Katherine Graff
CLASSROOM PROCEDURES Session
5, Page 04, Activity 02
EDUC 5329
M.Ed.T, Secondary, Foreign Languages (Arabic)
ACTFL, NCPTS (
Content practice test NOT TAKEN
TExES content exam NOT TAKEN
PPR practice test NOT TAKEN
TExES PPR 8-12 NOT TAKEN
- Start of Class
0745-0800
Students
prepare for class, we chat about the news, sports scores, or the “Pop Tarts”
and their ridiculous lifestyles. I
mercilessly make fun of the fans of the sports teams that I do not like if
their team loses over the weekend and my students do the same for me. Its fun and I highly recommend it-everyone is
in a great mood and smiling before class begins.
0800-0803
Attendance
is taken (Yep-in Arabic. One more way I
can get them to practice through repetition.
The suggestions by Wong and Wong [1991] are good, but not applicable in
my situation. (Powell, et. Al, p71)
0803-0805
Quiz
Preparation Time (Getting out paper, numbering paper, finding a pen)
0805-0815
Vocabulary
Quiz/ Correcting / Grading
0815-0820
Question
and Answer Session (Questions about the quiz, about the previous day’s lessons,
or anything else-this class we talk about football standings
; ) )
0820-0822
Students
prepare to check homework
0822-0835
Homework
check/ Correction / Questions
0835-0855
Previous
Day’s Lesson Review / Questions / Individual Oral Assessment
0855-0910
First
Break (Coffee
is the Nectar of the Gods!)
I
am contemplating what I can use for an ‘opener’ as described on page 71
(Powell, et al.). I usually have them
study for their vocabulary quiz, but I will poll my other instructors and we
can brainstorm on some ideas. I do not
want to just give my class “busy work”; it needs to be relevant, language-related
work.
- Returning homework to
students
Students get out their homework following the vocabulary quiz and I check to see if an effort was made to complete it (Honest Attempt=100, Poor or No Attempt=0). Students usually grade their own homework so that they can look at their individual effort and make corrections as needed. This way, they can ask questions and have the corrected sentences to use as a reference later in the course.
Taking up students' money for lunch
and other school activities
The only funds taken up in my classroom are for
T-Shirts. We provide this as an option
for our students to have a shirt with “U.S.M.C. We are the mightiest Fighting
Forces in the World” written in Arabic script on the back. Usually I ask for a student volunteer to be
responsible for taking up and keeping track of the money. If no one volunteers, a quiet, non-commissioned
officer is “volun-told” by me. The transactions usually take place on breaks
or during the lunch hour, but I give them an opportunity around 0815 to take
care of some business. Whenever I come
up with a adequate and relevant ‘opener’ as discussed
on p71, I may use that time to conduct such business.
Dealing with students who have
missed assignments (because of being absent or because of choosing not to
do them)
All of our Arabic students
are responsible for their learning.
Therefore, if a student misses a class, she/he is responsible for
acquiring and making up missed assignments.
If a student misses the last hour of class, she/he is still held
accountable for the assigned homework.
If not completed, the student will be given a zero for a homework
grade. If a student misses a quiz or
test, we do not re-test as a school policy.
We only have 20 class days, and it is unfair for a student to have an
extra day to study over the other students.
I do give the absent students an opportunity to complete the exam, but
it does not count for a grade. The
student just receives an “A” for absent as long as it is excused, and it does
not count against the final grade.
If a student chooses not
to do an assignment, I have a couple of options that I had to exercise last
week. A)
If a student does not complete an assignment on the grounds of religion,
morality, or ethics and discusses his/her issues with me, I can grant the
student a different but equal assignment.
B) If a student refuses to do an
assignment because of any other reason, I will drop him/her from the course for
belligerency because if I do not, it spreads like an epidemic and soon others
decide they do not have to work either.
- During Class
Collecting work and distributing materials
Usually, I distribute materials myself in class, but from now on, I think I will assign those tasks to different students each day. I will start writing the name of my Arabic assistant on the board everyday so that I do not forget. Maybe it will help the students take pride in their class and their learning. Plus, I do not have to do all the work since I spend my ten minute breaks at the copier almost every day! Thanks Powell! When I collect work, I have students pass their work to the right (the command is given in Arabic so that they learn right from left through repetition) and I collect the papers on the end row. This method works for me because it deters cheating on graded items.
