344. Oh, he had a lot of authority: He was the Authority!


More stuff for the staff of the teachers of a summer course of English. Photo from www gutenberg.


Issue #5. Logistics. Discipline. Further points. (May 6, 2010)


  1. The best management of a classroom is reached with experience. You’ll continue learning about discipline and management with the passing of days. With the passing years.

  2. The best discipline is the one every student, each student exacts from himself, because he is eager to learn, to work, to work, and the teacher helps him out to work, and consequently, with work, the student wishes to learn. He realizes that what he’s doing in the classroom is worth to do. And that what he’s doing is useful because it’s real communication in the classroom. Best discipline: self-discipline: teach them to get it.

  3. And the teacher gently praises the hitting the target by one student, or accepts any answer (because entails effort, and the teacher redirects into a more correct answer, being like a friendly accomplice with the student; all of this with a mild smile).

  4. Make them all participate – Ask everyone, many times a class-period. Thus, you’ll prevent from making the class a bore.

  5. If one activity is high-level, ask lower questions to less-achievement students, for these ones to appreciate they are doing something meaningful and useful.

  6. Give clear instructions about the next activity or game you all are going to implement.

  7. Variety of activities. If one activity doesn’t work, be flexible and change into the next one!

  8. Plan every class.

  9. Your struggle to work fine gives you a moral authority, and it’s more likely they will respect you and your work and your sincere concern for each student.

  10. Address each student by looking in his eyes: eye-contact, authentic communication.

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