Teach English in Chengmagang Zhen - Huanggang Shi

Why is it necessary to have achievable classroom management? Classroom management is when a teacher displays complete control over their classroom through various strategies and techniques that enhance positive student behavior.  Effective classroom management turns your classroom into the best learning environment for students to engage with their studies and work to the best of their ability.  Setting up effective classroom management takes time, and varies from teacher to teacher based on their personality and preferred teaching style, with regard to the kind of group that is going to be taught and the classroom materials to be used. Importance of Classroom Management Management of a classroom is vital for teaching and eventually affects your students’ learning outcomes and can have an impact on the teachers life. Good classroom management means a successful learning environment and committed students. However - no matter how dedicated you are as a teacher or how passionate you are about your students and subject, poor classroom management can lead to undesired derailed success of your students. Results of proper management of the classroom : It allows for more time to be focused on teaching and learning. Reduces bad behaviour and distractions so students are all focused on learning. Creates an environment for students that allows them to learn without distractions. Facilitates social and emotional development. Improves positive interactions between peers and decreases bullying. Attributes of a poorly managed class: Disruptive and chaotic classrooms lead to teacher stress and exhaustion There is lack of focus on teaching due an unfriendly environment for learning. The students level of concentration is disrupted. Over praising of students for expected behaviours resulting in lowered expectations. Lack of rules, routine and preparation Elements of Classroom Management There is no particular formula on effective classroom management, however there are, common characteristics which should to be taken into consideration when teachers approach how they want to exert control over their classroom: Behaviour The most complex component of classroom management is good pupil behaviour. It’s no secret that the key to an engaged classroom and effective classroom management is well behaved students, but it’s not always easy to achieve this. Before we look at how to achieve ‘good’ behaviour we must first define what we mean by this, again, this may differ from subject to subject (for example, the desired behaviour of a student in a physical PE class would be starkly different to that of a Maths class), however there are a multiple behaviours which are considered ‘good’ school wide: Listening attentively when the teacher or others are speaking Raising hands in order to speak Staying on task and not distracting others from their work Sitting in assigned seats unless otherwise specified Using appropriate language Coming to class on time and prepared Treating others as you wish to be treated Being respectful to staff and students Keeping your area/desk clean and tidying away after yourself Depending on your teaching approach, there may be behaviours that haven’t been included in the above list or ones that you’d choose to omit, but regardless of what these positive behaviours are, the most tasking part of this area of classroom management is promoting them. Some guidelines for enhancing good behaviour in your classroom: Another way to encourage positive student behaviour is to build meaningful and effective relationships with your students, this helps to build respect between you and your pupils and helps you to understand them better. This includes why they’re misbehaving, what sanctions are most effective and what incentives work. In order for your students to portray good behaviour, they need to be aware of what is expected of them. Clearly communicate the behaviour policy to your students and outline your rules and expectations, along with rewards and sanctions for following it. Whether you’re starting a new school year, are an NQT, or have been assigned a new class, take some time to observe your students before fully implementing your behaviour policy. By doing this you’ll be able to identify the types of poor behaviour the class is inclined to exhibit, and tailor your policy accordingly. The crux of students behaving well often comes down to whether or not they respect their teacher. A way in which this can be achieved is through holding yourself accountable alongside your students - when communicating to your class how you expect them to behave, also provide expectations for your own behaviour and how you should act. When trying to encourage good behaviour, the way you hold yourself as a teacher is almost as important as the procedures you implement. Remain calm and  control your emotions even when reprimanding students, and act confident even when you don’t feel it. Lesson plans A common mantra we preach to our students, “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail” but it is also one that rings true for us teachers as well. If we walk into a classroom with no clear plan for what’s about to happen, we can almost guarantee the results will be a room full of unruly, uninterested and unengaged students. Lesson plans and good classroom management are practically intertwined. When you have a carefully constructed lesson, it minimizes the opportunity for classroom distractions and, if executed well, keeps students on-task and engaged. Advantages of lesson plans on classroom management: Gives teachers confidence: Being confident in yourself and your material is important for classroom management. Spending time creating a lesson plan that hits all your success criteria, means you can walk into a classroom confident in the lesson you’re about to deliver. Keeps students on their toes: A carefully executed lesson plan will include intricate timings which allow for students to carry out activities and for teachers to deliver information at the right pace - this careful planning means there are no lullabys throughout the lesson, so students don’t become distracted and instead remain on task. Come to class prepared:  The beauty of a lesson plan is that it means before coming to class, you’re aware of the resources you need to execute a successful lesson and can come to class fully prepared. If your lesson includes technology, where possible give it a trial run before the actual lesson and also have a plan B - no matter how good the technology is that we use, there’s always rooms for glitches and it’s better to be safe than sorry. Seating Arrangement  Student interaction has a huge impact on how well behaved your class is and as a result, overall classroom management. Seating plans are one of the best preventative measures a teacher can implement and one of the strongest influences they can have on student outcomes and behaviour. Where students sit in class is critical to how well they perform and there are a multitude of variables that need to be taken into consideration when creating a seating plan and deciding on the layout of your classroom. In order to fully understand how best to seat your students, allowing them to sit where they wish for the first couple of lessons will give you the opportunity to observe how they interact with each other, their behaviour and their preferred seat. Collecting this knowledge will then allow you to make informed decisions as to where best to seat your class. Key considerations to take into account when creating a seating plan for effective classroom management: Classroom layout The way in which you decide to organize your desks is dependent on your individual teaching style and the layout of your classroom, however, there are certain factors that will be consistent across every classroom: all students need to be able to see the board clearly, you too need to be able to direct whole class from the front of the room, and there needs to be enough space for you to freely walk around the classroom and observe students whilst working. Conclusion With all particulars of teaching there is no exact guideline on how one can achieve complete classroom management. Teaching is influenced by a number of external changes such as the number of students in your class, age group, available materials and your personality as a teacher. However, what’s identified as the cardinal pillars of classroom management are; behavior, seating arrangement, praise & feedback as well as sufficient planning. If you consider these four segments as an approach for classroom management you could obtain positive results such as; a fully engaged class, full utilization of classroom materials, a balanced learning for all students, a warm and enjoyable classroom environment, more time allocated to student learning and ultimately higher academic results.