Chapter 5a

An advisory program has the opportunity to make or break a student's middle school career. Advisory, sometimes known as homeroom, is short period of time (usually 15 to 30 minutes in length) that each student attends a class with the same group of peers and the same teacher. Advisory can be a daily or weekly occurrence. This communal time together is when a teacher may take attendance, share announcements about the day or week, get to know students on an individual level, promote belonging and relationships, guide students in activities, and develop each student's sense of well-being before sending the students to their classes for the rest of the day. If the time spent is not personal and helpful, a student may distance themselves from specific teachers, not get to know their peers, and grow to dislike school. Advisory is especially helpful in times of transition, such as when a student just enters middle school and when a student is about to enter high school. During advisory, counselors, school nurses, principals, and even community resources may come into the classroom to talk with the students.

I recall my own middle school advisory time, between the first and second period of the day, when I got to know my teacher, participate in small group activities, and listen to announcements. I remember how close I was with my 6th grade teacher, who still remembers my name to this day when I see her in public, and how much she impacted my personal growth as a student. I would like to get to know my own group of students extremely well when I am a middle school teacher. I believe it will be beneficial to learn students' names and backgrounds, play games and complete activities, and grow trust, honesty, respect, and compassion together as the year progresses. I plan to build this type of community in the middle school classroom because it can help students become more aware of themselves and abilities, more respectful to peers and teachers, and better human beings by building relationships and community.


Resources


Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Chapter 4c

The major idea in this section of chapter 4 is teacher-caused misbehavior. When I first read the chapter, I was a bit surprised as I have not heard much about the concept that actions the teacher makes may actually cause misbehavior by the students in return. This was a bit of a new concept to me. From the many scenarios, it is apparent that a teacher may easily lose control of students by both purposeful and unintentional actions. Some of these actions came as shocking to me, such as negative touch control and taped mouths. Others were not so surprising, such as embarrassment. In my own educational career, I recall a teacher embarrassing me in front of my classroom of 8th grade peers by pointing out a spelling mistake I made on the board one morning. This was an experience I hope to never give to my own future students.

It is important to notice the many ways in which teachers may avoid silly classroom management errors. Some of the most beneficial ways to avoid a mistake, in my opinion, is to remain alert, move around the classroom, and diminish unwanted or negative behavior as quickly as possible and these are actions I plan to take in my own classroom. First, I want to remain alert of my students, their words, and their actions during the entire school day. I do not want my students to get off task because this can quickly turn into disruptive behavior. I also would like to frequently move around the classroom so my students see that I am aware of what is going on in the classroom. I plan to decrease and even eliminate unwanted negative behaviors by using nonverbal cues such as by looking at a student for a lengthened period of time and pause while speaking to the entire class, a group, or specific student to gain their attention. These simple, yet effective, actions will assist classroom management and help me guide my middle school students to academic success.


Resources


Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Chapter 4b

The most important days of school year happen during the first week. This is the time when students are unfamiliar with the classroom, teacher(s), and perhaps even their peers and need to be guided as to what to do within the classroom and during the school day. During the first few days of the school year, an educator should share his/her expectations for the students in a clear manner. It is very effective to include students in the procedure-making process so they feel ownership of the classroom. Students and the educator can discuss ideas, collaborate, and create procedures that are positive and easy to remember. Students should also be instructed on what to do during events such as a fire, tornado, and building lock down especially as these are events when every second matters. Students should also be instructed on what to do during much simpler actions such as walking down the hallway, going to the lunchroom, and visiting their lockers to access books and other needs. It is essential to immediately follow the set classroom procedures with middle school students to show consistency and help them understand what is expected of them and lead them to have a productive academic year. I plan to make the most out of the first day and week of the school year in my own future classroom by allowing students to assist with brainstorming and creating procedures. I believe that this task would be one that is interesting and appealing to the students so they feel ownership of the classroom.


Resources


Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Chapter 4a

Something that I believe is absolutely key in any classroom is a positive atmosphere and chapter 4 of Teaching Young Adolescents: Methods and Resources for Middle Grades Teaching explains wonderful reasoning. A positive atmosphere, or ambiance as the chapter specifies, allows students to feel at home and respected by all members of the classroom community. It is the educator's role to encourage respect of others and discourage comments and behaviors that may be toxic to students and their self-esteem. Students are more likely to do well in the classroom if they feel accepted so educators should also strongly discourage discrimination. In whatever way possible, educators should aim for creating a warm, open, embracing, and accepting environment.

