Classroom management Article Response

Article: CELL PHONES: RULE-SETTING, RULE-BREAKING, AND RELATIONSHIPS IN CLASSROOMS

 

CHARLES, ANITA S. "Cell Phones: Rule-Setting, Rule-Breaking, And Relationships In Classrooms." American Secondary Education 40.3 (2012): 4-16. Education Research Complete. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

 

Summary:

So the article I read was actually about cell phone usage and how different teachers dealt with the problem. I almost went to find a different article that was more targeted about classroom management, but I decided to stick with it because I think it had some really interesting points. So the article did a study in one school in New England where Cell phone usage is prohibited. The study described how different teachers dealt with cell phone usage, noting that younger “cooler teachers” tended to be lenient on the rules (and even break them as well) and older teachers follow stringent consequences. Mostly, the article talked about how this issue illustrates that management is all about relationships and power dynamics. Here are some good quotes, so you get an idea of what was written:

·        “Self directed action, occurs within relations of power; discordant groups of people (such as students and teachers) can often work together to find a consensus.”

·        “”I think 90% of education is probably trust. It’s trust from the educators, but its respect from the students.””

·        “Teachers and students need to see the shift from authoritative teaching roles to democratic negotiation of classroom interaction based on relationships of trust and respect.”  

Response:

I think that there are things I liked and disliked about the article. I like the idea of being reasonable with students and building a relationship of trust. I like the idea of a democratic classroom and students having a voice and feeling empowered. I even like the idea of students being able to have a say in the way rules and procedures are set up. The quotes above are great, and they should be guiding philosophies to have classrooms based on trust, respect, and a common goal.

That being said, at some point, teachers need to have a backbone. I want to make sure that my classroom is efficient and students are not wasting their time. Cell phones, which are one of a million issues related to management, can be a serious distraction and can disrupt a lot of instruction. Talking in class, moving around the room, hitting, yelling, throwing things; these are all issues I notice in my observation classroom (rarely, but they happen). I notice these things happen when teachers get distracted or in group work. I think there are some basic ideas about classroom management that are important. It is good to have a democratic environment, but a classroom is not a democracy.  The teacher has to be in control, and has to do so without being a crazed tyrant. A teacher has to be consistent, because students will push limits to see if they are there.

 

I think the biggest idea is how to get respect from your students. If you have respect, then most issues do not evolve into major issues. The article talked about one teacher who put a box on his desk for cell phones, and if there truly was a pressing issue, students could make a call in the hallway. Although the teacher deviated from the school policy (slightly), he created a fair and respectful approach that made students feel more comfortable. I think slight modifications to make students feel understood and respected are important to make classrooms run smoother. Respect has to be given, not just received. Of course, doing all of these things is a lot harder in practice than it is in theory.