Students sharpening pencils
This
is not really an issue in my class since 98% of my students use pens or
mechanical pencils. I have not
experienced this problem yet, but I will encourage students to have more than
one #2 pencil from now on incase one breaks mid-quiz
or mid-exam. If they do need to sharpen,
I would request that they do so on break or during a period of independent work
when no one else is using the sharpener.
Students going to the water fountain or going to the bathroom
For every 50 -60 minutes of instruction, students are
given a 10 minute break per state law.
This is an opportunity for students to use the restroom, get a drink,
snack, or make phone calls. If it is an
emergency, students may use the restroom during class, but they must ask
permission in Arabic (unless I can tell they are seriously ill, then I just let them go without asking because they usually
tell me if they are sick when class starts).
If they do not bother because they cannot remember the phrase, it must
not be a dire emergency or they would look it up in their notebooks.
Students lacking
materials
Students are responsible
for their own materials in class, and I relay this responsibility on Day 1 of
class. I list everything they will need
and it is upon them to remember it. I
will not give a student a pen or paper if they forget-it is his/her
responsibility to acquire proper materials for class-just as it is his/her
responsibility to learn Arabic to the best of his/her ability (remember, I am
dealing with adults, not children at this point. If I were dealing with high school students,
I like the “trade system” discussed on page 74 in Classroom Management [Powell,
et al., 2001].). Just for the record, if
student’s pen runs out during a test or quiz, I will let them use one of mine
until they have had sufficient time to purchase or acquire new ones. ; )
- End of Class
Cleaning up the room
1630
The
senior Marine in the class is responsible for maintaining room
cleanliness. He/she assigns Marines to
make a sweep through the room after class picking up trash, emptying the trash
bin and erasing the boards cleanly. On
Tuesdays and Fridays, a band of students is assigned to sweep, clean the
tables, clean the boards and erasers, and arrange the room neatly. This teaches my students that this
environment is theirs, not just mine, and that they have to care for it to
maintain a pleasant learning environment.
A pattern for giving assignments
1620-1625
Homework
is written on the board in Arabic and students are required to write the
assignments in their notebooks. I review
the assignments aloud in Arabic, and then explain each part in English.
1. This gives students exposure to commonly used
Arabic verbs in a different manner, so they are learning out of necessity and
on their own accord because it is repeated in the same order at the same time
every day. (Ex: Listen, Study, Complete, Do)
2. Students who are visual learners need to see
the words on the board.
3. Aural learners get the benefit of listening
to assignments.
4. Kinesthetic learners are moving their hands
writing while watching and listening to help keep them focused.
5. Writing on the same board and in the same
pattern everyday, my students have a lower anxiety level about homework
expectations because homework is never a mystery. They can predict exactly how much and what
type of homework will be given every day.
I never give my students more than 30 minutes (advanced learners finish
quicker) to an hour (slower learners will take longer) of work to ensure they
do not burn out.
A
pattern for dismissing students
1625-1630
Students
are given a final opportunity to ask questions about the day’s lessons, ask
about clarifications to the homework assignments, or make any other comments or
announcements. I then turn the class
over to the senior ranking Marine/Sailor in the class, and then they are
dismissed after announcements and clean-up assignments are given.
- Student responsibilities
Student responsibilities in the classroom
I expect the usual-being on
time to class, practicing mutual respect among students and between students
and teacher; making a solid attempt to complete assignments (with a new
language, 100% accuracy is not realistic), and maintaining good personal
discipline and a positive attitude toward learning in addition to the issues I
discussed above.
I like the ideas presented
on page 75 of Classroom Management (Powell, et al., 2001) of making a list of
“what students can do to help on a daily basis” (taken from Nicholls & Hazzard, 1993, pp. 22-23) to set the tone for expectations
and goals for the duration of class. I
might also ask what they expect of me, so that we have sort of a classroom
agreement between teacher and student to do our best everyday. I could then type it up and distribute copies
to everyone and we all sign it like a pact.
