Compare and contrast the information in Harry Wong’s The First Days of School and Fred Jones’ Tools for Teaching. Answer the following questions within your description. What are the strengths of each? What are the weaknesses of each? From what you have read in the two books, have you seen anything in action during your Field Experience? If so, explain. What concepts do you see yourself using in the classroom?
Overall, I found the information in both textbooks to be highly valuable, both professionally and personally. I learned many principles that would not only help me to be a more effective teacher, but also a better human being. For example, in The First Days of School in a section about classroom procedures, Harry Wong writes, “Responsibility and accomplishment are two things that all people must develop to be successful in life.” In his book Tools for Teaching, Fred Jones writes about the importance of remaining calm in the face of provocation. “Calm is strength. It is a skill. You will never be able to control a classroom until you are first in control of yourself. Meaning business is first and foremost being emotionally strong.”
My incidental learning notwithstanding, I also learned how to be a more effective teacher. Both authors similarly addressed the need of rigorous implementation of procedures and routines. Both textbooks went into great detail about the importance and “how to” of room arrangement for effective classroom management, as well as the importance of the teacher working the room for both behavioral management and lesson mastery.
One of Wong’s strengths, and where Jones’ was less strong, was his emphasis on respect and positive expectations. Chapter nine was devoted to invitational education, and chapter ten on increasing positive behavior. I appreciated Wong’s emphasis on using basic manners and words such as please, thank you, and my pleasure. I clearly recall an “ah-ha” moment when Wong taught to never use a student’s name in a negative, disciplinary tone. Because I have seen it modeled incorrectly so many times, until Wong pointed it out, I did not realize how negatively it impacts a student to hear his or her name used to correct misbehavior. To do so, according to Wong, is demeaning and degrading. From that point on, I have made a concerted effort to not do so.
Out in the field, I notice a general lack of common courtesy in classrooms. Those teachers, who have internalized respect for others, clearly stand out to me. This course on classroom management has brought this lost skill to my attention, and I now want to ensure that I deliberately use those words in my classroom. When students see teachers modeling respect, they are more likely to do the same. I definitely noted that each of the three decorated teachers in the virtual experience on CD behaved highly respectful toward their students and expected their students to do likewise.
One of Jones’ strengths was his detailed information and ideas on instruction and motivation, which Wong’s textbook almost completely lacked. Perhaps my favorite idea from Jones’ book, among many, was his instruction on modalities of learning. He emphasized how teachers can maximize comprehension and long term memory by integrating all three learning modalities, namely, auditory, visual and physical.
First, Jones addressed the verbal modality with his praise, prompt and leave technique, which emphasizes giving short steps, one at a time. The visual modality included a Visual Instructional Plan (VIP) that is a prepackaged task analysis in visual form. VIPs are a lesson plan that is a list of steps with a picture for each step. Finally, for the physical modality, Jones teaches his “Say, See, Do” Theory. This is similar to the tactile or kinesthetic learner who prefers hands on activities, where there is a high degree of engagement and exploration. Say, See and Do Teaching helps integrate all three learning modalities. The brain constructs and decodes patterns. The three modality approach puts learning into one pattern. Students learn best by first telling them what to do, then showing them what to do, and then having them do it. We learn by doing. We learn one step at a time. Jones quotes a Chinese Proverb that sums it all up, “I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.”
Where both textbooks fell short was in the area of behavioral theories and mistaken goals. The course instruction covered these areas and provided types of discipline such as preventative, supportive and corrective that I found most helpful. I liked having a hierarchy of consequences outlined, with examples of verbal and non-verbal prompts that would help me, as a teacher, keep appropriate discipline ideas readily available such as utilizing “I” messages and using a sense of humor whenever possible. Jones provided much more help in this area than Wong with his chapters on limit setting, responsibility training, and back-up systems. I also preferred Jones’ approach to discipline which appeared more dynamic and not as prescriptive as Wong’s. Jones’ approach to teaching allowed for more individualization and tailoring to specific situations than Wong’s universal, one size fits all approach. Because I thought Wong’s textbook was less informative, I realized his book was aptly titled, The First Days of School.
I have learned a great deal from both books, but more from Jones. I appreciated Jones reminding me to not be ambivalent when it comes to discipline. If I am of two minds, I will send a mixed message. As he suggests, I decided that when I teach discipline comes before instruction, at all times. I liked all his examples of effective teachers, all of whom knew how to mean business, from his mother to his elementary school teacher, Ms. Haines, to Queen Victoria’s direct and regal, “We are not amused.”
In summary, Jones’ textbook was a more holistic approach to teaching. He covered the three pillars of classroom management: discipline, instruction and motivation. I believe the most effective teachers have mastered all three skills. Now, I must go forward and strive to practice these skills, and that’s the hard part - implementation!
