Secret #2 - Chris Ammer

Am I an effective teacher? This was the question I continually asked myself as I was reading chapter 2. This chapter seemed like a lot to take in, but once I was done reading it I had realized most of these things were common sence for me. I found myself agreeing with most things in this chapter. I could never see myself getting into a shouting match with one of my students or taking out daily frustration to discipline them more than they deserve, but maybe im just more level headed than some others out there.

 It is hard comming into a classroom and establishing new rules and procedures so late in the year. Because of this I found myself using the same rules and procedures as my co-op. I teach 9th,10, and 11th grade social studies. The way I manage the varrying grade levels is drastic. The 9th graders honestly listen infinately better than my 11th graders. They seem almost happy to be there which is great. However I do routinely have to get them back on track when doing independent work. They seem to have very short attention spans. Now when I said earlier that I would never enter a shouting match with a student I ment it, however this does not mean I wont raise my voice to get the room under control. I find myself doing that daily when they first come into the class. They know the procedure is to complete their bell ringer question of the day. However every day without fail I have to remind them to do so. Last week I encountered my first act of bullying. One student was making fun of another for some reason or another. The boy was clearly upset and others were laughing at him. This set something off in me. I immidiately raised my voice and shouted "ENOUGH!" and silence fell over the classroom. After getting them back on task I took the boy who was doing the bullying aside and had a talk with him about how what he was doing was innapropriate and disrespectful. He seemed to understand and hasent done it again since. I also took the boy who was being bullied aside and checked to make sure he was ok.

Teaching 10th and 11th graders is vastly different than the 9th graders, they arent as spastic or hyper. In these classes I do not get as much talking or "horseplay." To put it bluntly many of these students think theyre "too cool for school" or jaded and think they know everything about everything, typical teenager stuff. They slack off and dont pay attention. I find that proximity and encouragement work best with the older students. I constantly walk around the room checking on each student to ensure they know what theyre doing and not just waiting for the bell to ring. When they do want to sleep or blow off the work I like to take them aside and ask why theyre doing this and what do they plan on doing for a job in the future. I try and encourage them to work harder, not for me but for them.

I'm not sure if I buy into this you respect me i'll respect you and the world will be a perfect happy place idea that the book resinates but there are many good points to be taken seriously from this book. Sometimes no matter what you try students will talk out of turn and not follow procedures. Other times they will break rules even though they know the consiquences. This chapter gives beginning educators various ways to deal with these situations when they arise.