book review

Managing Your Classroom With Heart by Katy Ridenouer

Book Review by Beth Porter

The introduction began with Ridenouer describing her early experiences as a teacher. After two years of teaching, she decided to quit and pursue a different career. This is what she thought she wanted. She writes,

For six months or so, I convinced myself that I had made a good choice. Then the dreams about my classroom started. I was in front of my 8th graders, leading a grammar lesson. I saw their willing faces. I saw them. I then realized that I had expected everyone else to change while I remained the same. I expected the surly child to be pleasant, but I did nothing to encourage this behavior. I expected the underachieving child to work to his potential, but I did nothing to bring this about. I even expected the motivated child to stay motivated but did nothing to contribute to that end. My eyes opened, I returned to teaching and I have never looked back.

Ridenouer writes that she had to take the risk to actually care about her students and become a facilitator instead of a commander in the classroom. She had to change her attitude and perspective in order to really see her students; it wasn't about her, it was about them. To discover how her students felt about teachers, she gave them a survey at the end of the year asking questions about their teachers. The teachers who weren't caring toward their students received negative responses from the students—they felt bad about going to class, didn't like the subject, and probably didn't learn too much. Students who felt like the teachers did care about them were excited to go to class, were excited to learn, and overall achieved more success. Ridenouer argues that a positive, caring attitude can inspire students to like learning and to be academically successful. She writes, "The feeling of self-worth these students' comments express is a bridge to any kind of success. When these students believed in themselves, they found that each of their subjects was easier" (Introduction). Ridenouer firmly believes that accepting students and inspiring them to be excited about your subject will help teachers achieve their own curricular goals; this excitement can also motivate students.

Questions:

How do you show your students that you care?

How do you achieve a balance between caring and getting the work done?

Chapter One: Choosing to Care

Before any learning can begin, Ridenouer discusses the importance of the students feeling safe in their environment. Students cannot focus on learning if they feel threatened and unsafe in the classroom. It is part of the teacher's job to ensure that they are safe and will be protected. The teacher must make a connection with their students and the students need to feel safe both "physically and intellectually" (Ridenouer).

Making a connection with students is no easy task. There are many barriers between teachers and students that can hinder this connection. Ridenouer writes, "There are many obstacles that can stand in the way of this connection, including age difference, economic difference, values difference, and attitude difference. As professionals, we have to make it our job to recognize these obstacles, plan for them, and deal with them" (Chapter One). How do we overcome these obstacles? How do we connect with our students when we all have had different life experiences?

In the next section of the chapter, Ridenouer tells a story about a classroom in which the teacher does not care about her students. The story illustrates the teacher's frustrations with the students, her inability to control the classroom, and the unwillingness of the students to listen and follow instructions. It is clear that the teacher does not respect her students, and in return, her students act disrespectful toward her. Instead of listening to her students when they are making connections to the story they are reading to their real lives, she dismisses them, and fails to see how they are relevant. She fails to see that her students are making connections to the literature and are trying to find how it relates to their lives. In short, she simply does not care what they have to say; all she can focus on is how they are messing up her lesson plan. It is no wonder that her students act out and refuse to participate. It is not the students who are not invested in the class, it is the teacher. Her refusal to be open and listen to her students creates a hostile environment in which the students feel like they do not matter.

The teacher in this scenario refused to use the connections her students were making to the literature into a discussion that every one could participate in; these discussions would strengthen her lesson, not take away from it. And by acknowledging what her students were going through, the teacher would show that she did care about her students; this would create a classroom environment where her students would feel safe telling their own stories. By validating the students emotionally and intellectually, they get the sense that the teacher is listening and that the teacher cares about what is being said.

Another problem in this scenario is that the teacher allows the students to control the classroom. Ridenouer writes, "Students want to feel that they are in a controlled environment. I do not mean a dictatorship type of control, but a managed control, where reasonable, logical thinking reigns. If the teacher is not controlling the class, the class will control itself" (Chapter One). The teacher in the story allows herself to be distracted and manipulated by the students' actions instead of calmly managing her classroom. She needs to recognize that when students act out, they are looking for attention, and are also seeking to throw the teacher off course. Instead of getting upset and yelling, the teacher in the story should deal with these students in a calm, rational manner.

