Centre Credible TEFL

Discipline in the ClassroomDiscipline procedures and techniques are extremely important decisions that any teacher has to make about his/her classroom. The techniques used and the rules the teacher created will have a great impact on the overall environment from the beginning of the course until the end of the course. Before teaching any class, any teacher should find out the ages/levels of the students in order to develop the basic suitable rules and procedures, and the consequences tied to the rules. Rules are very important in the classroom, but they don?t often change much over time. However, discipline techniques that teacher used depend on the teacher, and do accumulate and/or change over time. Sometimes, teacher might run into a situation where he/she is confused and doesn?t know what proper technique/s to use. The following paragraphs will outline the most important discipline techniques that any teacher should know for his/her classroom. These techniques will help not only the teacher, but also the students to become better students, as well the classroom?s flow in general. Focusing technique requires a teacher to demand the students? attention before the lesson begin. Teacher should not start the lesson until all students have settled down. If a teacher doesn?t follow this technique, students will talk freely. students probably believe that a teacher doesn?t mind talking while he/she is lecturing. Focusing works very well in classes of many children. Monitoring is circulating. Teacher should get up and go around the classroom. Teacher should do this while students are working to check on their progress. An experienced teacher should make a pass every 3-5 minutes after the students have started working on their assignments. By doing this the teacher can check how students are doing and can give instruction as needed. students who are not quite on task will respond quickly to get started. General announcements should not be made unless several students have difficulty with the same material. Monitoring works well in classes of both adults and children. One other technique that is also important for teacher is modeling. Modeling means teacher should be courteous, enthusiastic, prompt, patient, in control, and organized give examples for his/her students through his/her own behavior. Teachers who give mixed messages like ?do as I say, not as I do? often confuse students and invite misbehavior. Teachers like students who want respect from anyone, then they have to earn it. For example, if teachers want students to use quiet voices while they?re working, then teachers have to use quiet voices too as they monitor in the classroom. Modeling is important for many classes, but should be applied more to classes of children. Environmental control is also another effective technique. students enjoy an environment that changes over time. Classrooms with pictures and color make students more enthusiastic in learning. Classrooms should be decorated according to seasons/occasions. By doing this, students will feel the spirits of the seasons/occasions; this will enhance them to be active in participating and doing their works. Generally speaking, children like to know about their teacher and his/her interests. Teachers who have a family picture and collections of personal items on their desk will trigger personal conversations with children. As children get to know the teacher better, there will be fewer problems with discipline. Environmental control is effective for many classes. To avoid verbal maelstrom between a teacher and a student, a technique named low profile intervention should be used. This just means that the teacher?s intervention should be quiet and calm. Effective teacher monitors the activity in his/her classroom. The teacher anticipates problems before they occur. The teacher?s approach to a misbehaving student is inconspicuous, so other students won?t be distracted. For example, while reading a dialogue to the class, a student is talking or off task, the teacher simply drops the student?s name into the dialogue; the student hears his name and is back on task. The rest of the class doesn?t seem to notice. This technique is more effective in classes of young children. There are many discipline techniques that are effective for the classrooms. The techniques mentioned above are very important for teachers to create an effective learning environment for the students. The most important rule to discipline in the classroom regardless of the techniques used is having positive attitude. Positive attitude not just only create an effective learning environment, but also it?s a key to maintaining a positive classroom climate.