Controlling+the+Classroom

Controlling the Classroom - Steph and Cassie

**Different types of learners**
 * = **Brain States** ||= **Visual Characteristics** ||= **Auditory Characteristics** ||= **Kinesthetic Characteristics** ||
 * Curiosity || Looking around, squinting, sitting up very straight || Asking questions || Moving about ||
 * Anticipation || Leaning forward with eyes open wide || Moving head from side to side, asking questions || Wiggling or jumping in seat ||
 * Challenge || Sitting up very straight, looking to gather information, eyes determined || Speaking loudly, asking for information || Moving purposefully, gathering materials and/or people to help ||
 * Frustration || Looking around anxiously || Shaking head, mumbling, may be asking questions || Clenched teeth, heavy movements, strong tapping or rocking ||
 * Fear || No eye contact, hiding || Shaking head, hiding, mumbling || Hiding, less movement ||
 * Anger || Nasty look, rolling eyes || Tight mouth, yelling || Walking away, hitting something ||
 * Apathy || Not looking around, eyes glazed, slumped in chair || Not listening, could be talking to self || Shoulders slumped, arms crossed ||


 * Brain States**
 * A state is a feeling we have that is a combination of our emotions, thoughts, and physiology
 * All behavior is connected to a state
 * What we do at any moment in time depends on our state
 * We can change our states with movies, amusement parks, music, food, etc
 * Sometimes, just walking into a room filled with happy people will make us happy
 * Movement can also affect our brain states
 * Avoid frustration (students don't understand it), fear (students don't think they will ever understand), anger (outbursts), and apathy (no response)
 * Encourage curiosity, anticipation, and challenge
 * Use language that relates to students learning style: Ex. For a visual learner use words like look, show, watch, see, get the picture, etc.
 * State Changes and Classroom Management:
 * 1) Switch roles: Ask a student to come to the front of the class and reteach any part of the lesson. Students are curious to observe their peers and often attend carefully to find mistakes
 * 2) Stand up: Asking students to stand while you present information for a few minutes quickly changes their physiology and their state. It will change their breathing and cause the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine. These aid in learning.
 * 3) Breathing: Ask your students to take deep breaths. This will change their physical state and give much-needed oxygen to the brain to help them learn.
 * 4) Put on some background music: While you are speaking, walk slowly to your boom box and play some low-volume music. Continue the lesson. This change will arouse your students.
 * 5) Change your teaching spot: If your students have to move in their seats to see you or watch something you are doing, that simple movement may change their states and bring them back on task.
 * 6) Call for consensus: Simply stop where you are and ask, "All those who agree with what I just said raise your hands." The students who are off task will quickly realize something is going on when they see or feel the rush of hands being raised.
 * 7) Repeat what I said: Say "Turn to the person on your left and repeat my least sentence." The movement and the realization that they may have been "spacing out" will bring them back.


 * Music**
 * music is known to help release endorphins (body's pain reliever)
 * affects brain waves
 * Brain Waves:
 * 1) Delta (1-3 times per second): seen during sleep, no conscious learning, useless information disposed of, rehearsal of new memories
 * 2) Theta (4-7 times per second): occurs twice during the night, relaxed state that usually can't be achieved on a conscious level, receptive to learning, absorbs learning quickly and easily
 * 3) Alpha (8-12 times per second): state of relaxed alertness, accessed through specific types of baroque music (40 to 60 beats per minute), slows down respiration, heart rate, and brain waves, causes relaxation and heps many out of stressful situations
 * 4) Beta (12-40 times per second): needed for new learning and new memory, full attentiveness, get us going in the morning
 * music affects levels of arousal, which affects the states they are in
 * baroque music that is considered to be //adagio// is key for relieving stress
 * music is a great management tool as well
 * use music to make routines for students; play the same songs during different times of the day, depending on their responsibilities


 * Movement**
 * movement helps with reading
 * movement gets oxygen-rich blood and glucose to the brain
 * movement changes states
 * movement offers a change of pace when our neurons are tired and overworked from doing an activity for too long
 * movement is fun
 * Movement Activities:
 * ~ **Movement for Energizing** ||~ **Movement for Learning** ||
 * < Change seats. ||< Walk while reading, slowing down for punctuation marks. ||
 * < Find someone who...has a birthday close to yours ||< Create a specific movement for reach different punctuation mark. ||
 * < Play music, and have students stand up, turn around, sit down, and open their books before the music ends. ||< Toss a bean bag among students; have them answer the previous question and ask a new one with each toss. ||
 * < Stand on one foot. ||< Role-play. ||
 * < Run in place for 30 seconds. ||< Find different angles in the school building. ||
 * < Give high fives to three people. ||< Hold a relay race that involves writing as many vocab words as you can think of related to a topic. ||
 * < Stand up and take three deep breaths. ||< Think-pair-share: Have students stand, find a partner, and share what has been studied so far. ||
 * < Play "Simon Sez." ||< Play "Simon Sez for Learning." e.g., "Simon says if there are nine planets touch your toes." ||
 * < March to music. ||< Remember a list using movements as cues. ||
 * < Cross laterals: Have students stand and cross their midline by touching hands to opposite knees. ||< Form shapes with your body. ||
 * < Play "Musical Chairs." ||< Measure with your hands. ||
 * < Skip across the room. ||< Go on field trips. ||
 * < Stretch. ||< Find a partner, walk around the room, and discuss the posters on the wall. Find your favorite. ||
 * < Bunny hop. ||< Make a human graph: If you agree, go to this side of the room, If you disagree, go to the other side. ||
 * Turning Points 2000**
 * Use Instructional methods that prepare all students to achieve high standards.
 * Provide a safe and healthy school environment.
 * Teaching a curriculum grounded in standards, relevant to adolescents' concerns, and based on how students learn best; and use a mix of assessment methods.
 * Staff middle grades schools with teachers who are expert at teaching young adolescents, and engage teachers in ongoing professional development.