Chorus and Class Management: Early Observation #3
One of the biggest lessons I learned about classroom management during student teaching came from helping in kindergarten chorus each week. Chorus was a difficult setting for many of the students because all of kindergarten came together in one space, which naturally made it feel more social and exciting than the two classrooms. On top of that, the class took place in the Meeting for Worship room, where students were expected to sit calmly on church pews, listen, and manage their bodies for an extended period of time. Teacher Natalie, the chorus teacher, shared that most of her previous experience was with older students, so working with 35 kindergarteners in that environment was a learning experience for both of us.
Because I knew many of the students well from the classroom, I often stepped into a support role during chorus and found myself using a lot of Responsive Classroom strategies in real time. Reading Ruth Sidney Charney’s Teaching Children to Care: Management in the Responsive Classroom helped me think differently about management. Instead of viewing classroom management as “controlling” behavior, Responsive Classroom frames it as helping children learn how to function successfully within a community. That mindset shaped a lot of the decisions I made during chorus.
Most of my redirection was quiet and preventative. I used hand signals like “quiet coyote,” modeled expected behaviors like sitting safely or keeping hands in personal bubbles, and relied heavily on eye contact, and calm reminders instead of public correction. I also realized quickly that proximity and seating mattered. Since I knew which students distracted one another most easily, I loosely guided students toward seats where they would be more successful and closer to teacher support if needed. That small adjustment made a huge difference and reminded me how much classroom management begins with managing the environment before behavior issues even happen.
One student, Jim, especially pushed me to think carefully about responsive management. Jim is vocal, emotionally sensitive, and often needs very direct communication and clear expectations. One day during chorus, he entered already frustrated, covered his ears, and told me he did not want to sing. Through observation over time, I had learned that too much attention from adults sometimes escalated his emotions rather than helping him regulate. Instead of turning it into a power struggle, I responded calmly and confidently, reassuring him that he knew the songs and could do it. Throughout the lesson, he frequently looked toward me before following directions, almost checking for reassurance. I used small gestures, facial expressions, and modeling to redirect him back toward participating with Teacher Natalie and the class. When he interrupted instruction, I corrected him quietly and briefly without embarrassing him in front of peers.
Experiences like this taught me that strong classroom management is deeply connected to relationships. Responsive Classroom emphasizes that children are more likely to meet expectations when they feel safe, respected, and connected to the adults around them. I saw that firsthand in chorus. The students responded best when expectations were calm, consistent, and rooted in trust rather than punishment. I learned that classroom management is not about creating perfect silence or compliance. It is about building a classroom community where children gradually learn self regulation, responsibility, and care for one another.
