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Classroom management is the skill of organizing and managing a class, having a friendly, relaxed manner and maintaining discipline. It can affect the students’ learning outcomes and can have an impact on the teachers’ wellbeing. Good classroom management provides a productive learning environment with dedicated students who can learn without distractions. It helps reduce poor behavior and distractions so students can remain focused on the lesson. It encourages social and emotional development with positive interaction between students. Classroom arrangement, establishing rapport with students and knowing how to use your voice are some of the steps to transform the classroom environment into one that actively encourages learning. Teachers have the authority to move the students for the benefit of an activity, cohesion or discipline. The way a teacher organizes the position of the students and themselves is of great importance and should be done firmly but politely at the beginning of the course, so students don’t get too used to sitting in one place. There should always be a purpose to it that the students can see. Some helpful classroom arrangements are putting a weak student together with a stronger one for pair work activities or mixing pairs occasionally in order to add variety so the students get the chance to work with different people and personalities. This is an effective method in dealing with pairs that are problematic when working with each other. To ensure the best possible seating arrangement a teacher should also keep in mind the type of activity that will take place, their role and what the students are expected to do. Another essential aspect of classroom management is establishing rapport. Good rapport between the teacher and students as well as between the students themselves plays a crucial role in having a successful and enjoyable class. Teachers with good communication skills help students feel comfortable in their environment. Teachers who use both verbal and non-verbal communication aid students to understand what is expected of them and help build their confidence in learning. Positive word reinforcement, body language and appropriate effective language for discipline create a classroom that inspires students to contribute and take part in the lessons without fear that they will be judged unfairly. The way a teacher uses their voice is another important aspect of classroom management. If their voice does not have correct clarity, range or variety, they will have difficulty in making their instruction and explanation understood to the students in the class. The teacher should be able to naturally change their voice according to the circumstances and adapt to the complexity of their language to the level and ability of the students. A teacher’s voice can also liven up or quiet down a class. If the teacher has a dull monotone then there is a great possibility that it will create boredom and this may lead the students to not pay attention and misbehave. A voice with great variation has a better effect. To summarize, teachers who are skilled at communication, organizing and managing a class, have a friendly, relaxed manner and appropriate discipline techniques create a positive learning environment. Although being highly knowledgeable in the subject matter is important, being able to communicate necessary skills and concepts in a way students can understand is pivotal.
