I'm currently studying SRL and I have found it to help shift my perspective on student learning. There are a plethora of posts on teacher forums asking for help with behaviour issues with "difficult" children, and yet very few make links to SRL and helping students regulate their behaviour. And yet, the research is quite clear; developing self-regu...See MoreI'm currently studying SRL and I have found it to help shift my perspective on student learning. There are a plethora of posts on teacher forums asking for help with behaviour issues with "difficult" children, and yet very few make links to SRL and helping students regulate their behaviour. And yet, the research is quite clear; developing self-regulated learning skills in students can and will help increase self-efficacy and increase achievement, thereby decreasing behaviour issues (Zimmerman, 2002)). Stuart Shanker discusses the link between behaviour and self-regulated learning at length on the website Self-Reg.ca and shares his method (The Shanker Method) for equipping students with the tools and knowledge of the processes that will help them move through stress and to self-regulation (Shanker, 2017). The perspective with self-regulated learning shifts from focusing on the student's undesirable behaviour to understanding the "why". By identifying the why behind the behaviour, and teaching the child the processes to move through it, we move from trying to regulate the child to empowering the child with the tools needed to self-regulate, "The Self-Reg educator or parent seeks to understand, rather than manage a child's behaviour" (Shanker, 2019). Further, Alderman and Macdonald state, in A Self-Regulatory Approach to Classroom Management: Empowering Students and Teachers, that "development of motivation and self-regulated learning skills can take classroom management beyond the role of maintaining order in the classroom to empower students and teachers for lifetime learning". Instead of trying to control the child through SRL we can empower the child to control their own thoughts and processes. Self-regulated learning not only improves classroom management it nurtures life-long learners equipped with the tools to navigate an increasingly stressful world.
The application is called Class Updates and work...See More I'm a college professor and President of an educational technology startup that helps to improve student learning and retention in the classroom. If you're passionate about education like I am then hopefully you will be glad to give me feedback and help with case studies in your classroom.
The application is called Class Updates and works like this:
We help connect students and teachers with instant push notifications so students never have to worry about forgetting a presentation being due or class being canceled. All the teacher has to do is sign up on the application and create a class for their relevant school and tell their students to sign up. Once signed up they will receive instant notifications right to their phone as soon as it is sent.
We've also built a calendar function so students can track all of their classes and future notifications in one place.
Screenshots of the app… (URLs of the images are here:
If you would like to download the application the links are below and I appreciate the discussion on the application and how we can help improve the learning environment for the students while saving faculty time.
First, I make sure students understand my expectations and that I am firm with them. My rules: 1. Respect me, the classroom, and each other. 2. Use materials responsibly. These are two concepts that are taught throughout our school, which means students are familiar with being respectful and responsible. If problems arise, I strive for immediate follow through. This can be anything from having a small discussion between the student and I or all the way up to a meeting with the principal. It all depends on the situation.
My second part of classroom management revolves around ensuring my students know they are cared for. They know I want them to succeed. I do not want them to have difficulties in class and they need to know that I am here for them. We build mutual respect and can work together to solve recurring issues they may experience in my classroom. This also includes having a fresh start with each class. I do not bring up past bad experiences with students. I am sure they remember them just fine on their own. My job is to continue working towards success, not dwell on the past.
As part of creating a positive atmosphere (and with a co...See MoreHello Everyone - The past couple of weeks I've been getting to know a great group of 4th graders during my intervention time with them (I teach). Over the course of the past couple of weeks, I've offered more challenging reading material to students, and they have met the challenge.
As part of creating a positive atmosphere (and with a couple of other purposes in mind) I've promoted student choice of setting - having an outside day for our class time. My thinking is that after students have shown responsibility and good work ethic, and for some finishing work/assignments earlier than required, they, as a group, can utilize being outside occasionally. Of course, this is as weather permits being in Wisconsin. I want to nip the possibility of students using boredom or lack of interest as an excuse for unwanted class behavior. One student I have in mind brought his own reading materials, and showed positive intrinsic motivation by doing so.
So far, as tried, this has been a positive venue, with good outcomes. A potential downfall I can see, is that with wider choice available when students' work is complete, I need to ensure the students really are doing that work. (and not just saying, oh, I'm done - now, let me read what I want and/or just play outside).
Students need to be learning, and I can monitor this through weekly fluency and comprehension assessments. Students also partake in monitoring themselves by viewing their results, talking about goals, and what they need to do to reach those goals/change outcomes.
Does anyone have any thoughts about ensuring our outside time doesn't become a place to "slack" off? I am concerned about one student who doesn't seem to always stay on task, or particularly intrinsically motivated to read his own material. Ideas?
I do think having options in the classroom is a great classroom management tool, no matter what the grade level, as long as choices are clear and are ones that no matter what is chosen, the teacher can live with it - got that idea from a Love 'n Logic Class a couple years back.
Negative behaviors take can take up so much of our time and energy. I understand those behaviors need to be addressed, retaught, and practiced. My class last year had many students who seemed to take up much of my attention and energy. I felt so bad for the students who worked so hard, but seemed to get so little of me. I would love any suggestions that don't necessarily include extrinsic rewards.