Transcript

Welcome to BLaST the Airwaves with BLaST Intermediate Unit 17. Here at BLaST Intermediate Unit 17, we strive to transform lives and communities through educational services. On this podcast, we will provide you with educational solutions for all, no matter the learning environment. So teachers, administrators, caregivers, what are you waiting for?

What would happen if we started questioning, what if? What if we had a positive perspective on education? What if we flip the switch on education? What if we were the solution?

Hello listeners. We are excited to BLaST the Airwaves with you today and provide educational solutions for all. My name is Rebecca Gibboney, and I am the Curriculum and Online Learning Specialist here at BLaST Intermediate Unit 17. I am thrilled to welcome you to episode six of BLaST the Airwaves. During this episode, we will discuss classroom procedures and the importance of having a plan. Speaking of plan, have you ever considered classroom jobs? Maybe a great time to start is now! So, friends, it is time to blast the airwaves….

When you close your eyes, what kind of classroom do you envision? I would like to think that I had the perfect classroom, with all my kids raising their hands and sitting attentively in their seats, eager to learn; but, who am I kidding? My classroom was the complete opposite. Students calling out answers above the constant Spanish music I had playing on low. Students bouncing in bouncy chairs and laid in bean bag chairs. Desks, who needed them? I didn’t even have a seating chart! In my classroom, I liked to discuss the importance of creating your own learning environment.

I liked to call it organized chaos, and while it did not make sense to many, it made sense to me (most of the time).

We all have found our ways to make our own chaos, to make our own classroom. Yet, it is during these times, where we are forced to rethink our classroom management–our classroom plan for procedures, routines, and expectations. Let’s not confuse this with our behavior management–how problem behavior is prevented and our approach to addressing problem behaviors. No, that is for another episode and another time. For today, this episode, we are going to focus on our classroom plan for procedures, routines, and expectations.

In my fifth year of teaching, my mentor gave me the best advice ever when it came to classroom management. She told me to sit, in my empty classroom, in silence. Before I hung up all the piñatas, the posters, the flags. Just sit, in silence, eyes closed. Imagine students entering your room. Imagine students turning in paperwork, passing out papers. Imagine transitioning activities. What do you want it to look like? What do you need it to look like to keep your own sanity?

Hands down, best advice ever. Maybe you are laughing because you already have done this and still practice it every year, or maybe you are smirking at yourself because you never thought of it before; but, it was my game changer.

So, I encourage you to sit in your empty classroom, eyes closed and just imagine. If you are in your classroom right now, do it as you are listening. If you are driving right now, please please please do not do this right now, but perhaps revisit the episode.

Imagine the face to face environment.
How will your students prepare for the beginning of class?
How do students know the goals for today’s lesson?
How do students know when work is due?
How do students even know what tasks they must complete?
How do they turn in work?
How do they respond to feedback?
How do students receive content and material?
Is there a weekly or monthly schedule?
How can your students get help?

Write down the answers to all of these questions. Again, you may need to pause this after you see (or hear) it; but, write down the answers to all of these questions.

Then, close your eyes again and imagine what this might look like in a hybrid setting. What might it look like in a complete remote setting?

I hate to admit it, but we (educators AND students AND families) must be ready to shift gears at any point in time this season. What does this mean? You must prepare. You must prepare yourself AND your students AND your families for any of these learning environments. This preparation, it must happen first. The more prepared you and your students are, the more confident you and your students will be. Think back to March when all of a sudden, face to face was just taken away. Where were we left? Remember, we talked about this in episode 1. We were forced into crisis teaching. Do you remember that? That is not where we are going this year. We are intentional and we have a plan. Let’s make sure of that!

You might be thinking, Becky…we’re in week two, week three already. It is too late! Friends, it is NEVER too late. Procedures need to be implemented and practiced. If they aren’t working for you, change them. If they aren’t working for your students, change them. This is all new territory that we, together, must figure out.

So, let’s go back to the Playbook with Fisher, Frey, and Hattie. Think about your classroom already:
First, how do you greet your students every day? Make it a point to greet your students as they enter or sign on. Is there a gesture you could use? A thumbs up or a wave if you are not able to verbally greet them?
Secondly, how have you personalized the learning space? Your classroom is one thing, but what about your virtual space? Have you changed up your virtual background? I love the idea of changing your background to your content that you are teaching, or the suggestion of displaying student work as your background.
Do you know your students’ names by now? Are you pronouncing it correctly? Be like Doug Fisher and don’t let yourself off the hook. Practice them every day!

Are you overwhelmed yet? Wow! That is a lot to manage. Admit it, it is! But, remember, you are not alone! You cannot do this all alone. You have 20, 30, 100 students (if you are thinking about all of your students) that can help. Are you picking up what I’m putting down? Classroom jobs!

Elementary teachers are pros at this. Secondary teachers (and I can say this because that was my age range), secondary teachers, please hear me out, classroom jobs do not have to be elementary.

Look at that list of procedures in front of you. You have procedures for face-to-face. Procedures for hybrid. Procedures for complete remote. You have A LOT of procedures.

Now, look at that list. What on your list could you make a classroom job? In a world of remote, we may not need a plant waterer or a board cleaner, but there are plenty of jobs out there! Perhaps someone could be a greeter (social distanced, of course). Your tech gurus could be the tech squad. Need brain breaks? Hire a movement manager! Need that music when they come into the door? Have you considered a class DJ? And what about success? Do you celebrate success in your classroom or do you need someone to remind because it’s one of those little things that you always forget? What about a success job?

There are so many suggestions! The sky is the limit. When I implemented class jobs, sure it took a class period to explain and some time for them to practice, but it was also a time saver in the end! Plus, they remembered everything I didn’t. For me, time never existed for me–a figment of my imagination–but not to my students. They were, eventually, my timekeepers!

When I implemented jobs, I wasn’t just implementing silly classroom jobs. No! I was implementing life skills that so many of our kids need. I never understood it until it was right in front of me. By having my students “apply” (I’m doing quotes here) for a job, by having my students “apply” for the job, they were learning how to even apply for a job, in the real world. By having them possibly interview for the job because more than one person wanted the classroom job, they were building interviewing skills. By giving them responsibility, they were learning responsibility. By having them something to own, as simple as playing music, they learned to own up to so much more. They learned the importance of responsibility and dependability. And, aren’t we here to teach them those things, those skills for life?

Classroom jobs, don’t knock it until you try it, because it is never too late to save your sanity. Remember, no classroom is perfect. It is what works for you! You do what works for you! All it takes is you taking the time. The time to be patient, to be strategic, and to be intentional. Sure, it might take time, but it is definitely time well spent.

This week BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 will be kicking off their Online Learning Hub with FREE 20-30 minute professional development offerings on Wednesdays and Fridays. All are welcome! Some sessions are live, but all sessions are recorded! Check out www.iu17.org for more information.

We would like to thank you for blasting the airwaves with us today. If you like the show, please subscribe or leave a review. If you want to know more, check out www.iu17.org for further resources and show notes. As always, we want to thank you for what you do every single day. Remember, keep shining. We’ll be back next episode to provide you another educational solution for all, as we continue to transform lives and communities through educational services.

Additional/Suggested resources mentioned in the episode:

The Distance Learning Playbook by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie

 BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 – www.iu17.org 

Professional Learning Opportunities at BLaST IU 17 – https://www.iu17.org/professional-learning/ 

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