| layout | default |
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| title | Rules: teaching, learning, correcting |
- Be present: pay attention and take notes during lecture; work only on what our class is doing today.
- Be curious: ask questions when you are confused, and volunteer answers, even if you are not sure they are correct.
- Be excellent to each other: respect each others’ space and belongings; respect each other as you learn; encourage and help one another.
- Respect the struggle: this is the crucible in which your science mind is forming. It will be so hard. You can do this.
I expect to be teaching a wide range of ages over my career, anything from middle school life science to AP physics. So how I teach these rules will depend a lot on their ages. For younger ages, we can spend some time on the first day discussing what these rules mean, giving examples and non-examples of following each rule. For older students, I will go through these on day one, ask if there are questions and make any clarifications, but that will be it as far as directly addressing the rules.
After that, I will teach by modeling and by correction. We all know what the rules are, but learning how to play by them will require trial and error.
So, for my correction methods: for small problems --- side talk or really any violation of rule #1 --- I like proximity for a first strike and a verbal redirection for a second. For cumulative small problems, time owed is appealing.
I’m happy to handle minor disruptions that aren’t targeted at anyone, and for a first or second infraction with a student who is disrespectful to another student, I’d handle that in-house as well. I can keep a roster on my desk and make tickmarks; after three strikes, your parents are getting a call.
For behavior that seems outside the scope of the natural tumultuousness of teenagerhood, I’d want to have an after-class or after-school talk, just to figure out what’s going on. I don’t necessarily expect the students to be super honest or forthcoming, because that requires that the student make themselves vulnerable and they may not be willing to do that. But some gentle probes could still be revealing, even if the student doesn’t totally unburden themselves.
Other than that, I think how I handle problematic behavior will have to depend a lot on where I’m teaching and who I’m working with. Every time I start at a new school, I’m going to sit down with the administrators and with the counselor and get an idea of who I’m going to be working with and what kinds of considerations I’m going to have to take into account. Humans aren't one-size-fits-all, so rules can't be, either!