Kaitlyn Cunningham's pedagogical portfolio

Hi there! Welcome to my classroom management survival guide! Here you will find artifacts that are beneficial tips and tricks from my tool belt. I have gathered this information through knowledge gained from taking #CZCM16 at Western University.

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Nathan Lang, Ed.D. on Twitter

“Awesome teachers consistently affirm students who they are as learners. These 5 praise statements can help! #sunchat #education #teaching”

Reflection:

Constantly reminding students that what they do matters. That learning is a never-ending process. Positive reinforcement and encouragement are some of the best ways to have a positive classroom experience as students, and teachers. Classroom management is not something that can ever fully be completed, or handled. It grows and changes overtime, much like the people involved. Take every opportunity you can to demonstrate kindness, this shows. Greet students at the door, engage them through different perspectives. Allow them to make changes and become whoever the want to be - the classroom is the place where it all starts and comes together.

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Remind

Remind, formerly Remind101, is a communication tool that helps teachers reach students and parents where they are.

Communication:

Keeping the lines of communication open is one of the best ways to engage parents. Giving parents daily tidbits of information to provide them information of how their child is doing is a such a positive way to keep parents of the 21st century in the loop. With busy families and lives is it a great way to involve parents with text message reminders about upcoming field trips, projects, assignments, or special days. 

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Leadership:

This directly relates to my overall experience in #CZCM16. Having an instructor with a fountain of knowledge and experience and willing to share those stories, different experiences and understanding. This has allowed for me to open up by eyes to new experiences and challenges and obstacles that I may face in my education career. Classroom management is so much more than just managing a classroom. It is incorporating your own experiences into the ways in which you conduct your classroom. Allowing for growth is one of the most important ways for you to expand and demonstrate your knowledge.

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Collaboration in the classroom:

Making sure that a student centred focus is one of the first and foremost. Differentiated instruction, allowing for students of different skill sets and levels to be able to have an engaging experience within the classroom. Having a collaborative classroom is a set that models that teachers facilitate an authentic exchange of ideas and children learn to become caring, principled people as well as thoughtful, disciplined learners. 

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The Upside of Downtime

Print this out and leave it anonymously on your boss’s chair.

Your health and well-being:

You must never forget to allow for some down time. This time is beneficial for health and overall well-being. Taking down time to do something you like and enjoy is one of the ways to improve the way in which you view yourself and the world around you. As a teacher, you know that it is a 24/7 profession. It is important to implement time management, shutting down your electronic devices, and making sure that you have routines.

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The third teacher:

Who is this third teacher? The third teacher is the environment in which the students are engaged in each and every single day - the classroom. Carpets, bean bag chairs, standing desks, activity areas, and electronic workspaces are many ways in which a teacher can help to engage the students within the classroom. As we know, differentiated learning experiences are so influential for students. Allowing students to explore and have a comfortable environment to do so is such a beneficial way to learn.

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A more effective way to deal with the situation is to focus on your child’s behavior, not his—or your—feelings.

https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/disrespectful-child-behavior-dont-take-it-personally/

Not taking behaviour personally:

As a teacher, you have to remember that each and every one of your students comes into your classroom with a different set of experiences from their life, or even just from that day. It is very important to remember to not take specific behaviours personally. You have to take into regard the students temperature, if they are hungry, scared or even tired. All these things can directly alter or change their moods within the classroom. As a teacher you are able to make the classroom a positive experience and in order for the student to feel better and to have a sense of belonging.

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7 Tips for Better Classroom Management

Tyler Hester, teacher and professional development coach, offers seven compelling tips - and one amazing video - about the roots of better classroom management.

Getting to know your students:

This article is beneficial tool for teachers starting out. It includes seven tips for putting forth better classroom management practices within your classroom. Stating that people will often forget what they heard, and forget what they said but they will never forget how you made them feel. This is an important practice that teachers must encapsulate and remember. Each unique learning experience within the classroom may not be taken away equally by each and every student within your classroom. But, as a teacher - the impact in which you make on students will never be forgotten.

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High expectations:

As a teacher, it is important to garner the respect and understanding of your students. This is one of the most important ways to establish respect. Starting out with keeping students involved and engaged a teacher is able to show the students their worth and how much they are valued within the classroom and school setting. With reference to Rita Pierson, once a mutual trust is created students feel as if the classroom and the teacher are a safe place - this results in better learning and an overall better learning environment for each and every student.

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Learning:

“Kid’s don’t learn from people they don’t like.”

One quote to end them all. Rita Pierson’s critical analysis of what it takes to be a teacher is one of the most influential ways in which you can look at education. As a teacher, you need to be able to engage and work with your students to ensure that their educational experience is a positive one. Students will learn better from someone that they admire and respect. New problems and experiences may arise - but that is what ultimately makes the teaching profession such a rewarding one.