Whether you are a seasoned teacher or about to have your first class, here are a few tips to ease classroom management this year!
As the new school year rolls around, you may find it beneficial to shake things up a bit in the classroom. Here you will find ideas from technological tools for classroom management all the way to ways to build a bond with your students. Whether you are a seasoned teacher or about to have your first class, here are a few tips to ease classroom management this year!
At times, especially during longer lectures, students tend to become distracted. This is nothing new – if you’re a teacher, you’ve seen this before – but it’s also one of the key things that can undermine the educational experience for other students. In order to combat this, try to include more hands-on involvement in the classroom to keep the students engaged, such as visuals or learning games.
It is important to include visuals, especially with younger students, to allow the students something to follow along with throughout the lecture. In a way, it provides a student with more clarity when they can physically see what is being taught. When using visuals in the classroom, this can be through the use of a PowerPoint or visual instructions. If teaching a lecture, try to teach the lesson in conjunction with a PowerPoint. By demonstrating both the topics and some images, the lesson becomes easier for the students to follow and understand. Regarding visual instructions, Bethel University highlights, “If you can provide instructions visually, this will help keep students independent and help them be more productive.” If you are having your students complete an activity, try to write the instructions on the board or provide them with a handout.
To increase student engagement, you can also try incorporating learning games for the students. In the classroom, these can be simple games like game show style quizzes, interactive games with groups of students, and more. You can also use games outside the classroom by using online tools to facilitate them. Some examples of these online platforms include Splashlearn, Kahoot or Quizziz. Both platforms are a way that students can be quizzed on the knowledge they learn in the lecture through a more competitive form. Ultimately, if the students are aware that they will be in a competition based on the information taught, they will likely be more inclined to stay engaged in the lesson.
In the classroom, it becomes far too easy for you as a teacher to complete tasks that a student is able to do themselves in the interest of saving time. However, this can be damaging. This is why it becomes crucial that you must set boundaries early on in the classroom. Clearly illustrate what role you play as the teacher and the responsibilities that they have as students. If the students see you doing this, they will grow to learn that you will simply do tasks for them. This results in you having more work on your plate and students being less independent. Bethel University further demonstrates that “pushing a student to take care of small tasks increases their independence and empowerment in the long term.” Boundaries are like having a contract with yourself that sets standards for your needs in order to maintain your well-being. While these boundaries do benefit the student, it is important to remember to also prioritize yourself. Ultimately, this will keep students engaged while also allowing you to balance your schedule and prioritize your tasks.
While there is a clear line in the roles between teachers and students, try to build a relationship with every student that you can in the classroom. By demonstrating that you are a person beyond a teacher, the student develops more respect for you and is more likely to be motivated to learn. The Education Trust demonstrated that “When students have strong relationships with their teachers, in-class motivation increases the most. In these instances, students are motivated by teachers’ high expectations as well as their own.” This will in turn aid in classroom management as students will have both respect towards you and a higher motivation to stay engaged in the lesson.
So, as you begin this new year, try to slowly incorporate a few tips into the classroom. At the end of the day, you will need to do what works best for you and your students. Maybe they are more visual learners? Possibly there is a certain platform, like Kahoot, that students feel more comfortable in. Whatever it may be, don’t forget that while you are working for them, you classroom can only be successfully managed when you also think about you.
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