Managing Classroom behavior
print resourcePosted by: Godfrey Ogoma
Theme: Classroom Management;teaching Age Group: k-6;6-12 Date Added: February 06, 2012
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Summary
It happens all the time. A teacher, full of great love for kids, meets his or her students for the first time. Half the class doesn’t listen. A few snicker out loud. The teacher feels discouraged. Is the answer more prayer? Does the teacher need a more dynamic personality? Is this just the way it will always be with kids? Here are some suggestions to smooth the way
Intended Audience
teachers,peer educators,facilitators
Materials Needed
No material required
Objectives
Managing children is often very challenging.This material will help in the long term teachers managing more than 10 children in class.The objecting is to help children develop interest in your subject and therefore help improve the performance.This material can also be beneficial to peer educators in primary or tertiary school.
Main Content
Managing Classroom Behaviour
How to prevent discipline problems and deal with disruptive children.
It happens all the time. A teacher, full of great love for kids, meets his or her students for the first time. Half the class doesn’t listen. A few snicker out loud. The teacher feels discouraged. Is the answer more prayer? Does the teacher need a more dynamic personality? Is this just the way it will always be with kids? Here are some suggestions to smooth the way:
Always Be Prepared
This may sound simple, but it is the most important first element in maintaining order in a classroom. Be ready before the children arrive. Eighty percent of all discipline problems are avoided by giving attention to the following:
• Keep kids busy. From the moment they arrive until the time they leave, keep their minds, their bodies, their personalities and their hearts occupied.
• Have enough workers. Not all need to be teachers. Never allow teachers to work alone. Plan for adult supervision 100 percent of the time.
• Remove temptations. Look for the most inviting childhood temptations in your setting (wide open spaces, open boxes, candy, etc.). Find ways to eliminate them or minimize their appeal to students.
• Know your lesson by heart. When you do not know what comes next, kids fill time with their own ideas. Most of their disruptions will have nothing to do with the lesson.
• Plan transitions. Tell kids what comes next and lead them there. Get them started on the next activity immediately.
• Keep kids guessing. Offer a variety of activities. Surprise them now and then; use an unusual noise to get their attention, or turn off the lights and wait for everyone to be quiet.
Be Positively Respectful
When you treat kids with real respect, they usually respect you in return.
• Be courteous. Even when children misbehave, talk with kids as you would talk to a good neighborhood friend. Treat children like real people.
• Be fair. Give everyone turns. Let everyone have a chance to be heard. Insist that your students listen to each other, too.
• Catch kids doing right things. Notice a good listener. Notice when someone follows the rules. Notice when someone is kind or sharing.
• Value them. Treat each child as a real person. Let them know you care, even when you must hold them responsible for inappropriate behavior.
• Be willing to laugh. A good sense of humor diffuses a lot of tense situations. Laugh when you make a blunder. Enjoy when something funny happens (but never laugh at the expense of a child).
Clearly Explain Guidelines for Behavior
• Make a list of 3-5 rules for your classroom. With older children, invite them to help to create the list. Display them and simply explain the rules each time you meet. They should be positive, simple and measurable, like these:
• Raise your hand before speaking.
• Keep your hands to yourself.
• Listen when it is not your turn to talk.
• Clean up any mess you make.
• Have fun. (Kids like this one!)
• Be realistic. Kids cannot sit still for long periods. Give them lots of opportunity to move, participate, play, laugh and have fun.
• Be consistent: rules come with consequences and these need to be applied consistently but not harshly.
• Tolerate absolutely no violence or emotional bullying.
Deal with Disruptive Children
Disruptive children come in all shapes and sizes. They do what they do for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the most common reasons and some strategies for helping them.
Look past a child’s words and behavior to the real need. Avoid taking their disruptions personally. Most are far too concerned about themselves to really care about whether you are comfortable or not. Are they hungry? Lonely? Frustrated? Tired? Can you help meet any of these needs? Also, realize that testing the rules is normal. Kids want to know if you are smart enough to notice and if you are caring enough to respond.
• Some kids simply want extra love and attention. Give them manageable helping jobs.
• Some do not know what you expect. Be firm and respectful but explain the classroom guidelines for behavior again.
• Some kids cannot concentrate when sitting next to a good friend. When necessary, invite them to sit in separate parts of the room.
• Some kids simply need practice noticing their own behavior. Notice them doing something right, often.
• Some kids have developed a habit of confrontation. Don’t be drawn into the power games.
• Some kids are used to living alone. They need to understand that their behavior affects others. Explain it gently, when necessary.
• Get big helpers. Assign an assistant to be with the unruly student.
• Be firm, but show you care!
NOTE: If you are working in a setting that is not your home culture, you will need to rely on local leaders for guidance in all areas of classroom management and discipline, since norms vary so widely and the issues run very deep emotionally.
1) If they are attentive
2) If there is improvement in performance
3) If they develop sudden interest in you or your subject.
4) If thre is improvement in attendance.
Additional Resources
www.max7.org