Classroom management is one of the main reasons for job burnout and attrition in first-year teachers. I remember that first year of teaching; as classroom management goes, it wasn’t pretty. There was pulling of hair and gnashing of teeth and wails of frustration—and that was me in the car on the way home from work every day!
It certainly would have helped if the school I attended—a major university—had actually provided a classroom management course. In my opinion, that was a serious omission in its requirements. (But I had to take introduction to psychology and educational psychology? Seriously? That course information has been SO useful in the real world. But I digress…)
If you could give a first-year teacher one classroom management tip or idea based on your classroom experience, what would it be? What would help her (or him) survive that first year?
don’t ever hesitate to ask teachers or look at websites for ideas for class room activities
Be consistent. If something isn’t working try something else. Every group of students is different and what works for one may not work for another.
Relax most of all. Sometimes its our tension that sets it off. The first few weeks of the year we review the rules. I have them laminate and place on sheets bound in a book form and posted on the wall. But most of all you stick to the rules.
When there is a problem I talk to the kids about it and brainstorm ideas to fix it.
I would and do tell teachers to set up their schedule of daily lessons and stick to it for awhile. If something isn’t working, switch to make it better but tell the students. Then keep to your structure and put it in writing where the students can see it. If they know what is happening each day and the order….they don’t have to ask, “What’s next?” or “What are we doing today?” This helps a ton! The other thing I tell our interns is, “Get your teacher face!” Often I can fix a child’s behavior just by looking at them. If “the look” doesn’t work, proximity does, move closer and continue your teaching.
Never be afraid to make mistakes. Tell the students that you will make some mistakes on purpose and whoever catches them will get a little treat. Also, if you don’t know the answer to a question, ask for a volunteer to go on the internet or go home that night and look it up and come back and report on that. Be consistent, but not rigid. If something isn’t working, tell the class that now that we have been in school (insert number of weeks here) it is time to change the rules. Then, make the change you want.
Sometimes, stress challenges us to perform at a higher level.
“In an emergency, put on your own oxygen mask first, and then help others”.
Yet, many brands believe that the more social media accounts
they have, the more web-savvy they are.
When working with young children, the key is be consistent with your rules and expectations, DO NOT change routine during the first 2 months of school (students and teacher need to know what is going to happen next near 100 percent of the time.) and lastly model the way you want them to act. If you want the student to be polite then you need to be polite. If you want the students to treat each other with respect, then you need to model how to do this and be consistent with the consequences. The quickest way to class management nightmare is not being consistent with how you do things and what you do when things go wrong.
for me observe, observe, observe….make sure you get to the root of the problem! Video tape and watch….this helps you see what you do not realize you miss! Then reflect, ponder and find was to be creative in fixing it!,,,, Constancy is key!