The First Day of High School: Establishing Classroom Expectations and Building Relationships

SBCUSD

17 Aug 201806:22

Summary

TLDRMr. Gomez, a teacher, warmly welcomes students to his Math 3 class, emphasizing the importance of establishing relationships and creating a safe learning environment. He uses a seating chart to balance students' math skills and language levels, asserting authority while fostering a structured classroom. Mr. Gomez engages students with a scavenger hunt activity using the syllabus, ensuring active participation. He shares personal stories to humanize himself, highlighting his immigrant parents' struggles and the opportunities available to his students, aiming to inspire and connect with them on a deeper level.

Takeaways

🎓 Mr. Gomez is a teacher who starts the class by having students find their seats according to a seating chart.
🧢 He acknowledges a student's hat but requests it not to be worn in class, showing a balance of friendliness and authority.
🤝 Mr. Gomez emphasizes building relationships with his students, especially those he hasn't met before, to make them feel welcome and safe.
📈 He creates a seating chart that strategically groups students based on their math skills and language levels to foster mutual support.
🧩 The seating arrangement is designed to establish structure and demonstrate Mr. Gomez's authority while also being pedagogically sound.
📚 Mr. Gomez uses a scavenger hunt approach with the syllabus to engage students actively rather than just lecturing.
📝 He encourages students to write down the rules from the syllabus, promoting participation and ensuring they understand the class expectations.
📖 The syllabus is used as a tool for students to interact with, making the learning process more dynamic and less passive.
📢 Mr. Gomez shares personal stories about his parents to humanize himself and inspire students, showing that education can break barriers.
💡 He believes in the importance of making connections with students, suggesting that caring and being present is as important as academic knowledge.
🌟 Mr. Gomez's enthusiasm and energy in the classroom are meant to convey his love for teaching and inspire students to engage with the subject.

Q & A

What is the significance of the hat mentioned in the script?
-The hat is a personal item of a student that Mr. Gomez acknowledges positively but requests not to be worn in class, indicating a balance between personal expression and classroom rules.
Why does Mr. Gomez emphasize the seating chart on the first day?
-Mr. Gomez uses the seating chart to establish structure and control in the classroom, ensuring that students with varying math skills are seated together to facilitate peer support.
How does Mr. Gomez plan to use the syllabus in his class?
-Mr. Gomez distributes a scavenger hunt-style sheet to engage students in actively finding answers in the syllabus, rather than just passively listening to him, to make the process more interactive and memorable.
What is Mr. Gomez's approach to building relationships with his students on the first day?
-Mr. Gomez focuses on making personal connections with his students by greeting them outside, finding common ground, and sharing personal stories to make them feel safe and welcome in his class.
Why does Mr. Gomez share his family's background with the students?
-Mr. Gomez shares his family's background to humanize himself, show his own struggles, and inspire students by demonstrating that they have the option to pursue their aspirations despite their backgrounds.
What does Mr. Gomez imply about the importance of language and education in his family's story?
-Mr. Gomez highlights the lack of language skills and formal education in his parents' generation to contrast with the opportunities and choices available to his students, emphasizing the value of education.
How does Mr. Gomez use humor to connect with his students?
-Mr. Gomez uses humor, such as imitating his father's attempts at speaking English, to make his students laugh and feel at ease, which helps in building rapport and a positive classroom atmosphere.
What is the purpose of Mr. Gomez's storytelling on the first few days of class?
-Mr. Gomez uses storytelling to establish a human connection with his students, showing that he is relatable and approachable, which is crucial for creating a supportive learning environment.
How does Mr. Gomez's approach to the first day of class reflect his teaching philosophy?
-Mr. Gomez's approach reflects a teaching philosophy that values relationship building, student empowerment, and active engagement over mere authority and control.
What does Mr. Gomez believe is the key to students' success in his class?
-Mr. Gomez believes that the key to students' success is not just his knowledge of math but also how much he cares about them, suggesting that emotional support and investment are as important as academic instruction.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Welcoming and Seating Students

Mr. Gomez, the teacher, is welcoming students to class N203 and instructing them to find their seats using a seating chart. He engages with students individually, trying to build relationships and make them feel safe and welcomed. He emphasizes the importance of the seating chart not only for structure but also for academic purposes, ensuring a mix of skill levels in each group. Mr. Gomez also stresses the significance of the first day in establishing authority and setting expectations for the class environment.

