How-To Start Class Like a Boss

Real Rap With Reynolds
5 Sept 202316:24
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video script details the presenter's strategy for starting a class efficiently and effectively. They emphasize the importance of creating a focused learning environment, beginning with greeting each student at the door to show respect and gauge their mood. The script outlines setting clear daily objectives on the board, using timers to build a sense of urgency, and delegating tasks to students. The presenter shares tips for engaging students, managing time, and transitioning smoothly between activities, all aimed at maximizing instructional time and fostering student growth.

Takeaways
  • 😀 Starting class effectively is crucial for maintaining instructional time and focus.
  • 👋 Greeting every student at the door establishes respect and helps gauge their readiness for class.
  • 📝 Having clear daily objectives on the board reduces questions and builds a rhythm of expectation for students.
  • ⏳ Providing estimated times for activities helps alleviate student anxiety and creates a sense of urgency.
  • 🚫 Strict adherence to seating and assignment distribution upon bell ring helps establish classroom discipline.
  • 📚 Assigning students to hand out and collect papers allows the teacher to focus on classroom interaction and student engagement.
  • 🗣️ Repeating instructions and breaking them down helps accommodate different learning paces and needs.
  • 🕒 Using a timer on the board helps students manage their time and understand the limits of each activity.
  • 📈 Observing shifts in classroom energy to determine when to transition from one activity to another is essential for maintaining engagement.
  • 📑 Journal entries serve as a pre-class activity that allows for student reflection and participation.
  • 🔄 Effective transitions between activities are key to maximizing instructional time and minimizing disruptions.
Q & A

  • What is the main challenge the speaker initially faced when starting to teach?

    -The speaker initially struggled with losing instructional time due to not knowing how to quickly and effectively start their class.

  • What does the speaker mean by 'starting class like a boss'?

    -Starting class like a boss refers to creating a focused classroom environment conducive to student learning, rather than acting like an authoritarian figure.

  • Why does the speaker choose to shake hands with every student at the door?

    -Shaking hands is a sign of respect and helps the speaker acknowledge each student, making them feel visible and important, and also allows the speaker to gauge the class's mood.

  • What is the purpose of having daily objectives on the board?

    -The objectives on the board help to alleviate questions from students about what activities are planned for the day and create a rhythm where students know to check the board for the day's plan.

  • Why does the speaker include time estimates for each activity on the board?

    -Time estimates help students understand the duration of each activity, reduce anxiety about activities that may be uncomfortable for them, and create a sense of urgency to complete tasks within the given time.

  • What is the speaker's opinion on writing out Core Curriculum standards on the board?

    -The speaker believes that while teachers should know the objectives, writing out the Core Curriculum standards in full every day is unnecessary and can be boring for students.

  • How does the speaker ensure that students are seated and ready to start class?

    -The speaker has built a rhythm where students know they must be seated when the bell rings; if not, they are marked as late, and they do not receive their assignment papers until they are seated.

  • What is the speaker's approach to handling assignments in the classroom?

    -The speaker delegates responsibility to students for handing out and collecting assignments, which frees up the speaker to focus on interacting with students and managing the class.

  • Why does the speaker use a timer during class activities?

    -The speaker uses a timer to create a sense of urgency and to help students understand how much time they have left to complete an activity, promoting self-governance and discipline.

  • How does the speaker manage the sharing of journal entries in class?

    -The speaker allows certain students to share their journal entries, but once they sense a shift in the classroom's energy, they save the remaining shares for the end of class as a 'swan song' to conclude the day.

  • What is the speaker's strategy for transitioning between activities in class?

    -The speaker plans to create a video on how they manage transitions, which is a common area where teachers lose instructional time. The strategy involves efficient movement from one activity to the next without delay.

Outlines
00:00
🧑‍🏫 Establishing Classroom Rhythm and Respect

The speaker emphasizes the importance of starting class effectively to maximize instructional time. They share their experience of developing a classroom rhythm that allows them to begin every class smoothly. The concept of 'starting class like a boss' is clarified, indicating it's not about being authoritarian but creating a focused learning environment. The speaker explains the significance of meeting each student at the door, shaking hands as a sign of respect, and establishing the 'give respect, get respect' rule. This practice also helps the teacher gauge the mood and needs of the students. The summary highlights the teacher's intent to create a conducive learning space, addressing issues like student engagement and distractions.

05:03
📝 Setting Clear Objectives and Managing Time

The paragraph discusses the teacher's strategy of having daily objectives and time allocations written on the board to eliminate student uncertainty about the day's activities. The speaker mentions the importance of providing a clear overview to reduce anxiety and build a sense of urgency. They also touch on the topic of aligning objectives with curriculum standards, sharing their personal opinion on the matter and suggesting a practical approach to connecting objectives with real-life situations. The summary also covers the teacher's method of delegating tasks like handing out and collecting assignments to students, streamlining the process and allowing the teacher to focus on other responsibilities.

10:05
🕒 Utilizing Timers and Encouraging Student Participation

This section of the script describes the use of timers to manage class time effectively and to instill a sense of urgency among students. The speaker prefers simple, non-anxiety-inducing timers and explains how they use them to ensure students understand time constraints. The paragraph also addresses the strategy of not handing out assignments to students who are not seated promptly, using it as a method to enforce order and discipline. The speaker discusses the importance of self-governance and discipline in the classroom, emphasizing that students need to understand the consequences of not adhering to the established routine. The summary also includes the teacher's approach to sharing journal entries, adjusting the duration based on class energy and engagement.

