Classroom Management

Tonight I had a great opportunity to hear the thoughts of many other language teachers on a very popular topic: classroom management.

Oh, the joy of "managing" a classroom of (if you're lucky) thirty-some adolescent learners.  This year I have more students than ever.  Classroom space is at a premium and between trying to keep myself organized in a room that feels more like a shoebox than a learning space has been challenging.  My largest class has thirty six students and my smallest is still a healthy twenty six.

Classroom management is complex.  So many factors go into having a classroom run smoothly.  I am still learning every day the hazards of managing my classroom and finding out that it is an art and definitely not a science.  What works with one student will not with another.  Or what works in one class will fail in another.  But generally, across the board, a few things have made my life as a new (and very young looking teacher - this NEVER helps) easier.

1. Seating chart. No questions, no fuss, it is what it is.  Assigned seats are not a punishment, they are an expectation in my class.

2. Transitions.  There cannot be "down" time in any of my classes.  We ALWAYS must be do something.  I also set students up with a task as I pass out papers, as I get the next activity organized.  They must not sit and talk in English, getting them back is always harder once you've let them go.

3.  Balancing activities.  Never does an activity in my class last longer than twenty minutes.  On an eighty minute day this means we do at least four activities.  I mix communicative activities with writing/reading activities.  The breaks help make the writing/reading activities more peaceful.  I find it helpful to get out of my shoebox room and work in the hall or a common space during communicative activities.

4.  Establishing a connection with students.  It's harder to be a complete jerk to a teacher that makes an effort to get to know you and shows that they care about you.

5.  "I" statements.  It sounds like couple's therapy, but for me it works.  Rather than "You can't turn that in late," or "You need to have this done," I purposefully try to place myself in a position of authority.  "I accept assignments that are turned in on time for credit."  "I am willing to let students have the first ten minutes of lunch to finish their assessments."  "I extend bathroom privileges to students that use them responsibly." "I am available to discuss this at 2:00." I. I. I. I am the teacher :)

And so much more to learn.