Title: American Classroom Management
Rocco
Tomazic, Superintendent of Schools in the Linden
Public Schools, Linden, New Jersey
Abstract: Navigating through the American classroom can
be a difficult experience for novice teachers who are unfamiliar with current
educational practices and the prevailing culture in public schools. Novice teachers must address their own
preparation to teach, learn to interact with other teachers and staff, manage
the behavior and learning of students in their classrooms and work to complete
their own provisional license requirements so they can earn a standard certificate. It can be a difficult time. This workshop will take participants through
the process of a first year teacher, learning from the successes and failures
of those who came before. Attention
will be given to things to do and things not to do in addressing these
areas. Various methods of teaching,
models of interacting with fellow teachers, management of student behavior and
the requirements of the New Jersey provisional teaching program will be
discussed. Time will be set aside for
participant questions.
Biography: Rocco Tomazic is currently the Superintendent
of Schools in the Linden Public Schools, Linden, New Jersey. Prior to coming to
public education he was a career officer in the U.S. Navy retiring as a
Commander. He has taught courses in naval science and American history in high
schools and has taught courses at the University of Maryland and Rutgers
University in theatre, public speaking and education. He has earned a Master of
Fine Arts in Theatre from Florida State University, during which he studied abroad at the Oxford University Playhouse in England. He also has a Master of Arts in International
Relations from Salve Regina College, a Master of Arts in National Security
Affairs from the Naval War College, and a Master of Arts in Educational
Administration from St. Peters College. He earned his doctorate degree from
Rutgers University in Social Studies Education. In Linden he is responsible for
all educational programs, including world languages. He has extensive
experience in teacher preparation, mentoring and in-service training. He is married and has two children and two
grandchildren. E-mail contact: rtomazic@linden.k12.nj.us
Presentation
Outline:
Introduction:
Three
questions:
1.
Can I teach successfully in the public schools?
2.
If I can, will the experience be rewarding for me?
3.
If I want to try, how do I go about making it happen?
We
will attempt to answer each of these questions through the presentation this morning. First, I will present some material; then, in
the end, I will open it up for your questions
What is a good teacher?
From the student’s
perspective?
1. Why are you here?
2. Do you know what you’re
teaching?
3. Can you be trusted and
relied upon?
From the parent’s perspective?
1. Do you know your subject
very well?
2. Can you make my student
learn and work?
3. Will you be able to bring
the students’ along at a fast enough pace?
From the administrator’s
perspective?
1. Do you know how to teach
your subject?
2. Can you manage your classroom?
3. Are you willing to accept
personal responsibility for your student’s success?
Examples:
#1:
PhD in from Siberia in Russia.
Over
qualified to teach 9th grade science
#2:
Bachelor’s
degree from Jordan
Qualified
to teach 9th grade science
Also
qualified to teach special education students
One
was very successful; one didn’t finish the school year.
The
Jordanian teacher arrived with a very positive attitude. He liked kids and communicated that to the students. He put up with his student’s complaints about
his heavy accent, his foreign origins and his student’s disinterest in the
subject. But he saw them as “his”
students and he was focused in their success, not the initial
distractions. Over time his student’s
responded to his enthusiasm. He always
had a different idea on how to teach material if the students didn’t understand
it on the first try. He enjoyed coming
to class each day and eventually so did his students. He has received a renewed contract each year
and is firmly established and accepted as a full faculty member by the other
teachers.
The
Russian teacher arrived with a superior frame of mind – after all, he had a
PhD. He seated his student’s in rows,
just like they used to do in Russia, and seemed to be surprised when the
students didn’t sit quietly and listen to his lectures, day, after day, after
day. For students who had years of hands
on work in science, sitting listening to lectures didn’t work well for
them. Besides that, the teacher berated
his students. He told them they were
lazy, that they were spoiled, that he couldn’t believe that his fortunes had
sunk to the point that he had to try and teach them. He told them he was not responsible for their
stupidity. Near the end of the year a
student took a photo of him, and when she would not give up the camera, he
grabbed her physically. He was released
without pay on that day and was very fortunate that the parents didn’t file
assault charges with the police.
