This past week I finished up my welding and brazing units. Honestly, I am glad that that is done. Looking back on it there is a bunch that I would change. Starting off by the timing. When I first started this unit, I started off by just doing welding. A week after that I started brazing. This then at the end created a hold up for the brazing machines. If I would have started them both at the same time then I may have been able to stay on schedule and not rush the students at the end. After talking about how the unit went with my corp teacher we both had the same idea. Also for the brazing projects for the students, I was to lenient with what their projects could be. I told the students that they could come up with their own projects that had to include 5 pieces. If we did not have the pieces here at school then they had to provide their own. Well lets just say, I had about half the students want to do something with horseshoes. By the end of the unit, I decided that if I were to ever do this again, I will give them choices and they will have to use what I have available in the shop.This will also ensure that I will stay on time.
On a different note, how do you get the attention and keep that attention of students without yelling? This was the question of the night on Tuesday. I had a hard time keeping the attention of my students at the end of the day when all other FFA members were coming in to get ready to go to a speaking contest. I tried the whole "If you can hear me then yell, I" This worked for a few minutes then the students started to talk again. I yelled at them then felt bad afterwards. I do not want to be the teacher that yells. Also, if I become someone who yells all the time then the students will just tune me out. This is something that I need to work on. Keeping the attention of students who do not care is hard. Some days I am not as hard on them for talking and others I am. This needs to stay the same, I know.
By the time today hit, I began feeling better about my attitude and overall reaction to students.
Val,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you and Mrs. Fry developed a great strategy for you to implement in your own program. Providing students with instruction on both sets up equipment at the beginning of class will allow you to provide more options for students to work on as they are assigned projects. However, in order to do this, it takes more specific, thorough planning. Having a specific game plan of how you will teach the equipment and the skill required, as well as identifying specific projects to help students develop and refine those skills may take more time to plan, however, the end product of student retention and success is well worth it!
To address your questions on gaining and maintaining student attention, it's about establishing classroom procedures, protocols, and expectations from the get-go. Now, competing with additional students in the classroom is one thing. This would be hard for any teacher, however, when this is not the situation, its about making sure that you have established your expectations. A huge part of maintaining control of the class and their attention has a lot to do with making sure you keep them engaged with relevant, applicable and hands-on activities. Activities are great, but its really important to make sure that what they are doing is something that they will be able to utilize in the real world. If they see value in what they are learning, they will care, and they will pay attention.
Keep working hard!
Laura