Having Students Do Their Own Classroom Management

by Laura Parker on February 23, 2012

We talk lots about positive classroom management around My Teachers Lounge, because, let’s face it, if your classroom is out of control, then learning becomes about as fictional as a flying unicorn.

And so often, our default as teachers {and as parents!} is to LECTURE when the class begins to spiral into bad behavior. We teach as authoritarians who lay down the law and then expect students to quickly and immediately adhere to it.

The trouble is that this generation today typically doesn’t respond as well to authoritarian methods of classroom management. Their entire culture screams independence and even the questioning of authority, and the respect of the 1950′s classroom is becoming more and more elusive.

And so, we teachers can continue the lecture till we are literally blue in the face {or red, as the case may be}, or we can begin handing the burden of classroom management back to the students.  We can assume the role of coach, rather than dictator. Watch the following short video of this style of classroom management in action, from ResponsiveClassroom:

Suzy Ghosh, the teacher here, has two roads before her as her class begins to get out of control. She can spend two minutes lecturing, or she can spend two minutes asking intentional questions that cause students to take ownership and reflect about their behavior. And, as evidenced in the video, it seems that her intentional coaching change the course of her classroom activity.

So, teaching-friends, next time you catch yourself about to launch into a speech-tirade, try this method instead:

1. Identify the problem. {Either by asking or pointing out the issue.}

2. Ask students the dangers of the problem.

3. Ask students to come up with solutions.

4. Coach the implementation of their answers.

And then, see what happens. Chances are it will be a two-minutes spent in classroom management that might be even more effective than the lecture– and it’ll give your voice a break, to boot.

-Laura Parker, former middle school teacher, avid blogger at aLifeOverseas.com

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Thoughts, teachers?  Does this work? What are the downfalls to this method of classroom management?  What are the benefits?  Caught yourself in a lecture lately?

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Related.  Classroom Mangaement that Works. Top Classroom Mangaement Resources.

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My Teachers Lounge Big Reveal. {And, Yes, There are Prizes Involved.}

by Laura Parker on February 18, 2012

Surprise...Is it just me, or is the best moment on either The Biggest Loser or Extreme Makeover the Big Reveal?

It’s that moment when the man or woman who has sweated and cried, been hungry and been determined, walks through the doors of that restaurant and re-enters life again among family and friends–

the same, but beautifully different, as well.

It’s the moment when the bus moves and the family that has struggled-long, sees a mansion with their names on the title, and can move forward in life,

the same, but beautifully different, as well.

It’s a moment worth celebrating, every. single. season.

Our website has undergone a bit of a makeover during the past two weeks. We’ve switched facebook names and twitter handles. We’ve re-designed banners and sidebars. We’ve changed links and texts and taglines.

And, this week, we are walking back into the room of the blogworld,

the same, but beautifully different, as well.

As I mentioned earlier, the Inspired Teacher blog is partnering with a fantastic teaching supply store in St. Louis, The Teachers’ Lounge. The owners, Scott and Laura Gurley, have a heart for teachers and for making their jobs easier, more efficient, and more effective. They desire to create an online space of collaboration and encouragement for educators worldwide {sound familiar?}, and they are willing to help our site gain traction in this ocean that is the world- wide- web through a partnership with their thriving online company.

Consider it a win/win. And this week is our new site’s Big Reveal. We think it’s pretty exciting stuff.

Surprise!
What You Should Know about My Teachers Lounge, Moving Forward:

1. My Teachers Lounge is a blog, not an infomercial. Our writers will still be writing the same inspirational ideas and tips like they always have. No one is trying to sell anyone, anything. While we will still be hosting giveaways and while we will be occasionally talking about products we love, the underlying theme of this blog {to inspire teachers} will not change.

2.  There are Lots of Doors to the Lounge. Virtually-speaking, you can get to our site one of several ways.  If you type in any of the following, you’ll find yourself at our blog:

http://www.inspiredteacher.net

http://www.the-teachers-lounge.com/blog

http://www.my-teachers-lounge.com

http://www.myteacherslounge.net

Yup, talk about a room that’s easily accessible! So, check out the list above. Pick the one that’s easiest for you to remember, and then, remember it.

3. Join the Community. Win Cool Stuff. Every month, we will be working hard to provide teachers with free gifts. While sometimes the giveaways will depend on comments or involvement with specific posts, many times we will be randomly selecting winners our subscribers {and sometimes from our facebook fans}. You heard correctly– once you subscribe to our weekly newsletter {we promise NOT to flood your inbox!}, you are automatically entered for the majority of all future giveaways! No extra comments or checking back or tweeting something seven times–  just subscribe, and you’re done. For the life of the blog {for as long as we can afford it or people are willing to give stuff away, at least}. For about a kajillion awesome future giveaways. {Now, that’s a party in and of itself.}

So, in review, teaching friends:

A. Like us on facebook here:  My Teachers Lounge facebook page.  {Or simply on the sidebar– remember to like the PAGE, not just this POST.}

B.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter {it’s free and easy}, by entering your email address below. . .

C. Get automatically entered to win cool, adorable, practical, personalized, teacher-y gifts for the life of the blog. {It’s that simple.}

*And, if you are already a subscriber, no need to subscribe again!  Our accounts on the newsletter are staying the same.*

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And what party is complete without some presents?  What Big Reveal doesn’t involve cake and balloons and free stuff? This week we’ll be giving away several prizes to celebrate our new parternship with The Teachers Lounge, so be sure to go ahead and subscribe or facebook-like us today.

1.  Our first gift will be this adorable personalized rubber self-inked stamper from etsy shop, StampsHandmadeforYou. The stamp will be personalized with your name and there are several designs you can choose from, including an address stamp or a signature stamp {check the stamp options out here– they are awesome!}. The neat thing is that the stamp is self-inking– so no separate pad of ink to keep up with!

