Managing the Classroom
Preparing Students for Class
When students arrive in your classroom, they are expecting direction. Be sure to communicate with them what it is expected of them each day. What are you doing in your next class? Does it involve group work, discussion, or an in-class assignment? Let your students know each day what they need to be prepared for in the next class.
Getting to Know your Students
Everybody likes to be referred to by their name rather than as “hey you.” Your students are no different in this regard. If you refer to them by a name, they may be more likely to see their class contributions as relevant. Knowing that the instructor acknowledges their name may also encourage them to contribute to Q and A or discussion within the class because they see themselves as a contributor to the class and not as a paying customer of tuition.
Making the Most of Your Classroom Environment
When teaching your course, one thing that you may not consider immediately, is the classroom environment. Giving some consideration to the teaching and learning environment can help you design better activities for your students; helping with student engagement and interaction.
Dealing with Challenging Behaviour
The way a teacher defines course expectations, describes them in the syllabus, and uses them in testing and grading strongly influences student attitudes toward the instructor.
Establishing a formal social contract for classroom behavior also helps reduce the probability that conflicts will escalate beyond desirable levels.