In my own future career, I plan to make my classroom as welcoming as possible. I would like to fill the walls with bright colors and posters showing a variety of backgrounds of people. I would like to arrange my students in small groups so they may work with one another as they collaborate on and discuss assignments. I would like to send positive notes home to parents and guardians to let them know how their student is doing during the school day. I would like to encourage my students to solve any problems they may have with one another in a kind manner. The classroom community can make or break the learning process and I hope to do all I can to make mine as effective as possible.

Resources

Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Chapter 3

     During my own middle school years, I recall my teachers asking all sorts of questions. Some questions were easy, simple, and almost jumping out from the page of text. Some questions were difficult, complex, and not so much on the surface level of the text. Some questions were ones you had to really think about, discuss with peers, or even listen to the teacher to truly understand just what was being asked. Chapter three of Teaching Young Adolescents: Methods and Resources for Middle Grades Teaching discusses the many reasons why teachers should use various types of questions to challenge their students. Some questions are to review material while other questions are to lead learners a specific direction in their journey through a task or as they gain knowledge. It is important for educators to use these different types of questions to grow each students' intellect and make their learning experience purposeful. One method that I think is extremely beneficial is to have students ask their own questions to their peers who may then answer. By doing so, students are able to assist their peers in the learning process and may even ask additional questions in response. By questioning, students are able to understand just what is important to them. Students are able to solve problems, participate in higher level thinking processes, and create their learning experience to be as significant as possible. Educators play a key role in questioning and should continue to ask an assortment of questions so students are able to cognitively grow during the course of a lesson, school year, and entire educational career. 


Resources


Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Chapter 2b

     One of the most important sections from this chapter in the textbook and one of the most important matters that educators must abide by is the fact that the educational setting must be nondiscriminatory. Educators must create a safe, understanding, and respectful environment. This environment must not offend or differentiate people based on sex, gender, religion, race, ability, or any other status which may classify a person. This is especially important during the middle school levels, or ages of 9-14 years old, as this period in an adolescent's life is packed with great change. Adolescents change physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and morally and may easily become offended or rejected. In my future classroom, I hope to set strict ground rules with my students at the beginning of the school year to eliminate all types of discrimination that may arise and help my students become understanding, accepting, and accountable citizens of the world.
     An educator should also use and help students understand how to best use the internet and technology. Technology and related devices serve as excellent ways to guide students, especially as today's students are those in which spent a majority of their time online and using these devices growing up. From computers and laptops to television and iPads, educators may use these devices to their advantage and make learning fun along the way. Educators should incorporate technology into their classroom and lessons so students may become more proficient using these skills which may be useful in their future educational and career endeavors. I hope to have technological resources for my use and my students use in my classroom/school because I would like to help my students learn all the world has to offer them.

Resources


Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Chapter 2a

     Educators hold hefty responsibilities during their role in the lives of students, colleagues, administrators, parents, and others they come in contact with in the educational setting. Educators need to not only keep in mind that they are to teach and guide students in their classroom but are accountable for the well-being of their students. Educators often become role models for their students and colleagues so it is best if each educator make appropriate decisions, follow school, district, state, and national guidelines, be professional in all matters, and ask questions to their supervisor, principle, superintendent, or faculty member with whom they are to report to if one arises. In my future classroom, I plan to create rules with my students and teach them classroom and school guidelines during the first day and first few weeks of the school year. My goal in doing so is because I want to ensure that all students in my classroom know that they are important, unique, and will be safe in all they do when they come to school each day.


Resources

Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Chapter 1

     After reading chapter one in Teaching Young Adolescents: Methods and Resources for Middle Grades Teaching, I found two most important ideas that current and future educators should keep in mind in order for success in the classroom. First, educators need to adequately prepare themselves for all aspects of the educational setting. Teachers need to be knowledgeable of the curriculum, policies and procedures, mission statement, demographics of students, organization of the school, schedules, and just about every facet, especially first year teachers or teachers who may be unfamiliar with a new school or district. All faculty members should be completely ready at the start of the academic year for anything the school year may bring in order to ensure the safety, progress, and success of each student. 
     Additionally, adolescents endure a number of changes as they progress through these middle years between elementary and high school. Students develop intellectually, physically, emotionally/psychologically, socially, and morally/ethically. Students may develop intellectually by thinking deeper about concepts in the world and about themselves. Students may develop physically by growing a few inches, gaining weight, or acquiring muscle. Students may develop emotionally/psychologically by becoming more or less sensitive to others thoughts, actions and words. Students may develop socially by spending more time with peers and less time with parents/guardians and/or adults. Students may develop morally/ethically by asking question after question to understand who they are and what they believe (Kellough, 2008). Overall, educators need to both prepare themselves for all aspects of the educational setting and be aware of the changes students endure in order to best prepare themselves and their students for academic success.


Resources


Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.