Since you will be in a classroom with an already-established management system, you will need to follow that system.  When you have your own classroom, you will probably use the best of many ideas or a specific system.  Do not become discouraged with discipline.  Remember you are learning and some skills take more time to develop.  Take advantage of this time and learn all that you can about discipline.  (You will find that even experienced teachers find management one of their greatest challenges.) You may find several of these ideas to be helpful in many situations:

1. Be Consistent and Equitable

At first you may find it hard to follow through with rules and consequences, however if you stick to it, your students will understand exactly where you stand.  The more consistent you are, the smoother your management program will be and the easier your student teaching experience will become.

2. Plan Well in Advance for Problems

Anticipate management problems so you will know how to react to them.  Minimize them by planning well in advance, varying instructional activities and responding quickly to meet student needs.

3. Get to Know Your Students

Treat all students equitably when dealing with problems.

4. Be Friendly, but Firm

You’re not the student’s best friend, nor are you a dictator.  Try not to lose your temper and embarrass a student in front of the class since this will cause resentment.  Always try to maintain your sense of humor, but do not use that humor to ridicule a student.  

5. Be Active and Alert

Move around the room and be a part of it all.  This will discourage many students from misbehaving.  In addition, be alert to changes like temperature, external noises, illnesses, emotional upsets, etc.

6. Set an Atmosphere of Work and Plan for Active Learning

Active students will be less likely to misbehave.  Post “bell” work activities.  Make transitions quickly between activities.

7. Develop a Routine and Stick to It

Students perform better if they have consistency and know their routine.  Post the routine in the classroom in a conspicuous place.

8.  Be in the Classroom Before the Students Arrive

Greet students as they enter to set a positive mood/tone.  Provide “bell” work to minimize free time misbehavior.

9. Use a Variety of Teaching Styles

Consider using multiple intelligences as outlined by Gardner.

10. Never Send a Student out of the Room without Supervision

You are responsible and legally liable for your students’ actions.  You are responsible for the supervision of all students.  The student may be getting the attention he/she wants by misbehaving and being sent away.  That attention may encourage the student to misbehave again.

11. Don’t Punish the Whole Group for the Actions of One

Treat each student with respect.  If one disrupts the class, correct that student, not the whole class.

12. Give Alternatives to a Misbehaving Student

Suggesting alternative behaviors to the student may stop the misbehavior.

14. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help!

The Mentor Teacher, building Principal, and Teacher Education Supervisor can help and give you advice if needed.  Seek them out, listen to them, and implement their advice.

Ideas adapted from Dr. A.J. Yonke, Western Illinois University, 1989.

Continued

A Model for Evaluating the Teaching Process

Establishing a model for evaluating of teaching process requires that the evaluator address three basic areas:

1. Define the teacher’s philosophy of education

2. Define supervision of teachers

3. Determine what form supervision of teachers will take

A form which is consistent with the above definitions of “education” and “supervision” was developed by Madeline Hunter.  Her description of the components of the model is as follows:

1. Anticipatory Set – focus the learners’ attention, give brief practice on related learning previously achieved, and develop a readiness for the instruction that will follow.

2. Specific Objectives/Purpose – On the basis of the diagnosis, select specific objectives for a particular group’s daily instruction. Inform the learners of the objectives indicating why accomplishment is important and relevant to present and future situations.

3. Instructional Input – Select a variety of creative learning activities that promise to help the learner achieve the objective. Plan and utilized critical (high order) thinking questions.

4. Modeling – Provide both a visual example of what is to be attained (product or process) and a verbal description of the critical elements involved.

5. Check for Understanding – Check for the learner's possession of essential information and skills. 

6. Guided Practice – Circulate among students to see that they can perform successfully before being asked to practice independently.

7. Independent Practice – Once learners can perform without major errors, they should be given opportunities to practice the new skill or process with little or no teacher direction.

8. Closure – Summarize and conclude the lesson, emphasize the objective of the lesson, tie together activities and give the student some ideas on what they could do on their own to extend what they have learned.

To meet the needs of the LEA in which you are completing your student teaching the COEHD encourages you to use the district’s lesson plan format.  If the LEA does not have a standardized lesson plan format use the COEHD’s lesson plan form or select from the following components, applicable to your lessons, in formulating your lesson plans.  Make sure you are aware of and include elements of a good lesson plan.

1. Goals and Objectives:  What Do You Want the Learners to Accomplish?

• Write                              Construct                          Record                Etc.

• Identify                           List                                   Gather

• Differentiate                   Compare                           Classify

• Solve                              Contrast                             Design

2. Motivation:  How Will I Begin?  (Bell ringer, sponge activity, anticipatory set)

• Leading Question

• Surprise Idea (something in a sack or 

• box)

• Thought-provoking Quotation

• Word or Symbol on the Board

• Question

• Personal Experience

• Capitalize on Some Experience From 

• the Group

• Object

• Interest Center

• Story Headline

• Door Chart

• Inquiry Method

3. Vocabulary/Terminology  (See next page)

Determine which to teach before the lesson body:  Review material in closure

4. Method:  How Will I Proceed?  Which Combination Will I Use?

• Story Telling Method            Buzz Session Method

• Lecture Method            Group Dynamics Method

• Assignment Report Method        Committee Method

• Question Method            Unit Method

• Activity Method            Object Method

• Discussion Method            Teaching- Pupil Planning

• Learning Code Method        Individualized Learning Packets

• Guest Speakers

5. Include Key Higher Order Thinking Skills Questions (HOTS).

This type of questioning gets students to use higher order thinking skills.  Refer to Bloom’s Taxonomy for help in writing these questions.

6. Materials:  What Will Make The Experience More Interesting?

• Pictures                Grooved Board

• Objects                Blackboard

• Charts                    Flannel Board

• Posters                    Accordion Books

• Maps                    Scrap Books

• Graphs                    Moving Pictures

• Tapes, CD’s                Diorama

• Multimedia Kits            Videos

• Programmed Material            DVD’s

• Slides                    Textbook

• Power point Presentation

7. Check Up: Finding Out What Has Been Learned?  Formative and Summative Assessment

• Question Quizzes and Drills

• Multiple choice questions

• Matching Ideas

• Bean Bags

• Scrambled Games

• Cross Word Puzzles

• Tic Tac Toe

• Creative Expressions

• Writing

• Discussing

• Sharing orally

• Recall Games

• (I’m thinking of…)

• Baseball

8. Daily Review of What We Did
(What did you learn today? How can you apply this in the real world?)

9. Materials/Equipment/Supplies Needed

10. Resources For Future Reference

11. Reflection:  How Successful Was It?

• Did we achieve our objectives?    Have I improved myself?

• How do I know?            Did we think?    

• Did everyone participate?        Was there evidence of improved behavior?

• Did we have a happy time?        Did we learn something?

12. Plans for Next Time?

Those Who Fail to Plan……Plan to Fail