For our second observation, we were in a different classroom than the one we observed on our first visit to CF. This time it was another biology class across the hall, taught by Ms. S. After quietly establishing ourselves in the back of the room, we were able to observe the different dynamics of this new class and teacher.
This classroom was different than the first one in that it had rows of desks in groups of two facing the front, instead of lab tables. Like the previous classroom, there was student work displayed on the walls, as well as the school mission and the class rules: be respectful, be prepared, be present. The objectives for the assignment were displayed on the board, as well as the “do now” assignment from the beginning of class.
During the first part of our observation, the students were cutting out images of different stages of mitosis and gluing them to cue cards, so that they could later be described and arranged in order. Students were using materials provided in class, although they also had their notebooks and other writing materials with them. While the students were working on their mitosis cards, music was playing and students were allowed to move around and help each other. In some cases the teacher actually asked a student who had finished early to help another student who was still working. When it was time to move on to the next activity, the music was turned off and students instructed to clean up.
During the second half of our observation, which continued until the end of class, Ms. S lectured on mitosis using PowerPoint. At the end of class students filled out an exit ticket with the questions: “what is mitosis?” and “why do we have mitosis?” The students were informed that the exit ticket would be graded.
We came in to the middle of class, so we didn’t have an opportunity to see some of the beginning of class procedures. Students who arrived late immediately provided the teacher with a slip and quickly found a seat without further explanation. There weren’t any students who arrived late without a slip, so I don’t know what the procedure would be in that case. There wasn’t a lot of student correction or overt discipline in the classroom; one student who cursed was reminded about language, and good behavior or correct answers received positive comments. Ms. S’s behavior management philosophy seemed to emphasize positive reinforcement.
There was one student who was highly disruptive throughout the class. He finished his mitosis cards quickly, but then proceeded to write silly things on the board at the back of the classroom, wander into the hall and around the classroom, and generally make rude, distracting comments. Ms. S ignored him most of the time, but I found myself more and more distracted by his behavior. The other students seemed accustomed to it, so I assumed it was a regular occurrence. There were times when I could barely keep myself from turning to him and telling him to shut up, but Ms. S admirably was able to carry on lecturing without losing composure. She only engaged with the disruptive student when he made a comment relevant to the lecture, and she praised him when he answered a question correctly, even if it was delivered aggressively and rudely.
After class, I asked Ms. S how she was able to deal with the disruptive student. She seemed surprised that I asked; she obviously was so accustomed to his behavior that she didn’t notice how disruptive he might seem to an outside observer. She explained that he had a very detailed IEP, and that he was actually permitted to get up and wander around. She also mentioned that in spite of his difficulties with authority and structure, he was actually a very talented artist. She pointed out with some pride that he had done all of the elaborate tattoos on his arms. It was reassuring to hear Ms. S speak about such a disruptive student with pride and compassion, and it made me reexamine the student’s classroom behavior and my own propensity to jump to a quick judgement.
From this observation, I think the most important thing I learned about classroom management was that a teacher should never engage a student in a power struggle. Ms. S seemed to know her students well enough to make quick judgements about what was acceptable behavior, and she refused to react to deliberate provocation. It’s a lesson that will stay with me, particularly since I felt myself wanting to instinctively react to the disruptive student, rather than observing dispassionately and objectively.
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