Here is an innovative way to help teachers hone their classroom management skills. The University of Central Florida has set up a virtual classroom for teachers to practice classroom management skills. To learn more about how virtual learning is occurring in this context, refer to this article in the Orlando Sentinel, and then post your comments. For beginning teachers, do you think this kind of virtual learning will work? What other possibilities can you envision for using virtual reality to prepare pre-service teachers as well teachers already in the classroom?
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/ucf/orl-virtualkid1508may15,0,7273706.story
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/ucf/orl-virtualkid1508may15,0,7273706.story
image from: www.todaysteacher.com
6 comments:
Wow! I really like this idea! Especially as a former DSAP teacher. Going into my classroom I had no idea of the challenges I would face nor did I really understand how complex classroom management is. I doubt this would help with all scenarios, but it might have made me feel a bit more confident in my abilities to handle all the situations that have come my way. I have several Marcus' in my current classroom at any given time. With a mix such as the one at 2RMMS life can be very surprising! Some advance practice would be great!
I agree with Jen. We did alot of work with a system that allowed us to do classroom management through classroom set up. Placing children with disabilities in seating charts given information about disabilities and behavior management issues but this site looks like it would have been a greater help in that assignment as you could see how the child would react in each given placement. This would help me, help the teachers place the students that I work with in appropriate places in their rooms for optium behavior and inclusion.
I agree with Jen and Nicki. In my coursework we learned a lot of ways to plan for success but this system actually allows you to practice what strategies you would use in a live situation with the unpredictable behavior of students. In my classroom management class we did practice this by setting up "classrooms" and having our colleagues play the parts of disruptive students but I think this process would be a quicker more accurate process in p[reparing for the real classroom.
The University of Central Florida seems to be a bit ahead of many other teaching programs. Although I think nothing can really prepare a beginning teacher of the many issues and conflicts that arise in their first few years of student teaching, it is still better than nothing. The "Classroom Management" course here at SJC was valuable in the way that it opens up students' minds to classroom management strategies and theories. However, trying them out on other Graduate students really does not help..we are all motivated and successful (not unmotivated, frustrated, unorganized, or behaviorally challenged).
I would have definitly taken advantage of this system had we had it at SJC. This is just one more way that technology used in the classroom really improves and supports learning.
Colleen, I completely agree with your statement about trying classroom management out on fellow SJC'ers...It is very hard for us to take each other seriously when we are simulating a classroom of rowdy kids. Plus many of use do not have the experiences that lend to negative behaviors in the classroom. I have several students currently that are very unmotivated and I havne't yet figured out how to motivate them. I love them to death and many seem to really like me, but that's not motivating to them, nor are grades, after school time, lunch time, parent conversations....etc...many just don't seem to have enough capacity left to take on the additional challenge of education along with their home issues.
Some day I leave the school thinking I didn't teach anything...but hopeing I did make a difference.
Jen B.
This idea has perked my interest, however I was unable to find the article on the hyperlink. I am wondering if there are examples of the virtual test that include children with significant special education issues, including physically dangerous behaviors.
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