Academic Success through Classroom Management

Preparation:

Course organisers will send to the participants list of materials related to the course topic they can read in order to prepare for the course. Organisers will assist the participants if they need information related to the accommodation, flight tickets or any detail necessary in organising the course.

Course Overview
Effective classroom management is of utmost importance because it sets the stage for teaching and learning. However, classroom which is chaotic and disorganised, as a result of poor classroom management, is highly unlikely to enhance students' academic performance. Moreover, the teacher might find the activities tiring and dissatisfying. Classroom management differs from one teacher to another, depending on teacher's personality, teaching style, number of students in the classroom, and other factors.

Course description

This course offers practical and theoretical approach on how to organize the classes in order to induce students' cooperation in learning tasks and deal with the procedural demands in the classroom. Classroom management involves how the teacher works, how the class works, how the teacher and student work together and finally, how the teaching and learning takes place. Every teacher can gain the skill to manage the classroom, but it requires a great deal of commitment, initiative, a willingness to adjust, as well as creative thinking and actions. Poorly managed classrooms are usually characterized by disruptive behavior such as sleeping, being late, making unproductive noise, eating, calling nicknames, verbal or physical threat to students or the teacher. This disruptive behavior disorganizes learning processes and affects the academic performance of students. Teachers can deal with the disruptive behavior in the classroom and reduce it to the minimum through effective classroom management so that effective learning can take place. Once teachers are able to effectively reduce or eliminate disruptive behavior in the classroom, there will be increased academic attentiveness and engagement which would make way for better academic performance.

 Methodology:

• Ice – Breakers, warm-ups, fillers
• Case study
• Role – play
• Group Discussions;
• Six Hats Method;
• Problem – Solving Activities;
• Project – Solving Activities
• Goal – Setting Session
• Decision – Making Session
• Negotiation and Persuasion;
• Questionnaires

Objectives

• Reinforcing the basic terminology on classroom management
• Introducing different skills and techniques to manage the classroom
• Practising giving instructions / feedback and setting activities
• Raising awareness of ways of enhancing the academic performance

• Understanding the components of classroom management
• Introducing practical activities to manage the classroom
• Familiarizing with tools and techniques for innovative problem solving and tackling the discipline
• Becoming aware of the link between effective classroom management and academic success
• Improvement of language and communication skills
• Increased capacity to cooperate at international level

Follow-up

Trainees will be given soft and hard copies of all lesson materials, which they can present to their colleagues in their own organizations to generate interest in project writing. In addition, a mailing list of participants will be created in order to exchange ideas/experiences. At the end of the course the participants will fill in a questionnaire in order to get a detailed feedback for the effectiveness of the training event.

Programme of training activities day-by-day:

Day 1 – MONDAY - The Classroom and the Teacher:

• Welcome and registration
• Introduction to classroom management: basic terminology
• The classroom:

• The teacher:

• Discussion: how does the classroom and the teacher affect the students’ academic success?

Day 2 – TUESDAY - The Students

• Learning names
• Mixt-level classes
• Large classes
• Individuals
• Practical activity: how to train students to listen to each other
• Discussion: how can students become more aware of their own responsibility to academic success?

Day 3 – WENDESDAY - Grouping Students

• Whole-class teaching
• Pair work
• Group work
• How to create pairs and groups
• Discussion: Does group work influence academic success?

Day 4 – THURSDAY - Small Disruptions in Class

• Why problems occur?
• Prevention of disruptive behaviour
• Reaction to disruptions
• Tackling the discipline in the classroom – practical activities: energisers
• Debate: punishment in the classroom 

Day 5 – FRIDAY - Serious Discipline Issues

• Problem solving in schools with discipline problems
• Case study: real life examples for tackling discipline
• Disciplinary rules and regulations in the classroom
• Assigning responsibilities to students
• Project – based learning: 6 months plan to manage the classroom

Days 6/7 – SATURDAY and SUNDAY Workshops and Cultural/Sightseeing Activities

Day 8 – Monday - Managing Activities and Materials: Practical Solutions

• Giving instructions
• Elicitation and questioning
• Giving feedback and praise
• Managing the teaching equipment and materials:

Day 9 – Tuesday - Managing the Lesson

• Setting goals
• Sequencing the activities
• Practical activities on how to engage the students in the lesson: ice-breakers, warm-ups and fillers

Day 10 – Wednesday

• Final conclusions and synthesis of the course: The benefits of effective classroom management
• Feedback, Course Evaluation and Dissemination
• Awarding certificates of attendance