If class size could be reduced a lot of my behavior issues would be minimized. A class of 30 six & seven year olds is just too many! It is all about building relationships, and when there are that many students it is much more difficult to do this. While my twenty+ years of experience has helped me, reduction in class size would be far more beneficial.
It's definitely a combination of good teacher preparation, five classroom rules that work, and consequences geared to the age and type of students begin taught. Teachers also need to be consistent for the entire school year.
Being inconsistent in enforcing the rules or being inconsistent in the consequences sends very conflicting messages to the students and they soon learn when and how to bend and stretch every rule. That's the teacher's fault.
Too much time is wasted by teachers who are poor time managers and have poorly constructed lessons. Too much time is wasted by having a long list of rules instead of have five solid rules. Too much time is wasted giving out consequences that don't fit the offense or the age and ability of the child.
Teachers need to lead by example, allowing students to make mistakes, discussing what should have happened and allowing the student the opportunity to make better choices the next time.
Paddling DOES NOT equal beating. If paddling is used effectively, the child learns early on to associate inappropriate behavior with an unpleasant consequence. If children are paddled by a loving hand, they learn the inevitable bond between actions and consequences-- and when they do this at a young age, their world --and ours-- is a better place. The happiest and most successful children have limits set by a loving guardian.
And for those of you who played the WWJD card: You're obviously not a follower of His teachings. Jesus would have spanked the offender if reasoning did not produce the desired effect. Our bible says, "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Being Christian DOES NOT MEAN that you are a doormat for other people. It DOES NOT MEAN that you live in a candy-coated world where everything is either perfect or ignored. It DOES MEAN that you follow rules, rules that have your best interest at the heart of them. It means you forgive as you have been forgiven and that you teach those in your circle of influence the rules, so that they too may live a better life.
Liberal, left-wing, overly dramatic thought will lead to the ultimate destruction of any society. Always has; always will.
Next time you're in a restaurant and see well-behaved children, ask their parents how they discipline them. When you see brats, ask those parents how they discipline their kids. Do this often enough to get honest answers and you'll find that kids who know what paddling is, also know how to behave.
Ever notice that when schools who send home a permission slip for corporal punishment get back, "No, don't touch my child," that THOSE are the kids who need their butt swatted? Inevitably, the parents who say, "Yes, you can," have kids who don't need to be spanked.
Bottom line: Kids with limits are happier and more productive members of society.
FYI, I plan my classes well and have virtually no discipline problems-- even with kids who present a problem to other teachers.
This approach is used at my school as well. However, it is not as effective as it seems to be at your school. When I have called a parent they have not been as receptive to the disciplining of their child as your parents. Once a parent told me to "handle it any way that you can". They said that they couldn't get the "kid" to mind them either. Other teachers at my school have had parents complain that the teachers were disturbing them at work. When told that their child was disturbing the teacher when she was teaching, they did not want to take responsibility for their child.
All the things listed are good things, especially reducing class size (although I am not sure a kid court is and if it would work well in elementary school), but establishing a loving, creative, encouraging, it's-okay-to-make-mistakes where students have as much ownership as the teacher is the key.
Although all the things mentioned are helpful (especially reducing class size), it is establishing a relationship with each student that helps the most. Also, helping the students take ownership of their own classroom and learning and seeing their classmates as part of community, almost a family, that helps the most.
I'm a teacher who has had the opportunity to observe teachers at my school (inner city, high-risk population) on a daily basis this year (and I've been observed on a daily basis this year as well). I'm convinced that, regardless of class size (our number are close to 30 students per class), classroom management problems are significantly reduced -- even when many special needs students are present in an inclusion class -- with (as stated in a previous comment) 1) meaningful, 2) relevant, and 3) challenging learning delivered -- I'll add "respectfully" -- to the student in the student's learning style. The critical component, from my observations, has been highly effective, efficient lesson planning and advance preparation with these three elements always the focus, as well as skilled scaffolding of content to meet the individual needs of students. I have seen a master teacher repeatedly work "magic" with these skills, the students highly motivated and the behavioral issues minimal. Then I've followed the same class on the same day to other teachers who do not (yet) have these skills and the classroom management issues have crippled the intended lessons. The difference is profound -- lower engagement, declining motivation, and always an increase in behavioral problems. Unmotivated (dare I say, bored) students will, ultimately, find a way -- even if it's negative attention -- to entertain themselves. While I advocate for ongoing professional development, I believe another essential component is the foundational preparation that teachers receive in college education programs, including a full year of student teaching/internship with a mentor who has these essential skills.
Really, beating children will raise his or her self esteem? The issue is much bigger that reintroducing god into school, or inflicting violence. Tell me, what decade was the golden era for public education? Chances are, this time had serious issues as well.
