4.2
Manage Classroom Activities
Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions
Students on my final practicum had set seating arrangements to assist with classroom management and support the learning of students with learning difficulties. When setting up for a science experiment of creating DIY lava lamps, I wanted all students to be able to see each others' experiments while also creating an effective space for teaching and learning. The image at the top shows the usual classroom placement of students, while the bottom image shows the arrangement of seats for the particular activity.
As the science lesson required explicit instruction and a demonstration, I set up all materials on table 7 as shown in the diagram. Three groups of less-able students worked on a differentiated task on tables 1, 2 and 3, while three groups of more-able students worked on a slightly more complex experiment on tables 4, 5 and 6. This lesson worked extremely well in terms of managing the activity as students were unable to collect their materials for the experiment until they had completed their group hypothesis, which motivated students who were often off-task to complete the requirements in order to begin creating their lava lamps like the rest of the groups. I was able to stand in the middle of the room and see each student's eyes during the explanation, which greatly assisted in reducing low-level disruption. It also meant that the students could easily see each others' experiments and compare results between tables. |
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The students in my year 1/2 class in 2015 frequently had to be reminded of what they should be doing during pack-up time at the end of the day. It was often a frustrating time as we tried to ensure that each student had each of their belongings in their bags and tables packed away before the home bell. This task took much longer than it needed to, and so during my teaching I introduced the 'Tidy Up Rhumba' which I found on YouTube. As I had also implemented the 'table ticks' strategy earlier in my practicum, I set the students the challenge of having their belongings packed away and tables and floor tidy by the time the song finished in order for their table to earn a point. We discussed moving safely in the room and ensuring we do not run, and I was pleasantly surprised by how keen the students were to rise to the challenge! They were motivated by the competitive element of trying to 'race the clock', and often were much more willing to help others in the class to pack up before the song finished.
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