Classroom Management: It’s Not Just Tips and Tricks

As a future teacher, I think about how I will manage my own science classroom. It is very difficult for me to picture because it will depend on the students’ actions and behavior. So until I actually have my own class, I can only speculate how I will manage.

There are multiple classroom situations that will involve different management. For example:

• Opening the class
• Activities
• Lab set-up
• Lab execution
• Lab closure
• Transitioning
• Disruptive students
• Introverted students

First off, I think it will be important to discuss my classroom rules at the beginning of the year. This way they will know what is expected of them in my classroom. Some classroom rules that I think will be implemented into my classroom are:

• Arrive on time
• Raise your hand before speaking
• Listen to others
• Participate in class discussion
• Stay on task
• Bring materials to class
• Listen to directions
• Practice positivity
• Work hard and try your best
• Have fun!

Lab Management:

In a science lab, it is important to make safety a priority! The general lab safety rules should be discussed at the beginning of the year and a lab safety contract should be completed. FLINN scientific has great lab rules and contract sheet. The teacher should go over the rules and contract with students at the beginning of the year. Their parents and students should also look over the rules and contract and then sign it.

Before each lab, the safety rules should be discussed with the class. Other lab safety rules specific to that lab should also be discussed. For example, if a chemical should not be inhaled or if a chemical could hurt your skin.

During the lab, students should read the directions and use inquiry skills to complete the lab. The teacher should walk around to make sure students are on the right track. When needed, the teacher should ask probing questions to get students thinking about the problem at hand.

After the lab, students should be given a lab worksheet of some sort to help them understand their data which will lead to their results. The students should practice making graphs and tables. Plus, they should work on making conclusions about their data.

Transitioning Management:  

Transitioning between activities can be difficult, but manageable. I think it is important to connect past activities and lessons to the current activities. Plus, teachers should connect their activities to their student experiences and lives. This way students will feel connected with what they are learning.

Disruptive Student Management:

When a student is being disruptive in class, it distracts from the other students trying learning. When a student does disrupt the class, the teacher should not call the student out in front of their peers because this can embarrasses them. Ask them to stop disrupting the class and if it continues, ask them to see you after class. When you do talk to them, tell them what they did wrong and why it was disruptive. It is important to be firm and direct. Tell them that it should not happen again and what the consequences would be if it did happen again. The teacher should also ask the student if there are any issues that contributed to their disruptiveness. If there are, make sure they are getting the help they need.

#ThinkPossible: Not Giving Up on Disruptive Students Even When We Really, Really Want To via: https://t.co/LJmDA414SH pic.twitter.com/FWLoRhYun1

— IRC (@IRCFW) April 13, 2018

Reticent Student Management:

All teachers want to see their students succeed in their own way. Reticent students are able to succeed in the class as long as they have the right support. I think it is important to help those students come out of their shell so that they can grow those skills. Based off of projects, tests, quizzes, and written activities the teacher can tell whether the student is understanding the content. The teacher can use activities to help those students participate in class. For example, chalk talks can be used to hear what that student thinks about a certain topic without having them speak. Small team activities can also be beneficial to hear that what that student has to say. It is easier for students to talk when there are fewer people listening.

In conclusion, it is important to use your gut when making classroom management decisions. As a teacher, I have every student’s best interest in mind and want all of my students to learn in a safe and fun environment!

References: