All teachers want a classroom that just flows, right?
Where students and teacher get on with the business of learning and growing with the least amount of fuss and disruption.
Where students are engaged and excited about the learning.
Where there are clear ground rules for how to behave, how to treat each other and how to learn.
Well-functioning classrooms have some simple elements in common
Highly Effective Teachers Understand These General Principles
1. How to treat every student with dignity
All children and young people deserve to be treated with respect.
When students display inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour it is even more important that the teacher models respectful behaviour.
The way teachers treat students is translated to how students treat each other.
2. How to teach students clear expectations
In the well-organised classroom students know exactly what is expected of them because the teacher has explicitly taught, practised and reinforced their expectations.
The best expectations are discussed and negotiated with students rather than imposed
3. How to ask students about their expectations
In a student-centred classroom, students voice their wants and needs in order to have the best chance of learning.
Giving students the opportunity to state their expectations for teachers means that they will be more invested in what happens in the classroom and are more likely to follow teacher expectations.
4. That problem behaviour is an expression of student need
Teachers who understand that all problem behaviour is communication, look for ways to teach the students more appropriate ways of communicating their needs.
Young people who display difficult or challenging behaviour are usually trying to access or avoid a stimulus in the environment.
The role of the teacher is to discover what and why they are doing so and make necessary adjustments for the student.
When teachers passionately embrace the job of teaching appropriate behaviour and social skills, the student, the school and the community benefits.