Teachers have less time for teaching and learning when they spend more time on behavioral issues that is why good classroom management is essential. Usually, pupils act out, get attention, play and sometimes, be just plain disrespectful. Teachers must handle each situation with care and consistency for an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Effective teachers have a good handle on key principles of classroom management for coping with behavior.
1. Seating arrangement. An effective seating arrangement can help head off behavioral issues. It might take a few class sessions to get the mix right, but do not neglect this. Mix high achievers with moderate and low achievers. This tends to prevent a low or moderate achiever from getting bored and isolated, which can precede inappropriate behavior. Mix talkative pupils around quieter pupils. Make sure the talkative pals are not seated too close together. Also, advise pupils during the seating assessment period that you are watching their behavior to determine more permanent seating arrangement. Give some seating preferences to the best-behaved kids.
2. Parent Partnership. Include parents in a child’s educational and behavioral plan. Maintain contact with each parent on a regular basis, giving periodic positive feedback to best-behaved pupils, and more frequent, perhaps weekly, reports for more troublesome pupils. Understand that some parents will not participate, but do keep a copy of all of your communication efforts. Set up parent conferences as needed.
3. Classroom Rules. All pupils must understand classroom rules. Establish rules such as no eating, no chewing, no getting up or speaking without raising their hands, no touching things on the teacher’s desk, bringing needed materials such as pencil and paper to class, coming to class on time and being in their seats when the bell rings. Establish a reward system to apply positive reinforcement to students who obey the rules.
These three are just some of the key principles of classroom management. Teachers may adapt more techniques on how to make the best practice for coping with behavior in the four corners of the learning area.
By: Iris S. Santos | MT- I | (Bacong Elem. School) | Limay, Bataan
