THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER and Classroom management

[Pages:23]Lowe I 2009 esp/classroom-management.pdf

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The role of the teacher and classroom management

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THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER and Classroom management

Last modified 13 May 2009

Introduction

This document is unusual. It begins with two outlines which I usually use when teaching. They concern the teacher, what they can do, and aspire to, and a discussion of classroom management techniques. The outlines are followed by an expansion of many of the points made. I include classroom management in my course on ESP/TEFL because most of my students will, at some point in their lives, teach English in school. The material is based on my own personal experience of struggling to become a teacher, and my interaction with Tunisian MA students and my colleagues. When presenting this material, at first, some of the ideas below are deemed impracticable outside Britain. Frequently I get the most support from the experienced teachers in my class. Therefore, before starting, I ask the students to consider something different, something that is at first sight new and against their culture. I stress that am not saying that all the ideas below will work in another culture. But some of them will. I ask them as adults to consider the new ideas carefully. The major part has in fact proved to be cross cultural.

All my students have access to that excellent book by Michael Marland, "The craft of the classroom", (Heinemann 2002). It was an earlier edition of this book, along with the detailed and sympathetic advice of a headmaster, that really taught me most of what I needed. This headmaster was my neighbour when I was doing my teacher training. Dr Peter Robinson and his family took me in, and cared for me during the toughest year in my life (1978-79). Because Dr Robinson was working in a school in another county, which was totally outside my learning context, we were able - without breaking confidence - to share problems. I as a total beginner had the privilege of seeing the viewpoint from the top of the ladder, and he in turn, with great humility, saw afresh the teaching world through the pain of a totally incompetent beginner.

Perhaps because I have been to the depths - I can discuss the ideas with confidence. Teaching did not come naturally to me. I took far longer to learn than most of my friends, and the pain was much greater. These ideas are shared in the hope that some of them will be useful. In fact, I only passed my teacher training year by a stroke of good fortune which I happily acknowledge was probably God's doing.

I should explain that in Britain, one major route to qualifying as a teacher is to do a year of teacher training known as the Post Graduate Certificate of Education. In my teacher training year I spent half my time in a school, taking classes for other teachers. You then have to get a job - and it is the individual schools which do the recruiting - it is not the Ministry of

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The role of the teacher and classroom management

Education which organises recruitment and can send you anywhere in the country. This first job is paid employment but under `probation'.

In my teacher training year, my discipline was so weak that the teacher advisor warned me that I must improve, or she would have to fail me. I continued to be weak, so she called in a second opinion - the inspector if you like. This inspector arrived, unannounced, expecting to find me in a free period. He wanted to discuss the problems with me. But that morning, events outside our control took place.

Just before the inspector arrived I heard that the chemistry teacher was sick, and I was asked to supervise his class. I replied that I could do better than that. Since I knew the class (which was a rare one with few discipline problems), I would give them some chemical formulae exercises, and explain in detail the answers. So, at less than five minutes notice I took over a class, and taught a full lesson without any preparation. It happened to be one of the best I had taught, and in walked the inspector and saw most of it.

In the discussion afterwards, the inspector said that my disciplinary problems were large, but that day he had seen me teach. If I was flexible enough to teach like that at short notice, then, provided I did not give up I would eventually learn to be a good teacher. `Eventually' took me the whole teacher training year and another eighteen months as a paid teacher.

I had much more suffering to endure. It was very frustrating - I wanted to be a good teacher, as did my pupils and colleagues, yet I had to learn the hard way. Some might ask, why if I believe in God, did not God give me immediate success? There are several possible answers to that. Perhaps the best one is that because I know what it means to be on the failure list, because I know what it means to be so nervous that I could not eat breakfast before going to work, because I had to suffer, then I can relate to those going through similar struggles.

In my first term of teaching, I was given several bad classes, and was also given `the worst lab in the school'. This is quite normal. Did I have an unfair number of bad classes? It felt that way, even if it was not true.

So, before I started teaching, I studied the labs and did my seating plans. In the lab I put up some science posters, and generally tried to make the room different. That immediately caught the attention of most students - here was a new teacher who cared enough to liven up the worst lab in the school. This fits with a basic principle - to do what was easily within my power. I eventually came to love that lab, and when I had the chance to move to another one in which the benches were arranged much better, I refused.

