Unsplash: note thanun
Technology and Classroom Management:
Having Brittany as the guest for the week to discuss classroom management was an overall insightful and helpful lecture. I really enjoyed hearing her speak about her class, and strategies that she uses firsthand with her students. Something that I will always focus on with my future students and the children that I work with is making sure that they have a sense of belonging, thus when it was brought up in the presentation, I very much see myself applying what was being presented.
Soft Starts and Transitions were great topics, especially when thinking about younger grades. Having students develop routine in a manner that they understand is extremely beneficial. From K-2 students are still getting the hang of how the school day works, so knowing that they are stepping into the classroom in the morning knowing that there will be a hands-on activity waiting for them is exciting. At transition times, having a song that is only played when it is time to move from one activity to another is so helpful for their grasp of what is going on around them.
Moving into routines and expectations. Making sure that the classroom expectations are made by the both the students and the teacher together is really important; that way there is not a poster on the wall that students are detached from because they had no say. When it comes to routines, having a day plan up on the board for students to refer back to. Even younger students are extremely attentive to what they are learning throughout the day.
As a whole I enjoyed gaining more knowledge and ideas on strategies that can be applied to the classroom. Thank you to Brittany!
Different examples of SEL check ins for students here!