Classroom Observation Report
1.0 Introduction
Teachers should practice a good classroom management to achieve a conducive learning environment for teaching and learning activities to take place. “The ultimate goal of classroom management should not be on simple obedience, but on having students behave appropriately because they know it’s the right thing to do and because they can understand how their actions affect other people” (Hardin, 2008, p. 142). Based on the quote above, it can be seen clearly that a good classroom management will not only maintain the classroom environment for teaching and learning to occur but also effects the students’ behaviours a s an individual throughout the learning process. In managing a good classroom management and discipline, there are some aspects that can be focuses to promote good learning environment which are the teachers’ roles, the students’ roles and the classroom management itself.
2.0
Teachers’ roles
Teachers play a major role in creating a good classroom management. In creating conducive environment for teaching and learning to take place, there are some roles of teachers that should be practice to achieve the objectives. One of the teachers’ roles is to help the learner to gain the literacy. This is because teachers teach learners by facilitating the learners’ learning. Thus, it is important for teachers’ to be well prepared and well-versed on the topics that to be teach in the classroom. William Arthur Ward once said that “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teach er explains. The superior teacher demonstrate s. The great teacher inspires.” This clearly shows that teachers’ play a huge role in teaching the learners.
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Another role of teachers is to give learners the opportunity to learn how to enquire and discover new information during teaching and learning process. To establish this opportunity, teachers should involve the learners by practicing good communication skills with them. One of the theories that can be practiced is the Congruent Communication Theory by Haim Ginott. C.M.Charles quoted Ginnot in his book said that “He strongly emphasized congruent communication, meaning communication that is harmonious with st udents’ feelings about situations and themselves” (2011). Based on the classroom observation’s video observed, the teacher practice a democratic leadership by practicing two ways communication in the classroom. This helps to promote good classroom management as it allows learners to participate actively in the learning process. The roles of teachers are not only focusing on the teaching but also to mould the learners to become good individuals by instilling responsibility within them. As in the video observed, besides practicing a democratic teaching, teacher also needs to be assertive in correcting learners’ misbehaviours. Another theory that can be applied by the teacher is the Assertive Discipline Theory by Lee and Marlene Canter. Canter theory focuses on correcting misbehaviours for learning process to take place smoothly. An assertive teacher should be clear, confident, and express their class expectations clearly in the classroom. Hardin in his book quoted “If the goal is to have children take responsibility for their behaviors, teachers must allow students to make decisions about what is right and wrong”. Hence, in order for the learners to be responsible towards their actions, teachers must clearly list their classroom expectations in the classroom. Thus, learners will be able to behave accordingly to fulfil the expectations. Moreover, teachers also need to have a good classroom instructional management. Teachers can practice the theory of Instructional Management by Jacob Kounin. In his theory, Kounin highlighted some strategies that can be practice by teachers which are withitness, overlapping, group focus, satiation, ripple effect and effective transitions. Based on the video observed, the teacher should practice withitness inn her classroom. This because that the teacher do not correct the misbehaviours in the classroom. The teacher should communicate through her actions 2
besides using her words. Hence, the pupils are convinced that the teacher really knows what is going on. Thus, pupils will act appropriately in the lesson by paying attention towards the lesson. Teachers also can give praises towards the pupils who perform and behave well in the classroom to improve their motivation to learn. As quoted from Haim Ginott, "Praise should deal, not with the child's personality attributes, but with his efforts and achievements." The praises are given based on the pupils’ performances in the classroom by either give motivational words such as well done, good job or by giving small rewards such as stars or stamps if they completing the tasks given. These things might be seen as simple but it will help to improve the pupils’ motivation to learn especially for the low achievers pupils. thus, teachers act as motivators to motivate pupils to learn.
3.0 Learner s’ roles
In managing a classroom for teaching and learning process, it is not merely the teachers’ roles but also the learners’ roles. Learners must act according to the teacher expectations to maximize the learning process. One of the roles of learners is to participate actively in the teaching and learning process. As in the video observed, there were some learners who act as passive passengers as the lesson proceed. There were a student who was not focusing on the lesson by putting his head on his table and an Indian girl who acts as a passive passenger during group work activity took place. These situations must be taken into considerations by teacher to improve the lesson. Learners should set their goal for coming to school is to learn. Hence, they will realise the importance of paying attention and being responsible towards their acts. Another role of learners in the classroom is to involve in student-centered activity planned by the teachers. This activity helps to prepare the learners for their careers in the future. The student- centered activity helps to improve learners’ social skill, 3
communication skill and also improves their language skill. This is because those learners are actively involved in the teaching and learning process while the teachers act as facilitators. Thus, learners should be involving themselves actively by giving opinions, solving the tasks given by teachers either individuals or in groups. Studentcentered activity helps to improve learners’ social skill by exchanging ideas and opinions in solving the tasks given regardless of their races and views differences.
