Best Practices #100
Is it difficult to manage your students while using computers in either a computer lab or classroom?
Is it more difficult to manage students while they are using technology as opposed to managing students in a “regular” classroom environment?
Not at all!
Every teacher knows that Policies, Procedures and Expectations are necessary for any classroom environment.
This is ALSO true in a Computer Lab environment. A Computer Lab environment is just an extension of the classroom. Too many teachers forget the importance and lose valuable time restating the Policies, Procedures and Expectations.
We first need to understand the differences between these key terms:
Policies = Rules
Procedures = Set of guidelines to accomplish something in particular
Expectations = An expected behavior or response after given circumstances
Do you think you communicate your Policies, Procedures, and Expectations (PPE) clearly to your students?
Things to consider:
Verbally address PPE
Provide written form of PPE
Reinforce positive behavior
Revisit PPE
Facilitate discussion
And of course, consistency, consistency, consistency. Successful teachers are consistently reinforcing positive behavior as well as addressing students who choose to act differently than expected.
Remember, technology is another tool, just like a “cube math game”, to help students learn. Your classroom management should stay consistent when transitioning from one environment to another.
