BED 109: Teaching and

Learning Skills and

Microteaching

Dr T Usai 2022
Cell 0772464908
 Overview of the
Module
1. Teaching Records:
• Syllabus
Schemes of Work
Lesson Plans
Other records: attendance register;
students’ progress records;
remediation records; co-curricular
activities
2. Teaching Skills:
Questioning and types of questions
Classroom communication
Classroom management and discipline
Use of media: preparing media;
chalkboard skills
Assessment: test design; marking
 Overview of the
Module (contd.)
• 3. Professionalism
– Dress code
– Ethics
– Corporal punishment
– Public Service discipline and
misconduct management policies
• 4. Peer Teaching and Micro-
teaching
• 5. Preparing for Teaching Practice
 Module Assessment
• Assessment shall be by Continuous
assessment
• Assessment shall be constituted as
follows
• Scheming and planning
(20%)
• Microteaching (25%)
• Peer teaching (35%)
• Media kit & TP File (20%)
• No Examination
 Introduction
• A new teacher is often
presented with a syllabus
upon arrival at a school
• The syllabus becomes the
interface between the course
and students
• The success of students will
be partly measured by the
teacher’s ability to correctly
interpret the syllabus at hand
 What is a syllabus?
• Is a document
outlining and summarizing topics
to be covered in a course.
• In More Economically Developed
Countries a syllabus is developed
by an examinations board e.g.
University of Cambridge Local
Examinations Syndicate (UCLES)
whilst in LEDC syllabuses are
developed by a Curriculum
Development Unit (CDU).
•Lists all content to be taught at each
Grade level
•Content is structured according to
broad areas of study e.g. Nutrients
•Details vary according to subject areas,
but include: goals, the content to be
taught; suggested teaching strategies;
assessment procedures.
•Different schools restructure the
National Syllabus into a School
Syllabus.
•A School Syllabus indicates the content
to be taught in each school term and
teachers develop their Schemes of Work
from the School Syllabus
 Contents of the
syllabus
• Subject matter knowledge.
Course content has to be carefully
selected and sequenced so that it can
provide evidence of subject matter
knowledge e.g. from simple to
complex.

• Pedagogical knowledge.
At the core of teaching is "learning to
translate highly sophisticated and
frequently abstract concepts into
teachable components, which are
meaningful to the particular group of
students with whom the teacher
interacts"
(Kreber and Cranton
1997:8)
 Components of a
syllabus
• Preamble (Introduction,
rationale, summary of
content, assumptions, cross
cutting themes).
• Aims
• Objectives
• Methodology
• Topics
• Scope and Sequence
• Content
 Cross- cutting themes

