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Classroom Management Classroom management is an essential component of effective teaching. Whether the class is made up of 30 5-year-olds or 5 50-year-olds, maintaining classroom management will make the learning process run more smoothly for both the teacher and the students. Classroom management is simply being able to manage a classroom so that learning can take place in an organized, fun, and safe manner. In order for a teacher to have good classroom management, the teacher is going to need to act as a leader for his/her students. If the teacher demonstrates that they care about the class by getting there on time, dressing appropriately, and being prepared, it is more likely that the students will follow suit. If the teacher is late, sloppily dressed, and carries a persona of being nonchalant, the students may adopt this same lackadaisical attitude toward their own presence and quality of work. The teacher will need to assure that their classroom is neat and tidy. Organization is key. The teacher?s desk should be a model example for the students. Understandable, the desk can get cluttered. It is worth the time and effort to organize the clutter. Shoeboxes, Ziploc bags, folders, filing containers, drawers, etc. should all be utilized to minimize the appearance of clutter and disorganization. The teacher should also take time to help students to keep their belongings neat and organized. Two minutes each day to keep a tidy desk will minimize many minutes and loads of frustration in the future when the children are busy searching in the ?world of their desk? for their assignment on dinosaurs from last week. The classroom should be fun. Kids will want to come to class to learn if their learning environment is fun. Colorful pictures, words, and posters that are displayed at their eye level will be most advantageous when trying to get a classroom to look more appealing to youngsters. They also like to see their names and their own work posted so that they feel like the space is their own. Making a classroom feel safe includes everything from organizing the desks in a way that enables the students to work together (or at least quickly move into cooperative learning groups), to establishing an understanding that this is a place to learn and mistakes are okay. What is not okay is laughing at someone when they do make a mistake. Safe also means that there are a set of rules and consequences that need to be followed to assure that safety is maintained and respected. These rules should not be an exhausted list of ?don?ts? that encompasses every possible ?no-no?. Researchers have found that it is more effective if the Rules list is limited to a mere 5 (not more than 10) things that students should make sure they do at all times. For example: 1. Always do your best 2. Be kind 3. Tell the truth 4. Listen to directions 5. Raise your hand if you have a question. These simple rules cover most of the dilemmas that can occur in any classroom. Of course they would need to be discussed and may need to be extended/manipulated to fit a given circumstance, but for the most part, they are short, sweet, and easy to stick to. Likely speaking, there should ideally be a set of consequences that are also laid out, discussed, and easily understood, such like: 1. Verbal warning 2. written warning 3. call home 4. parent/teacher conference 5. principal/guidance counselor/parent/teacher conference Classroom management is a good thing to establish the first day of school and to continue to review throughout the first week or two while remembering to briefly revisit every now again?just to keep things running smoothly.
