22. Classroom management - problems and coping strategies; classroom dynamics - characteristics
Teacher's physical presence in class - it plays a large part in his/her management of the classroom environment. The way the teacher moves, how he/she stands, how physically demonstrative he/she is - all these play their part in the effective management of a class.
Proximity - teachers should consider how close they want to be to the students they are working with. Some students resent it if the distance between them and teacher is too small. For others distance is a sign of coldness. Teacher should adjust their proximity to what is happening in the classroomand to the students' reactions.
Appropriacy - sitting on the egde of tables, standing behind a lectern, standing on a raised dais - make strong statements about what kind of person the teacher is. It is important to consider what kind of effect such physical behavour has so that we can behave in a way which is appropriate to the students we have and the relationship we wish to create.
Movement - most successful teachers move around the classroom to some extent - that way they can retain their students' interest (motionless teachers can bore students, those who move constantly can turn their students into tennis-match spectators, which is exhausting)
Contact - eye contact with students, listening to students and responding to them appropriately makes teacher aware of what what students are doing adn how they are feeling
How should teachers use their voice in class?
Audibility - is very important, students at the back of the class should hear teacher just as well as those at the back, however teacher do not have to shout to be audible (right balance between audibility and volume)
Variety - it is important to vary the quality of teachers' voices depending on the type of activity and the type of lesson (introducing new activity will be different from conversation)
Conservation - breathing correctly from the diaphragm, so that you do not strain you larynx, varying your voice throughout the day, avoiding shouting, so that you can conserve your vocal energy
Stages of a lesson:
Starting off a lesson
It't good to inform (when appropriate and possible) to inform students what they will be doing
it helps students if they are made clearly aware of the end of something and the beginning of what is coming next
Finally, when an activity or a lesson has finished, it helps if the teacher is able to provide some kind of closure - a summary what has happened, or perhaps prediction of what will take place in teh next lesson
Seating arrangement:
Orderly rows - good for working with the whole class (lecture, explaining a grammar point, watching a video, using a board). It makes discipline easier, teacher can easily walk up and down making more personal contact with individual students adn watching what they are doing), disadvantage - it's hard to keep everyone involved, so while asking questions to the class it's important to choose the ones to answer at random. It keeps students attentive
Circles and horseshoes - works in smaller classes; usually teacher will be at the open end of the arrangement since that may well be where the board/projector/tape recorder is situated. Teacher is less dominating.
Circle - implies that everybody is equal, it lowers the barriers between teachers and their students. The students can see each other - a more intimate place to share feelings and information through talking
Separate tables - the atmosphere in class is much less hierarchical than in other arrangements. Teacher can walk around checking the students' work and helping out if they are having difficulties. Disadvantage: students may not want to be with same colleagues; it makes `whole class' teaching more difficult, since students are more difuse and separated
Different student grouping:
Whole class
Group and pairwork - advantage: cooperative activity, independence in their own learning decisions, disadavnatage: students may not like the people they are grouped/paired with; one student may dominate; students may become more disruptive
solowork - advantage: students' own speed, allows them to be individuals, disadvantage - no social interaction
advice on dealing with discipline problems:
BEFORE PROBLEM ARISES (Prevention is better than cure): plan and organise lesson carefully, do not go to class unprepared - students automatically identify teachers who are not sure what to do in the classroom, make sure instructions are clear, assertive, brief, keep in touch with what is going on, don't be inconsistent - if a teacher allows students to come to class late without taking action one week they cannot be reproached for doing the same thing again the week after, don't break the code - of a part of the code is that students should arrive on time, then the teacher must too, code exists for the group as a whole (including teacher) or it does not exist at all
WHEN PROBLEM IS BEGINNING(do something): deal with the problem quickly; prevent escalation, keep your cool: don't take things personally, don't use threats (unless you are prepared to implement them), don't raise your voice - this almost always had distastrous consequences for it contributes to a general raising of the level of noise in the classrom, very often quiet voice is far more effective
WHEN PROBLEM HAS EXPLODED (Act quickly don't argue): `Explode' yourself (loud and assertive command), give in, make them an offer they can't refuse (postponement, arbitration, compromise)