Classroom management

Classroom Management

Classroom management. A phrase found everywhere throughout the teaching profession, yet there are numerous opinions as to what exactly ‘classroom management’ actually entails. One way to look at it is to concentrate on what the teacher does to manage or respond to students? misbehavior when it takes place. This is what I found to be the most widespread understanding of the term: how the teacher disciplines and ‘keeps students in line.’ Preventive discipline/management is one approach used by teachers where the needs, rights and expectations of both the students and teacher are assessed, clarified, and communicated to one another. A clear, fair and consistent set of rule and consequences should also be jointly established, understood, and agreed upon by everyone in the class. Another step that the teacher should take is to create a warm and nurturing classroom atmosphere where students feel welcome and comfortable. For this, the physical environment of the classroom should be clean and pleasant, each student should be treated with dignity and respect, and self-esteem should be developed. The daily routines, lesson plans and assignments should make learning attractive, stimulating and fun for the students. Teachers should make every effort to make the curriculum relevant, appropriate, interesting and enjoyable, as this will help result in active participation in the learning process. Students also respond well to the idea of genuine incentives. Although the incentives should be both stimulating to the students and educationally valuable, it is possible to maintain student interest and participation if an incentive is attractive and available to all students. Teachers should vary the way they present their lesson from day to day, in order to ‘change things up’ and add variety and not fall into a rut, as this can be devastating in maintaining student attention. Demonstrations, discussions, group and individual activities should all be utilized in the classroom. Yet, no matter how organized, interesting, relevant or engaging a lesson may be, misbehavior is often unavoidable and should be dealt with quickly, consistently and respectfully. Since the time spent dealing with unnecessary disruptions would be much more productive spent teaching, the class defined consequences should take as little time as possible. Teachers may use non-verbal communication means such as body language, facial expressions, gestures, and eye contact in order to promote self-control by the student. It is also possible that a verbal reminder of the classroom rule and consequences will be all that is necessary to stop student misbehavior. Another method may be for the teacher to describe the action to the student and suggest an acceptable alternative action. For example: ‘instead of you reading that magazine, I would like you to work on your homework for the next 10 minutes, you can read the magazine later.’ At times, there is an attention-seeking student in the class, and if ignored, their misbehavior usually escalates to a level that cannot be overlooked. Therefore it is best if the teacher redirects the student’s behavior through giving him/her special tasks or appointing him/her as the teacher’s helper. It is important for the teacher to avoid ?power struggles? with students and again, it may be best to offer some position of authority or decision making. Although it is very important for the teacher to delicately handle misbehaving students, as the power to build up or destroy the student’s self-concept is in their hands. Therefore, the specific behavior, and not the student’s character, should be the focus. Yet, what I have found to be essential to successful classroom management is the development of rapport with students. This should be formed as early as possible and nurtured and built up throughout the year. As one teacher said, ‘Earning the trust and goodwill of students is like building a bank account. On occasions when things aren’t running smoothly, we can draw on that account; students may be patient with us because of the small, daily efforts (deposits) we have made to build rapport with them. Of course, if we don’t pay enough attention to connecting regularly with students, if we don’t see this as an important part of our work, we’ll quickly find that, in their eyes, we’re bankrupt.’

Classroom Management

The topic of classroom management is one that is very broad and involves many aspects of what a teacher has to do as head of the classroom. To try and define the term classroom management is a challenging task, on the internet I found what seemed to be the most accurate in my mind. It stated that classroom management is, ?a broad set of teaching behaviors through which the teacher shapes and maintains learning conditions that facilitate effective and efficient instruction resulting in a learning community...It involves motivating students to learn, providing appropriate instruction and feedback, and managing student work. ? I like the definition because it holds two of three keys to classroom management. The two keys in it are most important, they are building rapport, and organization. The third not mentioned in the definition I refer to as maintaining order. Many definitions I found focused far too much on discipline and not enough on educating, which is why I liked the one cited above. However, maintaining a disciplined classroom is important and has to be recognized as well. 