• educational issues which do not

relate to a specific subject but are
of relevance to the whole education
sector.
• , e.g. gender, age, equality,
disability, and HIV and AIDS,
professional ethics e.t.c
• Are important curriculum content to
be covered across subjects rather
than being taught in one subject.
• The themes enrich the curriculum
without overloading it through
introduction of new subject
 Purpose of cross
cutting themes
• enrich and strengthen learning
experiences
• enable teachers and pupils to link
their learning across and beyond
the curriculum
• support broader and more
integrated learning outcomes
across the school
• motivate pupils and teachers to
tackle global issues in a more
coherent way.
 AIMS
• Are broad statements of desired
outcomes, or the general
intentions of the syllabus/lesson
• E.g. To develop students’
analytical skills by comparing
and contrasting Prophets in the
Bible.
• An aim is a relatively long term
goal
• Aims can be achieved during the
course or after course has been
taught.
 objectives
• These are short term goals
• Objectives are normally drawn
from aims.
• They are a breakdown of aims
into sub-units which
cumulatively contribute to the
achievement of the intent aim.
• They are worded in a way that
explains what the learner
should try to achieve.
 Blooms
Taxonomy :Domains
• Cognitive- deals with the
development of intellectual
abilities.
• Affective - emphasizes on
attitudes, values, appreciation
• Psychomotor-concerned with
physical, motor skills
These are short term goals
 Methodology
• Methodology- Pedagogical
approaches used to deliver
content
• Describe the various approaches
to be used to achieve objectives.
• Includes group work, educational
tours, discovery, demonstration
etc
• Teaching methods should arouse
interest in learners and motivate
them.
Importance of syllabus
• Cognitive map- start- end point
• Contract- Terms specified in syllabus are
:
a) ethically binding (Markie, 1994)
b) administratively
c) Legally
• Facilitate communication - Between
teacher/students
• Teachers guide - Teacher’s orientation to
content
• Identify specific tactics used to achieve
course’s goals
 Schemes of Work
• Is usually drawn from the school
syllabus
• A teacher’s interpretation of the
syllabus
• A weekly classification of content to
be taught
• Serves as an advance organizer of
how curriculum content is to be
covered
• Content sequencing must ensure
logical and progressive development
of students’ knowledge in the subject
• Continuity must be ensured by linking
content to previous knowledge
• Needs to be flexible to cater for
individual learners’ needs and
 Format of Schemes of
Work
Varies according to schools and subject
areas
Usually presented in table format
Must include:
Time for teaching each unit of content
The aims/goals of teaching the content
The actual content to be taught
The sources of the content, e.g.
textbooks
Teaching aids (media)for teaching the
content
Teaching and learning activities – stated
broadly
Evaluation-Comments indicating how
content was covered and plans for the
future
 Scheme of Work
• Subject: Religious Studies
• Term: Two
• Class: Form 2
• Aims:
– 1. ………………………………..
– 2. …………………………………..
– 3. ………………………………………

Week Topics/ Objectives Strategies Source of Instructio Evaluation

Ending Sub- topics / Methods Matter nal media
of
Teaching
 Lesson plan
A plan of the goals and
substance of a lesson
Includes:
Date
Time
Subject
Topic
Objectives
Sources and Media
Activities: Teacher/Student
activities
Lesson evaluation
 MSU Detailed Lesson
Plan
• Subject: …………………….
• Class: ……………………….
• Date: ………………………...
• Time: …………………………
• Unit Topic: ………………………………..
• Lesson Topic: ………………………………
• Lesson Objectives: By the end of
the lesson students should be able to:
1.
…………………………………………………
……..
2.
…………………………………………………
………
 MSU Detailed Lesson Plan
(Contd.)
• Assumed Knowledge:
(Knowledge that students know
from previous learning
experiences, and that is
necessary for them to learn the
new content. It must be different
from, but linked to what you are
going to teach in the lesson)
• Instructional Media: e.g. charts;
work cards; chalk-board, etc
• Sources of Matter: (Books, etc.
from which content is drawn from)
• Lesson Development:
– Introduction: e.g. Teacher tells story
of ……
 MSU Detailed Lesson Plan
(Contd.)
• Conclusion:
• wrap up lesson/discussions by
way of asking questions linked
to stated objectives

• Evaluation
• General Evaluation:
• Individual Evaluation:
• Future direction (If any):
• Homework:
• Give homework on stuff related
to lesson objectives
 REVISED BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
Category Key Words (verbs)

defines, describes, identifies, knows, labels, lists, matches, names,

Remembering: Recall previous learned information.
outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, states.

Understanding: Comprehending the meaning,

comprehends, converts, defends, distinguishes, estimates,
translation, interpolation, and interpretation of
explains, extends, generalizes, gives an example, infers, interprets,
instructions and problems. State a problem in one's
paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes, translates.
own words.
Applying: Use a concept in a new situation or
applies, changes, computes, constructs, demonstrates, discovers,
unprompted use of an abstraction. Applies what was
manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces,
learned in the classroom into novel situations in the
relates, shows, solves, uses.
work place.
Analyzing: Separates material or concepts into
analyzes, breaks down, compares, contrasts, diagrams,
component parts so that its organizational structure
deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, identifies,
may be understood. Distinguishes between facts and
illustrates, infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates.
inferences.