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If class size could be
If class size could be reduced a lot of my behavior issues would be minimized. A class of 30 six & seven year olds is just too many! It is all about building relationships, and when there are that many students it is much more difficult to do this. While my twenty+ years of experience has helped me, reduction in class size would be far more beneficial.
For DeLea
You did not mention your five rules...
It's definitely a combination of good teacher preparation, five classroom rules that work, and consequences geared to the age and type of students begin taught. Teachers also need to be consistent for the entire school year.
Being inconsistent in enforcing the rules or being inconsistent in the consequences sends very conflicting messages to the students and they soon learn when and how to bend and stretch every rule. That's the teacher's fault.
Too much time is wasted by teachers who are poor time managers and have poorly constructed lessons. Too much time is wasted by having a long list of rules instead of have five solid rules. Too much time is wasted giving out consequences that don't fit the offense or the age and ability of the child.
Teachers need to lead by example, allowing students to make mistakes, discussing what should have happened and allowing the student the opportunity to make better choices the next time.
In Defense of My Opinion and ultimately our society...
Paddling DOES NOT equal beating. If paddling is used effectively, the child learns early on to associate inappropriate behavior with an unpleasant consequence. If children are paddled by a loving hand, they learn the inevitable bond between actions and consequences-- and when they do this at a young age, their world --and ours-- is a better place. The happiest and most successful children have limits set by a loving guardian.
And for those of you who played the WWJD card: You're obviously not a follower of His teachings. Jesus would have spanked the offender if reasoning did not produce the desired effect. Our bible says, "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Being Christian DOES NOT MEAN that you are a doormat for other people. It DOES NOT MEAN that you live in a candy-coated world where everything is either perfect or ignored. It DOES MEAN that you follow rules, rules that have your best interest at the heart of them. It means you forgive as you have been forgiven and that you teach those in your circle of influence the rules, so that they too may live a better life.
Liberal, left-wing, overly dramatic thought will lead to the ultimate destruction of any society. Always has; always will.
Next time you're in a restaurant and see well-behaved children, ask their parents how they discipline them. When you see brats, ask those parents how they discipline their kids. Do this often enough to get honest answers and you'll find that kids who know what paddling is, also know how to behave.
Ever notice that when schools who send home a permission slip for corporal punishment get back, "No, don't touch my child," that THOSE are the kids who need their butt swatted? Inevitably, the parents who say, "Yes, you can," have kids who don't need to be spanked.
Bottom line: Kids with limits are happier and more productive members of society.
FYI, I plan my classes well and have virtually no discipline problems-- even with kids who present a problem to other teachers.
This approach is used at my
This approach is used at my school as well. However, it is not as effective as it seems to be at your school. When I have called a parent they have not been as receptive to the disciplining of their child as your parents. Once a parent told me to "handle it any way that you can". They said that they couldn't get the "kid" to mind them either. Other teachers at my school have had parents complain that the teachers were disturbing them at work. When told that their child was disturbing the teacher when she was teaching, they did not want to take responsibility for their child.
Seriously?
At what age do you stop the paddle? Is that what Jesus would say works?
All the things listed are
All the things listed are good things, especially reducing class size (although I am not sure a kid court is and if it would work well in elementary school), but establishing a loving, creative, encouraging, it's-okay-to-make-mistakes where students have as much ownership as the teacher is the key.
Although all the things mentioned are helpful (especially reducing class size), it is establishing a relationship with each student that helps the most. Also, helping the students take ownership of their own classroom and learning and seeing their classmates as part of community, almost a family, that helps the most.
JAnne
I'm a teacher who has had the opportunity to observe teachers at my school (inner city, high-risk population) on a daily basis this year (and I've been observed on a daily basis this year as well). I'm convinced that, regardless of class size (our number are close to 30 students per class), classroom management problems are significantly reduced -- even when many special needs students are present in an inclusion class -- with (as stated in a previous comment) 1) meaningful, 2) relevant, and 3) challenging learning delivered -- I'll add "respectfully" -- to the student in the student's learning style. The critical component, from my observations, has been highly effective, efficient lesson planning and advance preparation with these three elements always the focus, as well as skilled scaffolding of content to meet the individual needs of students. I have seen a master teacher repeatedly work "magic" with these skills, the students highly motivated and the behavioral issues minimal. Then I've followed the same class on the same day to other teachers who do not (yet) have these skills and the classroom management issues have crippled the intended lessons. The difference is profound -- lower engagement, declining motivation, and always an increase in behavioral problems. Unmotivated (dare I say, bored) students will, ultimately, find a way -- even if it's negative attention -- to entertain themselves. While I advocate for ongoing professional development, I believe another essential component is the foundational preparation that teachers receive in college education programs, including a full year of student teaching/internship with a mentor who has these essential skills.
Really, beating children will
Really, beating children will raise his or her self esteem? The issue is much bigger that reintroducing god into school, or inflicting violence. Tell me, what decade was the golden era for public education? Chances are, this time had serious issues as well.