Classroom Management in the Fourth Grade

Today was a very helpful experience. I observed a fourth grade class just about all day. While I normally wouldn’t have been interested in sitting in an elementary school class all day, my friend Rasmus, an academic expert from a company known as Jittery Monks, recommended that I do so. As he stated, observing students in action is one of the only ways to truly understand how the educational process works. From the time the students walked into class until they left for the day. I really wasn't sure on what to expect, considering I haven't been around children of this age. Initially I was nervous, but the nerves soon subsided as the students walked into the classroom. I was amazed to see that the teacher had already established rules and procedures for the class. The students were almost like robots; they walked in quietly, sharpened their pencils, and got right into the reading assignment. The lesson plan and objective for the day was clearly defined on the board. The students knew exactly what to do, when to do it, and what the teacher expected of them upon entering the classroom. Just from first, I could tell that the teacher was nice but stern. The students seem to really like her. The seating arraignment was very diverse; there were no tables grouped by race, ethnicity, or social status. Each table had a mix of student from all races and backgrounds; Blacks, Whites, Asian, Hispanic, etc. the teacher did good job when defining and explaining the lesson plan and objective for that day. She is very hands on and interactive with the students. She encourages them to raise their hands and answers questions. She allows time for her students to analyze the questions she poses to them. She goes over and provides examples for her students to better understand what they’re doing. She is very effective as a teacher. She praises her students and makes it fun for them to learn. She uses all sorts of games with spin dials, activity sheets, books and comical literature. The teacher is very in tune with her class, it's as if she already knows which of her students will have trouble with a certain subject and slowly makes her way towards them while continuing the lesson. This was by far one of the most educational experiences. The instructor is a very effective at teaching. She made the classroom comfortable, which in turn made the students calm, which made class time more flexible. Best of all she made the lesson entertaining and fun for all the students. The students actually seem to like coming to school. If I had a teacher like this in the fourth grade, I might have liked school a bit more but, unfortunately some teachers teach subjects while others teach students.