The first step to becoming a good classroom manager is building a rapport with students. As mentioned in the course this means always maintaining eye contact, keeping a good pitch in your voice, and provide a certain amount of positive energy into the class. Coming into a classroom and being energetic about what you are teaching and letting students know that you are there to help them can help not only earn their respect but also motivate them to learn. A teacher that shows passion for the exercises and activities they present can garner participation from students much easier. This does not mean that a teacher has to be an over the top enthusiastic, not everyone is going to be willing to do this to the same extent. Teachers can show their enthusiasm by engaging students one on one during study exercises. The opportunities for teachers to build a positive relationship with students are endless. 

The second important aspect of classroom management for a teacher is organization. This involves coming up with lesson plans. Making sure the plan has all three stages of learning involved, and that there is a backup plan. The teacher also needs to make sure that all necessary materials are ready to go come class time. After planning the teacher needs to orchestrate the lesson in an efficient manner, this involves keeping sections to their time constraint, and not getting off topic. The teacher needs to keep the classroom busy and engaged in what is being taught, the best way is to constantly have an activity on the go. Sometimes a certain part of a lesson may not go as well as expected, this is when you have to act and move into something else in order not to lose the class. Teachers need to be on top of their own work as well. Keeping students well informed of their progression is essential, therefore having feedback done on time in the form of grades and comments is an obligation. Teachers, unlike students can ill afford to make mistakes and staying organized is the best way for them to avoid that. 

The last part of classroom management, maintaining order, includes not just discipline but the overall way the teacher controls the classroom. An important part of this is seating arrangement, how the desks are setup. Many times teachers can avoid discipline problems before they even occur. Noticing students that don?t get along and separating them is one example. Disciplining is something that may be unavoidable when teaching younger students, teachers just need to remember to remain calm, not take sides, and not to make empty threats. Try and keep a smile at all times.

Overall, how good a teacher is at classroom management, will dictate the success he or she has educating students. The points raised in this article are especially important for young students, they need routine in order to make good habits. A teacher that conducts a lesson in a routine manner will only help students further. 

Classroom Management

Classroom management can be described and executed in a number of ways. It is always best to lead by example and to set the tone of the course in the first class. A positive attitude and positive reinforcement are essential tools in a trained teachers arsenal. We would like to explore some common classroom management techniques, some typical problems that teachers may encounter in the class room, and ways to deal with these problems.

Before we explore techniques and problems we would first like to talk about prevention. If a teacher puts energy into prevention the students will benefit. Obviously there will be no need for punishment if there is no bad behavior. Some ways that teachers can prevent misbehavior are to create an atmosphere which is warm, friendly, and inviting. For older students it is important to make the area businesslike. Teachers need to build a rapport with their students and try to find out something about each one. Always use the students names and treat them with the same respect that you expect from them. It is important to point out the good behavior and try to emphasize what it is you are looking for from your students. Do not leave it up to the students to make the rules. Have a set guideline and be clear in your expectations from the students. Be well organized and prepared with plenty of tasks for your students. Distractions need to be kept to a minimum and the students need to recognize the signals for being quiet and taking their seats. The more effort that can be put into preventing bad behavior the better off the whole class will be.

Now we would like to discuss some classroom management techniques. Our main focus on everything we discuss will be to keep things going in a positive direction. We feel that there is never a need to lose ones temper, shout, or represent any type of negative behavior. Control of a classroom is ultimately the teachers responsibility. This can be achieved using rewards for good behavior, body language and eye contact, field trips, and guest speakers just to name a few. Rewarding good behavior is easy to do and can be done in a number of ways. You can simply add points to a students test, give them a letter of recognition, or simply praise them in front of the class for doing the right thing. Any way you wish to reward good behavior is fine and will allow this good behavior to be desired by the other students as they too want to be rewarded. Using body language and eye contact are great ways for a teacher to monitor the entire class. If you look someone in the eyes they will know that you are talking to them and that you expect a response. Taking students on field trips is a wonderful way to break up the dullness of the classroom and bring them a real life learning experience. Guest speakers can add a new perspective to the material and the students can be encouraged to be on their best behavior. The key to good classroom management is to focus on the good things, while maintaining a positive spirit.

