Case Study in Classroom
Management
Abstract
In this case study, I describe the classroom discipline in a public high
standard school. Pupils in this class are mainly similar in all classes in the
Philippine context. Parents are needed to be flexible and build a good
interacted communicative environment. Establish an open and democratic learning
environment to encourage independent thought of pupils. Construct good
relationship to strengthen self-guidance of the pupils.
Setting and context of
the study
For this study, I decided to focus on the 5th grade level for I was
assigned in this year level. In Philippine public schools, there is a hierarchy
of classroom sections based on academic achievement. It could be perceived as a
continuum of the successful pupils to the “successful failures” in the school
system (Loukia, 2013). Because of the stringent admission procedures, the
pupils in my class considered to be low and behind compared to higher sections.
The hierarchy of the sections in this school could be interpreted as the
school’s conforming to the social efficiency perspective (Labaree, 1997),
wherein pupils are prepared for their expected roles in society. Pupils are
placed in sections according to their academic achievement, and one’s placement
in a section is indicative of their grades. For the 5th grade, there
are twelve sections and my section is ten. In other words, those who are in my
section considered to be low learners.
Research
Motive
Teachers are the executors of teaching. They play a significant role in
instruction designs, teaching activities and classroom management. With slow
learners desire for extensive and profound knowledge, along with external
pressures and the parents who never assist their children (Spradley, 2007).
Teachers also must make good use of teaching strategies and classroom
management. Enhancement of professional competency, firm grip on teaching
models, self-adjustment, parents’ feelings and communication between and
assistance from parents can help the children to pursue their education. Pupils
considered in the last section are not in priorities which are the reason they
remain uncompetitive and some teachers disregard their presence that tend them
to become the one who bully most and prefer to enter in gangs which they felt
they are given much attention than in school and their homes.
Analysis and Synthesis
The student I chose for this case study is a grade five pupil of Dadiangas
West Elementary School. His name is Angelo Amor. He is a son of an ex military
soldier with two older sisters and he also have another sibling with the other
mistress of his father. I chose Angelo after observing him in the classroom and
talking to his teachers in different subject areas. Among a class of 45 pupils,
he is the only one who has the ability to excel in class but he always want
some attention where every lesson he got mad if the teacher don’t recognize his
ideas and has a difficulty in interacting with other pupils. He is also can be
extremely argumentative and short tempered with his classmates.
After speaking with his teacher she stated that Angelo is a smart pupil
but has a problem in terms of socio-emotional skills or his emotions are
unstable. On many mornings, He screamed and tends to bully other pupils which
he thinks that is inferior to him. Even after conferencing with his parents his
attitudes towards his classmates didn’t improve.
Angelo's classmates says that he doesn't scream or bully if he is happy
and perform well in the class but if he
is sad he doesn't complete activities and prefer to disturb his classmates
which make the classroom in chaos. Ma’am Lamboso, the adviser of grade five
section ten says that he can be a potential leader in the classroom because he
gains respect from his classmates and as matter of fact he is the president in
the classroom and achieve much more in the class because he is really a fast
learner, but fails with the written work.
I continued to collect information about Angelo by asking his close
friends, teachers about his background, how he acts in their house and treat
his family members. His other teacher stated that the major problem she has
with Angelo is his classroom behavior: bullying, independent work completion,
and organizational skills. Her second concern is his interaction with other
children and temper. Angelo is in a constant bad mood usually early in the
morning before school begins. Ms. Amor, Angelo’s mother, said she is concerned
with his behavior and that he is struggling in math.
In addition, she says in their house maybe Angelo hears them fighting with
his husband because of his another mistress. In one time during my discussion
in Social Studies, I asked them what are their problems in school, friends,
their selves and family and he shares that he don’t want to be a military
because someday he want to love one family only and shares the problems that
they encounter in the house, he shares their problems and look so depressed
where he nearly cry because of too much ache in his heart.
