Today I had my year seven class that has five diruptive students. After a very productive lesson last friday with my other year seven class, I was feeling like I would be able to apply some of those teaching strategies to this class which requires additional support.
Every week I struggle with this class the most. Even my Subject Mentor (SM) says that she struggles to control this class as it is especially difficult.
I was even more anxious when I noticed that my SM was making notes throughout this lesson, however overall I fell it went well. I dealt with disruption swiftly as it came up, I kept the students engaged as much as possible and additionally I had reviewed their homework before the lesson with lots of positive comments which helped set the tone of the classroom even befroe students arrived, with students from that class approaching me in the corridor to say that my comments meant a lot to them.
This was the most focussed this class has ever been. I noted several times how incredbile their behaviour was during the lesson and I really was impressed with the work they created.
Even the disruptive children worked hard and produced something in the lesson, so I feel it was sucecssful overall, despite a few incidents.
Here are my Mentor's notes from her observation:
Year 7: Colour, 23.11.23
Waitng for quiet and ensuring removal of coats.
Great Starter!!
[I created a task around exploring how colour schemes can be used to remind us of characters, this was a set up for the refocus task which was on Kandinsky's colour studies.]
[As seen below, the starter also contained an alternative to the task for children that are colourblind]
You reshare slides and explain why. This allows studenst to relearn key words.
You are explicit with your expectations and students respond very well to this.
"Your voice is really important in this classroom."
They are focussed on you and seem to be listening intently - You respond well to disruptive students.
When one student comes in late, you maintain the group's attention and remind them of your expectations.
You have to battle with a lot of external noise from outside of the classroom.
You keeo them focussed on you.
You explain to one especially disrupitve student that he must move to a designated place if he continues to misbehave.
Countdown works like a dream.
A brief explanation of the task to get them started.
You use the year 12 helpers to get equipment out to students.
As I am now dealing with a student whom ran out the classroom, I will note that she may be difficult to manage if I were absent.
TARGET: Reflect on what you might do with her if I wasn't here.
[I have spoken to the student in question about how I can accomodate the classroom better so that she will feel more comfortable with joining us. I will change the seating plan so that she can stay in the lesson and be encouraged to focus.
If my SM wasn't here, but the student would run out of the classroom, I would immediately notify on patrol staff to find her. When she joins in the lesson she contributes well, but she would rather slip out than stay in the lesson. It might not help also that her seat is right next to the door. I will consider this in resetting the seating plan.]
Positively connecting students - If they have blended.
You praise focus.
Extension task is shared with all when one or two are ready. This helps with pace and also means you are not repeating yourself.
The child that had previously been asked to move is very disregulated today. You maintain your tone and don't reacy to his outburst. I think this helps him and the class see that you will not tolerate disruption but you undesrstand and are patient.
[My SM later came to me and said that after discussion with this child, they said they were upset about something outside of the class, that they felt that all teachers are rude to him 'but not Mr Kandiah'.]
Housepoints!! Yay!!
A Calm and focussed lesson - a massive achievement for this year 7 group.
[END]
I will post photos here from this lesson when I next go in, the students work was really fantastic and they responded really well.
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