Teach English in YanwAn XiAng - Chongqing

Classroom ManagementAn important part of creating a healthy environment for learning is to have good classroom management. Without classroom management, behavior problems become more prominent and it is harder to keep your class organized and on task. The first thing i would do in my classroom to create an effective classroom management plan would be to make it clear to all the students what my expectations are and the rules of the class. I would like to have the rules posted in the classroom so that students can reference them when need be. Along with stating my expectations and rules, i would also want to make clear the consequences for not following the rules and the rewards when students do follow them. When enforcing the rules, it is very important for a teacher to be consistent and fair in the consequences. students are very sensitive to teachers playing "favorites" and if they feel they are being treated unfairly they will stop caring and continue to misbehave. Being "fair" also applies to the teacher. if one of the classroom rules is "Keep snacks and drinks in bags," the teacher should not be walking around the class eating or drinking. I am a huge fan of positive reinforcement. I feel that rewarding students for their good behavior is more effective that punishing them for their bad behavior. Positive reinforcement can be anything from words of praise, small prizes or candies, or even class parties. Although I find positive reinforcement very useful, punishment for bad behavior is sometimes necessary. Punishments should be made clear by student. Telling a student to sit in timeout for 5 minutes without explaining to them why would cause the student to become even more upset. Another aspect of classroom management that I feel is important is the structure of a typical class. For example, letting students come into class and sit and talk for a few minutes would make it hard for the teacher to gain control. But if students had a task they had to complete every day when they came in it would help keep them on track and focus their attention. An everyday task they need to complete might be writing in their journal, answering a riddle on the board etc. Having structure is important because it helps students stay on task as well as makes students responsible for their time. Seating Arrangements are also important to help create effective classroom management. Seating arrangements can be determined usually after the first week of classes. The teacher can observe students behavior and plan who would work well together, and who would not and plan seating arrangements accordingly. The same idea goes for group or pair work. A teacher wants to pair or groups students who can behave together as well as help one another. The teachers attitude towards students can also help the management of a classroom. If a teacher is enthusiastic about the lesson, students will respond in such. If a teacher is understanding of students needs and interests, students will become more willing to participate in lessons. If teachers are indifferent to what they are teaching, students will loose interest, which leads to mischief. When teachers are too critical of students work and only give negative feedback, students will be reluctant to participate and may even resent the teacher. Overall classroom management is completely in the hands of the teacher. If the teacher takes a proactive approach to managing their students, behavior problems will be few and far between.