The past two years and more have influenced both children and adults in more ways than we can understand. Children have seemingly lost their connection with those around them; they have become technology addicts and have lost their ability to socialize. This has led them to be self-centered, selfish, and insensitive to the ones around them. They often become anxious about the present, resentful about the past, and worried about the future. Adults too face a similar challenge in their day-to-day lives.
Coming back to school, showcases these effects in many children’s interactions with their peers and teachers alike. Short attention spans, super sensitive reactions, insensitivity to others, lack of desire to follow instructions, lack of respect for peers and teachers, and a lack of politeness bordering on being rude are some of their visible behavioral patterns.
The teacher faces the brunt of this and has been tasked with bringing a sense of order both in their behavior and the way they think.
To inculcate a peaceful and mindful atmosphere in the classroom environment, the teacher must be intentional and decisive in his/her efforts to realign children’s thoughts, words, and deeds.
Kindness is key to bringing our children to think outside of themselves, to think of others, and consciously consider actions that will promote an atmosphere of peace and happiness in the classroom and at home. Kindness has an impact on the well-being of a child and in turn, encourages well-being in others.
To develop this in the classroom, there are a few pointers that the teacher can encourage. They are:
Be a role model of the behavior you would want your children to follow. Intentionally encourage your children with kind words and compliments. Take time out to do this in the classroom setting. Show children that they can find good in every situation. Help them see that by speaking words that build rather than words that pull down, we can make a big difference. Also, something as simple as a smile can be a great tool.
Having shown what needs to be done, encourage children to do the same. Appreciate them for doing it. Set aside specific times in class to practice this.
Encourage children to share their resources. Look out for opportunities to help and share with others. During craft, project work, and playtime, be sensitive to others’ needs and concerns. Remind them to reach out to help their peers in need. Help them develop random acts of kindness.
Help the children to list out activities and chores at home that they can get involved in. Follow up with them to see whether they have done this. The more they do it both in school and at home, the quicker they become habituated to doing it.
Encourage children to vocalize their appreciation and love for others both in class and at home. The more they hear each other doing it, the more they are motivated to do it.
Bring a smile to your face. Help the children to list out things they can do and say to bring a smile to someone’s face – those at home, at school, and those they meet along the way.
Developing and encouraging kindness in the class helps reduce anxiety, stress, and self-centeredness. It benefits the teacher, it benefits the children and most definitely benefits their families and in time, will benefit society too.
“The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines.” ~ Harry Wong
Very true! These words perfectly echo the truth and reality of all educators and classrooms across the world. Effective management is all about setting up expectations well in advance and letting the students know the consequences of breaking the guidelines. As educators, creating child-centric lesson plans - the most important, engaging, enriching, and inclusive learning environment- is vital, but failure to manage a classroom effectively depicts the wasted time and energy which has been invested in creating those lesson plans.
Simple it might sound, but classroom management constantly involves utilizing and implementing constructive strategies to create an environment of amicable teaching and learning. You can create the lesson plan to end all lesson plans — the most individualized, engaging, and differentiated activities with opportunities for collaboration and hands-on learning — but if you are unable to manage the classroom effectively, your plans only turn out to be futile.
Classroom management might sound simple, but it becomes more effective when it involves utilizing several strategies and boundaries to create an environment where students can learn in an organized manner. Teachers manage their classrooms with words, signals, symbols, cues, and nonverbal communication. They understand that every student's behavior (positive or negative) represents a communication or need, be it attention, validation, or assistance that they are seeking out from the teacher or peers.
Few strategies which can be implemented and I personally use, to ensure that the classroom environment is cohesive, collaborative, inclusive, independent, and manageable are
Entry Routine is a technique in which teachers establish a consistent, daily routine that begins as soon as students enter the classroom to ensure order and manage time. This technique can avoid the disorder before the beginning of a class.
Do Now is a brief written activity that students are given as soon as they arrive in the classroom. Dictation of a few words, searching for given words in the textbook, giving the full forms of acronyms, etc., work well before the beginning of the class.
Task Transitions is a technique in which teachers establish transition routines that students learn and can execute quickly and repeatedly without much direction from a teacher. For example, a teacher might say “reading time,” and ask students to read a few lines quietly.
Signal in the seat should be a technique in which students use nonverbal signs and signals to indicate that they need something, a restroom break, or help with a problem. This technique assists in appropriate communication and helps to minimize disruptions during class.
Rhyme after me is a method where the teacher uses phrases to draw the attention of students when they can be noisy while doing peer work. For example, the teacher can say “LIS”... and the students complete the phrase ..“TEN”. Another example is “Macaroni and Cheese….Everybody Freeze”, “ Hocus Pocus… everybody focus”.
B + Positive is the act of publicly recognizing and praising students who have done something good, such as answering a difficult question or helping a peer. The technique is intended to establish a culture where working in groups becomes easy in which accomplishments and positive actions can be rewarded.
Nonverbal communication is when teachers establish eye contact or make simple gestures that let students know they are off-task, not paying attention, or misbehaving. The technique helps teachers efficiently and silently manage student behavior without disturbing them while a lesson is being taught.
Do It Again is used when students do not perform a basic task correctly, and the teacher asks them to do it again the correct way. This can work especially for spellings in English and formulas in Mathematics. This technique reinforces the fact that consistent expectations that quality work is appreciated.
Most of all, educators should always make a habit of demonstrating behavior that they expect from students. Maintaining eye contact, using respectful language, being empathetic, showing concern, and ensuring that the student is valued can create an atmosphere of an efficient classroom routine and culture.
Effective and sustainable classroom management isn't simply about keeping everyone silent and organized. It's about building strong relationships with students, encouraging them to take part in their learning, and sharing a little of yourself. A classroom culture that is flexible yet firm for students, will always reap benefits.
Virginia Isaac,
Senior School Teacher,
Ekya School, Byrathi
Bulletin boards are a powerful learning tool for classrooms.
Bulletin boards serve a crucial part in any educational setting, whether they're used to display the periodic table, the class calendar, or to welcome back students. They certainly brighten up drab and empty walls, but they're more than just a cheerful wall decoration.
Displays on bulletin boards are imaginative methods to spread knowledge, advance education, highlight student work, and promote a sense of community. They are eye-catching displays that have swiftly established themselves as the center of attention in any classroom.
Keeping this in mind and to explore the creative potential in the young minds of our children across all grades at Ekya Byrathi, the children were encouraged to come up with ideas to fill up the bulletin boards outside their classrooms. The results are mind-blowing & inspiring.
This fun-filled activity witnessed enthusiastic participation by all students. All the students were involved and participated actively in the event.
By Michelle Clarke
Designation: English & SSC Educator, EBYR
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