Classroom Management

I think the most effective way to manage a classroom is to make sure that the students know what the rules are on the first day and observe them from that day forward. If the rules are clear then there should be no room for interpretation or for students to twist them for their own gain. Obviously as the school year gets started some of the rules may change or new ones may be added but I think that some basic ones to have are as follows:

1. Speak only when you are spoken to or called on by the teacher-This way every student gets their turn to speak and they won’t be interrupted.

2. Turn all assignments into the appropriate basket by the end of the day they are due-This will eliminate most of the late work that is received and gives you time as the teacher to grade the papers.

3. If you have a question, ask for help- I think too often students are so worried about interrupting class that they don’t get the chance to ask about things that need clarifying and they are either confused and behind or you will have to answer the same question several times later on.

4. Get permission from the teacher before leaving the classroom-If students are able to leave whenever they want then there will be several disruptions that take away from the learning process and you may not even know where the children are headed.

5. Respect the teacher, yourself and others-School should be a place where everyone wants to come and where they feel safe. If you don’t respect yourself and acknowledge your own strengths then you will never learn to respect others and when you are in a classroom setting it is important to treat everyone equally and show them all respect.

The list of rules that should be used in a classroom could go on for a long time. The list above is to just name a few. I believe the rules will be different depending on what grade you teach and the way in which you decide to organize your classroom. No matter what the rules are it is important that the kids know you will respect them if they do the same to you and your classroom. Part of that respect is following the rules.

Assessing and Grading Learning

As a teacher it is important to know how you are going to grade and record a child’s progress throughout the year. Thankfully there are a few types of assessments that can help you. First off there is the formative assessment. This type of testing gathers information and provides feedback that can be used to improve both the way the teacher is preparing the lessons and also the way the student learns.

One of the best examples of this is computers games used for educational use such as TyperShark. The game not only teaches students how to spell basic words but it also helps them to learn where keys are located on a keyboard without hunting and pecking. If you spell a word wrong the computer will inform the student and they won’t be able to move on until it is spelled correctly.

Summative assessments are gathering information about teacher’s ability to teach in order to determine promotions and other rewards. These are the more standardized tests that students are required to take. These help to show teachers what areas they can improve in or what part of their curriculum needs more clarification. It makes it easier to cater the learning process around individual students and not just everyone as a whole.

I would use both kinds of assessments in my class in order to grade my students. I think it is important to know how you are doing as a teacher and how you can improve to make learning more fun and successful for students. I also think things such as computer or board games in the classroom that help students learn is a great idea because most the time they are having so much fun they don’t realize they are actually learning quite a lot.

Writing Sample

Diffusion of Responsibility

Kira Hudson

Psychology 1010, Section 45

Professor Crosetti

Noverber 11^th, 2008

Diffusion of Responsibility 1

Diffusion of Responsibility

Since the study of behavior and the brain began, researchers have frequently investigated the link between thought and behavior. One area frequently studied is the concept knows as diffusion of responsibility, not only present in nonemergency situations but several other settings as well. Diffusion of responsibility is defined as a pattern of behavior which occurs frequently in groups but much less frequently alone; the decreased sense of personal responsibility and accountability leads to actions as a group that might not be performed when alone (Freeman, Walker, Borden and Latane, 1975). From this concept, several possible research questions emerge, namely:

1. Why do individuals respond the way they do in situations, even ones which are not emergencies?

2. Does antisocial behavior occur in groups as a result of the diffusion of responsibility?

3. How does diffusion of responsibility cause group behavior to grow more extreme and escalate into something dangerous?

In this paper we will investigate these questions and address some basic principles regarding the diffusion of responsibility.

Diffusion of Responsibility 2

How Individuals Respond In Non-Emergency Situations

One study conducted by Freeman, Walker, Borden and Latane (1975) investigated how the diffusion of responsibility would affect small groups outside of emergency situations. The study measured how participants would tip in a restaurant based on the size of the group; the study results indicated that people who ate out in smaller groups would each leave a smaller tip because they feel the waiters attention is divided among guests and the tip should be as well. The study continues to say that waiters who served a single person got, on average, a nineteen percent tip while waiters who served larger groups only received about a fourteen percent tip. In comparison both Elman and Snyder (1976) hypothesized that rather than diffusion of responsibility this behavior may be caused by something else. The cause they suggested was rather the principle of equity. If the amount of the bill were to be a representation of the effort and time put in by the waiter, then the study suggests that tip percentages will lower to fifteen. More simply, the idea suggests that the larger the bill the more the tip percentage will go down, simply because the customers feel they aren’t getting complete attention.