05:01

🌟 Building Connections and Setting Expectations

In this paragraph, Mr. Gomez continues to focus on the importance of building relationships with his students. He believes that making connections and showing care are crucial for student engagement. He shares his personal story, including his parents' background and the challenges they faced, to humanize himself and inspire his students. Mr. Gomez uses the first day of class to not only set rules and expectations but also to motivate students by highlighting the opportunities available to them, encouraging them to dream big and consider various career paths.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Seating Chart

A seating chart is a visual representation of where each student should sit in a classroom. In the video, Mr. Gomez uses a seating chart to establish a structured environment and control from the first day of class. It's also a strategic tool to group students with varying math skills, ensuring that stronger students can support those who struggle. The seating chart serves as a physical manifestation of the teacher's authority and organization, setting the tone for the classroom dynamics.

💡Relationship Building

Relationship building refers to the process of establishing and nurturing positive connections with others. Mr. Gomez emphasizes the importance of connecting with his students on a personal level, as seen when he greets them outside and tries to find common ground. This approach is crucial for creating a safe and welcoming classroom environment where students feel valued and understood, which in turn can enhance their learning experience.

💡Authority

Authority in an educational context refers to the power or right that a teacher has to enforce rules and maintain order in the classroom. Mr. Gomez demonstrates his authority by implementing a seating chart and establishing classroom rules. However, he also balances this with a personal touch, showing that authority can be exercised with care and empathy, which is essential for effective teaching.

💡Syllabus

A syllabus is a document that outlines the course content, expectations, and policies. In the video, Mr. Gomez uses a scavenger hunt approach with the syllabus, engaging students in an active learning activity that requires them to find answers within the document. This method is more interactive than a traditional lecture and helps to reinforce the importance of the syllabus while making the process less枯燥.

💡Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a game where participants search for a list of items or answers. Mr. Gomez adapts this concept for his classroom by having students complete a 'syllabus scavenger hunt,' which requires them to find specific information in the syllabus. This activity is a creative way to engage students and ensure they are familiar with the course material and expectations.

💡Control

Control in this context refers to the management and direction of a situation or environment. Mr. Gomez mentions that having a seating chart on the first day gives him more control over the classroom. It's a way for him to organize the space and the students, which can contribute to a more structured and focused learning environment.

💡Math Skills

Math skills are the abilities and knowledge required to solve mathematical problems and understand mathematical concepts. Mr. Gomez considers the varying math skills of his students when creating the seating chart, aiming to balance groups with a mix of abilities. This strategy can facilitate peer learning and support, which is beneficial for a diverse classroom.

💡Rules

Rules in an educational setting are guidelines or principles that students are expected to follow. Mr. Gomez discusses the importance of establishing clear rules and expectations from the outset. He uses the syllabus to communicate these rules to his students, emphasizing the need for a structured and respectful classroom environment.

💡Personal Stories

Personal stories are narratives that individuals share about their own experiences. Mr. Gomez uses personal stories, such as his parents' backgrounds and the challenges they faced, to connect with his students and demonstrate his humanity. This approach can help build rapport and show students that their teacher understands and relates to their experiences.

💡Expectations

Expectations are the beliefs about what will or should happen in a given situation. In the classroom, Mr. Gomez sets high expectations for his students, both in terms of behavior and academic performance. He communicates these expectations through the rules and his interactions with students, aiming to motivate them to achieve their potential.

💡Connection

Connection refers to the establishment of a relationship or link between people. Mr. Gomez emphasizes the importance of making a connection with his students, noting that they care about how much he cares about them. Building this connection is vital for fostering a positive classroom atmosphere where students feel supported and valued.

Highlights

Mr. Gomez greets students warmly and instructs them to find their seats based on a seating chart.

He acknowledges a student's hat but requests it not to be worn in class, showing a balance of friendliness and authority.

Mr. Gomez emphasizes the importance of establishing a relationship with students, especially those he hasn't met before.

The seating chart is strategically designed to group students with varying math skills, promoting peer support.

Mr. Gomez uses the seating chart as a tool for structure and control on the first day of class.

He believes that establishing authority early on is crucial for setting the tone for the learning environment.

Students are given a syllabus scavenger hunt to engage them actively with the course material.

Mr. Gomez prefers printed syllabus activities over PowerPoint presentations to increase student participation.

He shares personal stories to humanize himself and connect with students on a deeper level.

Mr. Gomez discusses his parents' backgrounds to inspire students and show that educational and career aspirations are possible.

He stresses the importance of making connections with students, suggesting that they care more about his investment in them than his mathematical knowledge.

Mr. Gomez's enthusiasm and energy are highlighted as a way to show his commitment to his students.

The transcript showcases Mr. Gomez's approach to creating a structured yet welcoming classroom environment.

Mr. Gomez's use of humor and personal anecdotes helps to build rapport and set a positive classroom atmosphere.

The seating chart serves a dual purpose of classroom management and academic support through strategic grouping.

Mr. Gomez's emphasis on the syllabus as a tool for student engagement and understanding of class expectations.

The transcript illustrates Mr. Gomez's belief in the power of relationships in education and his efforts to connect with his students.