Teach English in Xuebai Zhen - Wuwei Shi

For a teacher to successfully manage the classroom, many factors need to be taken into account. The teacher must be able to organize a class, as well as find a balance between maintaining discipline and having a relaxed and friendly manner. Eye contact can be an important aspect of this. Making too much eye contact can be off-putting, while not enough can give an air of insecurity or doubt. Hand gestures can also be a good way to convey the meaning of something, so long as they are universally understood. A teacher's voice is important as well. The teacher should try speak as clearly as possible. The tone and volume will vary depending on the size of the class and what mood they are trying to convey. Grouping students in different ways can help facilitate learning. Factors that go into this are the size of the group, the personality of the students, the type of activity, etc. For example, whole-class group-work allows students to interact with any other class members, but may be off-putting to shy students. However, solo work allows the teacher to respond to a student's individual learning pace but lacks any sense of group belonging. Classroom arrangement can play a big role in how class grouping can be done and the activities that can be used during class. Classroom arrangement depends on space available, types of furniture, age of the students, nationality of the students, and the personality of the students. Keep in mind that a teacher should not move students for no reason. There are many different arrangements that can be used. For example, with smaller classes, a horseshoe shaped formation can create a more intimate atmosphere. However, for large classes, often the only and best solution is orderly rows. The teacher's position should vary based on the type of activity. If students are working together, then the teacher can sit for most of the time, standing only at the beginning and to check on progress. While, for example, instructing or a language presentation, the teacher should be standing. It's not possible to never turn your back to your students, but it is possible to minimize the amount of time you do so. Some ways to do this are to use overhead projectors, write on the board either before class or while the students are working on an activity. Knowing all of the students' names is important. You should not focus only on the students whose names you know. Try to engage all of the students equally in class. There should be a balance of teacher talking time and student talking time. This balance depends on the type of activity and lesson. Ways to avoid unnecessary teacher talking time are avoiding TEFL jargon, using language below the level being taught, keeping it simple, etc. A teacher needs to have a good rapport with their class. They can do so by taking the students personalities and feelings into consideration. This includes knowing which students get along with each other and letting the students correct each other. There are many other ways to build rapport as well, like coming to class on time and being prepared. Maintaining discipline is an important aspect to class as well. Problem behavior may occur because of family problems, low self-esteem, boredom, etc. Some ways to prevent problem behavior is to be punctual, well prepared, consistent, fair, never lose your temper. If problem behavior still occurs despite attempting to prevent it, it should be handled immediately to not allow the problem to worsen. The teacher should focus on the behavior and not the student, and the teacher should always remain calm. Remember that it is possible to go over the top with rules. In conclusion, managing a classroom takes into account many aspects and a teacher needs to find a good balance between a controlled and relaxed atmosphere depending on the students and the lesson.