Goals, Rules and Procedures

As a staff developer, I do not have a classroom of my own but I work with many educators and I have the opportunity to observe numerous approaches to classroom management. In my training sessions, my primary goal for effective classroom management is summarized by Carolyn Evertson who describes effective management as the things a teacher does to create learning environments that promote highest student achievement (Laureate Education Inc., 2008). Two other specific goals that I also consider important for effective classroom management are the creation of an environment of respect and for students to learn to be in control of their own behavior. In many classrooms, I observe rules that are supportive of these goals. The most universal classroom rules I have observed are: respect yourself and others, do your best, and follow instructions. The first two have been stalwart rules that I have utilized throughout my teaching career and I think they support my three goals for effective classroom management. While I have seen these rules in many classrooms, I have also observed how many of the practices and procedures in classrooms work against them.
In order to promote more on task learning time, effective classroom management techniques are critical and I can assist educators in this area by modeling effective management during my training sessions with them. I have consistently observed classrooms where the teacher is asking the students questions and only one student is called on at a time and consistently only a few students are really engaged. I am currently introducing technology which allows for increased student participation in these types of question and answer sessions. The tool is the Senteo voting devices that allow each student to electronically respond to questions. The responses are immediately transmitted, tabulated and graphed on a SMARTboard. This instant feedback is an excellent way for educators to make sure everyone is involved and to regularly gauge student understanding and interest.
I have also observed numerous situations where educators and students end up frustrated as they try to use technology because procedures and directions for projects have not been clearly communicated to students. In my technology trainings with educators, I will emphasize the clear articulation and demonstration of all aspects of each lesson as if I were doing the project with students. By modeling the effective staging and preparation of each lesson, I can help teachers be more effective when they do the activities with their students.
The final area I would like to improve in is to increase student motivation by providing more choices during learning activities. I think providing students with choices promotes increased engagement while also encouraging increased responsibility for their own learning. There are some interesting new technologies in this realm that I am exploring including Moodle as mentioned in this website from the University of Minnesota (http://dmc.umn.edu/activities/choices/).
As an educator, I was effective at classroom management and I had very few discipline issues. I would venture to guess that my classes were above average in terms of student time on task. Despite that, I have learned many techniques and procedures this week that I think will make me even more effective in the regular classroom once I return which I hope will be soon.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program four. Goals and Rules [Motion picture]. Classroom management to promote student learning. Baltimore: Author.