Please comment on classroom management.  How you are finding dealing with your classes, and any challenges or successes you already have faced?

Each class has its own unique challenges. Although I find my two classes of 8s to be challenging, they are challenging for different reasons. With one, I have trouble keeping them engaged on tasks and doing something. They can get things done so quick that I run out of extra activities for them to do. The other is difficult because there are some students who don’t seem like they want to be in the class, or are craving attention. In saying that, though, I don’t have much trouble when it comes to being the authoritative figure. They know that I am someone they should respect and listen to, and the rules I lay for the room are the rules they have to follow. I had a small success on Friday afternoon with my more difficult class. I had considered doing a seating plan change and had received confirmation to do so, so that’s what I did. The group saw pretty much saw it coming when I told them to hold off on setting up their machines. I was met with a lot of resistance, but interestingly from the more well-behaved students. I still had them change seats, and in the middle of the period noticed the room was actually relatively quiet. I don’t know if that’s the kind of atmosphere I want to set, but it was a very pleasant surprise. The one student who gave me a lot of trouble actually finished two assignments, which I saw as a huge success. I won’t know until Tuesday if this will stick or not. I really hope Friday’s class was not a one-off day because I decided to change up the room.

With the seniors block that I’ve recently picked up, I’m feeling like age plays a factor into how the class has responded to me. For the most it is very positive; they listen when I ask for their attention, even if it does take a while. The only thing I changed in the classroom was the use of cell phones. My SA seems relaxed in the use of cell phones. Her philosophy for home economics is that it should be fun, and so conversation is encouraged and that also leads to cell phone use during labs. When I first picked up the group, I asked that they put away their cell phones, and I had my reasoning (food is a social thing that people gather around). I had to ask the same student several times to put her phone away, and she gave me attitude every time. I think because of my age and my overall appearance it’s a bit harder to see me as an authoritative figure. It could also be that they are used to a certain routine and are used to getting away with certain things. I may have to wait another week to kind of feel out the class. The last thing I want is for the class to feel like I am making Home Ec more like a chore than something fun. One thing I thought about as an alternative to asking them to put their phones away is to have everyone leave their phones out in a pile in each unit. It’s an activity I do with my friends at restaurants: We all put our phones at the centre of the table, and the first person to pick up their phone either pays for the meal or is made the centre of all our jokes for the rest of the time there. I will have to find another consequence though.