For this week we read about managing a classroom. There were a few chapters we read, from various books, to help gain a better understanding on the topic. So how do you manage a classroom?

In Levin & Nolan (2010) they discuss in Chapter 4 three types of management. Student-directed, collaborative, and teacher-directed. For each of these types of management there is a different person who holds "primary responsibility for management" (Levin & Nolan, 2010, p. 102). For student-directed the students have responsibility with one another, for collaborative both student and teacher help make decisions, and for teacher-directed it is the teacher who makes the decision for management. There is no wrong or right way in which structure to follow. It is more of what a teacher may feel comfortable in doing.

Personally, I can see myself having a student-directed and collaborative classroom. Rothstein-Fisch & Trumbull (2009) discuss the "power of the group" (p. 67), which deals with student-directed management. They set an example of the "power of the group" where one of the teachers have the students desks in clusters. Each cluster had their own homework file. Every morning the teacher would ask the class if each group had placed their homework into the group folder. As each group responded that they had placed their homework into the folder, the class would then clap. This teacher noticed the homework rate was at a 100 percent because the students didn't want to disappoint their group members.

This holds so much truth. Even as a graduate student doing group work makes me feel very reliable to my other group members. I don't want to let my fellow peers down. As a student you want to be able to keep up with your fellow peers. As they are contributing to the group you never want to feel that you don't having anything to contribute. In our science class we had an inquiry project where we had to observe meal-worms for an extended period of time. Although my schedule was quite hectic, I made sure to stay on top of my inquiry project. I moved my meal-worm from one location to another, continued to take pictures of it, and continued to write any information down that I felt was important. When it came time for the group to get together to discuss what we had observed, I felt great knowing that I was able to contribute. I didn't want to let my peers down and slack off doing the work. I also felt that if I did slack off then they would have to carry more weight on their shoulders. I would not prefer my fellow peers to have that type of burden. Having to do your own work load is enough, and to have to do your peers work as well, that can be quite tiresome. 

Although I like the idea of a student-directed management style I can also see my classroom being a collaborative management as well. As a future teacher I would like the students to have choices along with "choices within teacher defined options" ( Levin & Nolan 2010 p.102). I believe the idea of having "rules and procedures developed jointly by the teacher and students" (Levin & Nolan, 2010 p. 98) to be beneficial. I don't want to start my classroom by telling my students here are the rules now follow them. I feel by having set rules that I would like to incorporate along with rules they feel important, will help students want to follow them. By the students being part of the rule making helps give them ownership over them. It no longer is just the teacher's rules, but our rules together.

These three models, student-directed, collaborative, and teacher-directed serve a purpose on how a classroom can be managed. However, how do you handle those students who choose not to follow the rules provided to them?

Wolfgang discusses this topic in the chapter Assertive Discipline. In this chapter he talks about rewarding students and how to handle those students who misbehave. There were a few ideas that stuck out to me. In the beginning of the chapter, Wolfgang explains an incident that occurred in a classroom. There was a child who was choosing to not stay on task and continued to be defiant. The teacher stayed calm and handled the situation. 

In the chapter Wolfgang discusses about "assertive command" (p. 89). "At times the student will not comply, instead giving the teacher back talk, fogging (attempting to distract the teacher from the main issue), or playing games to divert the teacher from this assertive position. When this occurs, the teacher does not fall into the student's trap by arguing or trying to reason with the student but moves to a "Broken Record" response by saying the assertive command over and over, like a broken record, at least three times following through with a corrective action"(Wolfgang, p. 91). After reading this statement I found it to be important. When I first read the scenario in the beginning of the chapter I didn't understand why the teacher was ignoring what the student was saying to them. Instead, the teacher continued repeating the same phrase. However, after reading this part I know understand. It would be pointless to get distracted by the student and argue with them or even trying to reason with them at that point. By repeating the statement I feel as a teacher you are letting the student know what is expected from them and nothing else.

He also discusses about rewards. How do would you reward a student for their behavior? I personally believe the best reward system is having "special privileges" (p 85) to be beneficial. Wolfgang talks about "in-school privileges" (p. 85). These privileges could be where a student helps the teacher with various tasks, being excused from homework, or getting extra time during the day to do an activity of the students choice. These are just to name a few. I think these would be great to incorporate in the classroom. I remember when I was in elementary school and being able to use my homework pass. It was so great to know that if I happened to forget my homework, I didn't need to panic because I could use my homework pass.

As I have read these chapters I personally feel that I have learned more about what it means to have a manageable classroom along with how to handle a difficult student. It made me think about which classroom style I would prefer to have in my class. I also learned the benefit of not being distracted with a student who is being defiant. Repetition is important to help get your point across without escalating the situation. I also think that rewarding students in class to be a good approach. Students may enjoy being able to pass on a homework they forgot to do or to have that extra reading time for their favorite book. There are many factors when it comes to managing a classroom. It is great to have resources to help learn about these different styles. so far these readings have helped me have a better understanding on what I may want and need for my future class.

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