Why the Selected Three Areas of Responsibility are most important for maintaining classroom management and the challenges a New Teacher may Face When Attempting to Master these Areas

 

Why the Selected Three Areas of Responsibility are most important for maintaining classroom management and the challenges a New Teacher may Face When Attempting to Master these Areas

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

The success of any learning process in the classroom depends on how a teacher disciplines and manages the classroom (Gujjar & Naoreen, 2009). According to Froyen & Iverson (1999), effective classroom management always boosts students’ self-control in the classroom through the promotion of positive learning outcomes and improved behaviors. Moreover, the teacher would be able to create his classroom an orderly learning environment which ultimately would enhance students' competencies leading to the improvement of academic skills (Kratochwill, DeRoos, & Blair, 2010). The new teacher would always find it difficult if they are not well trained. Failure to implement classroom management effectively leads to pandemonium in the classroom that would not promote positive learning because the student’s behavioral habits may bring a negative impact on the classroom. In the creation of a proactive and successful learning environment in the classroom, especially a new teacher should be well-trained in classroom management and he/she should implement the management skills consistently and appropriately through constant self-evaluation and observation of student’s behaviors.

Three Most Crucial Areas of Responsibility in Classroom Management for a New Teacher to Master

According to Cini (2017), teachers’ seven areas of responsibility in classroom management are classroom design, rules, discipline, scheduling, organization, instructional technique, and communication. Among those areas mentioned above, the three most crucial areas in classroom management for a new teacher to master are, “Rules,” “Discipline,” and “Organization” because they are associated with the building of strong teacher-student relationships through certain set procedures in the classroom.

Rules

One of the crucial areas of responsibility in classroom management that a new teacher needs to master is making and implementing “Classroom Rules of Conduct” that have direct impacts on the positive learning that would add to an orderly environment in the classroom promoting positive learning (Shalaway, 2005). It is because, quite often, I feel that most students tend to take advantage of the classroom whenever a new teacher enters their classroom. Having rules in class allows for a controlled classroom environment where teachers do not have to place a great deal of emphasis on strengthening students with different strategies and punishment systems (CRAM, n.d.). According to Cini (2017), the development of rules for students in the classroom helps teachers create a respectful, caring, and good learning community that enables them to accomplish their expectations on the behavioral aspects of students. Students not only learn to behave well but also to act positively in the classroom, which would ultimately contribute to exceptional learning outcomes. For this to happen, the new teacher must provide the class with practical general rules of conduct in advance. If not, the new teacher can collaborate to create rules in class so that they can be followed. Class rules are regarded as the basis for the creation of any type of successful and functional class that would help achieve the goals through the student's learning (LearnWell, 2021). With the application of the rules in the classroom, students' behavior will become good or possibly the opposite (Linsin, 2021).

The emerging challenge that a new teacher may face while attempting to implement rules in the classroom is the zeal to adopt the rules designed by the new teacher in the classroom because students always desire their class to be free of bondage, and they will be always with the purpose that they would not leave a room for any new teachers to overrule their freedom. In many cases, students do not care at all about the rules and their presence in class. This will make the teacher's job harder to bring the class to follow. Perhaps this is because some students may never care about reward and retribution. There will be fewer students in the classroom who will be taking advantage of the fresh face to never bother that ultimately spoil the norms of the entire classroom.

Discipline

“Discipline” is another arena of responsibility in classroom management that a new teacher needs to master as it trains students to obey rules and regulations through the usage of reward and positive punishment systems (Pisano, 2019). According to Cini (2017), students quite often try to examine their new teacher right from the day he/she starts his class. In the application of discipline in the classroom, I believe the teacher must be consistent in everything he or she does in the classroom and be firm and fair at all times. To even out their unwanted behavior, the teacher should ensure a safe learning environment while disciplining them because the negative disciplining procedure will limit their learning process (Pisano, 2019). The teacher should not manhandle or harass students with issues instead they should rectify them through detention work, any official reprimands, or counseling process (Cini, 2007). The new teacher should always keep in mind that disruptive discipline in the classroom disrupts the learning process of the total class. Students should be made mindful of boundaries and limitations that they need to adopt for life in order to excel in their personal and academic skills (Pisano, 2019). Therefore, the new teacher should master discipline because it is the only means in the classroom that keeps students engaged and safe at all times enabling students to attain academic and social success (RMA, 2021).

The emerging challenge that a new teacher may face while using discipline procedures in the classroom is the acceptance from the students to follow the regulations and any disciplinary task given to them. It may pass when the new teacher tries to be too flexible or spends more time focusing on difficult students alone (Sharemylesson, 2019). Quite often students may behave differently in the classroom, or they might sometimes refuse or run out to follow the directions given by the teacher (Disciplinary Problems in the Classroom: Types & Causes, 2016). Behavioral problems may be another challenge for the new teacher as a result of the various problems students face at home.

