Effective classroom: factors to ensure that children have the best quality of teaching available

1. Describe how you might contribute to a lesson given to a group of seven year old children learning to play percussion instruments? An effective classroom has many factors to ensure that children have the best quality teaching available to them. As well as maximising their learning, it is equally important for them to feel safe and positive, which then leads to minimal behaviour problems. A teaching assistant has a very important role in assisting the teacher to achieve these goals. During the teachers’ teaching part of the lesson I would ensure that the children were all listening and concentrating on what was being taught by observing the children. After I have been told to hand out the instruments, I would ensure that they were shared out equally and emphasise the importance of taking turns if they were sharing. I would check that they were not fiddling about with them. I would make sure that all the children knew the name of instruments they were all learning to play. However, one of the most important contributions to a class is encouragement and being positive, and I would do my best to encourage each of the pupil’s into trying out different instruments (under the teachers directions) so that they were building up their self-esteem and confidence; it’s an opportunity to learn a new skill. In addition to this I think it would be important for myself to get involved with playing one of the instruments and to model how to use it correctly as children” copy “ what they see. Then they will know how to play an instrument the correct and safe way. I, in turn, would then get a better connection with the children during that lesson, it would also send out a positive message to the class as it would show that we could all join in for a fun, but still effective lesson together which would not only give us a lesson to look forward too but also give us a better understanding of what type of learning methods we can use for other lessons, for example, the teaching assistant showing an example of what the teacher wants the pupils to do. As a teaching assistant it is important that I contribute in helping the teacher to get the best out of her/his lesson which includes checking that the children are all included and minimising behaviour problems supervising them at all times. 2. What might your role be in organising, using and maintaining the learning resources, material and equipment for this percussion lesson? My role to help maximise the learning experience for the children and to make sure that the lesson runs efficiently is to ensure that the classroom is organized before the lesson starts ready for the teacher. The best way to do that is to look at the lesson plan and talk to the teacher, if necessary, beforehand and use my organisational skills. When organising the learning environment I would set it out so that the quality and quantity of the learning materials matches what has been specified by the teacher. When preparing the materials I could also do some research on percussion instruments which could be done using either the internet, looking through library books or recording educational music programmes. By using the internet and books we are then able to create hand outs for the class, and other worksheets as all part in maximising the learning. It would be important to make the Learning materials interesting for the children so it would be more effective and varied for them. Pictures and definitions would also be a good aid to the learning materials. Once all the administrative preparation has been completed and ready for the class, I would then start on preparing the equipment, however, as this a percussion lesson, It is important to ensure that the equipment is safe to use. Health and safety would play a big part, I and the teacher would have to make sure that the equipment and learning materials were being used within the manufactures recommendations and the guidelines stated in the School’s Health and Safety policy. By being familiar with this I could then ensure that the learning environment is free of hazards during the practical lesson. I would also ensure that the materials are always ready for use when needed. And that any materials that are not ready or do not need to be used by the children were stored away in a safe way. When it comes to maintaining the learning materials and equipment I would always check their condition after each use which includes that the quality and quantity has been maintained, and report any damages or losses to the teacher. Also, monitor the demand for improving the quality or supply of the resources. I could also carry out a regular inspection for my teacher on the resources and equipment to make sure that everything is always ready for its next use. 3. Describe how you act in class in order to be an effective role model for the standards of behaviour expected in pupils? Good behaviour has to be learned and this would be modelled by the adults in class, the teaching assistant is always the model for the children. It is our job to guide the children through the year and making sure that not only are they getting their maximum learning but they are also behaving the way that matches the school policy but also growing up a very polite young adult. When interacting with the class you would always have to have a positive attitude, as an example, encouraging the children to stay focused on their work, you must always be aware of your body language which is very important as the children would copy the way you sat, always sit up straight with your shoulders back — no slouching. Always remember to show good manners when talking