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Introduction
Should teachers still worry about students who chew gum? What should
teachers do about those students whose cell phones ring in class? How should
teachers react when they hear students using offensive language?
Teachers wonder what to do about these and the countless other learner
behaviors that they witness each school day. Are these the issues that should concern
them or should they focus exclusively on the more serious problems confronting the
students?
Even though educators may not always be in agreement about the exact
definition of a well-disciplined classroom, most of them certainly know when things
are not going well. Misconduct referral notices are remarkably uniform in the types of
behaviors that teachers and administrators do not find acceptable.
The room itself is appealing in a well-disciplined room. Many teachers still teach
in cramped and overcrowded rooms without enough basic materials and certainly not
expensive equipment such as interactive whiteboards and LCD projectors. Despite
these restrictions, effective teachers can manage to create an environment where
students focus on learning. Teachers can arrange desks to encourage collaboration as
well as independent work, minimize traffic-flow problems, and make sure materials
are readily available. Walls could be used to stimulate student engagement with
displays of students' learning output.
Consider some ways in which you might incorporate in your future planning of
student engagements. At the end of this chapter you are expected to explore possible
approaches to solve problems of the 21st century classroom using good management
skills.
4. Respect Everyone
Teachers and students treat each other with obvious respect. This is
evident in such nonverbal interactions as body language and tone of voice as
well as in what students and teachers say to each other. Students speak with
confidence because they feel their opinions are valued. Students in a well-
disciplined class also respect their classmates. They have been taught to
appreciate each other's unique contributions to the class as well as appropriate
ways to resolve conflicts. There is a general sense of togetherness and steadfast
courtesy.
Management of Instruction
This refers to the smooth flow of the instructional processes. Smoothness
involves circulating to facilitate students' cooperation and discussion as they work in
small groups.
1. Maintain smoothness of instruction and avoid jarring breaks within the activity
flow.
2. Manage transition from one activity to another, from subject or from lesson to
recess and 'give clear signals.
3. Maintain group focus during the lesson so that all students in the class stay
involved in the lesson even if the teacher calls on only one student.
4. Maintain a group focus during a seatwork by circulating to see how they are
doing.
5. Develop withitness and be aware of student's behaviour at all time.
6. Develop overlapping skills and be prepared for all scenarios in the classroom.
Management of Discipline
This refers to the means of preventing misbehaviour from occurring or the
manner responding to behavioural problems in order to reduce their recurrence in the
future.
1. Start the year right with a clear, specific plan for introducing the student to
classroom rules.
2. Set few class rules for the students to follow.
3. Create an atmosphere where there is respect to one another.
4. Apply the principle of least intervention for routine classroom behaviour
problem. Create varied interesting lessons to make students pay attention to
class discussion and students do not engage in activities that disrupt class
discussion.
5. Manage serious behaviour problems through applied behaviour analysis.
6. Prevent serious behaviour problem and remove the causes of misbehaviour.
7. Formally develop the desired behaviour by teaching (not telling) the behaviours.
Management of Relationship
This refers to emotional climate and communications affecting learning
conditions.
1. Maintain positive climate characteristics which allow students to choose a
variety of activities to achieve common goals.
2. Develop sense of interdependence, common bonds, defined group expectations
and relationship qualities that enhance wholesome emotional climate.
3. Develop communication characteristics that promote wholesome classroom
relationship like positive constructive conversations aimed at understanding on
another's point of view.
4. Render different forms of assistance by providing class meetings or students to
have an opportunity to examine the ideas and feelings that influence value
judgement.
Management of Time
This refers to the organization and use of allocated time in the classroom.
1. Make good use of all classroom time.
2. Start teaching at the beginning of the period and end on time.
3. Establish routine procedures.
4. Minimize time spent on discipline and prevent interruptions.
5. Teach lessons that are so interesting, engaging, and relevant to student's
interest.
6. Maintain momentum through avoidance of interruptions or slowdown like
phone calls, knocks on the door and other disturbance.
Management of Routines
This refers to the established activities or procedures that are repeatedly done.
1. Teach pupils to learn how to form various grouping and return to standard
arrangement with minimum confusion.
2. Do not use the first few minutes of the class session to collect materials when
students are potentially most alert to instruction.
3. "Overlapping- technique is used for collection and distribution of materials. It
refers to the teacher's ability to attend to the task at, hand and at the same
time prevent an extraneous situation from getting out of control.
4. Prepare for transition by planning distinct types and sequences of teacher-pupil
activity e.g. checking homework assignment, presentation of new material,
giving assignment, monitoring seatwork. Transitions should be quick and quiet.