13.2

There are several responses to a student exhibiting disruptive behavior during a lesson. The first method I would use in this situation is providing a stern look towards the student to communicate that "yes, I am aware you are not paying attention." Ideally this would alert the student that he/she is disrupting the class and they will stop. It also prevents me from coming to a stop in the lesson and disrupting the flow of class. If the student continues the disruptive behavior following the stern look I would engage them with the lesson currently being taught. Asking them a question such as what they thought may have caused this certain event or how they would feel if they were living it. This forces them into attention and puts focus on the lesson. It also creates the opportunity for a discussion amongst the class and doesn't entirely interrupt the flow of class. Now this particular method may not be appropriate for all lessons depending on what is currently being taught. Other methods are moving the student to a seat away from the neighbor they were engaged with, potentially to one not near any other students. I see this is a last ditch effort because it stops class and draws attention to the misbehavior. Still, another method would be to ignore the behavior and speak with the student at the end of class. This action however is not beneficial to the class as a whole that has been disrupted the entire lesson. It runs the risk of no one gaining an understanding for the day, putting them behind.

13.1

The five areas I would focus on to create a learning environment that is conducive to learning are classroom arrangement, the creation of an effective psychological climate, the establishment and maintenance of productive teacher-student relationships, having clear limits established and taking developmental differences into account. To me these are the areas that would get the most attention.

Arranging the classroom so that students are primarily focused on what is being taught at the front of the room will have the optimal effect on learning. Also I feel that the classroom needs to not just be a room with four blank walls. In high school the classes that I felt I focused most in were the ones that had relevant material hanging up. I always enjoyed seeing copies of the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence in my social studies classes. However any class I had where nothing was hung up was incredibly boring from the onset and it was easy to lose interest in what the teacher was saying.

Creating an effective psychological climate is important because I feel students would learn better in an environment that is welcoming and nonthreatening. Creating activities that involve the students as opposed to lecturing all class is ideal. It is important to maintain order and control of the class, but doing so in a tyrannical manner only creates anxiety. This very much ties into having clear limits. In the first few classes establish with the students what routine you want the class to have and explain that a consistent flow class to class will benefit both the students and the teacher in instruction and comprehension. The chapter does an excellent job emphasizing that it is beneficial to an environment conducive to learning if the students have some control in this process.

Maintaining productive teacher-student relationships and taking developmental differences into account, in my opinion, also tie in well together. It is important to be involved in the success of your students and show an interest in their lives (while not muddling the line of friend and authority figure). Once good relationships are formed it becomes easier to get an understanding for one another, thus making it easier to learn when someone needs help or is struggling because of anxiety over school or their social life.