Blog 6

Blog 6:



Read the posted article, Excerpt from Preventing Violence Through Anger Management (Drecktrah & Wallenfang) and the information provided in Chapter 9 – Addressing Aggressive Behaviours to complete this blog.

Envision a student with anger issues in your elementary, middle school OR high school (choose 1) classroom. Briefly describe an incident or series of incidents the student has engaged in, identify a probably cause (you make it up) from the chart on pg 273 of the text and identify the type of intervention YOU would most likely use and why. Use the article and/or text for the intervention. See chart above.

Jamie Dennison is a grade 11 student from an upper-middle class household. He is well liked by his peers, excels academically, and is a pitcher for the school baseball team. Jamie has taken piano lessons since kindergarten, and loves to draw. In October, Jamie was caught (by school surveillance cameras) throwing a rock through a school window. This resulted in a one week suspension, and a fine to offset the cost of replacing the window. In February, Jamie masterminded a prank where he and two other students killed a rat, skinned it, and displayed it in the boy’s locker room. Prior to these incidents, Jamie’s art teacher had referred him to the school counsellor, as many of his paintings included dark and disturbing imagery. He was further referred to an outside youth psychologist, but stopped visiting after two sessions because the drive was too far. Jamie’s parents are strict perfectionists who work long hours.

While there could be multiple causes for Jamie’s behaviour, the most probably cause is mismanagement of contingencies. Jamie’s aggressive behaviours are being reinforced, and alternatives are extinguished. When Jamie threw the rock at the window, he likely received positive attention from his peers and negative attention from school authorities. The incident with the skinned rat was also reinforced by attention from his peers, and possibly a sense of power from causing chaos in the school environment. Prior to engaging in violent behaviour, Jamie was using art as an alternative for expressing emotions and communicating non-verbally. As he is no longer using painting as an activity to release his frustrations, Jamie has resorted to aggression to voice his feelings.

I would be more likely to use an intervention plan, rather than one specific intervention strategy to deal with Jamie’s behaviour. The main goal I would have with Jamie is to intervene as early as possible, before the onset of further violent behaviour. While Drecktrah and Wallenfang suggest that intervening in elementary school is the most effective, in Jamie’s case the violence did not have a known history. As a result, it would be important to intervene early in the cycle of violence, before the behaviour escalates to dangerous, harmful levels. I would begin an intervention with a functional behaviour assessment to determine what motivates the behaviour and what benefits are derived from the violent acts. Knowing that his parents are not constantly present, I would hypothesize that Jamie’s goals for misbehaviour are attention and power. I would also consider possible environmental factors associated with the exhibition of Jamie’s aggressive behaviours, such as violence in the home or from other role models. For Jamie, I feel that providing desirable activities, such as art, might help him work out alternative solutions for some of his problems. Jamie might benefit from art therapy or anger notes to help him express feelings that are difficult to verbalize. As well, Jamie could be provided with a more accessible therapist to help him recognize and communicate his emotions.

Works Consulted:

Drecktan, M, & Wallenfang, A. Preventing violence through anger management (excerpt).

Ker, M.M., & Nelson, C.M. (2010). Strategies for addressing behavior problems in the classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Blog 5

Blog Assignment #5- A Plan in Place for PSIII:

Read the article handed out in class, “A Plan in Place” by Sarah Jondahl taken from the First Days of School by Wong & Wong, 2010. Use this article, the course text, classroom discussion and power point to assist you in identifying the elements that you need to consider for the plan you will build for your first days in PSIII (or PSII for some). Remember to ADAPT not ADOPT providing enough specific examples that I can visualize those first days.

For my PS III practicum, I will be teaching high school art. As an activity, art is generally less structured than some of the other courses that students are required to take. Art asks students to think originally, and develop innovative ideas. As well, it is highly social and requires consistent feedback from peers, instructors, and larger audiences. For these reasons, my plan for building an effective art classroom involves more flexibility than it would if I were teaching other subject areas. My main goal when creating a plan is to maximize student learning by using clear expectations, developing a strong sense of community, and emphasizing structure and routine.

As with other classrooms, developing a clear set of expectations is an important aspect of promoting achievement in students. Having and enforcing guidelines for behavior, work, and procedure leads to less time spent on classroom management. Because I will be teaching an older group of students, I feel it will be important to involve the students in the process of developing rules. This will give students a sense of ownership in their own learning and behavior, a deeper understanding of why certain rules exist, and a perception that consequences are reasonable. One of the first rules that must be emphasized in an art classroom is safety. Artists work with a variety of materials and tools including chemicals and sharp blades. It is important that students only use these with teacher permission and appropriate training. As well, cleaning up is imperative to safety in an art classroom. Spills and debris can cause accidents for both students and their work, so students must be accountable for keeping the room a safe physical space. Behavior is also important in any classroom, and it can directly influence the work being produced. Art can be a meaningful activity for many students who struggle in other areas, as it allows them to express emotions that are difficult to express verbally. Nevertheless, disruptive behavior during demonstrations or behavior that negatively influences the learning of others must have consistent consequences. One consequence that I have effectively implemented in the past is to have students who are being disruptive perform monotonous art related tasks such as organizing a cupboard or sharpening a set of pencil crayons. Obviously the student would be given opportunities to engage in productive, creative work after the task has been completed. Additionally, I believe that art should be challenging and rewarding. I expect students to work to the best of their abilities, but be willing to modify and analyze work to grow as an artist. It is important for all students to realize that everyone has different strengths and abilities, so a strong effort will be emphasized.