4.0 Classroom management
Classroom management involves both physical and socioemotional aspects. Both aspects are important to promote a good classroom for a lesson to take place. In terms of physical aspect of the classroom, one of the main criteria to focus on is the seating arrangements of the classroom. Based on the video observed, the tables and chairs of the students were being arranged in clustered arrangement. This shows that most of the lessons were focussing on group activities. The seating arrangements in the classroom should be arrange in good order in order to help the teachers and the learners to move freely in the classroom during the teaching and learning process. Besides, the lighting of the classroom must be good to maximise learners’ learning process. The ventilation and the basic facilities in the classroom must be checked regularly to promote a warmth environment for a lesson to take place. It is very important to have a good classroom physical setting to promote a sense of belonging towards the learners by fulfilling all the learners’ needs. Other basic physical aspects of the classroom are the classroom rules and routines as well as the emergency plan of the classroom. The classroom rules and routines should be set up by both teacher and students at the beginning of the year and be pasted on the wall. Hence, it promotes a democratic teaching environment as well as highlights the expectations for the class. As in socioemotional aspects, teachers should help to promote a good sociocultural environment. In the video observed, the classroom consists of pupils with different cultural environment which are Malays, Indians and Chinese. Hence, it is 4
crucial for teachers to promote the sociocultural friendly environment in the classroom by mixed them in groups. This help to instil unity amongst pupils of different races since childhood as Malaysia is a multicultural country. Teachers can subconsciously mix them in groups by seating them according to their birthday. Hence, the pupils will learn to develop their social skill by mingling with each other’s. Furthermore, the classroom should be decorates with motivational items to instil good moral values for the learners. This also helps to boost learners’ motivation to learn because of the interesting setting of the classroom. Learners learn best in fun and interesting environment as it promotes a non-stress environment setting. 5.0 Closure
In promoting a good classroom management, it is not only relying on the teachers per se but also the roles of the learners. Teachers and learners should work hand in hand to achieve the objectives of the lesson. As for teachers, a good lesson not only focuses on the content of the teaching but also on how they manage the classroom throughout the lesson. William Glasser once said that “When you study great teachers... you will learn much more from their caring and hard work than from their style.”
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Reflection
Based on this course, there are many things and new knowledge that I gained in preparing myself as a future teacher. Firstly, through this course I have learnt about many theories that I can apply during my teaching and learning activities. The theories are Theories of Democratic Teaching by Rudolf Dreikuf, Theories of Instructional Management by Jacob Kounin, Theories of Congruent Communication by Haim Ginott, Building the Foundation by Skinner, Glasser, Gordon and Theories of Assertive tactics by Lee and Marlene Canter. By learning about these theories, I have learnt on how to manage the classroom to promote a conducive classroom environment that ideal for the teaching and learning process to occur. Besides, through this course, I also realised that the roles of teachers in the classroom is not merely to teach but also to mould the young generations of the country to become individuals with good values. Meanwhile finishing the short coursework in fulfilling the need of the course, I learnt that teaching is not an easy task. There are lots of challenges that await me in my future career as a teacher. Furthermore, through this course also, I learnt many different approaches and strategies in managing a classroom. For example, based on the Theory of Instructional Management by Jacob Kounin, I have learnt many different strategies such as withitness, ripple effect, group focus, satiation, overlapping and effective transtions. These approaches and strategies can be applied during my practicum. Furthermore, the theory itself highlights more on teachers’ roles and responsibilities. In addition, I also have learnt that there are many types of misbehaviours that can occur in the classroom. As a teacher, I need to be well prepared by knowing my students background and helps them by giving appropriate solutions to correct their misbehaviours. Through this course, I learnt how to control the situations by looking into the causes and effects of their misbehaviours.
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Moreover, I also learnt that in promoting a good classroom management for teaching and learning to take place, teacher also need to consider the physical and socioemotional aspects in the classroom. Teacher should take pupils’ individual differences as each pupil are differs from one another. Teacher need to fulfil all their needs in the classroom. Thus, the teaching and learning session can take place smoothly. There are some changes that I would like to suggest to improve this course. The first change that I like to suggest is to conduct a microteaching session in the classroom. Hence, students can apply the theory that they have learnt during the class during the microteaching session. By applying the theory learnt, we can understand how each of the theories works in a classroom. Furthermore, to improve this course, they also can conduct a field trip to nearby school to observe the school environment and how the teachers manage their classroom. This will helps the students to see how the theory is applied in real life situations. Moreover, it helps the students to familiarize with the school setting. As a conclusion, there are many new knowledge and experiences that I have gained through this course and it is very beneficial for me as a future teacher. I will practices all the theories and knowledge learnt during my teaching in the future.
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