Classroom discipline

Once discipline problems have arisen, it is difficult to deal with them. So, it is important to create a classroom climate where students cooperate and behave as you would wish

Prevention is better than cure

• Learn their names

It shows that you care about them as individuals and enables to respond to the, personally.

• Keep the lesson moving

Plan your lessons. Your students should always have a task, they shouldn’t get bored. If you have a pause and think what to do next, this is a possibly for your students to disrupt a lesson. Moreover, if your learners have a purpose and clear direction. They won’t break the discipline.

• Make the lesson interesting

This helps to maintain your learners’ attention and to keep them focused on the task. To keep students motivated, game-like or challenging activities can be the best way to prevent discipline problems from arising.

• Make sure instructions are clear

One reason why students start disturbing the class is because they don’t know what you expect from them. Sometimes it means that you need to resort to the students’ L1 as complex instructions in English take too long and may not be understood.

• Draw attention to good, disciplined work

It happens so that teachers tend to notice unruly students, those who came late and leave earlier, who use their phones or keep chatting. Praise those who are well disciplined so that they knew that you appreciate their effort.

• Listen and decide

Students need to know that you’re sensitive their needs and wishes. Give feedback; hear what they have to say.

• Catch problems as they start

Don’t ignore even small discipline problems. You may think that those students will stop talking, but they won’t, so stop and wait, make eye contact, move and stand near them, use gestures.

• Avoid confrontations

Teens especially are likely to draw you into confrontations (for examples, they will say that you give too much homework; or they will refuse to do the activity etc.). You can insist on what you’ve decided. If not, 1) give in; 2) postponement. Give in if you think they may be right, provided that you do it immediately, giving your reasons.

• Postpone solutions

Tell them that you will talk about it in the next lesson, but don’t waste class time on arguing. If you come to the next lesson with a reasoned argument why your requirements should be complied with, or with a fair compromise, these are likely to be accepted. Alternatively, use the next lesson to hold a brief discussion with the class about the problem and agree with them about the solution: again, distancing from the original confrontation will help you reach agreement with them.

Links

Article "Classroom discipline" by Penny Ur Find it here