Enhancing Classroom Dynamics: Techniques for Effective Teaching

Mrs. Mira Kanaan wrote down a set of formulae on the blackboard. Next, she solved out a Mathematical problem, implementing one of the formulae that she had just jotted down. There were about fifty-five students in her class. Some of them raised their hands, eager to ask questions to the teacher, while others were busy noting down the formulae in their exercise books.

The Math session was in progress.

Even as Mira turned to the blackboard to write down the formulae, her students stared at the blackboard with rapt attention. In short, there was pin-drop silence in the classroom.

Then, Mrs. Kanaan selected students randomly, who had raised their hands and asked them to share their doubts. One by one, every student had clarified his queries from their Math teacher, following which the students were assigned some Math problems. And, they bent over their Math textbooks, determined to proceed with their Math lessons!

Now, Mrs. Mira Kanaan’s classroom presents a scene of an ideal classroom.

Generally, classrooms tend to be a bit noisy, as a few students engage in conversations during a lecture or share their views with their classmates even while the teacher might be explaining a topic.

No wonder, every teacher strives to create a positive classroom culture that facilitates learning and captivates the attention of students.

Questions that You Must Ask Yourself before Creating a Classroom Culture

Creating an outstanding classroom culture might be challenging, particularly when you are new in the field of teaching. Students as well as teachers need to work to achieve a perfect classroom culture that is conducive to academic growth and development. You can ask yourself the following questions before you decide to create a smart classroom culture:

• What do My Students Require in Order to Succeed?

You must recognize the requirements of students if you desire to bring about a positive classroom culture. Each and every student has certain ‘emotional needs’.

For instance, the need of self-confidence, self-awareness, acceptance and healthy relationships with teachers and peers.

Teachers must try their level best to make space for a ‘needs-based’ learning zone that would go a long way in motivating students to learn their lessons faster. Moreover, it would also make them more enthusiastic about learning anything new.

• What Steps must I Implement to Meet the Needs of Students?

You must follow a course of action that assists you in meeting the various needs of your students. So, have you decided about the principles you would need to follow, dear teachers? Let me give you two ideas that can aid you in addressing the emotional needs of your students:

1. Fostering healthy relationships in your classroom through assigning collaborative assignments.
2. Giving students opportunities to display their talents by organizing extra-curricular activities.

• What Behavioral Guidelines do I Want Students to Follow? 

Your students must be taught to demonstrate positive behavioral patterns within learning environments.

For instance, you want your students to support each other while they are inside the class. Therefore, you must instruct your students to listen carefully to their classmates once they ask you a question. They must also be made to be attentive while their classmate reads out a passage aloud, so that he might be able to read out the next sentence when it is his turn to read.

• What Social Skills do My Students Need, to Behave Properly?

Have you asked yourself what are the social skills that your students need to incorporate? Once you are aware of the skillsets that are essential for your students, you can decide about how you can teach those skills to your students.

For instance, you might be keen to inculcate listening skills in your students.

In this case, you need to:

1. Write down the guidelines for effective listening on the notice board in your classroom.
2. Offer opportunities to students for helping them practice focused listening.
3. Give a reminder to your students when they deal with events that involve them in listening.

Tips for Teachers to Build a Great Classroom Culture

Now that you have asked yourself the above questions, you are ready for a brand new classroom ambiance. Continue reading to know about some of the best tips that can help you build an effective classroom culture.

#1. Give Clear Instructions to Students

Clarity is a significant component for any kind of communication.

Therefore, you must make it a point to make your directions clear. Right from the beginning of the school year, start giving out clear instructions to your students. While you are giving the instructions, inform your students what exactly you expect them to do and at what volume.

Also, tell them how much movement they are free to engage upon, as they go about the activity that you have assigned them.

If you wish to establish discipline in the classroom, set clear rules regarding the same.

Make it clear to them that they should complete their assignments in silence in the class. They must not discuss the answers with their classmates while doing the tasks and work independently. Furthermore, instruct them to submit their exercise books on your desk once they are done with their assignments.

If you want them to learn certain definitions at home, communicate it to them.

Ask them the definitions the following day when they attend your class. Making your instructions clear would let your students know how to behave in learning spaces.

#2. Maintain Consistency in your Lessons

It is very important to maintain a certain degree of consistency inside the class. Your students must be knowledgeable about what to expect from you. They also need to know that the consequences would be applicable to everyone present in the classroom.

If you make sure you follow this principle, you would soon discover that your lessons run more smoothly.

As a result, your students would respect your authority a lot more. You also need to bring in consistency in the layout of your lessons. For this purpose, you must always be ready with a lesson plan before you commence with your lessons. I will tell you how to start doing it.

First of all, you need to check the official curriculum of the school.

Next, you must make a note of the essential academic topics that need to be covered. Tally them with the chapters in the school textbooks. If a certain topic is not explained properly in textbooks, go through reference websites or books and collect the materials necessary to help students learn it.

#3. Be Honest with your Students

As you already know, honesty is one of the greatest virtues.

You must be honest with all your students. This would enable you to establish a relationship with your pupils and at the same time encourage them to pay attention in your sessions. After explaining a particular subject, you must ask them to approach you if they are confused about an idea.

In other words, you must give your best shot in creating a safe haven for your students.

They must feel valued. As teachers, you must highlight their strengths and help them work on their problem areas. Assist them in knowing their knowledge gaps and guide them in coming up with solutions to bridge those gaps.

Students cannot relate to you unless they like you.

So naturally, you must share your own experiences with your students, telling them how you overcame obstacles in a certain subject or idea. This would make students more comfortable in your presence. So, they would start interacting with you more and more and offer you their feedback after your lectures.

#4. Teach Forbearance

Teaching ‘tolerance’ to students is probably one of the toughest challenges for a school teacher.

For, at times, students are unable to understand how their words or actions can adversely affect their peers or even teachers. This is the reason why teachers must teach the importance of steering clear of bullying right from the very first day of the school year. Let them know what kind of activities amount to bullying and have the potential to upset students.

This can be done in multiple ways.

Offering Moral Science lessons is one of the most interesting ways that can teach students the value of tolerance. Read out stories that speak about love, peace, compassion, kindness and generosity to your students. Share anecdotes from your life wherein you had demonstrated kindness or had extended your assistance to others.

You can also speak to the parents of your students during parent-teacher conferences, emphasizing on the significance of reading out stories enriched with moral values.

#5. Make Room for Healthy Competition

Finally, you need to make your lessons really very engaging for your students. Instead of the traditional chalk-and-blackboard technique of imparting knowledge, try out something different. Make your lesson a competition!

Let me tell you how you can go about it.

For instance, you are teaching History. Your students are trying to understand the causes and consequences of the Second World War. Why not give students an exercise on this topic and check how they perform? Offer a reward to students who would be capable of solving the exercise perfectly and in the least time.

You can play some games in the class to make room for healthy competition among your learners too.

Divide your class into four teams. Before you do that, however, you must prepare a questionnaire based on the topics that you had explained to your students. Now organize a quiz contest in the class. The team that answers the maximum questions successfully wins the contest. And, the winners can get toffees or any other small tokens of appreciation from the teacher.

If you can manage your class to the best of your ability, you would realize that you would be much less stressed out while dealing with your students. I hope my ideas motivate you to build a perfect classroom culture that would inspire students to keep learning and growing!