Competency 4 of the Teaching Quality Standard, Establishing Inclusive Learning Environments, states that a teacher establishes, promotes and sustains inclusive learning environments where diversity is embraced and every student is welcomed, cared for, respected and safe. Identified in the research literature as a challenge for student teachers, classroom management involves developing optimal conditions for student success.
Strong organization enables student teachers to be more effective and confident in their ability to manage daily teaching tasks. The following questions can be used as checkpoints for good classroom management.
Proactive strategies are highly effective in creating the conditions for a positive, welcoming, safe and caring learning and teaching environment. The following checklist provides more food for thought.
Second nature to experienced teachers, but less so for student teachers, routines and procedures are structures put in place early in the school year to create behavioral expectations, facilitate transitions, minimize potential disruptions and create a sense of safety, order and belonging.
Building resilience, understanding student regulation and responding to challenging student behaviour are all part of a set of skills that student teachers need to develop in their field experience journey. Mastery will come with time and experience.
Various teaching strategies, including questioning and differentiation, can be found here.
This section features further readings on topics related to different aspects of classroom management.
