interesting; I have found personally during the pandemic that while I appreciate the freedom available to me at home, I also recognize that it is very easy to get distracted at home (between my cat and the easy access to the internet).

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The chapter describes how when teachers dole out punishments, it is usually "driven solely by the teacher's short-term goal" (82). In my own experience, teachers that are quick to threaten their students or are quick to hand out punishments in one way or another have been teaching for a long time. I'm not sure if it is because they have more old fashioned ways of teaching or if it is because they are suffering from some form of burn out.

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It is so important for students to get a say in what they are learning. The text states that "programs conspicuously fail to provide... what students truly need: the chance to make real decisions about what happens in the classroom" (81). The classroom is just as much of a space for the students as it is for the teacher. When students aren't involved in helping to decide what they want to learn about, they "check out" of whatever you're trying to teach them.

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"If they need the teacher’s help, the question might become, “What do you think we can do to solve this problem?” (Kohn, pg. 87) This quote seemed interesting to me as a material resource that we can use in our classes. It is an excellent idea that we can incorporate into our practice to develop as allies and support of the students instead of a teacher who imposes or dictates without giving explanations as Pinto says "...distributing control does not in any way neccessarily result in chaos" (Pinto, pg. 28)
I related it to this meme since sometimes we think that all the solutions must be in us (with that idea of ​​a superhero or living encyclopedia) and naturally it is not like that since it is impossible in the first place and in the second as I have already commented proceeds of an outdated social and mental structure.

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Among the most relevant lessons that emerge from this text I can cite this ""Choice promotes compliance and minimizes misbehavior." (Kohn, pg. 81) For the first time I can read something like that. I had never considered that a method to achieve harmonious behavior in class can be that the students are the ones who generate the rules of the classroom in consensus, as well as the consequences of their actions, without a doubt it is a step further to transfer to a micro world direct democracy and where restorative justice is achieved through collective decision.

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This meme remains me this line from Kohn "Everything in this classroom changed when the teacher stopped commanding and started listening," (Kohn, pg.80) In the chapter, the car emphasizes the need to transform the classroom into a true democratic space, where the old paradigm of lectures and normative impositions are transformed into joint learning and community life that recognizes the need for harmony and respect from own experience.

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Relate this meme to the phrase "Children are not just adults-in-themaking. They are people whose current needs and rights and experiences must be taken seriously."
(Kohn, pg. 81) In this meme, the child expresses his disagreement with the decisions that adults surely make about him but without considering his thoughts, feelings or desires, which limits his ability to be an autonomous human being and capable of making good decisions.

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Pajama Kid with divorced parents - when you aren'...

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when you aren't satisfied with your parents decision - Pajama Kid with divorced parents

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This one made me laugh, it's me in a nutshell! I always have a plan for just about everything I do and although I think having a plan is a good thing, I have to learn to be more flexible because it isn't always going to go my way (and that's okay). "I used to try to control students by asking my class leading questions in such a way that the children were foreced into ritual answers..." (Kohn, 2006, p. 79). By constantly sticking to the plan or the "script", you are not allowing any room for growth, for your students or for yourself. We must learn to lead our classrooms but allow our students to facilite.

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This meme encompasses just about everything I took away from chapter six. "It is good when students can meet as a class to make decisions." (Kohn, 2006, p. 95). I really do want to know more about being collaborative, transparent in decision-making, and communicating with my students, colleagues, and parents. It's the idea of being collaborative in the classroom and finding out what works for me and what works for my students.

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In chapter 6, Kohn talks about flexibility and modifying the schedule around what needs to happen that day. We need to be able to adapt and be flexible. "Everything in the classroom changed when the teacher stopped commanding and started listening, even if that happened only out of desperation." (Kohn, 2006, p. 80). Small acts of listening turn into big changes and that is the best thing we can do for our students and our classrooms.

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I chose this meme because it highlights letting students make choices in the classroom. "Each aspect of life in the classroom offers an invitation to think about what decisions might be turned over to students- individually and collectively." (Kohn, 2006, p. 86). Giving them power might be "dangerous" at times, but worth it. Something as simple as letting them choose their partners can have a big impact on the morale of our students.