Classroom Organization I



Classroom Organization I

Training Module

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Classroom Organization I

“The activity centres approach”

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Introduction

In multigrade classrooms, children of different ages and abilities are involved in activities either cooperating in groups or working separately on different subjects and disciplines. Multigrade teachers have to deal with different groups of students that all work in the same place, simultaneously, and they have to impart knowledge effectively to all of them. It is obvious that the organization of the classroom in multigrade schools is a crucial parameter in facilitating students’ learning. The MUSE training program presents some important aspects of effective multigrade classroom organization and management. The first module, presented here, focuses on the introduction of the concept of activity or learning-centres approach, which is considered to be a feasible and successful method of handling multigrade classrooms.

The activity centres’ approach

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Theoretical Background

As was mentioned above, it is essential that the multigrade classroom is well organized and structured in such a way as to facilitate different types of teaching and learning. Managing a multigrade classroom, which is usually non-homogeneous with respect to age, ability or other parameter, is a complicated case. One way to overcome several problems is to organise the classroom in terms of the “activity-centres approach”.

An activity centre is best described as an area of the classroom that the teacher has designated for a specific purpose. This is a definition found in the “NWREL, Portland, (1999), The multigrade classroom: A resource handbook for small, rural schools, Book 2: Classroom organisation”.

An alternative definition for activity centres from the above book is as follows: “An activity centre can be defined formally as any discernible pattern of student or teacher behaviour that can be clearly described and labelled”.

One common activity in the classroom is seatwork, where students work independently at a desk. In the case of students working together, their activity is generally characterized as group-work. A classroom may have areas designated for art and craftwork, audio-visual equipment, computers and other instructional resources. Each of the above examples reflects a type of activity where expectations for behaviour may be clearly defined. The above definition of activity-centres approach, as presented in the NWREL book, focuses on “designated patterns with specific expectations of students’ behaviour”. This definition of “activity centres approach” is differentiated slightly and includes similar concepts as “learning centres” or “subject area resource centre”.

A learning centre is a term used to describe a self-instruction learning activity that has been placed in a clearly defined area of the classroom. It can be used in any subject and generally includes objectives, instructions, and evaluation. A subject area resource centre is an area where student resources related to a specific subject are located. For example, specific resources related to the science module may all be located in a well-marked area of the classroom that forms a specific centre. An activity centre, though wider as a concept win comparison to the above two, is related (as already mentioned) with areas or patterns in the class where a certain teaching and learning behaviour is expected according to certain types of teaching or learning activities.

It is essential for the multigrade teacher to understand what kind of organisation reform needs to be done in the classroom in order to have a more effective classroom setting. The starting post for this procedure the teacher is recommended to answer the following questions:

• What types of activities normally occur in your classroom?

• What types of activities would you like to occur?

• How can you facilitate students’ grouping activities?

• Are there students who tutor?

• Do you meet separately with individual students or small groups?

Probably the teacher finds necessary to ask other questions too, according to the specific conditions in the classroom. It is worth supplementing the above general questions with some more specific, for this will help identifying the classroom’s management needs.

In general, one can easily specify some types of activities found in most multigrade classrooms like:

Quiet or individual study and testing

Whole-class teaching

Pair- work

Group- work

Audiovisual and ICT work

The classroom organisation, so far as setting is concerned, must be flexible so as to serve different kind of activities. Furniture and equipment should be arranged to create activity centres appropriate for the type of activity that is expected to take place. In the multigrade classroom there may be many different kinds of activity going on at the same time. Thus, some students of the fourth and fifth grade might be working in a group on an art project while two students may be peer tutored in maths. Two first-graders may work with their teacher, and several students might be completing independent assignments requiring the use of a computer. The teacher’s task is to arrange the classroom so that all these activities can take place at the same time with disruption at a minimum and under continuous supervision and guidance by the teacher.

NOTE: It is important to understand that the information presented in this document in order to present the concept of learning centers in the most general way. However this does not mean that every of the above ideas are applicable in every classroom. You should take into account the particularities of your own classroom and reorganise it in the most flexible way. Flexibility is the key concept of this classroom re organisation effort.

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Suggestions for further study

- The Multigrade classroom, A resource for small Rural Schools, Book 2: Classroom Organization, NWREL

- North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, Learning Centers,

- Opitz M., Learning Centers: The first week,



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E shop that provides furniture for school learning centers. Useful for new ideas on how you can organise your learning centers.

