Expect the Unexpected

Growing up, I have always wanted to teach. I love the positive atmosphere and I love learning. However, I did not realize how much work is actually involved! Sure, I had some what of an understanding of classroom routines, preparation, and good classroom management, but I didn’t realize how much effort those things required. In the past few weeks I had the opportunity to observe a sixth grade teacher; this really opened my eyes.

The first thing that I noticed is her classroom routines. Every morning when her students’ arrive, they sign up for lunch, go to their lockers, and sit in their assigned seats. In her class, she had a unique way of taking the lunch count. She had a pie chart on a side board. The sections are labeled as “packed lunch, regular lunch, and alternative lunch.” Next to the chart was a bucket of clothes pins, each pin labeled with a students’ name. When the students’ would enter the room, they would place their cloths pin on the section of the pie chart indicating what lunch they were having. This was an easy way to take roll and to take lunch count. Another routine that caught my eye was how she dismissed her class. She would have her students’ line up at the door and she would dismiss them, not the bell. I always knew that routines were important, but I never sat down and thought about what routines I would have. By observing this teacher, I was able to experience a few that I could adopt in the future.

The preparation that took place was incredible. She would begin by explaining what the students’ were going to do that period, lecture, and then assessed by doing some activity. It was evident that the lessons were thoroughly thought out because she never stumbled over her words and the class always ran smoothly. The thing that I was the most impressed with was how she handled the unexpected. When students’ would get off topic, she had techniques to redirect them. When a student asked a bizarre question, she answered the question appropriately and it never distracted her. When certain students’ would fall behind, she would aid them as needed. Her lessons were so effective because they were well prepared, yet flexible.

The thing that I observed that was the most beneficial was her classroom management style. It was obvious that her students’ knew what is expected. However, when a behavior problem occurred, she handled it accordingly. She ignored little behavior issues that weren’t disrupting the entire class, and corrected bigger issues immediately. This helped me understand what behavior problems to address and which to ignore. In addition, she evaluated each situation before taking action.

My observations have been extremely beneficial, but frightening. Soon, I will be teaching this group of students’ and I feel that I am not yet ready. discipline and handling unexpected behaviors are my biggest concerns. I hope that by the time that I will be teaching I will be ready for anything. The biggest lesson that I have learned from my observations is always expect the unexpected.