In my first term I lost a lot of weight, and went off my food. I was concerned enough to seek the advice of a doctor. He was smart. He did not even seek a medical explanation, but cut me short and told me to go back and get help to control my classes. In trembling the next day I approached my head of department, explained I had a problem with heath, and the doctor said I had to ask for help. My department head was surprisingly sympathetic, said he did not know it was that bad, then threw the ball back into my court. Precisely which class was the worst,

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The role of the teacher and classroom management

what was the problem, and what did I want him to do about it? I took a deep breath, named the class, said it had six trouble makers in it, and I wanted them all out of my class. He agreed. He would take them at the back of his class (across the corridor). They would do copying for an hour, and after a few weeks I was to take them back into my normal class, one at a time, until after a term I was teaching the whole class.

That worked! Six months later, I was speaking with the headmaster. I should explain that it is the headmaster in consultation with senior teachers such as the head of department who decides if a new teacher has passed their probation. In Britain this task is not performed by inspectors as it is in some countries. I was nervous - was my need for extra help going to mean I had failed my probation? When asked, my Headmaster was surprised, and then replied with an unforgettable pearl of wisdom. "Oh no, I never fail a teacher who asks for help". When he saw my surprise, he explained, "You see, it is the stubborn teacher who will not listen whom I sometimes have to fail. If you carry on, you will become a good teacher".

It is with this background I now present several lists of what makes a good teacher, and how they can manage their classroom.

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The role of the teacher and classroom management

Outline: THE TEACHER

1. These factors are independent of the subject and mode of teaching. They are also cross cultural. **Care **Teach well **Manage well

2. Prepare work at two levels, since all teaching is to some extent `mixed ability' teaching a. Basics. Essential. Minimum. b. Extension work.

3. Have many activities, change frequently. Have a rhythm/pacing of a new task every 10-15 minutes.

4. Give worked examples as a way of explaining how to do an exercise.

5. You know a. where the students are (ability level etc) b. where students want to be c. what the institution/Head Of Department requires d. the type of class e. what is realistic. But do not get in a rut, keep striving for improvement! f. preferred learning styles of students g. better learning styles h. resources/texts i. your own strengths and weaknesses, how easily you adapt, how readily you learn. j. your agenda and priorities k. outline syllabus of their other subjects l. What is realistic for homework

6. The activities should be specific, achievable, relevant, and timed.

7. Checklist: every lesson should include: a. Reading: gist b. Reading, detail c. Grammar d. Pronunciation e. Individual work, pair work, group work. f. jokes

8. A fast motivating rhythm maintained

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The role of the teacher and classroom management

9. You need to be: a. flexible b. enthusiastic c. have good relationships with students and staff d. willing to experiment [Story: how you passed teacher training]

10. What makes a good teacher? A major point here is that many of these points below are under the direct control of the teacher. What can easily be done must be done. What is harder must be worked at. Some statements are idealistic, and unachievable at first. But, it is well known that `if you aim at nothing you will hit it'.

a. Appearance: formal, almost like a uniform b. Maintains order c. Strict and fair but not harsh d. Rarely angry e. Never insults students, ie never attacks their character. f. Never criticises colleagues in public, especially not in front of the students g. Explains things, even if only a few need extra help h. Fair, impartial i. Hard working j. Reliable, always there on time, rarely absent. Meets deadlines. Marks homework

promptly. k. Organised, well prepared l. Motivates students, encourages them m. Exciting. Makes lessons interesting n. Models .

1) How easily can a student ask you a question? 2) How easily can a student correct you? 3) Do you cover your ignorance, or admit it and promise to do better next time? 4) How readily do you listen to students before giving your judgement? o. Creates an environment conducive to learning p. Cares for the weak student. Does not give up on them. Finds satisfaction in seeing their progress -- not in their actual mark. q. Stretches the bright student r. Continually striving for improvement s. Does not give up when there are problems. Stickability. t. Willing to fail u. Willing to experiment v. Flexible w. Starts strict, relaxes later in the year x. When they say something they do it: they never announce anything they are not willing or able to do. y. Treats everyone with respect, including the caretaker and the cleaners, and teaches their classes to respect everyone in the school.

