Classroom Management

In my 8th hour Intro class, I laid down the law with them on Thursday. I told them that there was just too much chatting going on and I gave them a seating chart in the computer lab. The rest of the day Thursday they were fine because I think they were still in a little shock over what I said. But on Friday, the message stuck. We went into the lab, they got into their assigned seats and worked productively the whole period.

The same goes for my Computer class. My cooperating teacher told e to switch the seats around now that we switched units. So I moved a student who I was concerned about right in front of the teacher's station so I could keep an eye on her and make sure that she was keeping pace with everyone else. The next day, I was on her quite a bit about keeping up. She talked back and was getting increasingly frustrated with my numerous requests to keep pace. So the next day, after speaking with my cooperating teacher, I filled out a detention slip but didn't sign it. I explained everything to her, but she still didn't cooperate. I gave her the detention, and since then, she has been a lot better. I like the students where just testing me to see if I would actually act on what I was saying. I kept telling my 8th hour Intro class that I would give them a seating chart, but I never backed that talk up until now. The same goes for the student in my computer class. I showed her the detention form filled out but not signed at the beginning of class. She still didn't do what I said, until I actually gave her the detention form.