DEALING WITH CLASSROOM CHALLENGES

December 2, 2023 Educator's Corner

Israel Gil A. Lacay

When you are in charge of a classroom of students, it can be challenging to meet every student’s needs and maintain a level of control. Many teachers have developed alternative ways to discipline and manage students, including establishing classroom rules early in the school year and maintaining these rules throughout the school year (De Leon, 2023).

Discipline in a prompt and thoughtful way. Make the rules for your classroom and each exercise very clear and consistent. If a student breaks a rule, handle it immediately in the classroom before moving forward. However, once you’ve made a disciplinary action, don’t dwell on it or you could create additional problems. Also, make sure that any consequences that you assign match the level of the offense committed.

Utilize positive reinforcement for situations where multiple students are being problematic. You can say something to the effect of, “The way this class is going, I can’t honestly say good things about everyone’s behavior here. So to be fair, let me be sure to make note of everyone who IS behaving well.” This tactic can often be a big motivator to get the class back on track and can also be connected to a reward when applicable.

It’s really easy to lose your cool when faced with a challenging or critical student. Instead, take a deep breath and try to look at their perspective. Ask them to explain their position in further detail. Encourage other students to enter into the discussion. There are many possible reasons why a student might remain silent in your classroom. Encourage them to learn by creating a safe environment for all opinions.

Offer a variety of assignment options, including journal submissions or email logs. Avoid putting a spotlight on quiet students, unless that fits your overall teaching style. Do your best to identify students who are struggling academically early on. Consider offering in-class resources, such as pair exercises. Or, direct them to external resources, such as subject tutoring

(Linetsky, 2023).