Connecting Instruction and Management in a Student-Centered Classroom
Ms. Thompson's seventh grade stu dents have been studying the solar system and are busily working in cooperative learning groups. Each group has been assigned one planet and their objective is to create a description of a being that could live on "their" planet. Because Ms. Thompson has done a good job of orches trating positive interdependence, students are relying on their groups to achieve their objective while the teacher serves as a facilitator (Johnson, Johnson, Holubec, & Roy, 1988). The noise level here is slightly higher than in the typical classroom as students interact with each other and fulfill their assigned roles. The teacher explained the rules for behavior to the students prior to beginning the project: "Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself," "Let others have a chance to speak," and "Contribute to your group." She has predetermined consequences for both appropriate and inappropriate behavior and shared those with the class. Ray and Bill have been having trouble getting along together and today does not seem to be an exception as they continue to "pick on" each other. Even though a warning has been issued to both students, there is yet another altercation between them. Ms. Thompson explains, "Boys, this means detention for both of you." Ray turns pale and looks upset. Bill continues poking Ray with his pencil and says, "Detention's no big deal. I don't care." Ms. Thompson explains to Bill that a call to his par ents will be made. The classroom environment promoted by this teacher is typical of many middle school teachers. The instruction was creative and student centered, but the classroom management techniques were expedient and teacher centered. There can be little doubt that an inter
An Open Letter to Middle Level Educators--A Parent's Concern.
As we settle in for the drive home, pre dictably I make some inquiry about the school day, "Hey, how'd it go?" Often, with some non-verbal excitement, he reports about a fun and typically challenging experi ence; the stage is set for a warmer, lighter evening with family. Too frequently, the day's assessment is discouraging with noth ing easily recalled as having some quality of enjoyment or meaningfulness; the evening on the home front can be colored "blue."
The Influence of the Supervision of Psychotherapy upon being Therapeutic: II: Modes of Influence of the Supervisory Relationship *
Through supervision, the student develops those innate personal characteristics which are highly important in being therapeutic. In making conscious use of “reality identification” by the student with his teacher, we must take care to avoid certain pitfalls. What is not wanted is transference identification. To help avoid this, we must select appropriate teachers as supervisors. The student should also have more than one supervisor, as this tends to protect against the development of over-idealization on the part of the student, and of omnipotence on the part of the teacher. Personal characteristics of both students and supervisors are extremely important. A good supervisory experience is the most likely vehicle for developing those qualities in the student which will, in time, lead him to function most therapeutically.