Positive Classroom Management Essays Examples

Question 1

Explain why it is important for a teacher to know their students, the students’ backgrounds and what is occurring in the students’ lives
The role of any teacher in a student’s life is not only to disseminate some knowledge unto them, but it also involves being an agent of change in the student’s life. The role of bringing change to the student life is hard and a complicated one and always requires the teacher to have a better understanding of the student. A good teacher is the one that has some background information about the students. There are behaviors that students might show during the learning process. Some of this behavior, many arise from some background issues in the students life and thus if the teacher does not have any background information about the students then it might be hard to deal with them. It is then important that the teacher to knows the background of their students.
For effective management of students behavior the in the class the teacher must know the background and some things that happened in the student's life. One's behavior is always as the results of their interaction with their immediate environment. The child environment might evoke some behavior in their life as some psychologists have argued. Some of these things that happened to the child when they were young might at times shape their reactions and action in the later ages. It might be totally hard for the teachers to deal with some of their reactions if they do not know the background and the source of the actions. It is for this reason that the teacher needs to take time and understand the child background. Some of the child extreme behavior results from environmental abnormalities in their early ages. The teacher might try hard to deal with these behaviors but if they do not seek to find the sources of the behavior then they might never the able to change them.
Having knowledge about the students can also help the teacher to refine the learning content, the classroom, the illustrations and even the other activities to bring out a more effective learning experience. When a teacher makes reference to the students’ interests, knowledge, background and anxieties make the class more personal and thus increase the accessibility of the lecture material to the students. As well, different students might have varying experiences in life, but when the teacher takes the time to gauge their responses they might be able to modify the content to sought their needs. This can make the teaching more effective and efficient. Thus before even the teacher starts the whole process of teaching the first thing they need to do is to find out more about their students. This can be achieved by handing the questionnaires (Bishop & Bishop, 2009).
Various students might have various varying needs depending on their background. It is quite hard to understand these needs and deal with them effectively if the teacher does not understand their backgrounds. The teacher then has the responsibilities of analyzing and learning the various backgrounds of their students before trying to meet their needs. Though it is always hard and impossible to fully understand each student's needs and their background, a good teacher will always find a way to dig into the students’ lives and thus understand their backgrounds. Such information will reveal what happened to the child when they were at their tender ages and thus help to define the reasons they are behaving in one way or another (Lovat, Toomey & Clement, 2010).
Learning the student’s background also makes the teacher realize the deeper cultural background of the child that might affect their learning. Student’s learning abilities might be influenced by the various cultural aspects of their upbringing. Different cultures have a different perspective on various issues, and it is always hard for the teacher to deal with such issues if they do not have prior knowledge about them. Most often, cultural misconceptions, clichés, and vague generalities might have an impact on the students understating of some issues. It is up to the teachers to try and analyze this background and how they might affect the students learning. Once the teacher has understood the backgrounds, they would easily restructure the learning activity to suit these varying needs of students (Stronge, 2007).
Ideally, the teacher has an important responsibility of influencing the student’s behavior. Apart from just teaching them they make it possible to create influence in the student’s life. The teacher has also an important task of understanding the student’s background and some of the things that happened to the students. This is the only effective way to enhance learning.

Question 2

Explain the classroom management styles that a teacher may adopt and why this is important for a supportive and safe learning environment
The whole aspect of educating and teaching young people is exciting since it provides challenges that enhance one’s personal growth. The challenges arise from the fact that the students joining schools come with diverse capabilities, backgrounds, and interests. These challenges can thus make a classroom either organized or disorganized. Students may either be organized or disorganized. As well, they may be proactive and fully engage in the classroom activity, or they may also be reactive and just passive. The teacher has a serious responsibility of managing the classroom and ensuring that learning goes on without the various interruptions. There are various learning techniques that the teacher needs to know if they wish to manage their classroom and enhance learning.

Classroom management styles

It is a pre-requisite of any teacher to have effective classroom management styles and techniques. This is also the most important but at the same time the most difficult task that the teacher has to perform. It is one of the scariest parts of teaching that almost all educators face. A teacher then needs to identify the technique that works and one that can make sure that the learning process is effective. Though there are various techniques that the teacher can opt for some of the most important ones are listed here.

Authoritative style of teaching

This style is always taken as the best style of classroom management and is always associated with appropriate student behavior. If this style is used by a teacher that is experienced then it can just produce students that are socially adapted, competent and also responsible. Authoritarian type of management is characterized by punitive and reactive actions. In this respect, the students do not have any say in the management and say in the class. Teachers using this style are often cold and even punishing. This means that at times the authoritarian management of a classroom can produce students that are ineffective when it comes to their social interactions (Frederickson, Miller & Cline, 2008).

Assertive style

In this technique of classroom management, the teacher spells out the rules of behavior and the consequences of disobeying these rules. In this kind of management, the teachers always make sure that the students are aware of who is in charge of the classroom. The students are always accountable for their actions. This is quite an effective type of learning since it sets the students free and allows them to develop the best skills, traits, abilities and gives them the psychological security in the classroom. If a good teacher uses this style then, they can effectively manage the discipline cases in the class (Moore & Hansen, 2012).
Another technique that can be quite effective in managing the classroom is the business academic style. This technique is quite effective when the tutor has a clear understanding of the classroom conditions, the instructional activity, and the student’s behavior. It is a strategy that always involves a high degree of academic engaged time and time on task. The teacher takes up the responsibility of organizing the student’s tasks and monitors their work. The teacher also monitors the student’s activities and gives them feedback. The students are also held accountable for their actions and rewards and penalties awarded.
Lastly, the teacher can use the behavior modification style. In this type of classroom management, the teacher may opt to use various techniques together basing on the student's behavior. This technique may include simple reward to even elaborate reinforcement. In this type of management, the teacher does not bother much with the student’s personal history and searching for the causes of particular behavior. It could be an effective technique to use since it gives the teacher the opportunity only to focus on the teaching of the students. Nevertheless, it might be an ineffective technique when the student’s behaviors problem has a background cause (Hayes & Hayes, 2010).
It is evident that the technique that the teachers opt to use has quite an effect on the student’s ability to learn. While others might support students safe learning others do not. It is clear that the techniques mentioned provide the learning with a supportive and safe learning environment. The learners can concentrate on their learning without any interruptions. That is the major role of classroom management. The teachers ensure that the learner has enough room to carry out their learning.

References

Bishop, A., & Bishop, S. (2009). Teaching Word Analysis Skills. Huntington Beach: Shell Education.
Frederickson, N., Miller, A., & Cline, T. (2008).Educational psychology. London: Hodder Education.
Hayes, N., & Hayes, N. (2010).Understand applied psychology. Blacklick, OH: McGraw-Hill.
Lovat, T., Toomey, R., & Clement, N. (2010).International research handbook on values education and student wellbeing. Dordrecht: Springer.
Moore, K., & Hansen, J. (2012).Effective strategies for teaching in K-8 classrooms. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
Stronge, J. (2007). Qualities of effective teachers. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.