Organization

The other area of responsibility in classroom management that a new teacher needs to master is “Organization” because a new teacher needs to remain organized at all-time not only inside the classroom alone but also out of the classroom for smooth and positive educational outcomes (Cini, 2007). I sense that as a new teacher, he should organize the classroom well, especially the teaching and learning processes. According to Cini (2017), right from the beginning, the teacher should set a salutary example in the eyes of his students through the proper management of the student’s files, notebooks correction schedule, class calendar, and classroom information board for classwork, homework, and assignment schedule. This will create a forum in the classroom for self-guided learning, defining rules, and other implementation plans apart from classroom arrangement because a teacher should be a good planner and creator through proper structuring of classroom activities (Karnataka Curriculum Framework, 2012). It will certainly serve as a motivational approach to the learning process. Furthermore, the organization of lesson plans is also an integral part of the organization process as it leads all classroom activities.

The new challenge that a new teacher can always face during the classroom organizing process is the inability of students to meet the deadline to submit assigned tasks. Mostly, students do not flex up with their homework as per the given due dates and are reluctant to align themselves with the class calendar despite continuous prompting and encouragement (ClassCover, 2020). Quite often newer teachers may fail to acknowledge a student’s social or emotional challenges that they are facing and may threaten or punish them thinking that they are either lazy or careless which will result in encountering problems during the course of dealing with them (ClassCover, 2020).

Conclusion

To conclude, classroom management is a weapon for teachers that enables them to create a conducive learning environment for any variety of instructions and learnings (States, J., Detrich, R., & Keyworth, R., 2017). It should be considered as a means to resolve any disruptive behavior of students for better learning outcomes and educational achievements. A teacher can create a more serious learning environment only through effective classroom management as it enables them to maintain a systematic environment, meaningful academic learning for social and emotional growth, and fruitful academic engagement (Kratochwill, DeRoos, & Blair, 2010). Hence, teachers should really focus on effective classroom management for positive learning outcomes and successful academic achievement.

 

Reference

Cini, S. (n.d.).  Seven key elements for effective classroom management. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from https://classroom.synonym.com/seven-elements-effective-classroom-management-6562940.html

ClassCover. (2020). What to do if a student refuses to work? Retrieved September 7, 2021, from https://www.classcover.com.au/blog/teachers/what-to-do-if-a-student-refuses-to-work/

CRAM. (n.d.). Why Is It Important To Have Rules In The Classroom? Retrieved September 7, 2021, from https://www.cram.com/essay/Importance-Of-Having-Rules-In-The-Classroom/PKLDGULG6E4X

Disciplinary Problems in the Classroom: Types & Causes. (2016, June 24). Retrieved September 7, 2021 from https://study.com/academy/lesson/disciplinary-problems-in-the-classroom-types-causes.html.

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Gujjar, A. A., & Naoreen, B. (2009). Role of Teachers as Classroom Manager. Retrieved September 6, 2021 from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1097655.pdf

Karnataka Curriculum Framework. (2012). Planning, Organization & Management of School/Classroom Processes: A Position Paper. Retrieved September 7, 2021 from http://dsert.kar.nic.in/circulars/position/PlanningAndManagement.pdf

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LearnWell, (2021). The Importance of Classroom Rules & Procedures for Hospital Classrooms. Retrieved September 6, 2021 from https://learnwellservices.com/classroom-rules-procudures/

Linsin, M. (2021). Why Rules and Consequences aren’t enough. Retrieved September 7, 2021 from https://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2013/02/02/why-rules-and-consequences-arent-enough/

Pisano, G. (2019). Classroom Discipline: Definition & Strategies. Retrieved September 7, 2021 from https://study.com/academy/lesson/classroom-discipline-definition-strategies.html

Riverside Military Academy. (2021). What is the Importance of Discipline in School? Retrieved September 7, 2021 from https://www.riversidemilitary.com/news-detail?pk=1421991

Shalaway, L (2005). Creating Classroom Rules Together. Retrieved September 6, 2021 from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/creating-classroom-rules-together/

Sharemylesson. (2019). Classroom Discipline Problems: Ten Mistakes you could be making. Retrieved September 7, 2021 from https://sharemylesson.com/blog/classroom-discipline-problems

States, J., Detrich, R. & Keyworth, R. (2017). Overview of Classroom Management. Oakland, CA: The Wing Institute. Retrieved September 7, 2021 from https://www.winginstitute.org/effective-instruction-classroom.