Reflection: Classroom Management Strategies

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I have learned the importance of starting from the beginning to be intentional about setting up a positive and productive classroom environment. To ask myself, “What can I do to minimize and prevent (where possible) unnecessary hassles or problems in establishing positive behaviours in my classroom and a cooperative learning culture?” The answer is to focus on the necessary norms, routines, and transitions to enable the smooth running of the classroom community. I really like the idea of using positive language when introducing the classroom procedures, “We take turns in class discussion.” rather than using “Don’t”. And the “We” includes all of us, reinforcing that learning is a shared responsibility that contributes to building a positive community.

I was most looking forward to this module about classroom management because I was puzzled by why some teachers “had it” and others didn’t when it came to classroom management. And, honestly, I worried that I might not have it because of my age; wondering if I am too old to start teaching; I have less patience than my younger self, I am stubborn and set in my ways, I am sensitive to noise which is my biggest pet peeve in the classroom. But really, it has nothing to do with my age, it has everything to do with my Learning Environment Plan.

Reflecting on it, as I moved through these units, researching, reading, and discussing with my classmates, the teachers who have “it” - Nicole, Tom, Afnan, Anna - not only integrated some of the strategies we have been learning but model them, reinforce them, remind students about them, and follow through on consequences. In this environment, student learning is definitely more effective; students take advantage of class time, they are on-task and quietly support each other. The teachers have high expectations of their students and when students know that, they will try their best to meet them. Such a climate is also inclusive of all students, like the struggling learners that I support as it minimizes distractions (i.e. loudness and movement in the classroom). In turn, it supports these students to better process information. It also allows the teacher to effectively teach too, enabling them to not only get through the lesson but be flexible to respond to student needs, and have valuable time available for feedback and clarification. Of course, I am not naive. Even in the most well-run classroom, outbursts and disruptions are inevitable in the course of a school year, but they can be kept to a minimum thanks to the proactive strategies that the teachers implemented.

 

Those teachers that don’t have it? They look exhausted to me, spending so much of their time saying, “Pay attention.”, “What are you doing?”, “No talking!” and getting into arguments with them. So much energy is trying to get the students focused which reflects poorly on the teacher and gives control to the students. I want to avoid this scenario.

The Learning Environment Plan gives me a comprehensive understanding of classroom management and I will use it as a working document, something to refer to (often!) and add to as I practice the norms, routines and transitions in my own classroom. Hopefully, I can find that delicate balance between teacher authority and student autonomy. Building strong relationships and co-creating norms is a good start; and you can bet that minimizing noise in the classroom will be one of the norms.