Problems that teachers may encounter when trying to manage a class are many. They range from disciplinary problems to problems with students not understanding the material. There are personal problems that students may have at home and also conflicts amongst students. We want to discuss some problems and some ways in which they can be dealt with. For a student which is constantly late and disruptive to the class. You need to first talk to the student one on one and explain that this is unacceptable and again go over what is expected from the student. If this continues to be a problem, don?t make a fuss when the student is late and allow the disruption, instead tell the student to see you after class and leave them wondering of the consequence. The waiting is the hardest part and the punishment can be for them to stay after class for as many minutes as they were late. 

Another problem a teacher may encounter are students which are unresponsive. The teacher first needs to speak to the student to make sure there are no problems at home which may be weighing on their minds. Try to get some input from the student as to why they are not participating. You can then engage the students by having more full class activities and try to make the students and their surroundings as inviting as possible. In the end it is imperative that the teacher remain fair and consistent when dealing with the students and the problems which arise. Treat all students the same and show empathy for their problems. Focus on what the students do right and ignore bad behavior whenever possible.

In closing we would like to say that managing a classroom is a balance between entertaining the students and being well prepared. Treat people the way that you want to be treated and reward good behavior. Keep it positive!

Classroom Management

A teacher is one who helps children grow, helps them learn, helps them to discover their own potential and gives them the perfect knowledge and skill they require to succeed as adults.

A good teacher should be kind, patient, enthusiastic, be able to motivate students, etc. and it is only through these skills can a teacher be able to manage the classroom well.

Classroom management is a skill that develops through time. It requires a teacher to be well organized and systematic in his/her approach to teaching and handling students. Effective classroom management creates a healthy relationship between teachers and students and also a healthy environment for teaching and learning.

For a teacher to manage his/her class well, he/she should be patient. Many a times there might be behavioral problems in a classroom. Under such circumstances, the teacher should be calm and patient and handle the situation with common sense rather than with anger and frustration which would only make things worse. Eventually, it would only result in the teacher losing his/her respect with the students. Hence, it is very important for a teacher to maintain her calm and have friendly smile which would make students comfortable. 

Another important skill a teacher should have is involving all students equally in classroom activities. This would help students feel a sense of belonging, worth and hence more interested in classroom activities. Since the students are involved equally there would be fewer chances of them behaving in an undisciplined manner. To involve students equally, it is important on the part of the teacher to create an interesting and motivating study material. The teacher can do so by adding a bit of humor, a few games, puzzles and by being flexible in his/her teaching approach. More the students are interested in the study material more they would be involved in learning and all this would eventually help the teacher to manage them well. 

There might be a possibility that a student is uninterested or unmotivated due to a number of personal reasons. Here, a teacher should be sharp enough to notice such a student in a classroom. It is very important on the part of the teacher to get to the root of the problem. The teacher should deal with such a student in private and try and help the student open up. After doing so the teacher should also take care of the study material that is provided to the student. All this would definitely prove fruitful in getting the student right on the track with others.

Another important skill a teacher should have is being consistent in her approach. If at the beginning of an academic year, the teacher lays down certain set of rules and patterns that the teacher expects the students to follow, it is very impotent not only for the student but also for the teacher to abide by them. For e.g. if the teacher expects the student to reach the class on time, it also applies to the teacher to be punctual. Students are opening up to the world, they are facing new experiences. Hence they want a role model they can look up to. A teacher can prove the best role model as he/she is their friend, philosopher and guide. 

Moreover a teacher should never make promises he/she can never keep. This would have a negative impact on the student?s mind and can lead to indiscipline and misbehavior. A teacher should also avoid giving threats to students. Threats can affect a sensitive child psychologically thus making the child quiet, not willing to respond in class or even to the extent that the child starts getting scared to even attend the class. Hence it is very important on the part of a teacher to tactfully deal with any student related problem. A teacher should also take care while correcting wrong answers. 

