Modeling

Over the past weeks, I have read several articles about classroom management, school discipline programs, reading workshop, and music education. While that is an array of topics, they all come down to one thing: modeling! Oftentimes, I believe that those who teach in secondary rely too heavily on our elementary counterparts to model everything and fall victim to the saying "they should know how to do this by now." I feel we disservice students when we assume they know how things should be, how routines play out, or teachers' expectations, unless otherwise modeled for them. This applies not only to discipline but other aspects of teaching as well. For example, would a science teacher not show the students how to use the burners? Or better, a chemistry teacher not explain and demonstrate what happens when various chemicals are mixed? I truly believe that there is never too much modeling. Students benefit from the structure it provides and are set up for success. Think about the next time you ask a student to do something. Do they know what you want and how you want it done? If not, take the time to model for them.