It would be nice to get some group responses on this from Meg:
Hi Ben,
On Friday I talked to my administration and my classroom management issues came up (it is my 2nd year). Admin said that they agree with TCI philosophy, but believe that teaching with CI “is not conducive to management because the kids just sit there and listen. They don’t feel accountable or that they have a part in the learning, so they are misbehaving.”
Of course my class isn’t just listening but interacting with me via choral responses, questions, and other ways of interacting with input. Students have said to understand they just need to pay attention, and have mentioned how the French just “sticks” in their head. As proof, attached are some things my 8th graders wrote when we did numbered heads together after a story I wrote based on National Lampoon Xmas vacation (lots of input has lead to some rich output after just 2 years with me).
We did a book study with admin on BVP’s new book. My hunch is that admin is just so used to seeing and observing the way content matter is taught, this is so engrained in their observation. Maybe they are frustrated with the management issues that often stem from some “pigs” in my classes. But admin’s thoughts are incredibly frustrating and I’ve spent the weekend feeling disheartened. To paraphrase Carol Gaab, my reaction is, “So what you’re telling me is I should knowingly teach ineffectively just so that students will behave?” (and they might not even behave then…)
I have some ideas on how to appease, such as Tina H’s and Carol H’s solutions to teach “the other way” some of the time. Or to self-contain misbehavior so that admin doesn’t get wind of it (we’ll see to what extent I can do that though). I just had to write in because I feel like your community uniquely understands these types of dilemmas and how they hurt.
I hope you are doing well. Thanks for everything you do for our community.
Best,
Meg
Here are the writing samples Meg refers to above (numbered heads together):
