When you were in your teacher education program, you probably learned a few classroom management techniques. These tools are what help you gain control over and help settle a rowdy classroom. You may have even used some of these techniques that you learned in your classroom over the years. Whether these have worked for you or not, your teacher education program most likely lacked giving you the tools needed when students begin to take advantage of you.
Most all teachers have seen firsthand what happens when students try to take advantage of educators. When students bend classroom rules and fail to follow directions, chaos ensues. Chaos in the classroom hurts student-teacher relationships, compromises learning and, ultimately, inhibits student success. This chaos is made worse when teachers are not competent in directing classroom behavior.
In order to successfully direct classroom behavior, you need to have interpersonal assertion. This skill is what allows you to be respectfully “in-control” of your students and classroom. When you are assertive, you will be able to enforce your classroom rules and ensure that your students follow directions. This will help your students to achieve their personal goals and experience more classroom success.
Remember that your students want to be successful. They want to learn. They need you to provide the structure to help them do just that. How can you provide this structure? Learn to be assertive. Become more competent in directing the behavior in your classroom and you will notice an increase in student happiness and success.
Our virtual training academy, ConoverU, has your answers. Here, you will learn about emotional intelligence (EQ), how you can improve your own EQ, and how to apply it to your everyday life so that it impacts you, your students and your classroom.
