Post Graduate Diploma in Pre and Primary Teachers Training

Phase - 4

Classroom Management
An ideal classroom environment is where the students are free to explore and are
willing to learn because they want to, not because they are expected to.
Students should be taught what they consider important, but at the same time
follow the standards. Students need to be lead into becoming what they are
capable of by offering choice and variety instead of being bossed to memorize
mere facts. Life is about the choices we make daily that is why it is important to
include the non-coercive discipline into the classroom.

Children learn through positive reactions from others and incentives to do their
personal best. Students must be given encouragement to complete a task and
then rewarded so they know they did it for a reason. Rewards must not be
tangible every time. Simple praise or a smile will satisfy too.

The breathing technique of Fred Jones has been very well accepted and well
appreciated. It helps in calming the mind before speaking nonsense or angry
words. Physical proximity and other body language, aids in gaining students'
attention. Humans automatically have a yearning for positive atmospheres.

It is believed that in order to implement an effective classroom management plan,

both the students and the teacher must work together in order to co-create
effective discipline solutions to correct behavior. Kagan, Kyle, and Scott do just
that with their Win-Win Discipline plan. Both the students and the teacher work
together to improve behavior by meeting the basic needs of life. By using this
method students learn self-validation, self-confidence, self-control, self-
determination, self-direction, self-motivation, and how to self-inform. Students
first need a chance to evaluate their behavior before authority such as the
Principal or the parents are called.

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Responsibility within the classroom is a major key role which all students will
learn. As stated before, life is about choices, but all choices have consequences
and we must learn to take responsibility of the choices we make. Everyone makes
mistakes and students should realize that. Everyone must have some sort of
incentive to want to do something. If nothing comes out of it in the end, the task
will be dreadful and may take longer to complete. Students gain a sense of
accomplishment when that specific duty is completed and they feel that
accomplishment as their reward.

Students should be treated with respect and dignity and expect them to return
that value and pass it on. Teachers should concentrate on creating an
environment where everyone listens to others. Humor and choices will be major in
the classroom. It is important to believe in the "leave it at the door" policy and
continue to start fresh each day. If a child is left with the impression that what he
did on Monday will still effect him on Wednesday, he will be more likely to give
up. Curwin and Mendler say that students feel that it is better to stop trying then
to continuously fail, so they give up on school work. It is important not to
degrade any student of their dignity.

Creating a Learning Environment for Young Children

(Pre primary Level. Age group 2-5 years)

Effective preschool classrooms are places where children feel well cared for and
safe. They are places where children are valued as individuals and where their
need for attention, approval, and affection are supported. They are also places
where children can be helped to acquire a strong foundation in the knowledge and
skills needed for school success.

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 o Young children need teachers who welcome all children to their
classrooms, including children from various cultures, children whose
first language is not English, and children who have disabilities.
o Young children need teachers who take time to work with them
individually, in small groups, and sometimes with the entire class—to
help them develop their cognitive and social skills, their language
abilities, and their interest in learning new things about the world.
o Young children need instruction to develop the thinking, language,
and early literacy skills needed for continued school success.
 Effective preschool teachers and child-care providers:
o Know when children can figure out new ideas and concepts on their
own and when it is important to explain things to them step-by-step.
o Encourage children to participate in classroom activities and to
honour the classroom rules.
o Listen to what the children say and expand upon their language,
building their vocabulary and background knowledge.
o Know when to teach directly, when to provide time for exploration
and discovery, when to practice skills, and when to encourage
creativity.
o Plan activities that have a purpose and that challenge children.
o Know how to help children learn to work together and to resolve their
conflicts.
o Encourage children to respect each other’s time and personal
belongings.
o Provide many opportunities for conversations between and among
children and with adults.
o Know how to establish and maintain order in a classroom but in a
manner that permits the children to learn how to participate in and
enjoy learning.
o Arrange the classroom in a way that enhances their work with
children and how the children spend their time.

