Classroom Atmosphere

Since I love to hear others recommend books or other resources that have helped them grow as a learner and teacher, I offer this post.

Good classroom management is a much-discussed subject—one that teachers continuously try to understand and practice better.   Its presence works like glue holding the whole day together.  Without it, a teacher’s life is full of stress and students’ learning is greatly compromised.  I agree with those who say good classroom management is key to teaching, that it either breaks or makes a teachers’ effectiveness.  I have read a stack of books, attended a number of workshops, and vigorously nodded my head in agreement with the wise authors and presenters.  But putting it into daily practice requires constant honing, continual refining, and a whole lot of humble, but dogged, persistence!

Last summer, my principal emailed the staff to suggest we consider taking the online course about classroom management, “Teach 4 the Heart,” by Linda Kardamis. Immediately interested, I signed up.

Linda Kardamis presents the material using a down-to-earth, easy-to-understand manner with real life examples.  Each mini session is only 5-10 minutes long.  After teaching on having the proper mindset as a teacher, she continues with sessions on how to prepare a classroom plan, how to prevent problems, how to deal with problems and how to inspire your students.  It is worth listening to!

And I love that when I didn’t get something, I can make her back up and say it again!  While I love to read books, watching a presenter allows me to observe facial expressions and attend to voice inflections, which enhances my learning experience.  In addition, when I have watched sessions with co-teachers and then discussed how the points presented apply in our classrooms, I benefit even more.

Recently at a teachers’ convention, I perused the available workshop sessions and noted the perennial one, “Classroom Management.”  It is perennial because as teachers we soon become convinced of how key it is and how much we need to learn more.  I also noted with great interest my inner response.  I easily chose to bypass it this year.  Not because I now have it all together; I will never get to that point.  But with the “Teach 4 the Heart” course, I feel much more comfortable with the path I am walking.

Maybe this is something you would benefit from as I have—and continue to enjoy.  For the sake of the children, I want to create an atmosphere where they (and I) can thrive.

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CONTRIBUTOR: Betty Yoder