Get Inspired From Great Teaching

Yesterday I was a bit down and whenever I am down and tired and my brain is mush I have a tendency to want to give up on things. I wonder if I am making the right choices in life and I question every decision down to the color of my socks or which head of lettuce I should buy. And I question, in this state of mind, if I really want to teach. Is it worth it? Will I be good at it? Will I drown when the classroom is mine? Even if I am good at it is there something else I'd rather do? Should I take on a career with more pay or with less work or with less responsibility? Anyway, I was rejuvenized once again yesterday when I observed a third grade teacher at my dyad placement.

This teacher was awesome. She is only in her second year of teaching, yet she is a pro. As much as I don't want to believe the fact that classroom management is key to learning because I want to have fun with the students in my room and I don't want to be a discilinarian I have to admit that in her room things went smooth. First thing kids came in quietly, put there things away, and sat down. There was an established routine. Next the kids did morning jobs which are warm-up activities that change each day. Today they read passages and identified the main idea. When finished they did job number 2- they read their own book and then filled out a story map: setting, characters, title, author, and then using complete sentences, problem, events, and solutions. And they worked SILENTLY!!! During this the teacher pulled one group of 6 up to her group work table and did guided reading, a practice she does each morning with a different group to ensure that she hears each child read at least once a week- good stuff. The kids in the group read the pictures of the book first, then they read the words all together, took turns reading individually, turned to a neighbor to discuss what was happening in the story, and then took turns retelling the story.

Everything this teacher did was clear and concise. She struck just the right balace between kind and supportive and approachable and yet stern and clear about high expectations. Brilliant. And she made it look so easy- we need more teachers like her and I believe I can do that.

Behaviorism

What role does Behaviorism play in education?

My dyad classroom is heavy into behaviorism, with everybody getting a points chart. The day is broken into 30-45 minute segments, and you get points in 3 categories (directions, body to self, doing work). I've never really been around it, so I have little familiarity with it beyond this experience. But, for the untrained educator, it has been a bit to manage.

I find myself in a middle ground where I am struggling to catch them being good (and missing on some of the praise I need to give), while simultaneously giving them a long leash (and not nailing them for behavior straight away). It came to a head today when I gave one student a point after the fact, when he was turned and talking to another one. I essentially reinforced the turning and talking, not the actual thing I meant to reward.

Which brings me to the question at the top, what role does/should behaviorism play in education? What should we reward? Does it work? Where does it fit in your classroom, in the grand scheme of management? What happens in high school or when there is no school anymore?