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Communicating with Parents and Caregivers
As a teacher, you and the children’s parents and caregivers are partners in helping
to get the children ready for future school success. Good communication with
parents and caregivers can build support for and strengthen the important work
that you are doing in the classroom.
It is important for you to communicate with parents and caregivers because:
• They will have a better understanding of how you are helping to prepare their
children for success in school.
• They will learn how well their children are progressing in developing the building
blocks of learning.
• They will learn ways in which they can help their children at home.
• You will have a better understanding of the backgrounds and experiences of the
children.
• The children will see that the adults in their lives care about them and are
interested in their learning and development.
.
Classroom Arrangement
 Furniture should be arranged in a way so that it caters to the safety
measures.
 Classroom should be divided between recreation and work area.
 All seating arrangements should be comfortable and safe. Ideally a U
or V shaped seating arrangement works best for the students as well
as teacher movement.
 Classroom should have soft boards to display children’s work.
 All materials displayed should be at the children’s eye level.
 The classroom should have a library corner with picture/story books
which should be changed at regular intervals.

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Sample Time-Table for one day (Pre Primary)

 9.15 to 9.30 Arrival / greeting and putting away bags

 9.30 to 10.20 Outdoor – free play with all equipment and toys –
jungle gym, slides, swings, merry-go-round, tricycles, bats
and balls, sand play and water play.
 Organized outdoor games. Exercises with jogging in circles –
songs for exercise (Science experiments; easel painting and
dramatization too may be carried out on some days – all
pertaining to the theme)
 10.20 to 10.45 Introduction of the theme and concepts of color,
shapes,
numbers and words all pertaining to the theme of the day.
 10.45 to 11.05 Snacks
 11.05 to 11.40 Indoor – Free-play with puzzles, blocks and other fine
motor
activities – creative activities – science – library books.
 11.40 to 12.00 Story, science, rhymes and songs
 12.00 to 12.30 Departure

ALTERNATE TIME TABLE

(Pre Primary)
Duration of working days is 2 ½ to 3 hours per day for five working days. There
should be no rigid timetable. The timetable, which is planned only to help the
teacher to organize all the activities through the day should be flexible.

Prayer10 minutes
Outdoor free-play and organized play 30 minutes
Specific activities related to the theme 20 minutes
Snacks break 20 minutes

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Indoor free-play with toys 20 minutes
Readiness
Activity (mathematics/language/science) 20 minutes
Creative Activity 30 minutes
Story and action songs 30 minutes

Total 180 minutes a week

Classroom management for Primary Level (Age group- 6-12 years)

It is important that teachers deploy effective organizational practices to hold the

attention of their students and maintain classroom control.

 Being Aware of School Policies

Being Aware of School Policies helps the teacher as she knows what exactly to
expect from her students, and the kind of discipline she can enforce in the
classroom.
 Laying Rules
Before laying rules in the classroom, it is a good idea to discuss them with
the students to ensure that they understand each rule. It is important that the rule
is kept short and students understand the need for that rule. The rules most often
involve paying attention, respect for others, excessive noise, securing materials
and completion of homework assignments. Involve the students in rule formation.
 Setting Class Environment
A teacher needs to know the students by name. If she finds that difficult,
she may keep a list of names. Calling a student by his or her name not only renders
greater class control but also gives a sense of well being to the student.
 Firm and Consistent Behavior
A teacher needs to be firm yet supportive and friendly with students. A firm
teacher can provide an environment where the students feel safe and secure.

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Consistency in the behavior is also important as students often get confuse with
inconsistent behavior.
 Create a bulletin board to display exceptionally good work.
Students love having work displayed publicly for parents and friends to
view. This may be done by covering a section of the wall with colored paper,
surrounding paper with a border, and placing a "phrase of praise" across the top.
 Develop small award certificates or badges to be awarded on a weekly
basis.
A teacher needs to recognize the efforts made by the students. Recognition
of confident speakers, ready listeners, good writers, diligent workers, faithful
friends with more than a pat on their back can instill confidence in the teacher as
well as endeavor in the students in the class.
 Praise
A teacher needs to praise his students in front of other teachers as well his
peers. Since students need consistent affirmation they need to be praised
often.
Students should be encouraged to praise their peers for their good effort and
qualities. This reduces their tendency to make fun of each other. Praise should be
genuine and sincere.
 Evaluation and Correction
Since the goal of teaching is the students' learning, mistakes may be marked
and students may be guided to improve performance by correcting errors.
Teachers may use motivational stickers freely, for the encouragement of students.

The Ideal Teacher!!!

Successful teachers need to be good learners. He/She needs to work on the
abilities in order to enhance his qualities. There are some basic things that a
teacher needs to follow, which make tremendous difference in managing a class.

