Classroom management

A good classroom environment is created by establishing and maintaining positive attitudes in pupils towards their work.

It is also a classroom where good order is maintained in a climate of  mutual respect between pupil and teacher.  

This starts outside the classroom, where  a routine should be set for entering and leaving the room so that  there is an expectation that  pupils will prepare for learning to take place. One way is to welcome the children at the door and remind them of  what to do when they enter the classroom. Your physical presence will avoid any rushing in. Other teachers in the school will have established routines for this with which the children are familiar, so it is probablty a good idea to try these out initially.

Managing a lesson

There is no one skill involved in managing a lesson -  it is a collection of skills which are interdependent and lead to one end - children’s learning.

• Think about the way in which children will be grouped and what resources are needed. This will be determined by the  particular curriculum focus.
• Set up routines that enhance orderly working and learning; these include decisions about how resources will be made available and rules for asking questions (eg 'hands up').
• Always describe behaviour you want, not what you don't want.
• Plan for good beginnings and endings. Be explicit about what you are going to do. Link it to prior learning to  get maximum pupil participation. At the end, summarise the learning and let the pupils have a preview of what comes next.
• Provide a variety of motivating activities which reflect the needs of your class in terms of learning style,  culture and interests.
• Monitor the progress of the lesson constantly to check understanding and pace.
• Build in regular review opportunities.
• Promote a positive ethos for learning by giving lots of praise and demonstrating respect for the ideas and beliefs of your pupils.
    

Transitions

The job of the teacher is to sustain the involvement of pupils in a lesson so that effective learning takes place and the learning outcomes are achieved. This requires carerful organisation and planning.

• At the start of the lesson, signal that you are ready to begin by use of a firm and purposeful voice. Wait until everyone is ready. Begin with a re-cap of prior learning to set the scene for this learning episode.
• Smooth transitions within the lesson depend on careful monitoring by the teacher. Pupils who are concentrating hard on a task need to be given given sufficient time to complete that task before tackling another. Sometimes tasks take longer than expected  and the teacher must be sensitive to this to avoid frustration.
• Sometimes the teacher may need to stop the whole class to give further instruction but this should only be done when the  instruction applies to the whole class and not to individuals. Otherwise, the concentration of the class is disrupted unnecessarily.
• Managing the end of a lesson must also be planned carefully. Make sure you leave time to sum up the  learning so that the class know that the activities have been worthwhile – a good point at which to give praise and highlight good work. Time is also needed to make sure resources are tidied and work collected if necessary.
• Finally make sure that any exit from the room is done in an orderly fashion, perhaps by releasing one table at a time. 

Presenting work

When presenting a lesson, it is  just as important that you convey enthusiasm and confidence as it is to disseminate the lesson content. Children will pick up on your body language, facial expression and voice. 

• When planning your lesson, make sure it takes account of prior learning and  the interests and needs of your pupils.
• Prepare thoroughly so that  the learning activities match the objectives.
• Include a variety of activities to match the different types of learner in your class.
• Ask questions with genuine interest in your voice. Skilful questioning is key to effective teaching.
• Note carefully pupils’ errors and misconceptions and help remedy theme: encourage children to realise that mistakes are not  an indication  of failure but a learning opportunity.
• Give positive feedback. 
• Explain tasks thoroughly matching the work to the abilities of the individual.
• Constantly monitor the understanding of your pupils  by moving around the room. 
• Select resources carefully using only those which will enhance the pupil's learning.
• Feel confident  that you are delivering positive and enriching learning experiences. 

Classroom layout

The way in which the classroom is organised will be determined by the following factors: 

• the age and phase of  the pupils (eg.a classroom for early years chidren will be organised so that there are opportunities for learning both indoors and outdoors)
• whether the children are to work collaboratively in groups or independently
• available space. 

It is a good idea to draw up a plan of the classroom and consider the most appropriate layout.

Other important factors to consider are:

• resources: these should be easily accessible and clearly marked. This should include careful consideration of the location of ICT resources to ensure equal access.
• displays:  should be interactive and reflect the interests and cultures of the class. They should also be  mounted well and reflect the way in which work of high wuality is valued. 

Recommended further reading

• Kyriacou C. (1995) Essential teaching Skills. Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham
• Jacques K. and Hyland R. (2003) Achieving QTS, Professional Studies, Primary Phase
• Smith A. (2001)  Accelerated Learning in Practice.  Network Educational Press Ltd, Stafford
• DfES (2004) Primary National Strategy Excellence and enjoyment: learning and teaching in the primary years
  

Resources

• Managing classroom behaviour, Pdf document, 2160 KB
• Learning a sense-makers guide, Pdf document, 3294 KB