Classroom Management

How do I manage my class?!

The goal for successful classroom management is to create an atmosphere that encourages learning. Fixed cues at the beginning and end of class will help.  Begin your class on time. Set guidelines for appropriate behaviour and interpersonal interaction in your class (see the section on Setting Guidelines).  Depending on the kind of class you teach, you could have a regular check-in or take attendance at the beginning of class. Make sure to end your class promptly, as your students only have a limited time to walk to their next class, which could be located on the other side of campus. Let students know the routine required before they leave and whether it is mandatory to stay until the end of the scheduled time. Have a signal for getting their attention when you want to interrupt group work. It could be turning off the lights, clapping your hands, or raising a hand.

Good organization will help you with your classroom management. Before class, make a checklist of all the activities that you need to complete, all the announcements you need to make, and all the material you need to cover. As you teach your class, you should check off each item on your list as you cover it so that you know what you still need to do before the end of class. On your checklist you should also include how much time you should spend on each activity, as well as the time at which you should wrap up that activity and move on to the next item on your list. If you carefully stick to this timeline, you will be sure to cover everything on your list before the class time runs out. As you teach, make sure that you and your students are always aware of how much time is remaining.

The best advice is to create an atmosphere that encourages learning is to have fun, show that you are having fun, and be appreciative of students’ work. If you show that you are enthusiastic about teaching and about the course material, and that you care that your students succeed, your students will find your class more engaging.