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The teacher needs to be respectful to the students at all times and be realistic
about what they are capable of doing. He or she should treat all pupils with
equality. Good voice projection is important. The pace, rate of delivery and clarity
of speech should be such that it is audible by all students. Nonverbal
communication is important in classes where students may not have all the skills
they need to decipher verbal language. A teacher needs to keep in mind some
important points:
 Should be confident, optimistic, and warm and exhibit it.
 Explain difficult words and phrases with aid of nonverbal gestures.
 Make frequent eye contact with all students in the class.
 Be movable in the class and not remain planted in one place.
 Be aware of the culture and customs followed by the students.
 Dress up in conformity with the culture of the country.

Classroom Atmosphere
Classrooms need to be a secure, comfortable and relaxed place in order to
encourage learning.

A teacher needs to
1. Be prepared, organized and take charge of the class.
2. Respect students and listen to them. Accept their vocabulary with
errors.
3. Establish routines in the classroom for it fosters familiarity and
security.
4. Make students responsible by assigning them tasks like cleaning the
blackboard, distributing books, sharpening pencils, collecting exercise books.
5. Motivate students to perform better, than engaging them in
competition.

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Negotiating Rules
It is important for the children to realize and accept responsibility for their
behavior. Teachers can assist the students in correcting their behavior and not be
judgmental. Yet to make their behavior more effective, it is important that the
children be involved in the process of disciplining their behavior.

In cases where students are breaking the discipline of the class, it is wiser to
send them on detention or have them out of the class with one or more
worksheets. They need to write or devise a plan on how they can change
themselves so that they are allowed into the class. Only when the teacher
approves of this plan should they be allowed back inside the class.

Respect Lesson
Everyone deserves to be respected and one cannot respect others unless one
respects oneself. Each person needs to feel good about him in order to get along
well with others. Yet there are days that do not move according to our wishes or
rather against us. Even on those days we have to maintain a balance, even if we
are not feeling very good about ourselves, we need to treat people with respect.
When you automatically treat people with respect, you help everyone feel better
about themselves.

How can I treat people with respect automatically?

1. Ignore them when they say or do something that hurts their feelings.
2. Don't argue or fight with someone who is obviously not feeling good
about him/herself.
3. Overlook it when someone is trying to tease you to get you mad.
4. Don't say things in anger, count till ten before speaking or don't say
anything until the anger has passed.
5. Don't say negative things. You have a right to your opinions, but you
do not have the right to express it.

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 6. Always try to think of everyone as doing the best they can-see
everyone as the best that they can be.
7. Put yourself in the other person's place and try to understand what
their point-of-view is.
8. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Talking Lesson
Time is one of the most invaluable things we have. Since the amount of time
in a class is not sufficient to help to do all things planned, any disruption in the
class is equal to losing valuable time. That is not fair to the teacher, to the
classmates or to oneself. A student needs to understand that it is okay to talk

1 If I raise my hand and the teacher calls on me.

2. If talking is necessary to complete my assignment.
3. If it is free time and I have completed my assignments.

But I know that I must not talk:

1. When the teacher is talking.
2. When a student is asking or answering a question.
3. When the teacher has instructed the class to be quiet.

When a student talks or disrupts the class, he/she is wasting valuable learning
time. He needs to understand that.

Pair and Group Work

Since a teacher has to deal with groups of students daily in order to make his
teaching effective, he needs study group dynamics of small group. In a class pupils
come from different socio-economic backgrounds. If the teacher is well equipped

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with the basic knowledge of group dynamics, he can provide better guidance for
adjustment.

The analysis of socio-metric studies shows the following patterns of relationship

among the members of a class of children who are 8 years and above.
1. Stars: there are pupils in the class whom majority of the students
like. They are called the STARS of the class.
2. Isolates: the members of the class are indifferent towards these
pupils. The isolates make no choice and receive no choice.
3. Rejected: Pupils whom no member of the class likes or wants to be
associated with these receive only rejections.
4. Mutual Pairs: there are students who mentioned each other. There is
reciprocal relationship among mutual pairs of students.

Helping the Isolates:

A teacher can help the isolates by
1. Selecting those students who do not show aversion and form a small
group with the isolates.
2. Setting a task for them in which they are likely to succeed, boosting
their confidence.
3. Praising success moderately.
4. Find out skills and hobbies that the isolates show interest in, promise
help and try developing them.
5. Discuss the problem of the isolates and help try solving them.

