Lesson 5: How to Manage the Classroom from Citizen Schools
Take control of the classroom by assigning roles and setting up learning procedures.
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Some teachers are just born controllers. They're the ones who can turn a raucous classroom into a silent one with the bat of an eyelash. They demand attention and respect by just being there. How do these teachers do it? What's the trick? And how can the rest of us emulate these natural class constables?
Turn to classroom-management strategies. Classroom management refers to all the things an adult does to organize students, space, time, and materials so that instruction and student learning can take place. Through basic techniques -- such as assigning roles and setting procedures -- you can encourage positive behavior and order in the classroom.
Assigning Classroom Roles
Understanding student behavior is beyond the means of this tutorial. But you don't have to be an expert in human development to identify a restless, unmotivated, or shy kid. Educators often use role assignment to thwart or to encourage certain behaviors. By assigning roles in the classroom, you give students an added sense of ownership and responsibility.
The following is a list of role assignments you can give students based on their traits and their behavior. When assigning roles, try to highlight to the class each role's importance in establishing community.
Download the Roles and Responsibilities Chart (504KB)
Roles and Responsibilities
Agenda Master
Time Keeper
Master of Supplies
Collection Master
Ritual Starter
Clean-Up Captain
Chart Keeper
Don't see all the roles you'd like to see on the chart? Feel free to make up roles specific to a task, particular subject, or assignment. And reassign roles as you see fit.
Establishing Procedures
Kids need routine for discipline and security. Set up a routine at the beginning of your apprenticeship by establishing and communicating classroom procedures.
Here are some examples:
Concluding Stats on Misbehavior
Often, just knowing why students misbehave can give you ideas to help remedy the problem. Take a look at some of these causes of misbehavior to help you curb the problem in the future. About 90 percent of student misbehavior is due to one or more of the following issues: