Classroom management is
a word when brought up in discussion that can make your body cringe or rub it
off because it is just another word used in the educational field. Either way it is something that takes time
and something one will not master in a school year or two. From our reading and my recent microteaching
experience what I experienced lined right up with what was written. I encountered many of the challenges a
teacher faces on a daily basis. I also,
not knowingly incorporated some teacher tactics to properly manage a classroom
full of rambunctious teenagers. Here are
some key points that I picked up from our reading and experiences that lined
right up with our reading.
To begin with clarity
and organization is vital. I have
struggled with clarity this semester during my weekly teaching labs. I have seen the importance in being clear in
concise when speaking to my students. I
have gotten better at this and my student teaching experience will be a good
time for me to really hone in on clarity.
As for organization that is a no brainer. Being organized will make things go ten times
smoother. I witnessed this first hand
during my microteaching experience.
Having all my materials and plans set up in the order I planned to use
them allowed for me to go right from one activity to the next. This consistency throughout my three days
teaching proved to me the power of organization.
Start out firm you can
always loosen up later. I have heard
this statement numerous times and hey… guess what it is so true! During my microteaching experience I never
really had any big problems, but I did not start out as firm as I should have
the first day. Setting precedence is
very important! I learned this and it is
something I will file away come student teaching time.
Meaningful work is what
you must provide to your students. When
students view the assignments you are presenting to them only as busy work
students will begin to misbehave, cut class, and become disengaged in the material
you are presenting.
Routines are the way it
is meant to be. We are creatures of
habit. When you start every day greeting
your students at the door, have bell work on the board for students to complete
when they come in, and possibly pick up their folder or notebook for the class
in a bin marked for their class it makes starting class that much easier. If every day was different you would have to
tackle the situations that arise most likely in a different manner. Having that routine greatly reduces the
chances of misbehavior amongst your students.
Praise praise praise
and praise some more. Who doesn’t like
to be praised when they do a job well done?
Let your students know how much you appreciate their interaction in your
class. When students are acknowledged
for their good behavior and hard work they are more likely to continue to do
so. I noticed this first hand during my
microteaching experience. When I
acknowledged students by their name and thanked them for their participation I
noticed the power of doing those two simple things. However, it is very important not to have
favorites. Students will pick up on this
fast and become disconnected and begin causing issues.
We all know that there are going to be
times when classroom management problems will arise in our classroom. When they do, it is important to hit them
head on and be straight, be blunt, be short, and move on.
One final note about classroom management
would be setting a good example. Be a
positive role model. Typing this I think
back to my high school career. There
were a few teachers I became to know very well in school and also out of. These men stuck to the beliefs they believe
in and have never led me astray. Their
perspectives, advice, and way they live life make me strive to be the best that
I can be.
There
you have it classroom management in a nutshell.
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