Setting and Communicating Expectations

FCT4-FOT PCE: Classroom Mgt. – Task 2

601.5.6-01, 03, 5.8-03 – Setting and Communicating Expectations

V4 UNDERGRAD-1209-PA

James Calhoon

Bachelor of Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies (K-8)

000222837

Setting and Communicating Expectations

1. Learning Centers and Computer Stations

Learning centers are great way of splitting students into small groups of 2-3 students.  When students split into small groups and work on a station for a desired period time there is less a chance that they will get bored with the subject matter and a greater chance to learn and retain the information.  Some teachers will combine learning stations with computer stations and each student will get a chance to move around to the different stations during a certain period of time in order to cover as much subject matter as possible.

Learning stations can be used for any subject matter whether its math, language arts, science or social studies.  This also allows time for the teacher to move around the room to each individual group and converse one on one with each of the students to make sure that they comprehend the material and are staying on task.

Although these small groups can be very effective, it does take a lot of planning on the teachers behalf to make sure that things run smooth without very much instruction from the teacher.  Creating simple instructions for each station will help each student, especially new students that come into the classroom mid-year to quickly understand what they should be doing.

The expectation of the student while at each station is that they stay on task and concentrate with the help of a partner to better master the material being presented at the time.  This will take some planning on the teachers behalf in order to make sure that the teacher pairs up students that not only work well together but are students that will help each other stay on task instead of being with students that will cause mischief and not complete the task associated with each station.  Another expectation associated with learning stations is that although students are supposed to work together and will be expected to talk in each station, they should do this quietly without disrupting other students around them.

1. Teacher-led Activities

Teacher-led activities can sometimes be tough when it comes to keeping students attention.  It’s wise that the teacher creating the activity keeps it simple, to the point and is constantly engaging the students in order to keep their attention.  It’s wise to create rules on talking or asking questions during teacher-led activities so that the students don’t talk out of turn or get off on tangents.  Have students raise their hand and wait to be called on.  Then if you choose you could have that student call on another student.  This will allow the students to feel as though they are running the show, even though the teacher is maintaining the entire feel and structure of the activity.

Some expectations to have for the students are that they remain quiet and attentive to the person that is talking at the time, whether it is the teacher or another student.  Also the teacher should be able to expect that each student should raise their hand and wait to be called on.  Talking out of order creates chaos and keeps students from being able to concentrate on those talking and then the teacher will lose total control of the classroom and the activity at hand.

1. Field Trips

Field trips are special occasions where the class gets to leave the school and visit somewhere to observe something in its natural setting.   Sometimes these field trips are to museums or they may be to a natural setting such as a nature preserve or farm.  These trips are usually of an educational nature and are used to demonstrate in person what the class may be studying in the classroom at the time.

Some expectations that you should have of your class during these trips is that to begin with they should pay attention to the information that is being presented to them during the trip.  For example; the students could be visiting a dairy farm and it would be very important that they pay attention to the person explaining to them how the dairy cows are brought in for milking every day and how what is done with the milk after it has been collected from each cow.  In order to understand this information it would be important that the student pay attention and not be disruptive because the person presenting the information will probably be showing the process in action.  If the student is being disruptive, not only are they not able to process the information but most of the students around them are also unable to understand what is going on also.