2.  Our second free giveaway is this personalized sign for your classroom door, hand-painted by Kelley from KellsArt.  Kelley’s etsy shop features personalized gifts for great prices, and I have no doubt the teachers on your hall might be just a little jealous of you with this hanging on your door.  The winner will get to talk with Kelley about personalization options.

3. And our third gift for the launch party is this upcycled dry-erase board message center. ReverieCreations is a shop that creates whimsical home decor and paper products. This message board center will dress up a corner of any room {and who says it has to stay at school?}, and has cute button accents and a vintage frame. {I am thinking a perfect place for a “Quote of the Day” for your students? Or, maybe just the grocery list in your kitchen?}

4. Finally, our fourth giveaway will be this colorful 2012 desk calendar from the etsy shop ArtsyNikki . Nikki is a graphic designer and each month features a different color. The calendar comes with a jewel case that forms an easel-like display.  Perfect for the teacher’s desk!

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All facebook fans {for the MyTeachersLounge PAGE, not this post}and subscribers will be automatically entered to win one of the above prizes. If you’d like an extra entry, facebook-share this post or email some teacher-friends the link, and leave us a comment telling us that you did.  The giveaway will end next Sunday night and will be announced next Monday morning.

We hope the coming months will find you often visiting this virtual Teachers Lounge. We are so grateful for your company!

 
- Laura Parker, former teacher, current homeschooling mom, avid blogger at aLifeOverseas., and tweeting now from @mytchrslounge. 
                                                                                                                                     

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Encourage Your Students to Show Love

by Amy Sullivan on February 13, 2012

Flickr, Creative Commons

Folded up letters of love, heart-shaped candy with stamped on messages, and foil balloons floating in the air all flood my mind when I think of Valentine’s Day. This Valentine’s Day, consider using class time to teach your students easy ways to look beyond the commercialism and show love. Check out these quick, others-centered activities you can use in your classroom today.

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Teach students to show love by writing letters of appreciation through The Note Project. Also, assist The Note Project in reaching their goal of sending one million hand-written letters. Lesson plans included.

Teach students to show love by sharing sincere compliments.

Teach students to show love by reading about fair trade chocolates and flowers. What is fair trade, and why we should pay attention to where the items come from?

Teach students to show love by allowing them to peek at other kids making a difference. Kids inspire kids. Find some do gooders and share about their service efforts.

Teach students to show love by giving students imaginary $500.00 to shop with at The Goods. Then, discuss the why and how behind the purchases they make.

Teach students to show love by watching videos of someone who feels underloved.

How do you encourage your students to show love on Valentine’s Day? Do you have any easy-to-implement Valentine activities?

Amy Sullivan teaches Special Education and blogs at Amy L. Sullivan. 

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Inspired Teacher’s Upcoming Makeover!

by Laura Parker on February 13, 2012


Inspired Teacher is about to get a makeover.

In name and in look, we are about to jump in and embrace a little personal change.

By the end of this week, Inspired Teacher will be partnering with a fabulous teaching supply company called The Teachers Lounge.  Our writers will stay the same, our blog layout and content will stay the same, but our name, address, and logo will morph a bit. The exciting thing about our upcoming partnership with The Teachers Lounge is that we will have the ability to quickly expand our reading community of educators. And in blog-world and in collaborative community, the more, the better!

You can still expect the same practical teaching tips and inspiration for the classroom from our team of teaching writers. Just be on the lookout for a bit of a face-lift. {The site may be down for a few days later this week, as well.}

Thanks for your patience as we undergo this bit of transformation.

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Expect the Unexpected

February 10, 2012
raising student expectations

Oftentimes, one of our greatest mistakes as teachers is that we set our expectations too low for our students. We buy into the image they are projecting as the sullen teen or the “cool” middle schooler or the trouble-making 4th grader, and we give up the fight to call them into their natural giftings. Sometimes, [...]

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Teaching Tips Tuesday {Getting Class Attention}

February 8, 2012

We all know what it’s like to walk into a class and do a song-and-dance-routine to get students’ attention. We know the frustration felt when we repeat the same directions twelve times because Johnny was flipping paper at Sam,  Tracie was whispering a BFF secret across the aisle to Sharie, and only 4% of the [...]

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Classroom Management That Works

February 6, 2012

One of the first things I learned in my first year of teaching is that I had to find a classroom management style that I was comfortable with. I learned very quickly that my students didn’t seem to be aware that sometimes I have no idea what I am doing. I know. The horror. However, [...]

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Teaching the Holocaust, from the Daughter of a Survivor. {Guest Post by Marsha Goren}

February 5, 2012

The following guest post is by a subscriber and teaching colleague, Marsha Goren. Marsha’s mother survived the Holocaust, and now Marsha has launched a website with educational resources to educate students about the realities of this global tragedy. In January of each year, the UN declares a day to remember the victims of the Holocaust. [...]

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Greatness Might Be Simpler Than You Think

February 4, 2012
What Makes a Great Teacher?

What makes a great teacher?  The kind the students talk about three years later?  The kind whose classroom is a place of excitement and not one of dread?  The kind that really affects minds and attitudes? Check out the following news video and tell us if you agree with their list of the three most [...]

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What Makes an Effective Teacher? {Guest Post. Kisha Tolbert-Woods.}

February 3, 2012
Classroom Window

As I approach my 10th year as an educator, I can’t help but to reflect back on my teaching and coaching practices. I begin to ask myself– What makes an effective educator? Why do some educators seem passionate, while others seem so passive? Not until having the opportunity to become a reading coach and instructional partner, did [...]

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