appraises, compares, concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques,

Evaluating: Make judgments about the value of ideas
defends, describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets,
or materials.
justifies, relates, summarizes, supports.

categorizes, combines, compiles, composes, creates, devises,

Creating: Builds a structure or pattern from diverse
designs, explains, generates, modifies, organizes, plans,
elements. Put parts together to form a whole, with
rearranges, reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites,
emphasis on creating a new meaning or structure.
summarizes, tells, writes.
 AFFECTIVE DOMAIN
Category Key Words (verbs)

Receiving Phenomena: Awareness, willingness to hear, asks, chooses, describes, follows, gives, holds, identifies,
selected attention. locates, names, points to, selects, sits, erects, replies, uses.

Responding to Phenomena: Attends and reacts to a

answers, assists, aids, complies, conforms, discusses, greets,
particular phenomenon. Learning outcomes may emphasize
helps, labels, performs, practices, presents, reads, recites,
compliance in responding, willingness to respond, or
reports, selects, tells, writes.
satisfaction in responding (motivation).

Valuing: The worth or value a person attaches to a particular

completes, demonstrates, differentiates, explains, follows,
object, phenomenon, or behavior. This ranges from simple
forms, initiates, invites, joins, justifies, proposes, reads,
acceptance to the more complex state of commitment. Valuing
reports, selects, shares, studies, works.
is internalization of a set of specified values

Key Words: adheres, alters, arranges, combines, compares,

Organization: Organizes values into priorities by contrasting
completes, defends, explains, formulates, generalizes,
different values, resolving conflicts between them, and creating
identifies, integrates, modifies, orders, organizes, prepares,
an unique value system.
relates, synthesizes.

Internalizing values: Has a value system that controls their

Key Words: acts, discriminates, displays, influences, listens,
behavior. The behavior is pervasive, consistent, predictable
modifies, performs, practices, proposes, qualifies, questions,
Instructional objectives are concerned with the student's
revises, serves, solves, verifies.
general patterns of adjustment (personal, social, emotional).
 PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN
Category Key Words (verbs)

Perception: The ability to use sensory cues to guide motor activity.

chooses, describes, detects, differentiates,
This ranges from sensory stimulation, through cue selection, to
distinguishes, identifies, isolates, relates, selects.
translation.

Set: Readiness to act. It includes mental, physical, and emotional sets,

begins, displays, explains, moves, proceeds, reacts,
that are dispositions that predetermine a person's response to different
shows, states, volunteers.
situations (sometimes called mindsets).

Guided Response: The early stages in learning a complex skill that

includes imitation and trial and error. Adequacy of performance is copies, traces, follows, react, reproduce, responds
achieved by practicing.
Mechanism: This is the intermediate stage in learning a complex skill. assembles, calibrates, constructs, dismantles, displays,
Learned responses have become habitual and the movements can be fastens, fixes, grinds, heats, manipulates, measures,
performed with some confidence and proficiency. mends, mixes, organizes, sketches.

Complex Overt Response: The skillful performance of motor acts that assembles, builds, calibrates, constructs, dismantles,
involve complex movement patterns. Proficiency is indicated by a displays, fastens, fixes, grinds, heats, manipulates, etc

quick, accurate, and highly coordinated performance, requiring a NOTE: The Key Words are the same as Mechanism,
minimum of energy, and without hesitation, and automatic but have adverbs or adjectives that indicate that the
performance. performance is quicker, better, more accurate, etc.

Adaptation: Skills are well developed and the individual can modify adapts, alters, changes, rearranges, reorganizes,
movement patterns to fit special requirements. revises, varies.

