Teach English in Caiqiao Zhen - Yancheng Shi

In contrast to what the majority of teachers believe, managing a classroom is not just a set of activities it is about developing a strong rapport with students. After teaching for a couple of years, I have realized that class management is not about shouting, forcing students to do something or misusing one's authority as a teacher. The teacher must focus on developing the relationship she or he has with the students. Every teacher will experience losing control of the class, but it should be kept in mind that once one learns how to lead his or her class, those incidents will be decreased to a remarkable rate. We all have been there when things did not work at our class as we expected, and later on, left us overthinking about what we might have done that caused the unpleasant situation. All the strategies that we have learned from various training courses might be helpful but the most important factor of them all probably has not been given enough attention. By developing a strong rapport and building a positive and friendly atmosphere in the class, it is more likely that students would like to join the teacher. As once one of my students mentioned "It is easier to cheat on a stranger.", so while they do not assume the teacher as a stranger, there will be a tendency to make a friend proud and that is when they feel not comfortable to let the teacher down. Just think of the time you were a student yourself, did you like a teacher and try to impress him or her because you were afraid of them or because you were closed with them? As long as the role of teaching is combined by friendship and students do not feel threatened by the teacher, they will try to impress him or her with their abilities, studying or following the rules. Another factor that will not be hidden from the smart eyes of learners, is the fairness of the teacher. If the teacher wants to bond with students, He or she must be just. However, it does not mean that everyone should be treated the same way in a class. It rather means that there should be a fair and logical system to be praised by the teacher. Learners must realize that anyone can be rewarded in the same way if they are willing to make the effort needed. The little girl applauded in the class today must be an example for everyone to see themselves there tomorrow. While everyone feels that the teacher is being fair to them, they believe that all of them have an equal chance to get the approval of their instructor and so they will try for that. To make a classroom a place for learning, it must be turned into a safe house at first! When students enter their class, they should not assume it as a place that they are trapped in for a specific amount of time while they should stay quiet and keep listening to one person whom they might not sometimes even understand. They must feel that a classroom is a place that they are allowed to express whatever idea they have in mind, ask whatever question that has stuck in their minds and at the end after discussing it, decide on what they want to believe. Once one of my students said aloud a sentence that will be making me proud for the rest of my life. When I told the class that it is their break time, she said "What? Did the time just fly? I don't wanna go anywhere." and that is the moment one can witness how people fell in the atmosphere of the class. In a word, students will learn when they do not find themselves under pressure. All things considered, to manage a classroom, one would not be able to provide a healthy, safe and encouraging classroom if that teacher is not eager to have a deep, meaningful relationship with students and make enough effort to get to know them, respect them and give them the feeling of relief that they are looking for. Is it going to be easy? No, teaching is rewarding for a reason after all, but it is an achievable goal that once a person reaches, it will make a huge change into their carrier.