If you are a new teacher, then maintaining the decorum of your class can be one of the many challenges you are likely to face. Classroom discipline strategies given in this article can help you out.
Discipline is one of the essential virtues in human life. The seeds of discipline are sown in early childhood itself. Schools play a vital role in inculcating the importance of discipline in young children. If you are a new teacher about to join school, then you must be equipped with solid classroom discipline strategies, that will enable you to manage your class. Classroom discipline management is one aspect of teaching, you will have to master as early as possible. Given below are some strategies for classroom discipline that will help you.
Classroom Discipline Strategies and Tips
Start Early
One of the most important classroom management strategies that new teachers should remember is, to make an impression upon your students at the very beginning. The kids intently judge your every move during the first few minutes and decide what kind of a teacher you would make. You should not reveal any weaknesses, else the kids will know what they can get away with. Hence, let your body language indicate that you are not the teacher to mess around with. Having said that, I do not mean that you should be harsh upon kids. Be friendly, approachable, yet strict.
Be Specific
Many a time, conflict arises because the students are not able to decipher the instructions of the teacher. Use of difficult-to-understand terms, ambiguous instructions can all lead to indiscipline, that too for no fault of students. Young children especially find it very hard to follow instructions that are given in a complex language. Giving clear and precise instructions is one of the most effective classroom management techniques.
Be Consistent
Building classroom discipline plan and sticking to it is very important to ensure peace in the class. Be specific about the kind of behavior you expect from kids. Make it clear to them, that you won't tolerate any misbehavior in your class. If you ignore misbehaving kids one day and jump at the slightest hint of indiscipline the next day, you will leave your kids confused. Hence, it is important to be consistent with your classroom management strategy everyday.
Keep the Interruptions Minimum
The main aim of kids who interrupt the class is to bring about disruption and halt the teaching process. These kids are least interested in the lesson and somehow want to divert the attention of the class. They may resort to talking amongst themselves or making fun of other kids. If you entertain these kids, it would actually encourage them, because that is all what they want. Hence, as far as possible ignore such kids. If the talking becomes really disruptive, ask a question to one of them to retain the continuity. Entertaining such interruptions would lead to loss of precious teaching time for kids who really wish to learn.
Add a Hint of Humor
Humor resolves even the trickiest of all situations. A good laugh can instantly ease the tension between teacher and students. However, do not mistake humor with sarcasm, unless you want to spoil your relationship with your kids. Also, do not embarrass or humiliate your students under the name of humor.
Treat Everyone with Equality
Fairness is the key to classroom management and discipline. As a teacher, you might have your own favorites amongst your students. However, do not reveal your true feelings while you are in class. Treat all your students with utmost equality, even those who are amongst your least favorites. Kids are smart enough to identify if you really like them or not. Hence, do not make your preferences obvious in front of the class.
Start Afresh
This does not mean that you come up with a new classroom management plan everyday. It simply means that do not carry grudges of the previous day with you the next day. Just because some kids misbehaved in your class the previous day, it is not fair to assume that they will disrupt you the next day as well. Do not have any preconceived notions about the class's behavior and start each day with a hope that the class will behave decently.
Once you plan your classroom discipline strategies and implement them correctly during the first few weeks, you will have little problem with class discipline in future. As an established teacher, your efforts to maintain decorum in the class will reduce with each passing year.
Classroom Discipline Strategies and Tips
Start Early
One of the most important classroom management strategies that new teachers should remember is, to make an impression upon your students at the very beginning. The kids intently judge your every move during the first few minutes and decide what kind of a teacher you would make. You should not reveal any weaknesses, else the kids will know what they can get away with. Hence, let your body language indicate that you are not the teacher to mess around with. Having said that, I do not mean that you should be harsh upon kids. Be friendly, approachable, yet strict.
Be Specific
Many a time, conflict arises because the students are not able to decipher the instructions of the teacher. Use of difficult-to-understand terms, ambiguous instructions can all lead to indiscipline, that too for no fault of students. Young children especially find it very hard to follow instructions that are given in a complex language. Giving clear and precise instructions is one of the most effective classroom management techniques.
Be Consistent
Building classroom discipline plan and sticking to it is very important to ensure peace in the class. Be specific about the kind of behavior you expect from kids. Make it clear to them, that you won't tolerate any misbehavior in your class. If you ignore misbehaving kids one day and jump at the slightest hint of indiscipline the next day, you will leave your kids confused. Hence, it is important to be consistent with your classroom management strategy everyday.
Keep the Interruptions Minimum
The main aim of kids who interrupt the class is to bring about disruption and halt the teaching process. These kids are least interested in the lesson and somehow want to divert the attention of the class. They may resort to talking amongst themselves or making fun of other kids. If you entertain these kids, it would actually encourage them, because that is all what they want. Hence, as far as possible ignore such kids. If the talking becomes really disruptive, ask a question to one of them to retain the continuity. Entertaining such interruptions would lead to loss of precious teaching time for kids who really wish to learn.
Add a Hint of Humor
Humor resolves even the trickiest of all situations. A good laugh can instantly ease the tension between teacher and students. However, do not mistake humor with sarcasm, unless you want to spoil your relationship with your kids. Also, do not embarrass or humiliate your students under the name of humor.
Treat Everyone with Equality
Fairness is the key to classroom management and discipline. As a teacher, you might have your own favorites amongst your students. However, do not reveal your true feelings while you are in class. Treat all your students with utmost equality, even those who are amongst your least favorites. Kids are smart enough to identify if you really like them or not. Hence, do not make your preferences obvious in front of the class.
Start Afresh
This does not mean that you come up with a new classroom management plan everyday. It simply means that do not carry grudges of the previous day with you the next day. Just because some kids misbehaved in your class the previous day, it is not fair to assume that they will disrupt you the next day as well. Do not have any preconceived notions about the class's behavior and start each day with a hope that the class will behave decently.
Once you plan your classroom discipline strategies and implement them correctly during the first few weeks, you will have little problem with class discipline in future. As an established teacher, your efforts to maintain decorum in the class will reduce with each passing year.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/classroom-discipline-strategies.html
Posted in: Teaching
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