Topic 1: Communication and Relationships The reading this week focuses on the importance of establishing positive adult and peer relationships with students experiencing EBD. This is an integral part of the communication process. The quality of the relationships between teachers and students affects not only classroom behavior, but also academic success. 1.Developing positive and supportive relationships with students is a vital part of effective communication. Which of the characteristics that students value in their teachers that were described in the text do you believe are most important to student success and how will you demonstrate these qualities to your students? 2.To work effectively with students in a diverse classroom, teachers need to understand students’ backgrounds and culture, as well as key events in their lives. This is imperative when students are experiencing EBD. Home visits can be a significant part of this process, but if that is not feasible, there are other ways teachers can learn more about their students. Describe three methods that you could use to learn more about your students, their backgrounds, and previous experiences, so you can communicate more effectively and develop supportive relationships with them. 3.Think about a situation you have experienced or observed in which a student with EBD disrupted the classroom environment to the extent that the teacher was forced to respond. Describe the teacher’s response and the student’s reaction to this response. Did the teacher use any I-messages? Explain how the teacher’s response could have been improved to reduce tension and reduce potential confrontation. 4.Consider the importance of caring and supportive peer relationships in the classroom. Consider how you could shape the classroom environment to support positive peer relationships among students. Share three activities you would implement in the classroom to create a supportive learning environment that would help students with EBD meet classroom behavior expectations. Topic 2: Behavior Standards and Student Motivation This week you learned the importance of developing clear and effective behavior standards for the classroom. When classroom and school-wide behavior standards are implemented consistently, there are fewer classroom disruptions and students are more engaged in learning. Student motivation is dependent on the degree to which students receive meaningful instruction through strategies that increase their academic success and help them become self-directed learners. 1.There are several strategies that encourage students to accept and follow classroom behavior standards. One of these is to involve students in the process of creating the standards. What are some other ways you could encourage students to adhere to classroom standards and procedures, based on the age of the students that you would like to teach? Explain why these methods would be appropriate for students of that age. 2.Consider a classroom in which multiple students are struggling to meet academic and behavioral expectations. Based on your research this week, what would you include in a plan to increase student motivation and academic success? Identify the three strategies that would be significant in increasing student motivation and explain how the implementation of these concepts would affect the classroom environment. 3.Academic choice can be a powerful motivator for students who struggle to meet academic and behavioral standards in the classroom. Describe strategies you would use to encourage a disengaged or unmotivated student to become more successful. 3.Think about what you have learned previously about self-directed learners. How can positive relationships, effective communication, consistent behavior standards, and flexible goals motivate students to become self-directed learners?
