29.12.2024
Classroom management is a golden rule that teachers must learn first and foremost. Because if this golden rule isn't applied correctly and consciously, the teacher will end up managing a nightmare instead of managing the classroom, and wasting time unproductively. I would like to offer my humble suggestions to those interested in the subject, drawing on my experiences with classroom management and quoting from scientific studies written in this field.
Classroom management begins with the students entering the classroom. The correct approach is for the teacher to enter the classroom before the students and greet them with a warm smile, like a host. When students see the lesson and topic being covered on the board upon entering, it creates the impression that the subject is taken seriously and that the teacher is prepared. The process of students preparing their tools and materials for the lesson is accelerated, and it also increases their desire to learn.
Another important aspect of effective classroom management is the seating arrangement. The ideal seating arrangement is one where students can see each other's faces. Furthermore, knowing where to sit is one of the factors that develops a sense of responsibility in children. If the teacher is just getting to know the students in the class, they can keep the students' seats fixed to speed up the process. However, I believe that a rotating seating system will be more beneficial later on. A rotating seating arrangement eliminates seating disputes among children, prevents unfairness, and provides convenience.
The Ideal Seating Arrangement
Undoubtedly, classroom management doesn't end with just welcoming students and arranging seating. Now let's look at the stages of starting the lesson. After the seating arrangement is established and lesson materials are prepared, the teacher waits quietly and firmly in a place where all students are within their field of vision, ensuring silence. A walk around the classroom is made, and if there are any students who the teacher knows were ill beforehand, messages such as "How are you?", "You look better," "Get well soon," are offered, appealing to feelings of mutual support and solidarity. If returning from vacation, general questions are asked about how their vacation went, etc. In this way, the atmosphere for starting the lesson becomes more informal. (The important thing is to establish a healthy communication environment. Of course, similar questions can be multiplied depending on the classroom environment.)
Troubled Seating Arrangement
...Successful classroom management depends on the teacher being sensitive and knowledgeable in the field of human relations. It is a common situation, especially for newly appointed teachers, that despite loving their students, they cannot maintain control in the classroom. However, the first thing a teacher should do is to provide the physical and psychological environment required for education in the classroom. Loving the students is necessary for this, but it is not sufficient. The problem stems from the complex and multi-dimensional nature of the human relations pattern. A person's behavior is guided by their expectations and needs. From this perspective, education can be conceptualized as a process of creating a continuous and lasting behavioral change in line with the individual's expectations and needs. In this context, classroom management defines individualization and socialization in accordance with the values and systems of the society in which the individual lives. (1)
Preparation and Planning for the Lesson
One of the most important steps in effective classroom management is to enter the lesson prepared and planned. If a teacher doesn't remember the topic to be covered at the beginning of a lesson and decides on it in class, their authority is undermined. If they consult the textbook or resources and ask, "Which topic did we leave off on in math?", they damage their own credibility, and murmurs and disagreements may arise in the classroom. However, if a teacher enters the classroom with a prepared plan, and begins the lesson with a confident demeanor, saying, "In our last lesson, we did subtraction with borrowing. In this lesson...", they gain the students' trust. They develop a sense that the teacher takes their job seriously and that they and their classmates are valued.
Another important factor in classroom management is providing background information on how the lesson relates to life and at what stage of life it will occur. For example, briefly explaining what they will learn from the "Our Home, Our Family" unit – "We will get to know our relatives, our close relatives" – will increase student interest in the lesson.
Finally, healthy classroom management is not limited to the suggestions I have presented in this article. The goal is to replace the traditional approach with a participatory and flexibly structured contemporary approach to classroom management. If we accept and patiently implement the contemporary constructivist education model, we will ensure that our students reach a higher level of education in a healthy way, both mentally and socially. Thus, we can achieve the societal transformation we long for, consisting of individuals who research, question, do not blindly obey, and seek their rights.
(1) Prof. Dr. Ayhan AYDIN – CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
