Factors contributing to effective classroom management strategies

Tips on Classroom Management

Managing an effective learning process in a classroom is like driving on the street. Sometimes you can speed up, but when the street is crowded, you can barely move at all.

Many factors contribute to successful classroom management: organized curriculum, students' background, students' motivation, available resources, clear lesson plan and organization, collaboration from the school and environment, discipline, supportive learning environment, and also relationship between the teacher and the students, and among the students inside the class.

Unfortunately, teachers cannot apply single management strategy to every class. There are no classes that have the exact same profile when compared to each other. In the beginning of the term and continuously, teachers need to identify the students profile, their best performances, and their problems, to ensure equal achievement for everyone.

Now, of course the 'traffic jam' needs the highlight. While teachers work hard to take control, why do problems still occur? There are some possible factors that hinder the students from fulfilling their goals, and how teachers can cope with them:

1. Comfort and communication in the learning zone

If teachers try to see the lessons from students' point-of-view, they know how the conservative teaching method has trapped people in dull, textbook-oriented schooldays. Teachers should think outside the box and always try to make the process enjoyable for everyone. They can create few questions to motivate the students, to see what they like and what they don't, and find out if they understand and interested in the lesson. Some students are tired, or have troubles understanding the questions.

It is teacher's major part that determines, at least leads to, successful classroom management. Some important resources teacher needs to develop even before the class begins are "social skills, increased self-respect, and movement towards greater independence" (Long, et. al., 1999).

Teacher's experience does not necessarily regarded as the main factor to fulfill the classroom goals (Long, et. al. 1999). However, their experiences certainly will teach how they should organize the lessons, activities, and teaching aid to each particular class.

3. Show the students how to make resolution

Although it is necessary to avoid conflict at any time, conflicts always happen. Arguments among students can lead to serious problem in the classroom and their learning process. The good news is, the students can learn developing their social interaction skill through conflicts (Rende & Killen, 1992; Ross & Conant, 1992, as cited in Wheeler, 1994).

Without giving too much interference, teachers need to help students figure out their conflict and make clear interpretation what they want from each other. Teachers can assign students to work in groups to help each other, while on the other hand; they give each student certain time to express himself/herself during the skills practice. It may take a while for the teacher to investigate who works best with whom, and who are the menaces in the class. Students need to understand that they will be involved in conflicts, but they know how to make resolution.

As a conclusion, teachers need to have the good start to create a successful learning environment. Besides preparing the comfortable place to interact and teach, teachers need to provide variety of materials to facilitate all types of learners. In the process, teachers need to show great enthusiasm and social skills to support learners to work together and individually. Students need space for their creativity to embark, and once teachers give the chance, they will help themselves.