Origination: Creating new movement patterns to fit a particular

arranges, builds, combines, composes, constructs,
situation or specific problem. Learning outcomes emphasize creativity
creates, designs, initiate, makes, originates.
based upon highly developed skills.
 Chapter 2: Questioning
Techniques
 Questioning is an important skill in teaching
 Questions serve different functions in teaching
Purposes/functions of questions include:
 Initiating a dialogue in class (Is there another
opinion on this?)
 Probing for further explanation (Can you explain
your idea?)
 Extending thinking (Can this work with different
numbers?)
 Probing for more detail (Can you explain
further?)
 Pushing for deeper thinking/justification (Why do
you say that?)
 Seeking clarification (Can you say that again?)
 Checking understanding (Can you summarise
what we have learnt today?)
 Exploring understanding (What do you
understand by ‘Synoptic Gospels’?)
 Orienting and focusing (So what is the main
issue here?)
 Types of questions
Generally there are two types:
Closed questions
Open-ended questions
Closed questions:
• Elicit unique responses
• Elicit factual information
• Initiate one-word, one-phrase or one-
sentence factual responses
• Normally involves students in recalling
information
• Include ‘fill-in’ type of questions; ‘Yes/No’
questions
• Do not provoke alternative thinking
• Are the most common questions in teaching
 Types of questions
(contd.)
• Open-ended questions:
– Can have more than one response
– Invite students to say out their thinking
and opinions
– Support students’ creativity and thinking
• Other types of teacher questions:
– Leading/funneling questions: questions
that lead students towards one response
that is required by the teacher
– General questions: not linked to anything
that a student has said
– Follow-up questions: meant to follow-up
on students’ thinking
 Hearing students
 Hearing what students say is important if
teachers are to understand students’ thinking
 It is a complex skill that requires listening,
interpreting and responding, all in a short space
of time
 It includes noticing what students say, show, feel
and do
Types of hearing:
 Over-hearing: hearing what was not said by the
student
 Compatible hearing: hearing something from a
student’s explanation that is compatible with the
answer
 Under-hearing: ignoring part of a student’s
response or explanation
 Non-hearing: not hearing the whole of a
student’s explanation
 Biased hearing: hearing that is influenced by
own perceptions of students’ capabilities
 Task: Find an example that illustrates each type
of hearing in your subject area
 Classroom
management
Students of any age level do engage in
inappropriate behaviour in class
Inappropriate behaviour disrupts learning
Teachers need to develop a set of skills for
managing students’ behaviour in learning
situations
The most basic strategy for managing
behaviour in class is a good seating plan
Students should be seated in such a way that:
Their attention is directed towards the teacher
They can see the chalkboard clearly and the
teacher
They are facing the front and away from the
windows
The seating arrangement supports a variety of
teaching strategies
Teachers can move freely around the
classroom
 Classroom
management
 A second strategy is to establish a code of
conduct for the class
 Include students in establishing the rules of
conduct
 Rules should be clear, direct, consistent and
promote good behaviour in class
 Rules should be tied to consequences for
inappropriate behaviour rather than punishment
 Teacher needs to communicate high behavioural
expectations
 Make clear the consequences of inappropriate
behaviour
 Develop self-discipline and self-monitoring skills
in your students
 Reinforce good behaviour
 Classroom
management
A third strategy is to develop strategies
which include:
 ‘Withiness’: communicating to students that
you are aware of what is going on and you
know what is going on
 ‘Over-lapping’ : Attending to a variety of
events in the classroom without being totally
diverted by one activity or disruption
 ‘Smoothness and momentum in class’:
maintaining a brisk pace and giving continuous
activity signals and cues such as standing near
inattentive students or directing questions to
potentially disruptive students).
 ‘Group alerting’: keeping all students alerted
to the task at hand
 ‘Stimulating seatwork’: providing seatwork
tasks that are stimulating and challenging
 Classroom management
For persistent disruptive behaviour,
an intervention may be necessary
Positive behaviour support is a
strategy that has the following
features:
Functional behaviour assessment: to
understand both the person and the
nature of the challenging behaviour in
their environmental context
Comprehensive intervention: involves
teacher decision-making through
information, student behavior change
through “best practices”
Lifestyle enhancement: supporting
changes in behaviour and
improvement in achievement
 Some teacher management
styles
• A teacher’s management style can
influence students’ behaviour in
class
• Four common management styles
are:
– Authoritarian
– Authoritative
– Democratic
– Laissez-faire

