An effective teacher is a well-prepared and organised individual. Managing time and preparing materials in advance of classroom lessons has been an essential aspect of managing a successful class.
Let us look at ways to feel more confident in addressing your class at the start of every lesson and reinforcing your preparation skills.
Effective Preparation Activities:
Below is a list of points that teachers usually do to prepare for a class beforehand. To effectively prepare and manage a classroom, teachers should begin by:
- Reviewing the reading and problem sets.
- Taking notes on the material.
- Reviewing lecture notes for the week.
- Preparing an outline of issues to cover in class.
- Making a list of questions to use in class or write on the board.
- Making a handout of topics to discuss in class.
- Creating a study guide to hand out.
- Designing a homework assignment or question for students to prepare for a future class.
- Assembling visual material.
- Preparing supplemental reading.
- Preparing handouts on writing tips, research methods, problem-solving, lab techniques, etc.
- Reviewing students’ questions to anticipate their concerns, problems, interests.
- Designing quizzes and tests.
- Devising debates, small group discussions, or other interactive projects.
Classroom management contains multiple strategies that a teacher uses to organise and manage students. These strategies can include learning materials, space, and use of classroom time to maximize teaching and learning efficiency.
This helps students enjoy an organised, structured environment emphasizing an excellent educational atmosphere conducive to learning.
A teacher can be knowledgeable, prepared — and even a great communicator but fail simply because of an inability to deal with misbehaviour in the classroom. So how can teachers manage the class effectively? This topic is covered in detail under Section 6, “Classroom management,” and is one of the most critical skills teachers must master to be a great teacher.