#7 Rethinking classroom management

Every classroom needs to have an elaborated management to assure children’s learning and improvement. As N. Maldonado says in her article “Rethinking classroom management”, there are 3 different but interrelated areas in which teachers have to focus to succeed teaching.

First of all the organizational issues, that refer, a part of the activities design, to the rights and duties that kids need to elaborate, negotiate with the teacher and keep in mind in order to achieve the class’s desired way of behaving. The point is to make students feel like a group, in which everyone has different and significant roles, but in which all cooperate with the same goals. That’s called collective action and in my opinion is one of the most useful ways to promote empathy and solidarity among students, two values that seem to be disappearing with the years.

Second, she talks about the curriculum issues, which teachers can never forget. In this case, the writer remarks the importance of engaging students with the correct planning and choice of the activities. It is known that to get children’s attention the teacher has to present content related to their real lives and personal interests, and at the same time find strategies to keep them motivated during long periods of time (and this is even more difficult with Preschool kids, that’s why I have decided to write the next blog entry reflecting on this topic). Giving children equal opportunities and designing tasks that require participation can help us achieve our purpose.  

And finally, as the writer says, we can’t forget about the social issues when thinking about classroom management. Creating a good climate in the classroom, full of trust and respect it’s vital to obtain satisfactory results. We have to remember also to appreciate always students work, because that’s the way we help them to get security and self-esteem, so important in the early years when they create their self-image.