• What is your management

style?
Statement 1 SA 2A 3N 4D 5 SD
If a student is disruptive during class, I assign him/her to
detention, without further discussion.
I don't want to impose any rules on my students.
The classroom must be quiet in order for students to learn.
I am concerned about both what my students learn and how
they learn.
If a student turns in a late homework assignment, it is not my
problem.
I don't want to reprimand a student because it might hurt
his/her feelings.
Class preparation isn't worth the effort.
I always try to explain the reasons behind my rules and
decisions.
I will not accept excuses from a student who is tardy. (moves
slowly; late)
The emotional well-being of my students is more important than
classroom control.
My students understand that they can interrupt my lecture if
they have a relevant question.
If a student requests a hall pass, I always honor the request.
 Scoring
• Find your totals for the
following statements:
– 1; 3 and 9 (Authoritarian)
– 4; 8 and 11 (Authoritative)
– 6; 10 and 12 (Democratic)
– 2; 5 and 7 (Laissez-faire)

• Totals range from 3 to 15

• A high total score shows your
management style
 Authoritarian
• Places firm limits and controls on
students
• Students will often have assigned
seats for the entire term.
• The desks are usually in straight
rows and there are no deviations.
• Students must be in their seats at
the beginning of class and they
frequently remain there
throughout the period.
• This teacher rarely gives hall
passes or recognizes excused
absences.
 Authoritarian
Often, it is quiet. Students know they
should not interrupt the teacher.
Verbal exchanges and discussion are
discouraged, so students do not have
the opportunity to learn and/or
practice communication skills.
This teacher prefers vigorous
discipline and expects swift
obedience.
Failure to obey the teacher usually
results in detention or a trip to the
principal's office.
In this classroom, students need to
follow directions and not ask why.
Teacher gives no indication that
he/she cares for students
 Authoritative
The authoritative teacher places limits and
controls on the students but simultaneously
encourages independence.
This teacher often explains the reasons
behind the rules and decisions.
If a student is disruptive, the teacher offers a
polite, but firm, reprimand.
This teacher sometimes metes out
discipline, but only after careful
consideration of the circumstances.
The authoritative teacher is also open to
considerable verbal interaction, including
critical debates.
The students know that they can interrupt
the teacher if they have a relevant question
or comment.
This environment offers the students the
opportunity to learn and practice
communication skills.
 Democratic
• Places few demand or controls
on the students. "Do your own
thing,” describes this
classroom.
• Accepts the student's impulses
and actions and is less likely to
monitor their behavior.
• Strives to not hurt the
student's feelings and has
difficulty saying no to a
student or enforcing rules.
 Democratic (contd.)
When a student interrupts a
lesson teacher accepts the
interruption with the belief that
the student must surely have
something valuable to add.
When he/she disciplines
students, it is likely to be
inconsistent.
Is very involved with his/her
students and cares for them very
much.
Is more concerned with the
students' emotional well-being
than he is with classroom control.
 Democratic (contd.)
Sometimes bases classroom
decisions on students’ feelings
rather than on their academic
concerns.
Wants to be the students'
friend and may even encourage
contact outside the classroom.
Has a difficult time
establishing boundaries
between his professional life
and his personal life
 Laissez-faire
Is not very involved in the
classroom.
 Places few demands, if any, on the
students and appears generally
uninterested.
Just doesn't want to impose on the
students. As such, he/she often
feels that class preparation is not
worth the effort.
Things like field trips and special
projects are out of the question.
This teacher simply won't take the
