July 2018

EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS BY (MRS.) OMOLADE F. O. AKPA Who is a teacher? A teacher is a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences or values.  A teacher’s role may vary among cultures. Teachers may provide instruction in literacy and numeracy, craftsmanship or vocational training, the arts, religion, civics, community roles, or life skills. Formal teaching tasks include preparing lessons according to agreed curricula, giving lessons, and assessing pupil progress. A teacher’s professional duties may extend beyond formal teaching. Outside of the classroom teachers may accompany students on field trips, supervise study halls, help with the organization of school functions, and serve as supervisors for extracurricular activities. In some education systems, teachers may have responsibility for student discipline. Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world. To make a difference in a child’s life is a huge privilege. There are many key attributes to being an effective teacher but for me some of the key attributes are effective communication and establishing good relationships, guide children’s behaviour, setting up a good environment for learning and being well organized. Who is an effective teacher? Everyone knows that when it comes to making a difference in a child’s academics and life achievements, their teachers play a large role. A teacher’s ability to relate to their students, and teach them to achieve both socially and academically contributes to how effective they are, therefore, an effective teacher is one who strives to motivate and engage all their students in learning rather than simply accepting that some students cannot be engaged and are destined to do poorly. They believe every student is capable of achieving success at school and they do all they can to find ways of making each student successful.  Tips for Effective Teaching Be specific about what you are teaching Understand who you are teaching Make clear links to the broader course/program context Identify the best ways to teach this particular content Plan the teaching sessions in detail including the resources and support you will need Communicate clearly to students Determine how effective the teaching has been and make improvements Qualities of effective teachers The ability to develop relationships with their students Patient, caring, and kind personality Knowledge of learners Dedication to teaching Engaging students in learning What is Classroom Management? Classroom management refers to the wide variety of skills and techniques that teachers use to keep students organized, orderly, focused, attentive, on task, and academically productive during a class. When classroom-management strategies are executed effectively, teachers minimize the behaviors that impede learning for both individual students and groups of students, while maximizing the behaviors that facilitate or enhance learning. Generally speaking, effective teachers tend to display strong classroom-management skills, while the hallmark of the inexperienced or less effective teacher is a disorderly classroom filled with students who are not working or paying attention. Classroom management is crucial in classrooms because it supports the proper execution of curriculum development, developing best teaching practices, and putting them into action. Classroom management can be explained as the actions and directions that teachers use to create a successful learning environment; indeed, having a positive impact on students achieving given learning requirements and goals. In an effort to ensure all students receive the best education it would seem beneficial for educator programs to spend more time and effort in ensuring educators and instructors are well versed in classroom management. Effective classroom management: Establishes and sustains an orderly environment in the classroom. Increases meaningful academic learning and facilitates social and emotional growth. Decreases negative behaviors and increases time spent academically engaged. Factors to consider when choosing a classroom management system Effective classroom management can often be the difference between a classroom that’s focused and attentive and a classroom in which students struggle to achieve their educational objectives. Teachers face a variety of choices when it comes to classroom management. While some teachers take a direct approach to managing and directing their classrooms, others focus on building a friendly, collaborative relationship with their students. What are the advantages of classroom management? Effective classroom management is extremely important for ensuring students can learn in an environment that’s free of disruption. Good classroom management is a vital component of ensuring students reach their full academic potential. When teachers can effectively control the direction and behaviour of a classroom, students are likely to achieve improved academic results. This makes an effective classroom management system essential for teachers and students alike. High quality classroom management lets teachers control the direction that their classroom takes while preventing students from causing disruptions to their peers and setting back their potential to learn. What are the challenges of classroom management? Teachers face a variety of classroom management challenges. These can include disruptive students that slow or interrupt the pace of learning and ineffective or poorly thought out management techniques that worsen student behaviour. The most effective teachers typically understand a variety of effective classroom management techniques and use the most appropriate solution to keep their class free of disruption and focused on achieving its educational goals. What should you know about classroom management? Classroom management can often be the difference between a focused classroom that achieves its educational goals and a classroom that falls behind the average in its category. As a teacher, having an understanding of classroom management and the ability to apply classroom management techniques gives you the power to keep your entire classroom focused on achieving its objectives and academically productive. Classroom management in primary schools Classroom Management: Show No Fear Children can literally smell fear from a mile away. If they enter your classroom and know that you are scared, then they will take full advantage of that fear. If you are new to the job and are feeling anxious, then go by the motto of “Fake it until you make it.” Put on a fearless face and pretend that you are not scared of anything and that you are in complete