To attempt to address the problems, the teacher make games as part of
motivation in order to keep Angelo and the whole class motivated to enjoy
learning and work with their activities, getting Angelo and his family to take
time to settle their family problems because that is the reason that he becomes
so quick tempered in order for him to manage his anger and I will ask the other
teachers and his classmates to maintain good relations with Angelo as best as
they can.
Teachers have records of pupils’ grades for the year and write comments
before the child is promoted to the next grade. Angelo’s grade III teacher
wrote, “Angelo has made many improvements this year. With more self-discipline,
His academic performance are good.” His fourth grade teacher wrote, “He needs
constant praise and prodding. He's capable but lacks the thrill of achievement
with very poor self-discipline” Finally, I viewed his report card for the last
three quarters. He is receiving average grades in all subject area but his
grades in math are low compared to his entire subjects. He is earning good
grades. My cooperating teacher recommended that after school he should have
tutorial and bonding time with his family. I gave him a simple six question
pre-test. The questions included the following:
A. I am friendly with my
classmates;
B. I try my best when the
teacher gives me work to do;
C. I listen when the
teacher is talking;
D. I always have my pens,
paper, and notebook ready to work in class;
E. I like to read when my
work is finished;
F. My class work is neat.
After each question Angelo suds in a response to the question. The happy
face is a response for always; the neutral face is a response for sometimes;
the sad face means never. The final question is a sentence completion: The best
thing about me is. As I was administering the pre-test I had to repeat what the
meaning of a pre-test is because he started to get irritated in the middle of
administration. I had to stop and make him calm, nor was the test a referral to
the principal. After he finally understood the purpose of my pre-test he
stopped getting mad. Angelo seems to be aware of the areas he is scarce- not
listening, sloppy class work, and not trying his best. He says he sometimes get
in trouble and has materials ready for class. I don’t think he is aware of his
strengths yet because on the last question he writes the best thing about him
is to be good and listen.
Diagnosis
He is consistently being described as a pupil who has the potential to
excel academically, but self-discipline is his problem. I noticed this also
during instruction time when he should be writing, he is sucking his thumb or
copying someone else's work. On one occasion when he should have been listening
to the teacher, he was flicking paper off his desk and tying the bags of his
classmates on the chair. Other pupils are complaining he is calling them names.
These names usually involve curse words.
One day he actually received referral from his teacher. The teacher wrote
a referral because of his behavior in the classroom. What I am concerned is his
negative attitude early in the mornings. I am curious to know what is going on
at home which may cause his attitude. I am questioning whether he is being
yelled at on a constant basis at home. Or perhaps now that there is a newborn
at home and felt ignored.
Intervention
My interventions targeted two areas: academic classroom performance and
social skills for four weeks. For a 5th grader I thought five questions on the
pretest would be easy. The first happy face stands for something a pupil always
accomplishes. The face in the middle with the line for the mouth is something
the pupil sometimes accomplishes. The sad face is something the student never
accomplishes.
Academic Performance
My objective regarding Angelo’s academic performance was to facilitate
him, feel affection and proficient because I have a doubt that he is not
receiving this at home. My approach was to determine some of his skills and
then to provide continuing affirmations of these abilities. Since I only had
four weeks of intervention, we talk every vacant time for individual counselling.
I conducted individual counseling activitiy, such as the “Toilet Paper
Brainstorm.” In this activity Angelo unrolled some toilet paper from a roll. He
tore off individual sections of paper from the roll. Each time a section was
torn off; Angelo told me about one of his abilities by completing the sentence,
“I can…” and it seems that he enjoyed doing this toilet paper brainstorms, I
then helped Angelo to see that he can use these abilities to help him in class
to complete his work and to be successful.
In addition, I showed Angelo how a pupil behaves when reciting if he knows
the answer. We role played these strategies and teach him how a good pupil sits
when he is listening to the teacher.