necessary preparation time.
 Laissez-faire (contd.)
• Sometimes, he/she will use the
same materials, year after year.
• Classroom discipline is lacking.
• May lack the skills, confidence, or
courage to discipline students.
• The students sense and reflect the
teacher's laissez-faire attitude,
hence very little learning occurs.
 Laissez-faire (contd.)
• Everyone is just "going through
the motions" and killing time.
• Students have very few
opportunities to observe or
practice communication skills.
• With few demands placed on
them and very little discipline,
students have low achievement
motivation and lack self-control.
 Communication in the
Classroom
• Communication is an on-
going process of sending
and receiving messages
• Successful teaching depends
on effective communication
• Explicit communication
occurs when teachers
communicate with students
 Classroom communication
(contd.)
• Three types:
– Verbal communication
– Non-Verbal communication
– Visual communication
• All three types of
communication are critical
for effective teaching and
often compliment each other
 Non-Verbal
Communication
• Occurs without words
• Includes: Facial expressions;
Touching; Body Movements;
Dress; Posture; Gestures;
Spatial Distance
• Serves to send messages and
regulate behaviour in class
• Used to send a strong signal;
express feelings, etc.
 Components of non-
verbal communication
• Personal space – to convey
teacher’s presence in learner’s
space
• Facial expressions – changes in
teacher’s facial expressions
convey messages strongly to the
students; students gradually learn
what each expression means
• Touching – serves to express
approval, but is not encouraged
especially for male teachers and
female students
 Components of non-verbal
communication (contd.)
• Body movements – how the
teacher walks, stands or sits,
sends a message to students
• Gestures – such as pointing,
nodding or shaking the head,
raising up arms in despair,
etc. all serve to communicate
• Proximity – distance from a
student can be used to
regulate behaviour
 Verbal
communication
• Probably the most common and
effective way of communicating in
the classroom
• It is the use of oral language to
communicate and receive
messages
• Effective communication depends
on having shared meanings; hence
the choice of language needs to
match the students’ language
competencies
 Verbal Interaction in
the classroom (contd.)
• Teacher needs to be aware
of the language diversity
in the classroom
• Interpersonal verbal
interaction - Can occur
between teacher and
student; or between two
students
 Verbal Interaction in
the classroom (contd.)
In such interactions:
•Speak clearly and succinctly
•Listen, give attention to the
speaker
•Paraphrase and summarize
students’ contributions
•Build rapport and trust so that
students feel safe and comfortable
to talk with the teacher or among
themselves
•Show empathy and respect
•Voice fluctuations signify different
messages
 Verbal interaction in
the classroom
Verbal interactions in groups
require the following communication
skills:
•Speaking slowly and clearly
•Getting to the point very quickly
•Encouraging others to speak
•Avoiding monopolizing the talk
•Listening well and paraphrasing
ideas
•Sticking to the point to avoid
boring others
 Complimentary roles
of verbal and non-
verbal communication
• Repeating – non-verbal gestures
often serve to repeat what was
said verbally, e.g. “Go out!”
followed by pointing outside
• Contradicting – non-verbal
behaviour can contradict verbal
behaviour, e.g. “I am not
afraid”, when one is already
trembling in fear
• Substituting – non-verbal
behaviour can often substitute
verbal behaviour, e.g. staring
intensely at a student
Complimentary roles of verbal
and non-verbal communication
(contd.)
• Complementing – verbal
behaviour can compliment non-
verbal behaviour, e.g. verbal
encouragement accompanied
by nodding of the head
• Regulating – using non-verbal
and verbal behaviours to
regulate behaviour e.g. eye
contact and remarks such as
“Keep quiet”
 Other functions of
classroom communication