A teacher should make classroom arrangements in such a way that he/she is able to notice each and every student. A teacher should also correct and give feedbacks regularly so that the student remains motivated and interested. It is also important for a teacher to maintain a healthy relationship with the students? parents. This would help the teacher know the student more as well as his/her interest. It would also help in dealing with behavioral problems. A well organized teacher also manages the time well. The teacher can set target time for a task and also promise students that if they finish the task at the set time the remaining time can be used to play a game of their choice. This would help students feel more enthusiastic, confident and they would also learn the importance of time. 

A teacher may be good at many skills but he/she should know how to appreciate his/her students. Appreciation at the right time and right amount does help the student to be more self-confident and responsible. Appreciation not only help students receiving it but also other students the motivation to perform better and receive appreciation like their fellow students. 

A well organized teacher should also know when to use his/her body instead of mouth. During activities it is bad to interrupt students. Hence, non verbal cues help teacher to pass messages to specific students without disturbing the others at work. Also non verbal cues can help undisciplined students to maintain limits without uttering words they might not appreciate before their peers. 

There are many such skills that help teacher leave a lasting impression on students. In short, a well organized structure and fairness along with clearly laid expectations from teachers, a enthusiastic, humorous lesson taught in a healthy, non threatening and caring environment are key elements of managing classroom efficiently.

Classroom Management

‘Classroom management is the skill of organising and managing the class, having a friendly, relaxed manner and maintaining discipline.’

There are many different factors that contribute towards making a classroom successful, the main factor being the ability to establish a comfortable learning environment for the students. A comfortable learning environment encourages students to participate in class and also makes them more willing to learn. Students who are eager to learn are much more likely to absorb information, stay attentive and are less likely to cause problems in class.

To develop a comfortable learning environment the teacher needs to be able to build a rapport with the students. This can be achieved in several ways one of which is the way in which they address the students. The teacher should pay special attention to his or her voice when speaking making sure that they speak clearly and slowly. This ensures that the students understand what is being asked of them. They should also know when it is appropriate to speak to the class in a friendly and relaxed tone and when a more firm approach is required, this way the students know when they are required to pay attention and concentrate, and when they can speak out and engage with the rest of the class. 

Making eye contact with the students also encourages participation in the lesson and can be used to ensure that the students know when they are being spoken to. It also gives the teacher an indication as to whether the students understand the instructions being given and helps the teacher to maintain discipline in the classroom. 

Another factor that enables the teacher to build a rapport with the students is where they position themselves in the classroom. If the lesson requires a more formal atmosphere the teacher should stand in front of the class so that the students can all see them. If a more relaxed atmosphere is required the teacher can choose to sit down, this then relaxes the control on the class which encourages participation and a more comfortable environment for the students. 

In addition to the positioning of the teacher it is also important that the position of the students is taken into consideration. They should make themselves aware of which students get on well together and which ones don?t as well as taking the time to arrange the seating appropriately according to the lesson plan. 

There are several arrangements that can be used to maximise the functionality of the lesson. Orderly rows are a more formal way of teaching which allows the teacher to see all of the students and at the same time the students can see the teacher. This seating arrangement is particularly useful for large classes that are ‘Teacher Talk Time’ orientated, concentrating more on board work or pair-work. It can also be very effective for particularly disruptive classes allowing the teacher to keep the students under control easily from the front of the classroom. 

Circle or horseshoe seating arrangements are a more informal way of arranging the class and are good arrangements to use for the whole class to work together as a group. The teacher can also use these arrangements to move away from the ‘Teacher Talk Time’ focus and allow the students to participate more in the lesson, providing a more relaxed environment. 

Separate tables are suitable for group work. Students are able to communicate with each other easily and working in smaller groups provides the less confident students with a more comfortable environment in which to work. 

‘The practitioner needs to plan an environment that encourages a positive attitude to learning through rich and stimulating experiences.’

It is imperative that a teacher takes into consideration all of the points raised in this article when managing a classroom as well as ensuring that the lessons are both interesting, informative and stimulating. Achieving the correct balance of all of these factors will in turn manage the students? behaviour and allow the teacher to manage the classroom successfully. This will promote a good working relationship with the teacher and develop an environment in which the students can learn and participate comfortably.