I give credit for this idea to Dr. Stephanie Daza
who graciously discussed this strategy with me in an e-mail. Thank you again Dr. Daza! I am anxious to try this with my next class
on October 17.
PROCEDURES -
Buddy Response A
|
Message
no. 1285 |
|
Author: Wenyung
Chung |
|
Date: Wednesday, October 10, 2007
1:06am |
|
I can't help but wonder
what kind of school do you teach at? Your have a very special and unique class. I don't
suppose you are teaching a middle or high school? You mentioned that students are
given 10 minutes break by the state law, this is interesting and i
have never heard of this. Also you said studens are
allowed to make phone calls, this is even unheard of in my
schooling experience. Why do you think the state made the 10 minutes break time law? |
PROCEDURES - *My
Response* to Buddy Response A
|
Message
no. 1345 |
|
Author: Katherine Graff |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
11:47am |
|
Hi Wenyung, I teach as adjunct faculty
for by the State of (where I physically teach
my classes) came to the college in 2001 wanting a 30-day survival level Arabic course for
Marines and Sailors (Navy) deploying to the My head instructor
developed the course as it is today.
We teach 8-35 students depending on deployment cycles for
20 class days. I teach in a small classroom
that does not have enough chairs and
long tables anchored end to end and 4 white boards. I am on my feet from
0800-1200, then lunch, then back teaching 1230-1630 (4:30) with the same students ALL DAY
LONG! With the exception of my last
class, its a great program for the Marines and
Sailors and they learn great skills to aid them in their missions in State Laws (the 10 minute
breaks) and Marine Corps laws, so we have unique, but very strict regulations. It is a very intense,
challenging position-but remember what I told
you. I get bored if I am not challenged! I love it!
I am going to eventually get my certification in Secondary French because I do not
know how long the need for Arabic will be around, and French is my second favorite language
behind Arabic. The two surprisingly
have much in common after colonizations
in Thanks again for your interest-always a pleasure chatting with you! |
PROCEDURES - *Classmates
Follow Up* to Buddy Response A
|
Message
no. 1349 |
|
Author: Wenyung
Chung |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
12:20pm |
|
Woa, you really have an
interesting teaching experience. I take it it is
easier for you to teach you students because
they are the one that requested for the class and are eager to learn the arabic language to survice in
the battle field. That is the problem with the students today, they do not know
the previlege they have with the provided
education. I have seen parents and
children begging to have education in the missionaries touched areas. |
PROCEDURES - *MY
Follow Up* to Buddy Response A
|
Message
no. 1368 |
|
Author: Katherine Graff |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
1:22pm |
|
Actually, it is just the
opposite. They are TOLD to be here,
most of them do not volunteer. I expend mounds of energy trying to explain
to them why Arabic is important, why knowing the culture is
important, and why it is worth their time to learn the language. I get through to most of my
students, but there are always those who just want to "turn to try to understand. These students think everyone should
"just speak English so I dont have to learn it". I do my best-but some people just need to
grow up. I totally agree, students do not realize how
lucky they are because of the educational opportunities at their disposal. |
PROCEDURES - Buddy
Response B
|
Message
no. 1300 |
|
Author: Stephanie Bohn |
|
Date: Wednesday, October 10, 2007
2:44pm |
|
Name: Stephanie Bohn Courses enrolled in: LIST 5326, EDUC 5329 Program: Initial Teacher Certification Only Seeking Certification:
Secondary English National Standards: NCTE State Competencies: TExES English Language Arts/Reading, Grades
8-12 Content practice test: not yet taken TExES Content exam: not yet
taken PPR Practice test: not yet
taken TExES PPR: not yet taken Katherine, I don’t think I’ve ever had
so much fun reading someone’s curriculum!! HAHA! That was very interesting! I’m also wondering what school you teach
at? And where? How long are your classes? You mentioned a break with every hour or so
of work. I don’t think my classes ever went over an
hour. You seem like you have
constructed a very well organized and structured classroom
that has the students highly engaged!
I especially like the idea of discussing
sports at the beginning of class!!