15:08
🔄 Transitioning Smoothly and Engaging the Class

The final paragraph focuses on the importance of smooth transitions in the classroom to minimize time loss. The speaker shares their method of transitioning from one activity to another, ensuring that each student feels seen and interacted with. They mention delegating responsibilities to students and getting them involved in writing and speaking activities within the first minutes of class. The summary highlights the teacher's approach to maintaining momentum in the class, moving from one lesson component to the next without losing instructional time. The speaker also hints at a future video on effective transitions and encourages viewers to watch another video on their first day of class setup.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Instructional Time
Instructional time refers to the period during which teaching and learning activities are supposed to take place. In the video's context, the speaker emphasizes the importance of utilizing instructional time effectively by establishing a classroom rhythm that minimizes disruptions and maximizes learning opportunities. The script mentions the loss of instructional time due to inefficient class starts, highlighting the need for strategies to start class 'like a boss'.
💡Classroom Rhythm
Classroom rhythm is the established pattern of activities and routines that create a structured and predictable learning environment. The video discusses how the teacher has developed a rhythm that allows for a smooth start to each class, setting the stage for focused student learning. This rhythm includes elements like greeting students at the door, setting clear objectives, and managing time efficiently.
💡Respect
Respect, as used in the script, is a foundational principle in the classroom where the teacher and students acknowledge each other's worth and dignity. The teacher's practice of shaking hands with every student symbolizes respect and contributes to a positive classroom culture. The concept of 'give respect, get respect' is a rule that underscores the importance of mutual respect in creating a conducive learning environment.
💡Objectives
Objectives in the educational context are the intended learning outcomes or goals for a lesson. The script describes how the teacher writes daily objectives on the board to clarify what students will be doing and to alleviate potential confusion. This practice is aimed at creating a clear roadmap for the class and ensuring that students understand the purpose of each activity.
💡Sense of Urgency
A sense of urgency is the feeling that something needs to be done promptly and is not to be delayed. In the video, the teacher uses timers and clear time allocations for activities to instill this sense, preventing students from procrastinating and ensuring that tasks are completed within the allotted time. This approach helps in maintaining the pace of the class and keeping students engaged.
💡Delegation
Delegation is the act of assigning tasks or responsibilities to others. The script mentions that the teacher delegates tasks such as handing out and collecting assignments to students, which frees up the teacher's time and teaches students responsibility. This strategy is part of creating an efficient classroom where students play an active role in classroom management.
💡Journal Entry
A journal entry is a written exercise often used to prompt reflection or to prepare students for the day's lesson. The video describes the teacher's routine of having students write and sometimes share their journal entries. This activity serves multiple purposes, including engaging students in writing, fostering a thinking routine, and occasionally providing a segue into the lesson.
💡Attention
Attention in a classroom setting refers to the focus and concentration students give to the teacher or the task at hand. The script discusses the importance of capturing and maintaining students' attention, especially when giving directions or explaining activities. The teacher uses strategies like asking for a specific amount of attention time to ensure that students are fully present during key moments.
💡Teachable Moment
A teachable moment is an opportunity to instruct or enlighten that arises spontaneously, often from a student's comment or question. The video mentions that the teacher is alert to these moments, which can extend discussions or shift the direction of a lesson in a meaningful way. The teacher's awareness of the energy in the room helps in identifying when to seize these moments.
💡Transitions
Transitions in a classroom refer to the shifts from one activity or lesson segment to another. The script notes that the teacher will cover strategies for smooth transitions in a separate video, indicating that effective transitions are crucial for minimizing downtime and maintaining the flow of instruction. In the context of the video, transitions are part of the classroom rhythm that contributes to a focused learning environment.
💡Discipline
Discipline in an educational context is the practice of self-control and adherence to rules, which is essential for a productive learning environment. The script uses the example of students needing to be seated to receive an assignment, emphasizing the importance of discipline in managing time and ensuring that students understand the consequences of their actions in the classroom.
Highlights

Creating a classroom rhythm for effective instructional time.

Defining 'starting class like a boss' as fostering a conducive learning environment, not dictatorship.

Importance of acknowledging students at the door for respect and visibility.

Using the door greeting to gauge students' mood and needs for the day.

Displaying daily objectives on the board to clarify what will be done and alleviate student questions.

Assigning time estimates to activities to build rhythm and reduce anxiety.

Creating a sense of urgency with time limits to improve focus and productivity.

Avoiding detailed curriculum standards on the board to prevent boredom and confusion.

Delegating tasks like handing out and collecting assignments to students to maintain order and efficiency.

Ensuring students are seated before the bell rings to establish a prompt start to class.

Using student helpers to distribute papers to seated students only, promoting timely seating.

Teaching students to self-govern by managing their time with the use of a timer.

Using journal entries as a pre-class activity to engage students and set the tone for the day.

Selectively sharing journal entries to maintain energy and interest in the classroom.

Recognizing when to transition from journal sharing to the main lesson to maintain momentum.

Incorporating student sharing as a 'swan song' or grand finale at the end of class.

Transitioning smoothly between activities to minimize time loss and maximize instructional time.

Encouraging viewers to watch the first day of class video for more insights on classroom management.

Inviting viewers to like, share, and subscribe for more educational content.

Transcripts

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Classroom ManagementTeaching TipsStudent EngagementInstructional TimeClassroom RhythmLearning SpaceClassroom RoutinesEducational StrategiesStudent LearningClassroom Dynamics