Questions:

What can we do, as teachers, to show our students that we value them as human beings?

How do we turn the negative behavior of students into a positive, caring learning environment?

Chapter Three: Balancing Care and Discipline

Throughout this discussion of caring, I have questioned how we show our students that we do care. Ridenouer comes up with a pretty good answer, "We show our care for students through high expectations, awareness of their lives, and being human with them. Some days this is easy; other days it is not" (Chapter Three). The negative responses students had to their teachers who did not care felt like they were not treated like human beings; they felt lost and insignificant. These teachers failed to encourage their students to work harder and to do better; they failed to believe in their ability.

Ridenouer tells a story about two students who stopped going to class. This is a major concern for a teacher and the question always is how do you get the students to come back to class? Ridenouer takes a two-pronged approach. She writes, "I told both of them that they could make up the work. I talked to their parents. I told them every time that I saw them that I missed them and would love to help them. I wrote referrals to the office, and the administration disciplined them" (Chapter Three). These actions are a balance between caring and discipline; she let the students know she missed them and wanted to help but also took all the disciplinary actions that the school offered. One student came back and the other chose to fail.

Ridenouer gives us a great step by step guide for what she calls "caring discipline".

Step One: A non-verbal warning

"When you notice someone whose behavior is off task or otherwise out of bounds, take a private, mostly nonverbal approach. Make eye contact, squeeze the student's shoulder, or lean down and whisper, 'May I help you with something?'"

This approach lets the student know that you have noticed that something is going on without embarrassing them in front of the class. It gives them an opportunity to explain themselves but does not put them on the defensive.

Step Two: A verbal warning

"If the student persists, quietly inform him that you will need to see him after class. This gives the student time to think about his actions and stop them, showing you that he is capable of working within your limits. It also tells the rest of the class that you are aware of the problem and will handle it."

Here is another opportunity for the student to explain themselves. The teacher should let the student explain without judging them or making them feel bad. The teacher should act as a sounding-board for the student to express what is going on.

Step Three: A private conversation

"If the behavior persists or reoccurs during the same class period, figure out a way to have a private talk with the student right then. I usually meet with the student in the hallway. Of course, this can be frustrating if you are lecturing, for example, or conducting another activity that you must lead. (I keep an alternative assignment at the ready for just this kind of situation.) The temptation is certainly to send the student out or to ignore the behavior. Each teacher's decision here will be based on his or her level of tolerance and the kind of classroom atmosphere that's most conducive to the particular group of students' learning."

Because this step occurs during class, it is more effective to keep the conversation brief. Ridenouer also advises teachers to use "I" statements instead of using statements beginning with "You". This will promote an open, honest conversation and encourages students to understand how they are making the teacher feel when they misbehave. This approach also gives the student the chance to explain what the problem is.

Step Four: Removal from class and conversation with parents

"If the behavior persists, have the student removed from class. It is unfair to allow one person to dominate the class and cheat the other students out of their education. In our school, we have "lockout." This is a monitored room where teachers send all tardy students and students who are causing disciplinary problems."

The same night the teacher decides to remove a student from the class it is also wise to call the parents and have a conversation with them about what is going on. Again, "I" statements are encouraged and the teacher should have the student's grades and attendance records handy, to back up the case they are making to the parent.

Finally, Ridenouer gives teachers advice about knowing when to pick your battles (which seems self-explanatory), helping students change their behavior, and admitting to making mistakes. Overall, Ridenouer stresses that teachers should treat their students with respect and give them a chance to be heard. Her belief is the best way to treat students is to remember that they are human beings, too, and that they seek to be validated and respected. She also emphasizes that teachers should remember their own humanity; every one makes mistakes and students will respect you more when you own up to them.

Is it realistic to manage a classroom in this way? What are some possible drawbacks to this method (if any?)