Thank you for sharing!! |
PROCEDURES - *My
Response* to Buddy Response B
|
Message
no. 1346 |
|
Author: Katherine Graff |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
11:58am |
|
Hello Stephanie, Thanks for reading about my
crazy class life! I gave Wenyung a little background on my class above to explain our
regulations if you want to check it out : )
The times are projected, of course. Sometimes things happen and we have to be
flexible, but that is my goal everyday. The first and last hours of class have to
be structured, but the middle is always fluid because each
of my classes never move to the same pace.
Its like Broadway-start big, finish
with a bang ; )
Then they are ready for more the next day. Ninety-eight percent of my
students are males, so sports is always a winner-plus I love football so I can run some good
smack because I keep up with it. I had
a student from OK last class, and he love
teasing me about "attending" college at UTA since the Sooners beat the Longhorns last
week. Things like that help me form a
bond between myself and those students because they
think as a woman I do not understand them or like what they do, so football is
like the "Ace up my Sleeve" ; ) |
PROCEDURES -
Buddy Response C
|
Message
no. 1390 |
|
Author: Erica Bensik |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
3:44pm |
|
Katherine: Once again, I gained so
much by reading your response. I always really appreciate your insight and practical suggestions
and ideas. This may be silly, but I feel like the best ideas I take away from these
discussions are the smallest tid-bits! In your
response, I LOVED how you talked about
giving your students grief and vice-versa about sports teams. I worry that my sarcastic
humor and jovial teasing might be offensive to some students, but I think
things that are not personal (like sports teams, television shows, etc.) sounds like a GREAT way
to connect with students and build relationship without teasing or poking fun at them and
potentially hurting someone's feelings. Thank you again for such great insight! |
PROCEDURES - *My
Response* to Buddy Response C
|
Message
no. 1395 |
|
Author: Katherine Graff |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
7:19pm |
|
Hi Erica! I agree with you, sometimes
the smallest piece of the puzzle can have the biggest impact : ) I learn from you guys too, because we have
all had different but very interesting experiences, and that is
really cool! When you get to know your
audience, neutral subjects like
football and Britney Spears (sad for the kids-but there is so much ammo for sarcasm!) let them
voice their opinions freely in issues that they are more certain about other than
academics. To teach my students what a
direct object is, I use a sports analogy because
that is what they understand: Subject - Causes the
action (Quarter back that causes and
controls movement on the field, so Subject = Payton
Manning, You could use Tony Romo in TX) Verb - The action or
movement that is occuring (the football moves down
the field, so Verb = football) Direct Object - Receives
the action (the football is intended for the wide receiver, so D.O. = Marvin Harrison, you
could use Terrell Owens in TX) Draw a football field and
put the three words in order, then write their new names underneath. They will never forget it. By the way, I went to
college with Terrell Owens his senior year/my freshman year. I was one of his athletic
trainers ; ) Thanks again for your
interest and positive responses! Great
hearing from you! |
PROCEDURES,
Response 1 to a Classmate’s Work
|
Message
no. 1376 |
|
Author: Katherine Graff |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
2:26pm |
|
Sorry all, this is a
repost. The HTML editor did not work
out as planned! Katherine Graff CLASSROOM PROCEDURES Session 5, Page 04, Activity 02 EDUC 5329 M.Ed.T, Secondary, Foreign
Languages (Arabic) ACTFL, NCPTS ( Content practice test NOT
TAKEN TExES content exam NOT
TAKEN PPR practice test NOT TAKEN
TExES PPR 8-12 NOT TAKEN Hi Cassie, Since I have no
musical talents, its fascinating to hear about how you conduct your choir classes. I like how
you have your students grab a worksheet as soon as they come in the door-that just gave
me a fantastic idea for my class! Thanks so much! Good move on recommending
mechanical pencils ; ) I liked your quote, "They are responsible for their own learning and for
not disturbing others’ learning."