Suggestions for good practice and activities

Most teachers who start organising activity centres should start by setting up one centre until they feel comfortable and relaxed enough to set up another. This procedure will be followed here. In this activity teachers are asked to set up a single learning centre and utilise it for teaching in real conditions. The activity focuses on the use of ICT in whole class teaching. Thus the teachers are asked to set up an “Audiovisual and ICT” Centre in your class, following the steps as below.

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Record the sort and quantity of technology-resources that are available for the classroom (computers, video projector, printer, TV or any other audiovisual equipment etc.)

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Try to specify any restrictions that might exist in terms of lack of equipment or equipment with technical problems

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Utilise technological infrastructure altogether by setting up a “Technology Corner” (Audiovisual and ICT centre) in the class

– It is supposed here that the equipment is available inside the classroom and there is not a classroom for technology. If this is not so, contact your national training supervisor to provide you any additional guidance on alternative implementation of the activity

– Follow the tips below to set up the Technology Corner.

Setting up an Audiovisual and ICT activity centre

TIPS on setting up a Technology Corner in your classroom

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Plan a whole class teaching activity on a subject of your convenience

– For instance you can choose “Geography“, and prepare a lesson concerning your country and the region where the school is established. You can look for educational CD ROMs on geography to use or search and download material from the Internet.

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In accordance to your plan, if necessary, develop special modules and worksheets for the students.

– It would be a good motive for the students to have specifically designed worksheets. You can print photos or maps using your equipment or make photocopies of pictures from books.

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If available, utilize equipment, like video projectors or television set or DVD players etc, so as to have a more vivid presentation of educational material.

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For each lesson fill in the “lesson plan & evaluation” form that follows.

– Try to be clear and give adequate information on the lesson. It is preferable to fill the form electronically using your computer and send it back to your national training supervisor via e-mail.

– Respect the format of it; remember, it will be used for evaluation purposes

– Try to share details and present aspects of the lesson related to peer tutoring in your class.

PROJECT MUSE

TEACHERS TRAINING LESSON PLAN & EVALUATION

Lessons’ Title:

Grade: Date: .

Other grades Present:

Subject:

Teaching Chapters of the Curriculum:

Teaching Targets:

Expected Results:

Required Time and Teaching Time table (for all grades):

(If the class was divided in groups for attending the lesson)

|Required Time: | |

|teaching hour/s | |

| |Time devoted to other grades/groups present in the classroom in minutes |

Required Educational Material (books, notes, worksheets etc.):

Required Equipment (ICT, lab equipment etc.):

Required Software:

Use of Internet and Links:

Description of the subject to be taught :

Prerequisite knowledge of students:

Implementation Scenario:

Steps to teaching of the subject:

EVALUATION DATA

(If the class was divided in groups for attending the lesson)

Evaluation of students: (1 to 5)

|Group |Pupil |Attention |Performance |Cooperation | |Group |

| | | | | | |Performance |

|Group1 |Name1 | | | | | |

| |Name2 | | | | | |

| |Name3 | | | | | |

|Group2 |Name1 | | | | | |

| |Name2 | | | | | |

| |Name3 | | | | | |

General feeling of the class

Did any specific problems occur during the lesson?

Would you consider the lesson successful?

Do you have any definite proposals for the improvement of teaching?

General / Any other comments?

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Avoid traffic lines

Try to finder an corner out of traffic to set up the technology center in order to reduce the probability of equipment damage etc. The center should have sufficient sunlight but avoid areas near windows or other sources of glare.

Reduce noise disturbance

The technology center is going to be a noisy place –the noise coming either from students working together or from the equipment while in operation.. Place your center in a way that is not destructive for other activities in the classroom (ie students studying at their desks)

Protect your infrastructure from other activities

Place your centre away from art activities; sand, mechanical equipment and tools, food, water, and paint can be harmful to the equipment. Try to separate and protect the technology centre from the rest of the classroom. Use can use shelving for this.

Allow space for group work

Most of the times, students are going to work at the centre with others (for example when they use a computer). Support this interaction by allowing space for two or three students to work together. Such an arrangement encourages interaction and social skills. Arrange things in a way that can be easily accessible; children need to be able to get to the computers, the printer and the other equipment on their own without having to move a lot or without disturbing others.

Involve students in the procedure

Ask the students’ opinion on what you are doing. Discuss how they prefer to arrange things and decorate the center. This will help you explain your students the reasoning on what the 6XZ\`dprt‚„†šœžðßÑɸª‘xdSB.SBªð& j]ðhàzh)hàzh)hàzh)hàzh)

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