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In this unit I learned that managing a classroom requires a lot of organizational skills, anything from organizing students in the class and everything done in the class. In classroom management it is very important to use eye contact to get students' attention, check their understanding, maintain discipline, and encourage students. Also, it is very important to vary our voice, speak slowly and clearly, and use language at or below the level of the students. The use of gesture is, likewise, very important as it helps reduce teacher talk time and add visual interest. Grouping students is another way to keep control in the classroom. Students can be sat individually to help them become more confident, in pairs or small groups to increase student talk time, and as a whole class to help create a sense of belonging and interact with each other. In addition to grouping students, classroom arrangement takes an important part in managing a classroom. Setting the tables in rows allows the teacher to move freely throughout the classroom, maintain eye contact, and students can get a clear view of the teacher. However, this arrangement could make students feel insecure to speak out. Also, we can arrange the desks in semi-circle; some of the advantages may include that the students can get easily set in pairs, they are more focused on the lessons, and the teacher appears less dominant, but the teacher may lose eye contact with some of the students when moving inside the semi-circle. The last arrangement is the individual desks or separate tables. This helps the teacher assist the students individually and is good for lectures, yet it becomes difficult for students to interact with the other students. We cannot forget to use students' names to better manage the class. Using their names help organize the class, signal who is to respond, praise students, and make all students think about the answer by saying their name at the end of the question. Some other situations that have to be considered to maintain classroom management are: writing on the board, giving individual attention, giving instructions, building rapport, using teacher talk time, and discipline. Maintaining discipline could be very difficult, but we can prevent bad behavior by respecting all students, be fair at all times, be always on time, be and have everything prepared, be always happy, never make threats that cannot be fulfilled, and prepare varied and interesting lessons. It seems like it takes a lot to manage a classroom; nevertheless, it could become easier if we build and maintain a friendly relationship with every single student in the class.