Not disturbing others is an excellent point. Thanks for sharing-I enjoyed reading your
work! |
PROCEDURES,
*Classmate’s Follow-Up* Response
1 to a Classmate’s Work
|
Message
no. 1388 |
|
Author: Cassie Essary |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
3:33pm |
|
Cassie Essary EDUC 5329 Initial Teacher
Certification & M. M. All-Level Music TExES Music EC-12, TExES
PPR EC-12 Thanks Katherine! Mechanical pencils are so much better and
easier I think, and of course less distracting. Just always have some extra lead on
you! In my experiences, kids tend to want to run
rampant when they get to the choir room if they are not immediately engaged in something, such
as the worksheets. The good thing
about choir is that the majority of the
students in it are there because they want to be, and they generally want to learn. |
PROCEDURES,
Response 2 to a Classmate’s Work
|
Message
no. 1370 |
|
Author: Katherine Graff |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
1:47pm |
|
Hi Wenyung
and Stephanie, Is there a break between
the previous class and your Math class?
If so, then students should have sufficient time to
use the restroom before and after classes.
I can see Stephanie's view that this
could be interpreted as "taking away their freedom"-you are always thinking of your
students and are a great pro-student advocate ; ) I get the feeling you are a very caring
person, Stephanie. I feel that if it is
explained to the students on the first class day when the appropriate times to use the restroom
occur before, during, and after class accompanied by reasons, there really should be no
room for argument because they are not being denied the restroom for the entire class
period. It places the responsibility of good planning on the part of the students to manage
their time wisely. I would have never
left my classroom during the middle of a math
lecture or I would have failed my tests!
: ) I also love the repeated
expectations WenYung has for mutual respect between
the students and teacher and among the
students. This is an important
leadership trait that is lacking in our public
school systems where I am from and we need more teachers to hold students accountable for
this. Nice job! Thanks for sharing your work and I enjoy our conversations! |
PROCEDURES, *Classmates
Follow-Up* to My Response 2
NONE
PROCEDURES,
Response 3 to a Classmate’s Work
|
Message
no. 1378 |
|
Author: Katherine Graff |
|
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:39pm |
|
Katherine Graff CLASSROOM PROCEDURES Session 5, Page 04, Activity 02 EDUC 5329 M.Ed.T, Secondary, Foreign
Languages (Arabic) ACTFL, NCPTS ( Content practice test NOT
TAKEN TExES content exam NOT
TAKEN PPR practice test NOT TAKEN TExES PPR 8-12 NOT TAKEN Hi Amy, Nice to hear from
you-thanks for sharing your work! I am
curious, how do you divide your class into groups? I do group work in my class, and I am
always looking for new ways to present group
work. Thanks again and good luck! |
PROCEDURES,
*Classmate’s Follow-Up* Response
3 to a Classmate’s Work
NONE
PROCEDURES RUBRIC
Fully
Answered Question 1.
I laid out a rough
schedule of my first hour of class and procedures for greeting students,
checking and returning homework, review and question time as well as activity
transition times.. 10
Fully
Answered Question 2.
I noted my policy on
grading homework, how it is corrected and returned. I narrated that I put a senior ranking Marine
in charge of collecting T-shirt money on breaks or before class, and I depicted
that my students are responsible for acquiring and completing missed
assignments. As for students that refuse
to complete assignments, I gave consequences based upon the reason for the
refusal. 10
Fully
Answered Question 3.
I decided after reading
the book that I need to let my students take more ownership in the class by
handing out materials, but I will continue to personally collect their graded
items to deter cheating. Pencil
sharpening is not a huge issue in my class since they use pens. I also described how I let my students have
10 minute breaks after every 50-60 minutes of instruction, so they have plenty
of time to use the restroom or get water.
If it is an emergency, they can go, but they have to ask in Arabic. Students lacking in materials are responsible
for acquiring them, I do not hand out extra materials unless there is an
instance like someone’s pen is out of ink during the middle of a test. 10
Fully
Answered Question 4.
I discussed how I write
the homework assignments on the same board using the same Arabic phrases
everyday and my students copy the assignments in their notebooks. After
students are given time to ask final questions or make announcements, the senior ranking Marine takes charge of
clean up in class. I also discussed my
expectations of punctuality, respect, personal discipline and a positive
attitude toward learning. 10
Responded to three
members of your learning team and replied to all responses to your original
post.
I had discussions with Amy
Reubel, Wenyung
Chung and Cassie Essary and
received responses to my original work from Wenyung
Chung, Erica Bensik and Stephanie
Bohn. 10
Total Possible 50
points My total points 50 My percentage score 100%