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The Roaring Twenties
4th Grade Social Studies Lesson
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

T: Teacher
Ss: Group of Students
G: Gabby (student)
L: Lilly (student)

T: We've got one--the depression cycle in a nutshell.  Factories are laying off workers….
Ss: (Talking amongst themselves)
T: When I turn my back does that mean everyone should talk?
Ss: No!
T: Quiet as the movie!  Ok, people lost their jobs…
Ss: (A few students talking amongst themselves)
T: I still hear some talking!....still hear talking…
T: People can't buy things, they don't have money.  What do you think happens then?  Gabby, what happens?
G: Stores go out of business.
T: Then what?  Lilly…
L: Stores don't have any orders.
T: No orders!

The purpose of this short audio clip is to showcase an instance in which I am working towards my semester goal/focus: using multiple forms of classroom management skills. I chose this clip because it demonstrates two forms of classroom management used to keep a small group of talking students on task. When beginning a short lecture on the cycle of the Great Depression, a group of students interrupted the class by talking amongst themselves.  Students had been having a difficult time staying on task on this particular day, which provided me the opportunity to use some different classroom management skills.  This video clip captures me using a firm tone to clearly communicate my expectations of students to listen, not talk.  They were to be as quiet as they were in the previous activity, a short video clip.  Two particular students ignored expectations and continued talking.  As shown in the video, I continued to be firm with the students to show that there were to be no exceptions to classroom rules at this time.  As I continued with the lecture, I used another form of management to ensure these students would stay on task.  I included the students in the lecture by asking them questions about a diagram I was drawing on the board.  This kept students engaged in the lesson and away from the temptation to talk out of turn.