Teach English in ChuAndong Nongchang - Yancheng Shi

Many people think that classroom management means that the teacher controls the students’ behavior during a lesson, but it is much more than that. In this essay, I will explore this concept and explain some effective classroom management strategies. Classroom management can be defined as the strategies that a teacher uses to build not only good teacher-student rapport but also a harmonious student-student relationship. This allows students to develop appropriate behavior patterns in class which in turn will give them the chance to develop their maximum learning potential. One of the main strategies is for the teacher to be a model of ideal behavior in the classroom. This can be achieved by using polite language while speaking in the class and maintain eye contact when talking with students. It is also important to teach students not to interrupt while the teacher or other classmate is speaking. The idea is that the students will imitate the teacher's behavior and this will create a pleasant learning atmosphere for everyone. It is common that in some classes the teacher will face some noisy students who like to interrupt the teaching process. It is not encouraged to use punishment to control this kind of situation. On the contrary, encouraging these students is the best way to deal with this problem. This is achieved by offering those students some role or responsibility in the class, for example letting them manage some activities. As they need to feel important in the classroom, this method will help the teacher indirectly manage them. Pair work is another good strategy for classroom management. Teachers tend to divide the students into groups to create a competitive atmosphere between the students, however, I do not think that should be the purpose of grouping students. I use pair work because I think it is more effective than working individually or in big groups. This strategy helps the students have more chances to speak and practice and also allows the teacher to be able to work with certain pairs while others are doing the tasks. Dividing students into big groups might not give a chance to all students to speak or join the activity properly. Also, when the students work individually, the teacher sometimes does not have enough time to interact with every student. A key aspect of good classroom management is the lesson plan. If the teacher plans the lesson, they will be able to deliver the lesson within the given time and then they can give additional attention and time to students that require more help. Lesson planning can help the teacher to be well-prepared and be aware of what is the aim of the lesson, so they can transmit the information clearly to the students and this way the students will not be confused or lost about what it is expected of them. In my personal experience, one of the best strategies for effective classroom management is making rules along with the students. This means allowing the students to be a part of the discussion regarding what the rules inside of the classroom should be. This way they take an active role in the management of the classroom and they become more responsible for their actions. In conclusion, effective classroom management is important if we want to ensure a favorable learning atmosphere for the students. To do so, every teacher should spend some time developing the right management techniques for each class, paying attention to the needs and behavior of the students. It is worth mentioning that, even though rules are vital in any functional classroom, a good teacher needs to be able to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances of the classroom.