Both
were foreign teachers - one succeeded, one did not.
If
you met these teachers, one would tell you never to try and teach American kids
in public school. The other would tell
you that the experience is a lot of work but very rewarding.
Both
are right – it just depends on what type of teacher you plan to be. For the rest of my presentation, I’m going to
assume you’re like the Jordanian teacher.
For
a novice teacher, four things press on you as you prepare to start your first
year of teaching:
1. Are you prepared to teach?
2. Can you fit in and be
accepted by the school faculty?
3. Can you manage your
students’ classroom behavior?
4. How can you fulfill all of
the requirements of your provisional year?
Let’s
take these questions in turn and provide some simple things to do and not to do
as you prepare yourself. I’ll give you
five do’s and five don’ts for each question.
Are
you prepared to teach?
Do: Read the state standards, state frameworks,
district curriculum,
Do: Write complete lesson plans with clear
objectives
Do: Align your instructional style to that of the
school and needs of the students
Do: Teach bell to bell from the first day to the
last
Do: Understand the district’s assessment
philosophy and align your class accordingly
Don’t: Show up for class with too little to do
Don’t: Make the “unholy bargain” with your students
Don’t: Don’t accept a “lower status” for your
subject
Don’t: Don’t be resistant to adjust your plans to
meaningful feedback
Don’t: Use bad words in your language to students
Can
you fit in and be accepted by the school faculty?
Do: Express your pleasure of working in the
school
Do: Ask other teachers about their first year of
teaching
Do: Find good mentors for advice, besides your
formal mentors
Do: Speak with the Principal often, and not just
about business
Do: Seek to cooperate with integrated solutions
Don’t: Sit by yourself to eat lunch
Don’t: Gossip about other staff
Don’t: Complain about administration with other
teachers
Don’t: Discuss school business with students
Don’t: Openly compete with the other world languages
programs
Can
you manage your student’s classroom behavior?
Do: Learn your student’s names as quickly as
possible
Do: Have something to do immediately as the bell
rings
Do: Isolate trouble makers and work with them
individually
Do: Clearly state your behavior standards and
hold to them
Do: Communicate with parents on good and bad –
with good first
Don’t: Say things you won’t really do
Don’t: Lose your temper
Don’t: Try to humiliate a student in front of their
friends
Don’t: Criticize the student; instead, criticize
their behavior
Don’t: Put your hands on the students
How
can you fulfill all the requirements of your provisional year?
Do: If alternate route, finish 200 seat hours
during the first year.
Do: Ask for and provide input for your three
pre-observation conferences
Do: Actively participate in post-observation
conference for suggested areas of improvement
Do: Expect to pay $550 and $450 without a refund
or state help
Do: Work for a positive
provisional years, even if not renewed
Don’t: Complain about your mentor
Don’t: Confuse the role of your mentor and the role
of the Principal
Don’t: Be overly humble or overly brash if asked to
assess your own teaching effectiveness
Don’t: Don’t remain quiet if not observed/evaluated
at the 10-week, 20-week and 30-week period
Don’t: Loose sight of the fact that during your
first year you are being closely watched and evaluated, both formally and
informally
That completes my formal remarks. We have quickly covered a lot of areas. I’d now like to open the forum to your questions and use my remaining time providing detailed answers. If I don’t get any questions, I will continue with some further material that I’ve prepared. But first let me hear what is on your mind and how you have reacted to what I have said.
Question
Period
Concluding remarks. I wish you all the best of luck in whatever endeavor you decide to engage in. However, if in the future you have a question about any of the material we discussed this morning, I have listed my e-mail address on the program and I invite each of you to send whatever question you may have. I’m always pleased to be of assistance.
Thank
you.