During my first days of school at my practicum, I want to develop a strong community of learners. One way to introduce this idea is by sharing personal information, anecdotes, and work. Sharing appropriate aspects of my life has often helped me become more approachable to students. I might begin a class with a short presentation that includes some of my own art, my favorite artists, and things that I struggle with as an artist. Then I would invite students to ask me any questions and tell me about any difficulties or concerns they have in art (or life). The idea of a safe, caring community could be extended by playing introductory games and doing team building exercise such as keypunch. As a strong sense of community is important throughout the year, I would give students opportunities to work both individually and collaboratively through assignments, presentations, and peer-teaching. I also feel that a significant part of helping students grow artistically is to provide them with small, achievable tasks that develop a sense of accomplishment. Once basic needs for safety and belonging are met, students can be challenged to build on skills.

As a young art student, I often felt that I would have benefited from more time to experiment, and less time being instructed. While my philosophies about art education stem from this basic idea, I also believe that structure and routine should be considered in any classroom. In high school, most students take art as an option, indicating some degree of interest in the subject to begin with. Therefore, I plan on talking less and interacting more. My routine will change slightly depending on whether students are being instructed on a new topic or if they are continuing to work on an existing project. Some elements that I will use consistently are: Writing directions/ plan for the class every day, verbally informing students what they should accomplish during the lesson, reminding students about upcoming assignments, and asking students if they have any questions. As well, I will have designated areas for completed work, work to be handed in, and work that is ready for display.

My plan for creating a positive learning experience for my students is to develop and post clear expectations, involve students in a sense of community, and give students consistency and routine. This will be done through involving students in decision making, providing opportunities to succeed in a safe environment, and allow personal freedom in a structured space. When implemented, I hope my classroom becomes an inviting learning environment.

Blog 4

Blog 4

“Research and find or develop 2 classroom activities that might be used in PS III practicum to enhance classroom climate.”

The two activities that I would use to enhance classroom climate are each designed for a specific grade level. For high school students, I would use the online and classroom based activity Civic Mirror, which is a game that essentially mirrors society and asks students to be active participants in a mock country that they create. For early elementary students, I would use the book David Goes to School by David Shannon to introduce classroom rules and involve students in the process of deciding these rules. These resources are both excellent alone, but would likely be enhanced when used in combination with other enriching learning experiences.

Civic Mirror is a virtual and real life game that teachers can incorporate into their regular lessons. The creators of Civic Mirror define the activity as “an online and face-to-face education program that turns classrooms into countries and students into citizens. The online program manages the game scenario, and it sets up high stakes, face-to-face classroom events that reflect our political and economic systems. So while students study course curriculum in the usual ways, they are also given their own government, economy, legal system, and environment to use and put into action what they’re studying.” The Civic Mirror website provides more information, including rules, how to use the program, and an informative video. The potential drawback to using Civic Mirror is the cost, but a determined teacher could incorporate it into lessons using the free trial version. Civic Mirror enhances classroom climate by developing citizenship among students. Students must amicably come to decisions that benefit both their individual needs, as well as those of their “family”, and the country as a whole. This encourages well-mannered relationships even in stressful situations, which could potentially transfer into relationships outside the school (i.e. the workplace).The objective I would hope to accomplish by using this game is to develop skills that prepare students for society, by simulating real-life situations. I would implement the Civic Mirror game as a portion of a mini-unit on citizenship, or as part of the high school social studies curriculum. I would begin the unit by having a class discussion on how to define citizenship, and how citizenship can be demonstrated in daily life (for instance, walking away from a fight). The next step could be asking students for input on classroom rules, while introducing Civic Mirror (which also asks students to decide on rules for their country). As the game progresses, I would take students on field trips to local courts or homeless shelters to enhance experiences that are occurring in the game. As well, it might benefit students to visit historical monuments or nearby museums. To further extend learning outside the classroom, I would invite a public figure (such as a local politician) or citizen who has survived an event (ie the holocaust) to speak to the class.

The picture book David Goes to School is part of a series by David Shannon. The protagonist, David, is a young student who goes through a series of events throughout the school day, where he is constantly told what not to do. David is a character that many students can relate to, as he is mischievous, curious, and kind, with a desire to do well. At the end of the story, David earns a gold star for cleaning the desks and is finally able to go home. This book could enhance classroom climate by creating a community within the classroom. I would use David Goes to School as an introduction to classroom rules. I would ask questions as I read the story, such as “why do you think David forgot to raise his hand?” and “How do you think that makes the girl sitting next to him feel?” to help students empathize with both David and the other students. I would ask students to help me develop a few clear, specific classroom rules, similar to the ones in the book (“what are some of the rules in David’s class?). This would give opportunities for the whole class to be involved, and feel safe sharing ideas in a community of peers. Throughout the school year, the emphasis on community could be extended by having cooperative games, partner activities, and whole-class collaborative projects.

While Civic Mirror and David Goes to School are resources that are appropriate for different grade levels, they share a common ability to enhance classroom climate. Civic Mirror provides students with opportunities to be lifelong learners outside the classroom through citizenship, and David Goes to School could be an important resource in building community.

Works Consulted:

Shannon, D. (1999). David goes to school. New York, NY: Blue Sky Press.