NewTeacher!

Hi there,

How do u remember kids names quickly? I'm starting a new job as a high school Maths teacher in the fall and I have no experience. How do you prepare to discipline them?

Regards,

Youve got to get the book, first day of school, by wong. It deals with younger students, but a very valuable book for teaching all levels.

To remember students names, I put together a photo seating chart with a ditgital camera and used word games to link their names to the faces, "braces bruce", "loud lucy", "tall tony", you get the idea. works for me.

Jeff@jeffslough.com

An easy way to remember students names is to seat them alphabetically as you take roll for the first time. Make sure to create a seating chart and then don't call on any student without actually saying his/her name. After two classes, you will know everyone's name. Also, make a point of calling on all students. Another helpful thing to do is have them write a short essay about themselves. By attaching personal information, they become easier to remember.

You need a behavior management crash course.
Secondly, don't let them see you sweat.

The digital camera photo mentioned above sounds good. Also, I tend to remember the students' last names since the rolls are alphabetical. At first, the last name is what I remember, so I call the students Mr. _____ or Miss _____. Then, when the students are doing seat work during the early days, I walk around guessing whose name goes to which face. The students think it is fun to see how quickly I can remember their names.

Discipline is another story. You must be consistent, firm, but not a "B" either.

[Jim Jack]

I am a big believer in having assigned seats. It might seem like a little thing, but it starts you off on the right foot and implicitly shows that you are in charge.

[awaxler]

Hi,

As for remembering kids names...I always get last years yearbook and go through it a few times before the year starts. I pretty much know each student by name by the time they walk into class. This works great!

As for discipline...While many will disagree with me, I do NOT assign seats and I do not have discipline problems.

Classroom management does not have to be as hard as people make it out to seem.

The bottom line is this: While most new teachers think what they need are classroom management skills, what they really need are strong instructional skills. To put simply, the best management system is a strong instructional system.

If your students are actively involved in your lessons, they are not bored, and there is a high level of mutual respect, you will not have that many problems.

I have written an ebook on teaching strategies and the entire premise of the book is how to use teaching strategies (not discipline strategies) to improve classroom management.

You can even download Chapter 2 for free here: http://www.teaching-teacher.com

Hope that helps,
Adam Waxler

Along with the digital photos you might try this.
Your subject area screams for this. Personal dry erase marker boards. Get (make) one for each student. Have your students get one the first thing each day. Have work for them to do (exercises on a sheet or on the board). Have them work on it while you take the roll or anytime. Have them print their name at the bottom of the board (size 12" x 16" seem to work best). Tell them they must show their work and circle their answer. Have the answer key at hand for quick checks. Have them hold up the answer/work and WAIT for your ok to go to the next problem. Call them by name when you check their answer. You do not have to be stationary when you do this. You can go give help where needed. an early finisher (totally finished or just finished the problem at hand) can help others. They get a LOT of practice. You can link a name and face. You are calling them by name the first day of class.

Be FIRM, FAIR, and CONSISTANT.
Everyone has a different style of classroom management, it comes from experience and can't be taught in a book. You continue using something that works for you, and continue to monitor and adjust. MOST things work the FIRST time you use them, but have to change over time. Find a successful teacher who teaches the SAME type of students you do and try to adopt some of their techniques to your use. Don't try to be a carbon copy, its boring and students see right through it. Don't see advice as criticism but as a suggestion and opportunity, if you don't see a suggestion as worthwhile then say "uh-huh" or "thats interesting", something that does not start out with a "but" which is seen as defensive. Try to be positive, even under impossible circumstances. TEACHING is hard work and really does not get any easier. But it is worth doing. Have a good year.

By the way, dry erase marker boards are easily cut out of a 4 foot by 8 foot tile board. Most lumber yards and home remodeling stores have this. Home Depot and Lowes will cut them for you cheaply or for nothing into 12 inch by 16 inch rectangles. The most expensive part are the dry erase makers. Use the BLACK ones as they erase the easiest. Use tissue, paper towels, old socks, box o' rags (paint aisle) or board erasers (most expensive) to erase the student marker boards. Greased lightning works to clean the boards when they get filmy. USE >Expo II<, Rose art, or Marks a lot, dry erase makers or you will go home with a sore throat every day (these are alcohol solvent based and they don't smell "good" to the students (trust me)).
Of course, you could buy them, pre-made at Walmart, office supply store, or many other stores. They don't last as long, and drive the project cost up.

Good luck!!! Everyday will be great!!!

I call roll the first day and ask the kids to wave to me--look at me and I really look at them; I talk to them; I will go through 4 or five names; then go back and review--good modeling for the students. The next time they are in class I try to call at least fou students by name. The I go up to eight; 12--all of the. I comes faster than you think it will!!!

Be strong and firm and fair. Stay consistent and fair. Be kid and consideerate.

Have a great year.

Ellen in Texas

[jencom]

Hi there,

How do u remember kids names quickly?

Regards,

I use a soft ball, like a stress ball, and have the students play a game. We do this for about 5 minutes at the start and end of each class period. At first, the students toss the ball around (allways unerhand). When the ball comes to them they say their name. After the first day, I change the game so that they have to say the name of the person they are throwing it to. I change the game again so that when they catch the ball they have to say the name of the person who threw it to them and the person they are throwing it to.

At the end of each period, I am the last person to play. I try to throw the ball to each person in the room and say their name. The person catches the ball and throws it back to me. I have even held contests for students who think they can name everyone in the class, too.

This method not only allows you to learn their names, but the students learn each other's names as well. You wouldn't believe how many students go through the whole year without even knowing their classmates names.

I'm starting a new job as a high school Maths teacher in the fall and I have no experience. How do you prepare to discipline them?

Definately use the white boards. The students find them fun and a nice change of pace from pencil and paper.

Whatever you choose for discipline make sure it is something you can live with and be consistant.
I use a discipline book with a paper that the students have to sign for each offense. It puts the ownership on them and helps me keep track of how many times each student has broken the rules. The first time they sign, it is a warning. Second time, phone call home. Third, detention. Fourth, referral. This also provides great documentation for conferences.

I hope these suggestions help.
Jencom