Who else remembers that early 90's hit? ( Was I the only one who belted it out to my Walkman?) It seems fitting for our 4th Chapter of The Fundamental 5 text--especially thinking back to the lyrics that read "It's gettin', it's gettin', it's gettin' kinda hectic..." because let's face it our lives and classrooms reach a hectic status more often than we care to admit. So many bodies, so many objectives, so little time. But in a snap, we can calm things down considerably in our classrooms by working the POWER ZONE...(no, no, not the Power Strip, although make sure that IS working properly.)
It's all about proximity..location, location, location...This is a toughie, to leave one's desk...a mini oasis in the daily chaos that surrounds us...thy chair and thy pc, they comfort me. But alas, we know the closer we are to any "action" there is in the class, the better we can control it, including, and most importantly instruction. The text offers suggestions of ways to work the power zone. ( See classroom diagrams.) I know I'm often inclined to bring students to my desk to assess issues on assignments, to create an atmosphere of personal intervention, without drawing attention to a student's mistake, AND so I won't have my back to others in the room. Who's with me on this? But it looks like I need to make a shift in my thinking. ( The decimal problem example.)
We are somewhat limited in the arrangement of our rooms. What options have you tried, will you try? For many of us it is difficult to tear ourselves from our desks, so how then, could you bring the power zone towards you?
Thoughts?
Everyday my seat configuration changes with the lesson of the day. I have implemented the "hot seat". This is a table at the front of my room where I randomly choose ( by drawing popsicle sticks that have names on them) 2 students to sit. The students can read with me or aloud to me while offering them one on one intervention if needed. Walking around the room throughout the class does keep students on task and others from misbehaving or having "other conversations". Tracie
ReplyDeleteWow, Tracie!! What great ideas! You are doing exactly what the authors are suggesting. Thanks so much for sharing!
Delete