Apparently, classroom management is a term commonly used by
the people associated with educational process. But, it has a deep meaning to
understand and as much important as education itself. Classroom management is
defined as applying the techniques to maintain a healthy learning environment
in classroom relatively free of behavior problems. It is a process of developing
and implementing the rules and procedures in order to smooth conduction of
learning activities despite the disruptive behavior of students. There will be
no desirable learning taken palace until and unless classroom rules and
procedures are strictly followed. In order to understand the concept of
classroom management, a person has to understand the terms used by
educationalists regarding classroom management. A teacher ensures the
achievement of his/her objectives of teaching a certain topic when he/she has
strong classroom management knowledge and skills.
The terms related to classroom management are known as
allocated time, engaged time or time on task, academic learning time,
participant structures and consequences. Allocated time is the time set aside
for learning throughout the whole academic session and engaged time is the time
during which students are engaged through in hand learning activities. However,
the academic learning time is the time during which the students are actually
succeeding at the learning tasks. That is the time in which real learning takes
palace in classroom. Participation structures involve the rules for students
that define how to participate in learning activities. On the other hand, consequences
are redoing a task, repair a model, or
in some way face something challenging that naturally flow from their actions
which are assigned to students instead of punishing them so that they would not
repeat the same again. The efforts for classroom management are put in
classroom to ensure students’ learning.
Classroom management goals
include: first and foremost, maintaining a positive, productive learning
environment because it is unethical to use classroom management techniques just
to keep students docile and quiet. Another
goal is to expand the sheer number of minutes available for learning and
lastly, that is the core of the goals of classroom management is to increase academic learning time by keeping
students actively engaged in meaningful and appropriate learning activities.
In order to achieve the mentioned
goals of classroom management, a positive learning environment is created through
taking some useful measures. One the measures, is distinguishing between rules
and procedures. Rules are the statement specifying expected and forbidden
behaviours of students in classroom. They are simply the specific dos and
don’ts of classroom life and are written down and pasted. However, Procedures
are prescribed steps for certain activities and these steps are seldom written
down. They are simply the ways of getting things done in class. Another measure
is to distinguish between person territories and interest-areas spatial
arrangements. There are two basic kinds
of spatial arrangements namely territorial which involves traditional classroom
arrangement and functional which involves dividing space into interest or work
areas. The last
not the least measure is to contrast between the school’s initial week of
effective and ineffective classroom managers. Effective classroom managers spend
the first days in classroom by teaching a workable, easily understood set of
rules and procedures by using a lots of explanations, examples and practices.
The classroom environment is maintained
such a way that maximizes academic learning time during teaching and learning. For
this purpose, teachers can encourage engagement of students in learning tasks
by; increasing supervision, assigning task which provides continuous cues, activities
with clear steps, making work requirements clear and specific, providing
required materials and monitoring meaningful learning activities. In addition to that, teachers can explain the factors
that prevent management problems in the classroom. In order to create a positive environment
and prevent problems the teachers must; take into account the individual
differences, keep students’ motivation in classroom teaching, reinforce
positive behaviours, establish caring classroom community and teach students to
use social skills and emotional self-regulation skills. Use seven levels of intervention during
misbehavior. First level is the eye contact or nonverbal signals. Second,
give verbal hints such as taking the name in discussion. Third, ask if the
student is aware of negative effects. Forth, remind the students with procedure
and ask him/her follow. Fifth, ask to state the rule or procedure and follow.
Sixth is, asking to stop misbehavior and lastly teachers need to meet privately
to work out the consequences.
Some of the challenges, teachers may come across with to maintain
classroom management are known as “with-it-ness”
which is defined as awareness of everything happening in classroom. Another one is “overlapping” that is supervising several activities at once. “Focus group” also serves as a challenge which
involves the ability to keep as many students as possible involved in learning
activities. “Movement management” is
to keep lesson and groups moving at an appropriate pace. And pre-correction is also a challenge for
teacher which is a way of preventing serious behaviour problems of students who
have been labeled at risk by directing towards more appropriate actions.
An affective teacher is the one who despite of the disruptive behaviors
of students ensures increased academic learning time. A positive learning environment
is created in classrooms when teachers keep the goals of classroom management
in mind while overcoming on expected challenges. Application of relevant
techniques to deal with the factors that hinder students’ learning prove to be
helpful for teachers to smooth conduction of learning tasks. Thus, classroom
management is an important professional practice that improves teaching and
learning in classroom.
Broadening Horizons