Standard+5

Home Page - Standard I - Standard II - Standard III - Standard IV - Standard V - Standard VI - Standard VII - Standard VIII - Standard IX - Standard X **__Standard 5 __** //The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. //
 * Teachers know how to manage a classroom. **

Evidence: <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Evidence: http://buffalowildfinns.wikispaces.com/ <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">There are a lot of factors that go into managing a group of 30 sixth graders on a daily basis. Needless to say, there are classroom rules and school rules that set parameters for the students, but much more is required of the teacher. Different personalities, motivation levels, home conditions, personal and family issues, energy levels, and learning styles all factor into how students will behave on a daily basis. Knowing how to manage this on a daily basis is a necessity. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;"> To show a small glimpse of how I manage my classroom in a technological sense, I have selected a parent letter and a class wiki that are in use. The first is a letter to the students’ parents informing them of what will be coming up for an online unit studying ancient Rome. This letter has not been used, as it was written for next year when we will have gone to 1:1. However, it signifies an important point. Keeping the students’ parents in the loop about what is going on in the classroom allows them to ask specific questions to their students. Since the students know that their parents know what is going on, they have to be on task so they can actually answer their parents’ questions. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;"> The second piece of evidence is a class wiki that we use on a weekly basis. It was initially created in 2010, but has been updated regularly with new content, links, directions, tips, pictures and helpful hints. This wiki is a great management tool for when students are in the computer lab. By having a “What to do Today” page, students know exactly what is expected of them. They have a list of learning targets and goals right on the page to focus them. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;"> The wiki in particular has been used on weekly basis and has worked brilliantly. It has cut down on students asking the infamous “What do I do now?” question. This has led to an increase in productivity in the computer lab. The impact on my teaching has been phenomenal. I can prep the students on what to do in the lab in less than 5 minutes and then spend the rest of the time helping the kids who need it the most without being interrupted by a constant stream of questions. The students know exactly what is expected of them and how to accomplish their tasks. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;"> I think this will have more of an impact next year on the curriculum when we go 1:1, since the students will be on computers daily, instead of weekly. Having this class wiki will significantly help focus the students when they are on their own laptops. I’m looking forward to seeing how the wiki will evolve to support an elementary 1:1 classroom. **<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">KSD ** **<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5.K.4 The teacher understands the principles of effective classroom management and can use a range of strategies to promote routines and positive relationships, cooperation, and purposeful learning in the classroom. **

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">By keeping students on task in the computer lab with a routine that is now second-nature to the students, they are working purposefully towards achieving both the goals I set for them and the goals that they set for themselves.

**<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5.S.3 The teacher organizes, allocates, and manages the resources of time, space, activities, and attention to provide active and equitable engagement of students in productive tasks. **

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">To maximize the productivity of the limited time we have in the computer lab, students are prepped immediately before we depart and further instructions are on the wiki for what is expected of them. This keeps the students focused, the class stays managed and students who need the most help are able to receive that from the teacher without constant interruptions.

**<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5.D.1 The teacher takes responsibility for establishing a positive climate in the classroom and participates in maintaining such a climate in the school as a whole. **

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">Students are more receptive to reading their directions online, rather than having the teacher talk them through each step. It helps them go at a pace that is right for them. When they have finished, there is always a list of links that they can use to reward them for finishing, along with keeping them in an educational mindset. This helps keeps them in a positive, learning mood which helps with the transition back into the classroom when our time in the computer lab is over.