I am a little ashamed to say that this year I have a ‘that’ class. The class I can’t seem to get to work. Despite careful planning, talking it through with my HoD and their year level dean, trying a few different things like shifting furniture or even classrooms, they are still ‘that’ class. The class I almost dread some days, the class I get frustrated with, the class I feel like I am being the least effective in, the class were I feel like I am so busy dealing with 1/3 of the class I just forget the other 2/3s…. the class I just haven’t got to gel yet.
It is a hard problem, and one I have been pondering – this class works ‘best’ when I have more ‘structure’. When I chunk tasks into 20 minute blocks, have the whole class writing quietly from the board, when I STRONGLY control practical tasks. I have ‘learned’ not to do practicals with them on a last period if I can help it. They all work quietly when doing tasks like cutting and pasting pieces of paper, or colouring things in, or wordfinds …. but then I lose the ‘spark’ – despite the ‘crazy’, this class can think.
And then I read the first two paragraphs and go there it a whole lot of ‘I’ in there. What is the class (that I am a part of) going to do to make our time together work better??
Among the ponderings around this is….
1) Why did I/do I resort to ‘structured’ traditional tasks for this class?
This answer is partly due to all of the advice I received when I was trying to talk through the issues I was having. Have you tried a seating plan is almost always the first thing anyone says. (I teach them in a ‘new lab’, so the tables often move anyway, but also NO, I want them to be in an environment that is comfortable for them and suits the task). Then it goes onto something like do you have a set routine? Do you have a settling activity?
Then it goes into if they work quietly while taking notes of the board, then why not give them notes off the board? And then I want to burn everything to the ground.
But also, the students like writing notes of the board – the quiet, diligent kids think this is what learning should look like, and the ‘anxious’ kids know nothing is going to be asked of them but mindless copying, and the ‘troublesome’ kids just draw pictures in their books. And I can use the ‘discipline referral system’ if I need to (and I have needed to….) Happy classrooms right.
Sigh
So for anyone reading – next time some-one asks about a difficulty in their class, please don’t ask if they have a seating plan š
2) How can the classroom expectations be made clear and stuck to.
As a class we have had some discussion around what we think is acceptable and not acceptable for learning. The class are actually surprisingly harsh on themselves when it comes to what they expect…. perhaps tying into them thinking that learning is writing in silence….
So changing that mindset while also maintaining security is a big challenge
The other challenge is managing responses to behaviour. How do you ignore unwanted behaviours? I think I speak for every teacher (or I hope I do) that sometimes it only takes that one kid to throw a whole lesson out of whack because of the response it generates. So how can those responses (including my own) be changed to support a better classroom culture.
3) How I can ensure I don’t miss the 2/3s of the class while dealing with the 1/3?
Because right now I know I am not being the best teacher I can be for that 2/3s. But I don’t quite know how to get around that. How do I ensure I provide fun, engaging, authentic learning for them, while ‘managing’ the other 1/3. Short answer is I can’t…. so how can I get it to be everyones job while still ensuring the get the support they need.
And why am I having to manage the others?? Why are the so disengaged from what we do?
An added challenge to this class is I have them for 2 hours a week. It is proving to be very challenging to build the type of relationships I would like in this 2 hours. And a kind colleague saying ‘well, you can suck it up for 2 hours a week, just don’t worry about it’ was not super helpful either…..
And today, when we did a slightly different activity, despite the noise, the disruption and the non-participants, there was some really good learning going on. Kids had learned some things. I am clinging to that glimmer of hope…. a gossamer thin glimmer at times, but still there….
So I am going to keep thinking, and keep trying with ‘that’ class. For the kids that keep trying to meet me half way. And for the kids that don’t too….
ibpossum takes on tech 
Great reflection – I think we need to share this stuff as teachers more – for moral support but also because it is often a very real part of it lives and still an ongoing challenge no matter the ‘modernness’ of our pedagogy. I teach slightly younger students (Year 7 & 8) but someday a I have the ‘oh I have that class’ feeling when I am dealing with ridiculous behaviour. Like you I refuse to put a seating plan in place (how are they going to learn to manage their behaviour/distractions if I always manage it for them!?). One thing I have found helpful and sometimes necessary is placing some limitations on seating in class i.e. ‘I noticed yesterday you didn’t work well as a group, and spent a lot of time distracting each other, today is like you to choose other people to work with.’ Sometimes followed by an optional ‘if that’s too hard for you to do then I will make the choice for you.’ They still feel they have choice but you’ve drawn your line in the sand. It is a bit more time consuming and it may not be right for your scenario but I have found that it seems to really support good learning choices. Not sure about your disengaged ones are they too cool for school or would they willingly tell you if you asked them would make the topic more interesting?
Thanks Brie. This is a yr 8 class who get a ‘little’ excited out of their home room. Several of the disengaged ones are ‘on the radar’ in other respects also. I try to stick to the ‘consistent’ strategies all teachers are asked to with these students, but it is tough going when they don’t help.