Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/3058
more interruptions.” To maintain discipline, an ounce of prevention works best by fostering a per- sonal connection with them. “I eat lunch in my room and students are welcome to come in and socialize as long as they are well-behaved. Connecting to students is important. They know me well and I know them well. They feel that I care about them.” While it’s important to connect with students individually, it’s important to foster a sense of community within a larger class, he adds. “I try to give them positive reinforcement as a group, saying, ‘You guys did so well on a test, I’m very proud of you,’ and treat them as a class, or almost like one person. Otherwise, they will feel like 40 individuals and act like 40 individuals.” Sustachek has more than 40 students in some classes, including students with learning disabilities and English learners. He uses a lot of humor to hold their at- tention. For each class, he has mapped out a complex seating chart. He places struggling students nearest to him — and also puts them close to students that excel and can serve as “models.” Groups sit at tables and frequently discuss open-ended questions. They never know in advance which student will be called upon to an- swer. To save time, students are given numbers 1-8 at each table and he picks one number out of a hat to pick spokes- people at all tables. “That way, nobody can hide,” says Sus- tachek. It’s easier for students to hide — and fall between the cracks — when classes are overcrowded, says Lora Novak, a teacher at Westlake High School and a member of the Unified Association of Conejo Teachers. This includes advanced placement classes. “Students think that when they are one of 38, they can hide and let a few talkative people lead the class,” says No- vak. “But I have a seating chart with all their pictures on it. I make checks on it when they open their mouths and grade them on participation. When they know they are being held accountable in a large class setting, it forces them to talk and to contribute.” “It’s easier for students to hide and fall between the cracks when classes are overcrowded.” Lora Novak, Westlake High School Bob Sustachek’s crowded classroom at Martin Luther King Middle School. september 2009 | www.cta.org 9