To improve emotional climate of the class, a teacher can

1. Free discussion should be occasionally arranged. Suggestions should
be invited from students to improve upon the existing conditions.
2. Teacher is a model for the students and her behavior should be
impartial; she should provide help to individual students who need it.

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 3. The teacher should help students to understand each other in formal
and informal meeting.
4. Teacher can use group counseling to improve the emotional climate
of the class.
5. Tours and visits can be organized to bring the students closer to each
other.

Classroom Language
Teacher should encourage speaking in English as much as possible .It may involve
use of mime, acting, and puppets to get the meaning across. Since teacher is the
only source of English the children should have the opportunity to hear the teacher
for the better part of their time in class.

The teacher's language should be simple, natural and at the level of the students.
It is important that meaning is conveyed by the tone of voice and body language.
Some useful phrases should be taught as phrases and not as words or structures.
The children are interested to know when they are used and help them to
communicate meaningfully not only in the classroom but outside it too. For
example: Good morning/afternoon, Goodbye, Can I ….., please?, Sorry I don't
know, Whose turn is it, It's my, Pass the …..Please etc.

The sooner the learners learn simple, meaningful expressions in English, the easier
it will be for the students. Classroom language is an important tool in helping the
children become less dependent on the teacher and the book.

Classroom Layout
The classroom may have a thematic unit, like the ocean, changed randomly
throughout the year. The backgrounds should be colorful and bright, and students’
works will decorate the classroom. The teacher’s desk can be placed at the back
because the student will be less intimidated going to the back of the room asking
for help rather than the front of the room. Technology is a growing part of our

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society, thus it would be beneficial to have a computer center, so that students
can get used to technology and learn about its uses. The desks can be arranged in
groups rather than individuals because group work will be stressed. The groups are
set in a v-shaped pattern so this way the students will be able to see the
chalkboard in the front.

A possible classroom setup

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The Teacher
In education, a teacher is a person who educates others. A teacher who educates
an individual student may also be described as a personal tutor. The role of
teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out by way
of occupation or profession at a school or other place of formal education.

The qualities of a teacher

 The teacher understands and believes that the children must be free to
choose their own occupations, just as they never be interrupted in their
spontaneous activities.
 No work may be imposed --- no threats, no rewards, no punishments.
 The teacher must be quiet and passive, waiting patiently and almost
withdrawing herself from the scene, so as to efface her own personality and
thus allow plenty of room for the child’s spirit to expand.
 The teacher’s appearance is the first step to gaining the child’s confidence
and respect.
 The teacher should study her own movements to make them as gentle and
graceful as possible.
 The child of this age idolizes his mother. The teacher herself is the most
vital part of his world. The teacher’s first duty is therefore to watch over
the environment and this takes precedence over all the rest. The teacher’s
influence is indirect, but unless it be well done there will be no effective
and permanent results of any kind – physical, intellectual or spiritual.
 Considering the environment, how the teacher shall behave towards the
children.
o The teacher must motivate the children.
o The teacher must amuse the children ----- by telling them stories,
have some games and songs ----- using nursery rhymes and poetry.
o The teacher who has a gift for charming the children can have them
do varies exercises which even if they have no great value
educationally, are useful in calming the little children.

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Everyone knows that a lively teacher attracts more, than a dull one, and so we can
all try to be one.
The do’s and don’ts
 Give students clear-cut directions for expected behavior.
 Apply logical consequences rather than arbitrary punishment.
 Allow students a say in establishing rules and consequences.
 Let students assume responsibility for their own behavior and learning.
 Be firm. Let students know that you are a friend, but that you will not
accept certain behavior.
 Set limits from the beginning, but work toward developing a sense of
responsibility.
 Teach students to impose limits on themselves.
 Close an incident quickly and revive positive feelings.
 Forgive and forget.
 Mean what you say, but make simple demands.
 Always distinguish between the deed and the doer.
 Treat students as social equals.
 Encourage students' efforts.

DON'Ts
Don’t act in ways that reinforce mistaken goals.
Do not nag and scold.
Do not find fault with students.
Don’t threaten students.
Do not ask students to make promises.
Don’t always try and praise students' work and character.
Never point out how much better the student could do.
Never encourage comparison with others.
Do not have double standards--one for you and another for your students.

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Classroom management : Finding solutions to difficult situations
This is tricky as it speaks of "attitude." A student
might belittle the instructor or engage in a battle of
the wills. This student would need to be privately
1. Undermining the instructor’s

told that their attitude was confrontational and

asked how this might be resolved mutually.

