5 Ways Teachers Can Manage Their Classrooms Silently

Classroom management is essentially a term used by teachers and other academic professionals to describe the efforts used to ensure that every classroom lesson runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible, regardless of disruptive behavior often caused by students. Alternatively, classroom management can simply refer to the prevention of behavior that could be unsettling.

The idea of classroom management was first developed in 1981 when the US National Educational Association reported that their statistics had found that 35% of teachers would probably not go into teaching if they could make that decision again, and that a major contributor to this was "negative student attitudes and discipline."

There are really five top strategies that are most useful for effective classroom management, whether it be by calming a disruptive class, or attempts to ensure that things do not get out of hand in the first place.

Firstly, try to keep the lesson in a constant flow, for example, if each of your classes last for forty five minutes, try splitting each lesson into three varying activities. Here you could use trial and error to discover which methods work best for each of your classes, remember to note them down though! Getting them out of their seats doing hands on practical work not only benefits those students with lots of pent up energy, it also provides unique and different learning experiences.

Secondly, try not to lecture or dictate notes to the class the entire time, as lots of talking for a long period of time can cause classes to become restless, causing them to fidget and often misbehave. As mentioned before, getting them up and out of their seats in a different environment with some hands-on activities can really settle an energetic class.

Thirdly, now this may be a challenging one for some of you out there, but try and talk to your students outside the classroom as much as possible. If you spot them in the lunch hall or even outside school at the shops, ask how they are. Congratulate them on any achievements or awards they may have received. If they see you trying to get to know them, they will understand that you really care about them and respect them, then they will start to respect you back.

The next method is one that generally works better with disruptive boys who may be talking, poking each other or anything else unsettling. Next time they disrupt your class, go and stand by them, but continue to teach as though nothing is going on. This sends them a direct message to stop what they are doing and get back to work.

Finally, if none of the above seem to be working, for example, you have attempted to keep them busy by trying something different, you have stood by them when they are being distracting and yet their behavior continues, the next best option is to then take them outside the classroom and ask them if they are alright. Bad behavior is often the result of home problems or other issues. However, if they are still defiant, then they should be sent to see the principle as the problem is out of your hands.