Introduction

The notion of classroom management, and its narrower reference, discipline, is so significant

that in many ways it becomes the indicator of teacher quality. Even the shortest conversation

about a given teacher soon centers on his or her ability to manage a classroom. In fact in its

most simplistic expression good teaching has become synonymous with good discipline. Any

casual discussion about teaching and students invariably turns on terms like control, behavior,

noise, trouble, quiet, or respectful.

In fact one of the most frustrating things that can be said to us is that "your class is so noisy".

That phrase will put most of us into a very defensive mode. Few of will respond with a "thank

you, they are learning". There is no intent here to claim that classroom management and

discipline are not important. Yet I need to underline that classroom management is not teaching.

Classroom management is a necessary condition for teaching. Therefore claiming that because

there is no noise from a classroom that students sit in rigid rows, and raise their hands before

speaking means, the effective teaching is happening is not well founded. Teaching and learning

are much too complicated for that.

Case study of video

Subject: English

Focused skill: writing

Enrolment: 35 (only 27 was present)

Day: Tuesday

Time: 11.30 am – 12.30 pm

In this video the very first thing I would like to talk about will be the setting of my classroom , the

students sit in rows, well my class consist of 35 pupils and a lot more furniture is accommodated

together with them, so the space is a little uncomfortable to move around. More over the pupils

were not focusing on what is happening in the lesson, especially in the last rows pupils were

doing their own stuffs and it was difficult for me to have a consistent eye contact with them. So

asI learnt in this subject, I felt that I was not a “whithit” teacher. Jacob kounin (1970) in Marzano

et al (2003) mentioned that “withitness” is the skill to know what is going on in all parts of the

classroom at all the times and nothing is missed.

“Withit” teachers respond immediately to pupils misbehavior and know who started what. A

major component of this character is scanning the class frequently establishing eye contact with

the individual pupils, and having eyes in the back of your head. Well I guess I was not “withit”

enough on my class when the lesson was going on, because I did not respond when one of the

students in the last row was playing with a paper as I thought it might take time for me to get

back his attention.

According to Browning (2005) that good classroom seating arrangement facilitates for the least

distance and fewest physical barriers between students and the teacher. Circular classroom

seating arrangement facilitates for student's eye contact and facial expressions of every student

as they exchange and share ideas thus creating knowledge. The other condition will be to

actively engage students in learning. Engaging students in classroom discussions will draw and

challenge ideas from them as they learn from each other. So may be in my next practicum I

would make sure that my students are seated in a comfortable seating arrangement so that I

could control their behavior on doing their own stuffs when the lesson is going on.

The second thing would be about rules and routines. During my practicum, I had a list of rules

for my pupils to follow thinking that that would help me to control the pupils. Once I studied this

subject I knew that rules and routines are essential in a classroom setting, but what kind of rules

and routines a teacher should apply.

As for me I was always making the rules as what myself and my pupils wanted. When I reflect

back this character of mine it connects to the canters method where the teacher and pupils have

rights in the classroom. They expect teachers to be assertive, to set clear rules of behavior and

expectations, and enforce them calmly through a discipline hierarchy of consequences.

Teachers have to communicate needs and requirements to pupils clearly and firmly,

and respond with appropriate actions. They are to get pupils to fully comply with rules without

violating the interest of the pupils (Hardin, 2008; Charles, 2002; Manning and Bucher, 2013

Setting rules was helping me to modify the behavior of my pupils, how? Well, one of the

behavior goals that I wanted from my students was the mutual respect within their peers and

with the teacher; I believe that this behavior will go a long way in creating a classroom where

learning takes place. Furthermore, respect creates a safe environment where name calling and

put-downs are not allowed. I expect students to enjoy their rights and freedoms for as long as

they do not interfere with learning. I will therefore engage students to draw up a constitution that

will govern their behavior in classroom. They will come up with rules that they feel will contribute

to successful classroom relationships. And this was supported by, with Glaser’s choice theory

which stipulates that every individual has sufficient power to regulate his life as he desires

(Edwards, 2005).

Involving students in making their own rules will make them to be more inclined to obey them

and take up the consequences of disobedience without fighting; since they have unanimously

agreed on the rules as well as behavior interventions in the event any of the rules is broken. But

however the problem that I faced over here was, my pupils did follow the instructions carefully

but what happened was I told them if they do not understand the question they can raise their

hand, well they did but few carried at the same time and I was confused on how do I get to all of

them at the same time which is not possible. So through my discussion in the classroom during

this subject I learned that no matter how good your instructions are if you don’t apply it in a way

that is supposed to be the effectiveness of the instruction would go in vain. So in this subject I

have learnt that one of the approaches that I could have applied to overcome the problem that I

have stated above is the group process approach.

As members of the miniature society they are interdependent and interact with one another

striving for common goals. Many subgroups in the class affect how the larger classroom society

works as how individuals relate to and interact with one another formally and informally. Hence

over a period of time, these informal relationships with peers increase in power and

concentration. As a member of a social group pupils need to achieve the social motives of

affiliation achievement power in order for them to feel comfortable and secure. Hence, this will

result in high self-esteem in pupils and their positive attitudes toward school, and ESL teaching

and learning. The group processes in the ESL classroom will contribute to higher learner

achievement if the social climate is positive and how teachers manage their teaching and

learning effectively.

Conclusion

In a nut shell, I believe classroom management is the key to a conducive learning environment

where students feel safe and get actively involved in learning activities. Creating an all-inclusive

learning environment ensures successful curriculum implementation, where all students are

actively involved in learning activities. The integral part of classroom management is creating

positive report with the students, setting high expectations for them and encouraging them to

succeed by using an engaging curriculum. I believe that these approaches minimize problems

associated with behavior within the classroom.

References

Marzano, R. J., Marzano, J. S., & Pickering, D. (2003) Classroom management that

works:Research-based strategies for every teacher . Alexandria, VA: Association for

Supervision andCurriculum Development.

Browning, R. J. (2005).What works in schools. Alexandria: ASCD

Edwards, C. (2005). Classroom discipline and management: An Australasian perspective.

Milton, Old: John Wiley & Sons

Hardin, C. J. (2008).Effective classroom management: Models and Strategies for 

Today’s Classroom (2nded.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education

Thelen, H. A. (2007). The classroom society: The construction of educational experience

G.B: Croom Helm.