Classroom Management: Strategies for Engaging Every Student

Classroom management is not easy. Teachers have to manage all student in the class that has different characteristics. Here are several important things that I apply in my class.


Make sure that everyone is ready to learn.

Before start teaching, I ensure my students are prepared and eager to learn. I take a moment to confirm they are comfortably seated with their notes and writing utensils at hand. I also ask them whether they are ready or not, to make them paying attention to me. Once I sense their full engagement and readiness, I commence the lesson, fostering an environment conducive to effective learning.

 

Interact with the students.

I like to interact with my students. I like to involve them in my teaching. For example, I’ll ask one of them to read my PowerPoint, or solve question on the board. Sometimes, I also give random question for them to answer together. And not forget to give appreciation after they give an answer, whether it’s right or not. Usually, I ask the others to give applause. I also ask them to applause after we solved a problem together.

I believe that build interaction with the students is important. Students will feel that they’re important and needed in the class. They won’t feel abandoned or neglected because the teacher is keep talking to their self.  So, they will pay more attention. Interacting is also good to build chemistry with the students. If the teacher and the students have a good chemistry, the classroom will become more fun and comfortable place to learn. And if the student’s happy, they will understand the materials easier.

 

Everyone is involved

I always make sure that everyone is involved. As I mentioned, I believe that building interaction with the students is important. I don’t want anyone feel abandoned or neglected in my class. So, I always involve every student in the class.

However, each student has their own unique characteristics. There are those who are active, eagerly responding to questions in class, and consistently raising their hands whenever I give a question. Then, there are students who are capable and willing to answer but feel shy about raising their hand. Additionally, some students may struggle to grasp the material, leading to apprehension about participating. As a teacher, it is my role to ensure all students are actively engaged in the classroom.

So, how do I do it? Typically, at the beginning of a lesson, I encourage active students who raise their hands to answer. Usually, I avoid picking the same student repeatedly. If eventually, all those with raised hands have already answered, I inquire if anyone else would like to contribute besides those who volunteered. If no one volunteers, I'll point to a student who seems hesitant but willing to answer. Of course, I never force them to answer the question. I offer them the option to answer or not. If they persistently decline even after I reassure them, I move on to another student. However, if no one eventually volunteers, I'll give the opportunity to the student with their hand raised, even if they've already answered a previous question.

Providing opportunities for every student is crucial. Otherwise, students might feel unmotivated to pay attention. They might think it's okay not to pay attention since ultimately, teachers only seem to focus on the active ones. I don't want any of my students to feel that way. That's why I always try to involve all students and provide equal opportunities for each one.

A student is answering questions

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