Classroom Management: Creating a Positive Learning Environment

3 - Effective Classroom Management

3 Effective Classroom Management Li Wai-shing A good classroom manager carefully plans everything that occurs in the classroom from the seating arrangements to instructions for children who finish planned activities early. American Federation of Teachers (1995–96) Synopsis Classroom management is a multi-faceted concept. This chapter describes and discusses four major components of effective classroom management: management of the physical environment, curriculum management, managing discipline and managing classroom procedures. The related concepts and strategies which are discussed include: the use and decoration of classroom space; principles for effective lesson planning and design; classroom rules and routines; and the use of punishment and rewards. Classroom management must go beyond just managing classroom behaviour — it is also about the management of learning. Classroom management as a whole is a complex task of designing an environment that facilitates better teaching and learning. Objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to: • understand the nature of effective classroom management; • understand the concepts of classroom management and management of learning; • identify the major factors conducive to learning in managing the physical environment; • establish classroom routines and rules with pupils; 46 Classroom Management • apply principles for using rewards and punishment in the classroom; • understand the teacher’s authority in learning and teaching. Pre-Reading Reflection and Discussion • What is the ultimate purpose of effective classroom management? • What kind of classroom environment do pupils prefer? • How would you decorate your classroom to help your pupils learn better? • On the basis of your experience as a student or teacher, are there any principles for developing useful classroom procedures that you wish to suggest to colleagues or peers? • In your opinion, what differentiates good and bad classroom rules? • Do you think teachers offer limited praise to their students because they often take it for granted that students ought to behave well in class? • Where does a teacher’s authority come from? Introduction Good classroom management is challenging. Traditionally, it was viewed as a matter of exerting control over the learners, but more recently classroom management has been perceived as the art of establishing a good climate and managing instruction effectively. It involves more than just implementing procedures for organizing the students or setting rules for a disciplined classroom — it is about how a teacher establishes his/her authority by offering interesting lessons. Teachers need to gain students’ respect and confidence by showing concern for their needs, and this is reflected and realized in their preparation of lessons that actively engage the students.An effective manager of a classroom knows how to use praise to encourage good behaviour and apply appropriate measures to prevent misbehaviour. We start by examining the classroom management of Mr. Lam, a local teacher in a primary school. Are there any respects in which you consider he is a poor manager? If so, make a list of recommendations for improving his classroom management. Classroom scenario Mr. Lam entered the classroom and greeted the pupils. It was a dull room with only a few worn-out posters on the walls. He turned on the computer in order to run a DVD for his social studies lesson. It took him more than five minutes to Effective Classroom Management 47 get the computer to produce the right images, and during that time Mr. Lam said nothing as he was focusing on what had happened to his computer. As a few pupils started talking and the noise began to get louder, Mr. Lam shouted, “Please keep quiet!”, but none of the pupils paid any attention to him. All of a sudden, Mr. Lam banged his table and shouted to the pupils in an intimidating tone, “If you keep on making a noise, all of you will be punished.” At that point, Qing-mei whispered to her neighbour Ni-hui, “I have not made any noise at all, so why does Mr. Lam have to punish me?” The Reality of Classroom Management Some non-teachers may view the teaching process as a simple “teach, listen and learn” activity: the teacher just stands in front of a number of pupils in a classroom, talks to them and orders them to complete pre-arranged tasks. However, this conception overlooks completely the multidimensional nature of the classroom environment in which things happen very quickly and publicly, and are sometimes unpredictable and spontaneous. In addition, teachers vary in their educational aims and objectives and the students differ in a wide...