CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT by Sandra Imah

Classroom management has always been a major concern for educators around the world. The ability of a teacher to manage both students and the learning environment while still delivering first-class teaching and mentoring is a plus any day at any time.

There are various aspects of classroom management that an educator, as well as parents who wish to ensure that the home is an effective and efficient ground for learning, need to and should pay attention to. Some of them are relationships with the students, letting the students know how you intend to help them learn in your classroom, methodology, effective and efficient use of time, making room for students and their varying behaviours and learning styles in your lesson plan, and finally discipline.

Each student is a gift and wonder, about to be unravelled. Some unravel early, and some are late bloomers, but all eventually blossom. Firstly, an educationist must develop and nurture to build good and if possible, very lasting relationship with students. I talk of a relationship where love and friendship are vital, notwithstanding the need for discipline as each party needs to develop both self-respect and respect for each other.  The student must be able to trust and have faith in you. They must see your genuine love and desire to see them evolve from dependent to independent learners. They must recognise that the education system, educationist, as well as parents, are all working towards their good and not selfish or greedy needs. They must be the focus, not selfishly but rather help them achieve a purpose, and in the future help, other children meet the same.

The students must know that performing excellently from the initial stage is not the goal of the relationship, although, that would be great! The teacher is to help the student settle in and encourage them to explore the classroom and ask questions if need be. They are to be guided into knowing that they are all different but can work together with each other and the teacher as well. The teacher is to price highly one on one teacher-student engagement and the grouping of students into different learning and performance category; not for discrimination but to improve their performance. Like I would say,  show them your intentions for each lesson and use every tool available to convey your lesson while encouraging practice.

A teacher at all times if possible, should be able to use whatever time given effectively, to develop the students so they can boldly say that they have learnt properly. As much as it is not our aim to rush, confuse the child or encourage surface understanding of lesson concepts, it is also necessary for lessons and all activities to be well planned with respect to time as this will help the teacher meet the target and complete task in teaching concepts thoroughly. You must make sure the work for each lesson is in the right proportion with the time allocated for each lesson. If need be, adjust either time or lesson content to ensure effective learning. The use of better, creative teaching methods can ensure optimum delivery.

Furthermore, there are students with various needs and ways of learning, i.e. visual, audio and kinaesthetic learners. These three categories of learners all have their place of importance, and it behoves a professional to put these learning styles into consideration when planning the lessons.  Although we are to identify each child’s most robust mode of learning and use it to aid learning, we must still develop the other styles in a child. In every class and lesson, there should be a good measure of these three modes at specific points in the lesson as this will allow every type of learner to learn from their strong points and express their acquired knowledge. Choose the learning style that teaches a particular concept better and use others to reinforce.

Finally, discipline is paramount. As a teacher, you are the authority in the classroom. You are the school management the children see. Firmness is necessary but not brutality. A teacher needs to be unwavering sometimes, and on some other days, go with the flow while subtly getting the students to do the required. Parents and educators need to let the children know who is in charge. The children must understand when they must be serious and focused and then when it is playtime. There must be order, no bullying of student or teacher. You must also, make sure your word holds power by keeping to it. At the long run, it will foster trust. And lastly, I say again, discipline is essential but must be founded on friendship and love for the child.

 Sandra Imah

Literacy Team Lead 

Jordan Hill Creative Writing & Reading Workshop.