to pupils and making sure that they reply politely by saying their pleases and thank you — this includes being polite to the other pupils as well, by doing this it will become something that they will automatically get used to doing, manners cost nothing and it is something that will help you in the future. Along with this all, you must always show general good examples to pupils, such as, working together as a team with your teacher, showing them that working together is always a good way forward and also making sure that what you have been told to do — whether it’s a display or observing, is done properly as the children would most likely to notice that you are doing what you are told. This would all do extremely well to promote good behaviour. However, consistency also plays a big part in promoting good behaviour as the children would like to know where they stand with their teacher and teaching assistant, they often like to know what could happen if they are disruptive or naughty or what could happen if they behave in the way that they are expected to in class, because changing your learning methods and strategies can have a big impact on how the class behave, and also how they learn. 4. What Strategies might you employ to encourage pupils to behave appropriately? Describe how you might react to incidents of bullying and violence? Being consistent with behaviour strategies helps children understand their boundaries and what we expect of them. If you were to keep changing your mind about the behaviour policy, the children would not know where they stood, and children clearly need to know what the consequences are, therefore, it is important that they are aware of the rewards and sanctions for positive and disruptive behaviour. Having positive strategies is always the best way forward to promoting good behaviour, and praising the children when they have behaved the correct way. Once the children are aware that their teachers have noticed their good behaviour they will often like to carry on getting the praise that they are given and are more likely to carry on their good behaviour. The rewards and praises are often certificates, verbal praise, stickers, encouraging and thumbs up. However, the classroom should always have the class/school rules and behaviour policy displayed, so if a child is being disruptive or behaving in a general unacceptable way, the teaching assistant should always remind them of what the rules are and ask the child the important question, such as, ‘ What does it say in the class and school rules about disruptive behaviour?’ or ‘ What would the head teacher say if I were to tell her how you behaved today?’ by enforcing the class/school rules in such a way it would be made clear to the child that they will not be getting away with their behaviour and that it is not acceptable, a lesson is therefore to be learned. A teaching assistant must remain calm and in control when it comes to a situation that involves bullying and violence. Act quickly and follow it through, this involves getting the appropriate person if needed. The pupils need to know it will not be tolerated in the school, and that bullying, especially, is taken very seriously. The teacher and teaching assistant should always deal with one incident at a time and always communicate to one pupil at a time in a private and confidential place and assure them that the school is here to help and protect the victim. Any bullying or violent incident is always recorded in the head teacher’s incident book which is then followed by a consequence and a phone call home. The head teacher also has a positive programme of personal development if it is required. Everyone involved in these incidents need to have a say in order to find the truth. 5. Describe how you might appropriately observe the physical abilities and skills of a nine year old boy. Before the observing takes place I would make sure that I have had time to plan the observation, which includes, when the most appropriate time would be — a time when disruptions are limited and it is not at a very busy time, otherwise it is difficult to concentrate fully on the pupil that needs to be observed. I would also make sure that the boy was feeling fit and healthy otherwise it would not create an accurate picture of what the boy is capable of and his true self if he was feeling ill or very tired. I would always have a note pad ready for me to make a note on when needed, so I have everything written down and recorded for my teacher. When observing, I think it is important to minimise disturbance and disruption to the pupil, as he is very young it would be hard for him to act natural without getting embarrassed or even putting on an act knowing that there is a teaching assistant observing him. Depending on what I had to observe specifically I would always make sure that I was writing down everything that I had witnessed, which would include the language he uses — whilst interacting with others, how he handles objects and how he responds to the teaching resources. All these areas are key as pupils are all different when it comes to learning, some pupils like a certain learning method when others might prefer another. Being a nine year old boy you must also carefully observe the way he acts towards other people in the class as it is the age when they gradually start getting more grown up and being more upfront with each other, this means he might not realise how he comes across when his speaking to his classmates from an adults perception — is it polite or is it rude? The observation must not be rushed; this might include having to complete the observation over a few days in order to get a full clear picture of the boy’s skills and abilities.