Social Skills
He needed help in dealing with his anger and getting
along with other pupils. My goal was to help him realize the situations that
make him angry and to control his self. Everytime he became mad or angry I
started to remind what a calm mind does compare to a chaos mind he may hurt
someone and get into big trouble while with a calm mind he would have a better
chance of avoiding a serious confrontation that may cause him to go to guidance
counselor and the worst he may be expelled from their school with a bad remarks
that he may be trouble to find another school to enrolled because of his bad
records.
Evaluation
Angelo made the biggest improvements with his social skills. During the
four weeks period before the intervention, his teacher reported that Angelo has
already some improvements with his academic performance. Together, we
discovered some of his abilities and I tried to teach him to use his abilities
in the classroom. For example, Angelo realized he is a good reader. I advised
him to continue his good beginnings.
Given the time, overall I believe I made the best progress I could make
with Angelo in terms of class work and his social skills.
Conclusion
Clark (2007), believes that knowledge
of teaching methods, subject matter, effective teaching competency and
attitude, full understanding of human growth and children development,
effective communication skills, high ethical standards and ability to pursue
continuing education are what constitute an excellent teacher. Carpenter
(2003), indicates that an excellent teacher’s personal traits could be
discussed from three perspectives. In terms of personality, an excellent
teacher is mentally healthy, mature, confident, humorous and wise.
With regard to professional competency, she has profound knowledge and her
teaching is vivid and inspiring. When it comes to attitude, she is enthusiastic,
friendly, sincere, understands and accepts all students. In addition to those
abovementioned personal traits, an excellent teacher should also be willing to
learn new knowledge, face challenges and tolerate different ideas.
Furthermore, an excellent teacher should pursue knowledge actively so as
to improve professional competency. She also needs to understand her weakness
and seek help from other professions. Setting herself as an example for
students and through participation in school activities to encourage students
to take part in daily life, communicating with parents actively to gain trust
and help from parents, establishing pupils and teachers interaction are needed
to break the barriers that separate and hinder the learning of both persons.
Understanding pupils’ personal traits to adjust teaching and providing
necessary assistance to students while learning are teaching characteristics of
an excellent teacher.
Edwards (2010), points out that a class has both sociality and psychology
and it consisted of more affective elements than interests. A class is made up
of consensus, interaction and rules. It needs follow-up counselling where also
important issues were discuss with related personnel and remedial instruction
to promote adaptive development.
References
Barbara Clark (2007) Growing
up gifted: developing the potential of children at home and at school.
Carpenter, M. (2003). Literacy education for a new ethics of
global community. Language Arts,
81, 20–22.
Edwards, P. (2010). The
role of texts/readings in shaping and changing in-service teachers’ conceptions
of literacy. Paper presented at the Literacy Research Association Conference, Fort Worth, TX.
Labaree, D. (1997). Public goods, private goods: The American
struggle over educational goals. American
Educational Research Journal, 34,
39–81.
Protacio & Sarroub (2013). A Case Study of Reading Instruction in a
Philippine Classroom. Asia Pacific
Journal of Education.
Spradley, J. (1979). The
ethnographic interview. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Reflection
Being exposed to real educational practice teaching is
such an exciting experiences that most of us, students educators are waiting
for. Having this is actually a great opportunity to reminisce and realize that
usual thing that we are doing before, our behavior and attitude inside the
classroom.
Angelo made big improvements with his social skills and academic
performance where most of the pupils were able to express themselves to me
because they treat me like a real teacher and they don’t hesitate to ask
questions since they said that I am approachable and hands on when teaching.
Together, I discovered the abilities of the pupils which some of their abilities
and I tried to teach them to use their abilities in the classroom. For example,
Angelo realized he is a good reader. I advised him to continue his good
beginnings.
Given the time, overall I believe I made the best progress I could make
with Angelo and the rest of the class which make me satisfied of my practice
teaching career in the said school.
In this portfolio, one
could find out how it really feels being a real teacher. This will provide an
overview of the experiences in a real educational field.
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