Teach English in Xuankou Zhen - Aba Zangzu Qiangzu Zizhizhou —

What does Effective Classroom Management Look Like? Patricia Davis How does a well-managed class distinguish itself from one that is not? In Unit 5 classroom management is defined as “…the skill of organizing and managing the class, having a friendly, relaxed manner and maintaining discipline” (ITTT, 2011, ⁋4). Organizing and managing the class may include essential details for lesson planning, arrangement of furniture, etc., expectations, procedures and routines for all actions, and rules and consequences for breaking rules. In well-managed classrooms teachers have thought about and developed a plan to minimize distractions and disciplinary problems, to maximize time on task so that more effective and efficient learning happens, and so that students are motivated to learn. There are certain strategies teachers can employ to improve their odds of teaching and to increase students learning in an optimal environment. Teachers should envision and plan for the type of classroom they want for themselves and their students prior to the start of a teaching experience. For example, it is imperative that teachers consider how they will organize and arrange spaces in their rooms, what they are required to teach, how they will to teach it and evaluate what is taught, the structure of their lesson plans, and how they expect their students to behave. In other words, consider all aspects of the classroom environment and plan accordingly. As a second example, consider how students will be arranged for learning [groups, pairs of students, individual], the props that can be used to facilitate learning, and the steps or processes one must take to achieve an optimal classroom environment. Experience teaches that when students do not know how things are done, they create their own way of doing things, which may be contrary to their teachers and not conducive to learning. Teachers should address expectations, routines, procedures, rules, and consequences on day one with students, to establish how things should be done, to save time, and reduce interruptions and problems. Share expectations so students understand and can set their own goals; some expectations may be those of the district or school, parents, students themselves; and most certainly those of the teacher. Discuss procedures and routines, ranging from needing to be excused to obtaining a new pen or pencil or asking a question. Talk about the rules that should be followed to maintain a positive and safe learning environment for all learners. Those who fail to develop and discuss the procedures or processes that should be followed during the school day or period, or the rules and consequences for breaking them, will likely encounter disruptions that negatively impact learning and the speed at which learning occurs. Harry Wong, an author of several books, provides solid and practical advice to new and seasoned teachers alike about how to start the school year. His book, “The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher” is highly recommended because it gives excellent tips on how to start out a new school year. It is important that to address the ideas mentioned in this paragraph with students before attempting to teach any academic topics. Subjects or their relevance will not matter if students are constantly interrupting instruction. There are times that students question the legitimacy of certain topics. They may ask, “Why do I need to learn about this?” and it is important they get an answer. For example, some things must be learned because they provide a foundational skill or knowledge piece. Students should never be told “because you have to learn it” but be shown how and why such learning will be useful to them in a future situation. For example, learning how to pronounce words is important so there are no misinterpretations or misunderstandings between communicating partners. Learning to read will certainly facilitate understanding contracts. Students should be provided with rationales of why something is important, even before they question it. As pointed out often in the TEFL units, it is important that teachers stress what students did well so that students not lose their motivation and interest in learning. Unit 3 emphasized the way teachers respond to students will decrease their level of enthusiasm and cause them not to want to respond in the classroom (ITTT Unit 3, p.3). So, avoid statements that blatantly tell students they are wrong. It is more appropriate to point out what they did well and doing so does not harm their self-esteem. A thing that goes a long way to creating a positive classroom environment is building a relationship with students. Students need to know their teachers’ value, care about, and respect them. It is important that teachers remain positive, firm but fair, that they listen to students, and never say or do anything to embarrass students. Teachers should know their students, understand their culture, and allow students to know a little bit about themselves, without teacher sharing too much of his or her personal life. Start each day greeting students, and make sure to acknowledge those things they do that show they are good citizens. Teachers who build a good rapport with students rarely have serious discipline issues in their classrooms. Start the year with warm ups to help students connect, feel a sense of pride, and a sense of belonging. Finally, use humor in the classroom and allow students to engage in ‘learning’ activities that are fun. In Humour: A Tool to Enhance EFL Learning, the authors assert outcomes of humor include: increased motivation to work hard and learn subject matter, positive attitude towards studies and one another, increased participation in the learning process, and strong relationships between teachers and students ( Sultana, Jamal, & Hassan, 2019, p. 3, ⁋ 6). These authors do caution that humor should not be used at the expense of a student, in bad taste, or overused in the classroom; however, there is a place for humor and it can effectively create an environment where children view learning as a fun place to be. The strategies discussed in this writing, are some but not all that teachers can implement to ensure their classrooms are well managed. Remember, the way the teaching assignment starts is likely the way it will end; therefore, it is important to make good decisions and plans that will guide your teaching day – prior to or at the beginning of the teaching experience. References ITT Administration Team (2011). Efl methodology, mistakes and feedback. International TESL and TESOL Training. ITT Administration Team (2011). Managing classes. International TESL and TESOL Training. Sultana, S., Jabeen, R., Jamal, M., & Hassan, S. (2019). Humour: A tool to enhance EFL learning. Language in India, 19(6), 282-288. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com /login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=ufh