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The role of the teacher and classroom management

11. Discuss a. Anger b. Arguing c. Sanctions d. Loud voice e. Do classes need to be silent? All the time?

Outline: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

1. Observe well other good teachers, in ALL subjects not just your own.

2. Preparation is far more important than marking, but regular marking is easy to do and will help your teaching and your control.

3. Seating plans. Prior question: What is in the best interests of the pupils? Friends distract!

4. Tidy classrooms. Attractive. eg 6 displays per year.

5. Key point: what are the students doing?

6. Advance preparation a. Room plans b. Spare chairs! Lights! Sockets for cassette recorder. c. Chalk, rubber (for rubbing out your writing), paper, pens, d. Emergency work(sheets) for disruptive students who arrive without books e. Names list, with details of students you should know about: 1) medical problems 2) Social problems 3) Disruptive students 4) Known groups that should be split up

6. School expectations You should find out all this in advance, and know what is expected of you, and of the students. You should know what is possible, and in particular, which sanctions are available.

a. Homework. How often, how much, marking b. Late arrivals, procedure for c. Who has authority on your lesson content d. Who can give you advice about your lessons e. Toilet routines f. Who can give you advice about discipline g. Roll call, and reporting those absent h. Writing on desks i. Violence j. Tests, frequency and content k. Reports l. Seating plans,

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The role of the teacher and classroom management

1) Feasibility. Use of. 2) Use it from the first day

7. Mark book I set aside space for comments/descriptions. This helped me learn the names. Also, near reports time, I would take in their books, mark them, and make notes, so that I had everything I needed for reports. I could also then observe carefully the students I was not sure about.

Keep your reports factual, and what they can do to improve.

8. Discipline a. Act fast, deal with early signs. Localise -- define the target, and do not punish a group. b. Criticise: 1) Behaviour not character 2) Fault not person 3) Specifics not vague trends c. Use Praise much more than criticism, both public and private. d. Divide and rule - split up disruptive groups

9. Receiving the class a. Work to do, ready on the Blackboard, eg. "Turn to page 21 start exercise 4". eg. Re-read the notes you made in the previous lesson, especially thinking about... b. Stand in the door -> control of both classroom and corridor -> students enter one by one -> chance for personal contact with students c. Concentrate on trouble-shooting.

10. In the lesson a. Use names -- students who are watched, and know it, give less problems b. Overlap activities -- multitask. Handle individuals while still teaching the group. c. Change activities. You need a balance of routines which help to keep order, and changes which avoid monotony. d. What are the students doing [not, what the teacher is doing!]. Are the students actively learning? [not, are they quiet!]

11. Lesson end a. Time it to the minute! Eg 3.55 Pens down. Summarise what has been achieved that lesson. Brief word of praise. 3.57 Books away, in silence. 3.58 Stand up. 4.00 bell -> ROWS leave, not all at once!

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The role of the teacher and classroom management

12. Collecting and receiving work a. Collect the work in the seating order, OPEN! b. You go round and do the collecting, so as not to miss any book. c. Books given out, using the seating order they are in.

13. Noise a. Insist on one person speaking at a time in a large group. b. Avoid calling out, by you choosing the names. c. Use pair work, and group work, and insist that one person at a time in the pair/group speaks. d. Keep students busy. e. Use eye-contact: this gives the sense of speaking to individuals.

14. Questions/instructions Keep these precise. "Those who have NOT got a pen, put up your hand". Better: "Who has NOT got a pen? Put up your hand."

15. Pace the year a. Conserve your energy. Become a survivor without becoming hard or cynical. Work hard, then stop. Make sure you have outside interests that are relaxing. b. Target classes for special attention. I focused on two classes, for 1-2 weeks. After 10 weeks or so of this (twice round) my discipline was getting better.

16. Think a. Forgotten your notes/lesson plans/material. [leave some emergency material at school] b. Losing your voice c. When you go to a new school, what do you find out? What do you NOT get to know? d. When you do a lesson plan, what do you concentrate on? 1) variety/ fast moving rhythm. 2) basics/extension 3) pupil learning/doing (not you!). 4) priorities

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