Antisocial Behavior and Groups Resulting From The Diffusion of Responsibility

As suggested by Jellison and Riskind (1970), cautious behavior is not as socially accepted as risky behavior is, especially in group situations. Researchers believed that individuals would be more willing to participate in antisocial behavior if others were doing it or if they felt that was what will make them better fit in. The study further suggest that groups with

Diffusion of Responsibility 3

a strong need for revenge would be willing to take more extreme forms of actions than individuals or smaller groups with the same feelings. Jellison and Riskind conclude that this is because of the diffusion of responsibility in the group situation compared to the lack of diffusion in the individual; furthermore it was discovered that groups who did engage in extreme behavior wouldn’t feel as responsible for any of their actions. In contrast, Brown (1965) claimed that a certain type of behavior is more desirable and it is human nature to compete to have the strongest type of that emotion; therefore, a group will show more of a behavior than an individual. If groups were able to speak to one another the extreme feelings would increase because each individual would point out something another had done wrong to evoke such a response. Brown also showed that if people got something taken away (such as money) or if they felt they were being treated unfairly their desire for revenge would increase. Inversely, isolated individuals or groups that were unable to talk to each other still had the feelings but they were not as strong.

Diffusion of Responsibility and Escalation Tendencies

Weick (1964) and Staw (1974), in studies of management and team dynamics both indicated that management or administrators will make a negative incident seem better to diffuse responsibility off themselves so they don’t have to change any of their plans. One they grow past their mistakes, their personal dedication to the issue tends to escalate or increase; this concept is defined as an escalation tendency of behavior. Ross and Staw (1978) showed that the management wanting to regain losses demonstrated a short feelings of negative responsibility for a failed outcome. Staw (1980) points out that because people are competitive they want to show that their pervious failures can still pay off, once again causing escalations of commitment tendencies. Researchers have shown that escalation tendencies will decrease if at the beginning of a project the group works together; this will lessen the diffusion of responsibility and the blame for a failed outcome as the failure cannot be blamed on one person as responsibility is shared. Groups of people will feel less responsible for failure while individuals feel m ore at blame although both exercise the same amount of commitment toward the goal. Leatherwood and Conlon (1987) did studies to show that if a administrator can blame another person for failure on a project that had already been decided that the blamed individuals level of persistence will change. The two believed that the commitment level of a manager would slowly decrease the more that they passed the blame onto another person whereas if they accepted the blame for themselves their level of commitment to make every project that followed better would continue to increase and in turn their projects would succeed more frequently.

Although researchers and psychologists have a long way to go before we will ever completely understand the human brain, we are now able to see the processes that go into creating behavior, including the diffusion of responsibility. Much has been learned from the research conducted so far; not only are we more aware that in emergency or nonemergency situations that occur in large groups less people are likely to help but also that antisocial and extreme behavior will happen when people communicate or feel they are being treated unfairly. Similarly, research has shown that in negative situations where things may go wrong, people will blame others or try and make the negative things seem a bit more positive. As human beings we are competitive, unwilling to accept responsibility and easily overtaken by our own emotions. By understanding this, we can better understand ourselves and those around us in a more meaningful way.

References

Brown, R. (1965). Social Psychology, News Weekly: Free Press

Jellison, J.M., & Riskind, J. (1970). A social comparison of abilities interpretations of risk-taking behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 15, 375-390

Leatherwood, M.L., & Conlon, E.J. (1987). Diffusability of blame: Effects on persistence in a project. Academy of Management Journal, 30, 836-848.

Staw, B. (1974). Attitudinal and behavioral consequences of changing a major organizational reward: A natural field experiment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 6, 742-751.

Staw, B. (1980). Rationality and justification in organizational live. In B. Staw & L.L. Cummings (Eds.) Research in organizational behavior (Vol. @, pp. 45-80). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

Weick, K. (1964). Reduction of cognitive dissonance through task enhancement and effort expenditure. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 56, 152-155.

Elman, D. (1976) Why is tipping “Cheaper by the bunch”: Diffusion or just deserts? Personal & Social Psychology. Bull., 2, 307.

Freeman, S., Walker, M.r., Borden, R., & Latane, B. (1975) Diffusion of responsibility and restaurant tipping: Cheaper by the bunch. Personal & Social Psychology. Bull., 1, 584-587.

Snyder, M.L. (1976) The inverse relationship between restaurant party size and tip percentage: Diffusion of responsibility or equity? Personal & Social Psychology. Bull., 2, 308.