• Motivation
• Organization
• Managing behaviour
• Task: Give examples of
communication for each
function
 Discipline in the
Classroom
• Classroom discipline is defined as
a teacher's routine for rewarding,
punishing, and maintaining desired
behaviors. A teacher cannot begin
to teach without an acceptable
level of classroom discipline
• Maintaining discipline is vital for
effective teaching and learning
• Most teachers find it difficult to
maintain discipline in the
classroom, resulting in chaotic
situations
 Discipline in the
Classroom (contd.)
• Managing discipline
depends on how the
teacher anticipates and
prevents indiscipline
rather than respond to
indiscipline
• Proper classroom
management can prevent
student indiscipline
 Some tips for managing
discipline
• Begin each lesson with a positive
attitude and high expectations of
your students
• Prepare well for your lessons in
advance so that there are no ‘idle
moments’ during your lesson
• Watch your students as they come
into class. Look for signs of possible
problems before class even begins.
For example, if you notice a heated
discussion or problem before class
starts, try to deal with the problem
then
 Some tips for managing
discipline
Have a posted discipline plan that you
follow consistently for effective
classroom management. For example,
your discipline plan might be - First
Offense: Verbal Warning, Second
Offense: Detention with teacher, Third
Offense: Referral
Meet disruptions that arise in your class
with in kind measures. In other words,
don't elevate disruptions above their
current level. For example, if two
students are talking in the back of the
room don't stop your instruction to begin
yelling at the students. Instead, calling
out the student's name is enough of a
clue for them to get back on task; or ask
one of them a question
 Some tips for managing
discipline (contd.)
• Try to use humour to diffuse situations
before things get out of hand. For
example, if you tell your students to
open their books to a certain page and
three students are busy talking, do not
immediately yell at them. Instead, smile,
say their names, and ask them kindly if
they could please wait until later to
finish their conversation
• If a student becomes verbally
confrontational with you, remain calm
and remove them from the situation as
quickly as possible. Do not get into
yelling matches with your students.
There will always be a winner and a
loser which sets up a power struggle
that could continue throughout the year
 Some tips for managing
discipline (contd.)
If a student becomes physical, remember
the safety of the other students is
paramount. Remain as calm as possible;
your demeanor can sometimes diffuse the
situation; call for assistance from another
teacher. Send the other students from the
room if it appears they could get hurt.
If the fight is between two students, follow
your school's rules concerning teacher
involvement; stay out of fights until help
arrives.
Keep an anecdotal record of major issues
that arise in your class. This might be
necessary if you are asked for a history of
classroom disruptions or other
documentation
Let it go at the end of the day; classroom
management and disruption issues should
be left in class
 Some strategies for
preempting indiscipline
• Recognize the warning signs of
disruption; this comes with practice of
classroom management
• Use sarcasm sparingly if at all. If you
do use it, make sure you know the
student who you are using it with well.
• Consistency and fairness are essential
for effective classroom management. If
you ignore disruptions one day and
come down hard on them the next,
you will not be seen as consistent. If
you are not fair in your punishments,
and do not treat all students fairly then
students will quickly realize this and
lose respect for you
 Some strategies for
preempting indiscipline
(contd.)
• Start the year very strict so
that students see that you are
willing to do what it takes to
have your classroom under
control; you can always let up
as the year goes on
• Classroom rules must be easy
to understand and
manageable; too many rules
are difficult to follow
 Dealing with major
discipline problems
• The best way is to prevent them
from happening. Get to know
your students. Have your
students get to know you.
• Maintain a good classroom
management program.
• Maintain respect.
• Maintain student engagement; if
your students are engaged in
learning, you have mastered
classroom discipline
 Dealing with major
discipline problems
(contd.)
• However, there are times when
classroom discipline calls for outside
help:
– Drugs, fights, and other forms of
student harassment are major
problems.
– A good, prepared teacher will
already know the steps the school
has for dealing with these. Find out
before the first day of school who to
call, who to contact, what forms to
fill out, etc. You cannot solve these
problems yourself. Do not try. Make
the phone call for security, and let
the process go.
 Remember
• Never scream, yell, or be in a
student's face.
– You will not maintain classroom
discipline this way.
– You will only wear out your jaw
muscles, get headaches, and be a
bundle of nerves at the end of the
day. And then, you will dread
tomorrow.
– In fact, a teacher should practice
actively relaxing his or her jaw
muscles, and avoid teeth clenching.
If you make a note of this throughout
the day, you will realize just how
much you have a tendency to do
these things.