On Monday, February 24, 2014, I attended a lecture by Ben Nakamura, a principal for North Network Schools: San Diego County Office of Education, JCCS. He spoke to me and many other teacher candidates from California State University San Marcos’ teaching credential program about effective classroom management. Mr. Naramura ran his management lecture much like how I imagine he managed his own classroom.
Nakamura’s lecture was eye opening. I have yet to stop thinking about the methods he introduced and the flaws that I have in my own teaching,. While my teaching philosophy leads me to be a caring and encouraging mentor with a student first mentality, my behavior is sometimes reactionary to what students do which leads to a style of classroom management that is faulty, sometimes pushes students away, and leaves me filled with regret at the end of the day.
My faulty classroom management would not be perceived faulty, or with issues, by many teachers, but in how I like to manage my classes. If there is anything that I hate more is punishing students. There have been teachers who have punished students by making them leave the class, put them on the spot, or constantly have battles with them, but all of those are what I like to avoid. Making a student leave the classroom does more harm than good because there will be nor resolve for the issue between the student and teacher and the student misses out on key classroom time where they should be learning. Putting students on the spot when they may not be prepared and constantly bickering with students also never resolves the problem with students. It is more likely that the issue will be escalated and the teacher would lose their authority in the class.
When I handle a situation in the class poorly, I can feel it. When this happens I take my performance personally and do everything I can to correct the way that I handled the situation.
Additionally, other issues that I related with Mr. Nakamura was dealing with behaviorally challenged students. If I act out against a student who is frequently disruptive, the situation gets worse. If I focus on relationship building, a positive focus from the student is developed. Mr. Nakamura explained positive relationship building with the most challenging of students through the Two-by-Ten management activity. That is where I am have a non-academic conversation with my most challenging students. It leads to 85% level of improvement with students who this was done with when done two minutes a day for ten straight days.
I loved what Mr. Nakamura had to say and made what could have been a slow and boring lecture into something both relatable and applicable. The techniques have been at work in my teaching toolbox and will continue to be used. Lastly, here is a case scenarios that Mr. Nakamura provided that is what he would have new teachers respond to in an interview. Enjoy!
Nakamura’s lecture was eye opening. I have yet to stop thinking about the methods he introduced and the flaws that I have in my own teaching,. While my teaching philosophy leads me to be a caring and encouraging mentor with a student first mentality, my behavior is sometimes reactionary to what students do which leads to a style of classroom management that is faulty, sometimes pushes students away, and leaves me filled with regret at the end of the day.
My faulty classroom management would not be perceived faulty, or with issues, by many teachers, but in how I like to manage my classes. If there is anything that I hate more is punishing students. There have been teachers who have punished students by making them leave the class, put them on the spot, or constantly have battles with them, but all of those are what I like to avoid. Making a student leave the classroom does more harm than good because there will be nor resolve for the issue between the student and teacher and the student misses out on key classroom time where they should be learning. Putting students on the spot when they may not be prepared and constantly bickering with students also never resolves the problem with students. It is more likely that the issue will be escalated and the teacher would lose their authority in the class.
When I handle a situation in the class poorly, I can feel it. When this happens I take my performance personally and do everything I can to correct the way that I handled the situation.
Additionally, other issues that I related with Mr. Nakamura was dealing with behaviorally challenged students. If I act out against a student who is frequently disruptive, the situation gets worse. If I focus on relationship building, a positive focus from the student is developed. Mr. Nakamura explained positive relationship building with the most challenging of students through the Two-by-Ten management activity. That is where I am have a non-academic conversation with my most challenging students. It leads to 85% level of improvement with students who this was done with when done two minutes a day for ten straight days.
I loved what Mr. Nakamura had to say and made what could have been a slow and boring lecture into something both relatable and applicable. The techniques have been at work in my teaching toolbox and will continue to be used. Lastly, here is a case scenarios that Mr. Nakamura provided that is what he would have new teachers respond to in an interview. Enjoy!