Philosophy of Education

I think that weather or not the teacher is good and has a great understanding of children plays a role in how much the child enjoys the learning process. Also, I feel it important that the parents or guardian be involved in the child’s learning. If a parent doesn’t take education seriously or try to show the child that it can be fun then the child’s attitude towards education will be the same. I don't think I can identify with a single philosophy. I would rather use a mixture of all the philosophies taking from them what I find to be useful in today's classrooms. It's hard to say what you will use exactly until you get into the classroom and start teaching.

I find it important for children to learn with hands on exercises. They can get so much more out of a lesson if they are able to try something for themselves rather than just listening to someone talk about it. I think things such as creating art projects to explore shapes is a great idea. The children get to have fun and be creative but at the same time they are learning something. It is imperative that as a teacher I am able to prepare the children not only for what they will learn in school but also what they will have to face once they are out of school and preparing to move on with life. The needed to know basic information such as how to read, write and do basic math as well as the ability to work a computer with ease are all important things that need to be taught. One thing that I feel should be taught in a high school setting is how to apply and interview for a job. We are able to teach people the skills they need to have for a job but we rarely show them what they need to do in order to receive the job.

Teaching students that stereotypes are inaccurate is important. Children need to go out into the world realizing that just because someone is tall doesn’t make them good at basketball or because they are a certain race they’re good at something. In school, especially elementary children need to become aware of individuality and learn that while they can embrace their cultures or societies they are also their own person. This will encourage them to explore possibilities they find interesting even when those around them don’t. As a teacher however it is good to be aware of the students cultures and backgrounds so that, if necessary you can help them to have a better school experience. For example if you have a young woman who because of her religion isn’t allowed to be around boys or to do certain class activities it is important for you as the teacher to know this and at times for the other students as well so that the individual student doesn’t get treated to differently or made fun of.

A personal philosophy is necessary for a teacher to have. It will play a major role in their life both personally and professionally. A philosophy gives personal guidelines of how to handle situations and in some cases how to teach material. Many things can affect a philosophy however, life experiences, the type of school you are teaching in weather it is urban, suburban or rural and even what country you are from or that you are teaching in.

Lesson Plan

Name Kira Hudson Date March 5, 2010

Book Title Bridge to Terabithia

Author Kathrine Paterson Illustrator Donna Diamond

Why did you choose this book?

I chose this book because it has literary merit and it is appropriate for the grade level that I am currently doing my field experience for which is 4^th grade.

Utah State Standard:

Standard 5 (Fluency): Students develop reading fluency to read aloud grade level text effortlessly without hesitation.

Objective (s):

Objective 1: Read aloud grade level text with appropriate speed and accuracy.

a. Read grade level text at a rate of approximately 120-150 wpm.

Materials:

1. Short sections of the book to practice with
2. Timer
3. Reading Charts (Timed)
4. Purple and Green Pencils
5. Tape recorder.

Background for Teachers:

Teachers should be aware of fluency including speed, intonation and accuracy. Also, knowing how to use the reading chart.

Using this strategy helps to motivate students through partner feedback and timed assessments. To adapt this program have students’ practice independent reading with an audiotape or practice with partners who can give feedback and encouragement.

Intended Learning Outcomes: (same as objectives)

Read grade level text at a rate of approximately 120-150 wpm.

Instructional Procedures:

Allow students to choose an easy passage between 150-200 words so that it cannot be memorized.

Teachers must:

1. Read a passage out loud, explain to the kids that that is what a good reader sounds like.

2. Ask them about the speed, expression and accuracy of the reading.

3. Model incorrect reading (ie reading to fast or slow or with no expression)

4. Tell them that they get to work on becoming fluent readers.

Reading 1:

1. Let students read the passage and time them for one minute

2. Once timer goes off have students draw a line after the last word they read and underline any words they don’t know.

3. Students may then count the number of words read correctly and use the green pencil to color the reading chart to that number.

4. Talk with the student about the words they don’t know and help them to understand why they were confusing.

5. Set a higher reading goal with the student.

Reading Practice:

1. Students should read the passage at least two more times

2. Put the students into pairs and take turns having the partner listen and rate how the other improves.

3. Switch off between partners

Second and Third Timed Readings (To be done after family involvement at home)

1. Read the passage again in class after practicing at home.

2. Have the students record the change on their chart in a purple pencil.

3. If necessary help students to set a new goal.

4. Encourage students to finish the passage before the minute is up.

Family Connections: (take home activity)

Practice the reading with children at home before second and third readings in class.

Assessment Plan: (how do you plan to assess whether or not students gained the skill/concept?)

Use the reading chart and marked passage to assess progress.

Bibliography:

Adapted from “Teaching Reading Source Book” written by Honig, Diamond and Gutlohn Further adapted by Karen Bosone, Julie Lee and Michelle Roderick

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=3820