Classroom Management

I had previously posted regarding a transition in my thinking about the contributions I bring to the classroom in PIDP 3250 and the PIDP itself. I shifted from a place of negativity about how vastly different my experience was compared to others, to realizing the difference is the value. And, with 10 years in corporate training, I’ve experienced a LOT of different classrooms and have unknowingly developed some Best Practices which I am reading about in our forum topic Classroom Management.

As I was thinking about our discussion, I realized that I needed to make one of my “lists” (I’m know for them) – this one is comparisons. Here it is, the differences between corporate on the job training and post secondary education (the way I’ve experienced it).

First some background:

• I come from the corporate world – on the job training (OJT)
• Most of my training is with individual organizations with multiple roles in the classes. Once or twice a year, I teach multiple organizations with the same roles
• I mostly do remote, shorter sessions, when I go on site, it’s for multiple days
• I’m training our clients many of whom are long term clients 6+ years

Differences

• I’m working with already formed teams. Post-secondary is working with individuals who may form teams for projects during the class.
• Their behavior is governed by their employer. While they may not be participating, 99.9% are behaving appropriately.
• They are a captured audience – 100%. Therefore, my key challenge is engagement (not classroom behavior).
• Cell phones / laptops / email belong in the classroom, they are work devices – participants may also need to leave the room – they are at work!

Similarities

• Engagement – Although, sometimes I feel like I need to work harder at adding the value because they are 100% captured audience. If my training flops, I don’t necessarily have another session with which to re-engage them.
• Classroom Presence – Here is a link to a great 5 item list which a classmate shared and to which I adhere. With an exception – I’ve realized the vast majority of side talking is actually brainstorming about how to operationalize the information and it needs to be incorporated into the discussion. This is the learners realizing the value of my lessons. This is incorporating new information into what they currently know. Its also a form a conversion which Brookfield discusses in his book The Skillful Teacher which was used for our Professional Practice Course.