Teach English in WuxinghuNongchang - Yuncheng Shi

WHAT IS CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT? Classroom management refers to the wide variety of skills and techniques that teachers use to keep students organized,orderly,focused,attentive,on task,and academically productive during a class.It creates a set of expectations used in an organized classroom environment.It includes routines,rules and consequences.Effective classroom management paves the way for the teacher to engage the students in learning.When classroom-management strategies are executed effectively,teachers minimize the behaviors that impede learning for both individual students and group of students,while maximizing the behaviors that facilitate or enhance learning.Generally speaking, effective teachers tend to display strong classroom-management skills,while the hallmark of the inexperienced or less effective teacher is a disorderly classroom filled with students who are not working or paying attention. While a limited or more traditional interpretation of effective classroom management may focus largely on "compliance"- rules and strategies that teachers may use to make sure students are seating in their seats,following directions,listening attentively etc. A more encompassing or updated view of classroom management extends to everything that teachers may do to facilitate or improve student learning which would include such factor as behavior[a positive attitude,happy facial expression,encouraging statements,the respectful and fair treatment of students,etc],environment[for example a welcoming,well-lit classroom filled with intellectually stimulating materials that's organized to support specific learning activities],expectations,[the quality of the work that teachers expect students to produce,the ways that teachers expect students to behave towards other students,the agreements that teachers make with students],materials,[the types of text,equipment and other learning resources that teachers use],or activities[the kind of learning experiences that teachers design to engage students interests,passion and intellectual curiosity]. Given that poorly design lessons,uninteresting learning materials,or unclear expectations,for example could contribute to greater student disinterest,increase behavioral problems,or unruly and disorganized classes.Classroom management cannot be easily separated from all the other decisions that teachers make.In this more encompassing view of classroom management,good teaching and good classroom management become to some degree indistinguishable.In practice,classroom management techniques may appear deceptively simple,but successfully and seamlessly integrating them into the instruction of students typically requires a variety of sophisticated techniques and a significant amount of skill and experience .While the specific techniques used to manage classrooms and facilitate learning can vary widely in terminology,purpose and execution. In recent years,classroom management has received an increasing amount of attention from education leaders,reformers and researchers,who have begun to investigate,analyze and document the effective strategies used by successful teachers.The growing emphasis on classroom management is base on the general recognition that effective instruction requires effective classroom management,and that strong management skills are the foundation of strong teaching. There are now more professional-development opportunities related to classroom management being offered to teachers. Effective classroom management requires awareness,patience,good timing,boundaries and instinct.There's nothing easy about shepherding a large group of easily distracted young people with different skills and temperaments along a meaningful learning journey.However there are principles of outstanding classroom management which can help the teacher to have the smooth running of the classroom such as; 1. Focus on building relationships:Building healthy student-teacher relationships is essential to a thriving classroom culture,and even set the stage for academic success. 2.Set rules,boundaries and expectations[AND DO IT EARLY]:Students don't strive amid chaos.They need some basic structure and consistency to feel safe and to focus. But maintaining a culture of mutual respect doesn't mean your goal is to"make pals".You can be kind,loving and supportive,but you still have to be their teacher. Establish the code of conduct early in the year and be sure that everyone including the teacher makes an effort to stay true to it.Predictability counts"follow through with rewards and consequences .If you say it,mean it.And if you mean it,say it. Be clear,be proactive and be consistent". 3.Take a strength-based approach:In a long back-and-forth about classroom management practices,it might have been the most memorable quote"find ways to make your hardest kid your favorite kid",when you connect with them,it makes everything smoother. 4.Involve parents and guardians:"Never forget that every children is someone's child",parents or guardians want to hear that you see good in the child.A positive connection with home can often help in the classroom. 5.Creating space for collaboration:Intentionally fostering collaboration in the classroom has variety of benefits,including increasing student's level of academic engagement.Collaboration and socialization are key aspect of any work place .Healthy socialization patterns can support student creativity and foster critical thinking.A simple change in seating arrangements can promote collaboration and encourage students to talk with each other. Small-group cohesion is important but teachers must also promote connections beyond the smaller social units in their classroom.