"Be careful not to read most questions about

content, interpretation, or assignments as a
authority

challenge of authority. Acting as if they are not,

even when you suspect they are, can convey a sense
of confidence and control. Sometimes merely
assuring the student, while smiling, that you have
indeed reflected on this issue at length and that
they too will understand soon why the information
or the assignment is valuable diffuses the situation.
You may even want to encourage them to ask the
question again at a later date if necessary."

Camps are divided as to whether or not students

should ask for permission to leave for bathroom
2. Leaving class too

breaks or wait for a break in the class. I don’t

require my students to limit their bathroom breaks
frequently

or ask permission, however, this is contentious for

some faculty when breaks are taken too frequently.
You might privately ask the student if everything is
OK so that they know that you are concerned by
their behavior. Don’t assume disrespect – it might
be a bladder infection or some other physical
problem.

If this is a repeated problem, students need to know

that their non-verbal behavior is perceived as
Sitting With Back to
3. "Spacing Out" or

disinterest. You might ask them after class if they

need a more comfortable seat. Some students are
Instructor

extremely shy and it might take half of the

semester before they open up enough to make
sustained eye contact or face the instructor
completely. Remember also that sustained eye
contact is a culturally dictated practice that might
not be feasible for some students.

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 Poor hygiene, too much perfume, or other strong
odors can be distracting or even nauseating to
4. 4. Poor hygiene
(possible cultural
considerations) students. The cause for the odor might be in
bathing preferences. This can be a real problem for
some faculty while others will never encounter the
dilemma. I suggest letting the offending student
know that in close quarters, some students have
issues with strong smell. It might be suggested that
for the course (not their outside of class lives) that
the odor be masked in some way.

Verbal or physical threats are serious matters. They

5. Verbal or

are discussed in detail by experts in the field

physical
threats

in "Handling Crisis."
As a general rule consult professional experts for
assistance immediately.

If decided upon by class, consequences for breaking

6. Gum, Food, Pagers, and Cell

this policy might range from the loss of

participation points to the offender having to
present on a topic of interest to the class. Some
Phone Disruption

instructors allow pagers and cells to be on the

vibrate setting as long as they are attended to at
the break rather than used when it interrupts the
class. Instructors need to abide by this rule as well
and allow for at least one mistake per student as
accidents do happen from oversight. The idea here
is to prevent habitual disruption from gum popping
and phones ringing.
This is common but manageable. Many students are
7. Monopolizing Discussions

excited and talkative so it might be good to give

them a few class periods to settle in. However, if
it’s evident right away that this is a trend, it’s best
to ask them to stay after class. You might approach
them initially by saying that you are pleased with
the amount of enthusiasm they have for discussion
but were hoping that they have suggestions for
getting the other class members equally involved.
The student will most likely get your drift with
minimal humiliation.

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 Sleeping in class is usually considered rude. Most
faculty believe it should not be tolerated and is
best curbed up front by waking a sleeping student
and asking them to step outside with you. Once
there faculty often tell students that it’s best for
the rest of the class if they return when they are
awake enough to be an active participant. This
occurs from time to time and you obviously are the
one to choose lenience or punitive action. If it’s one
of your more regularly involved students, perhaps
give them an option of an extra credit research
assignment they can bring to your next class period
covering the subject matter they missed while they
were sleeping.
8. Sleeping in class

An alternative approach is to assume that the

student does not feel well, was up most of the night
with a sick child, or has some other condition that
results in sleepiness when still for long periods of
time. You might simply choose to wake the student
and ask them if they are feeling alright. To pull this
off you need to approach it with true concern for
the student's health and well being. Most of the
time, student's are so embarrassed and so
appreciative of your genuine concern that they
don't let it happen again.
Encourage students to actively participate, take
notes (explain that this is helpful to their learning
as it stimulates memory in the brain) and in
particularly long classes break up the session with
activities or paired conversations about a topic to
ensure that students stay engaged. Students don't
learn much from listening, so remember that the
more they "experience" the learning process the
more you are really teaching.

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 There should be clear parameters set around this
issue up front – either in your syllabus or in the
9. Repeated
class decided norms. Stick to your guns on the
Tardiness:
policy.
It might be best to discuss this with students
individually; some are habitually late because they
are dependant on bus routes or other drivers for
transportation to school.
We cannot force students to speak in class nor
10. Refusal to Participate or Speak

participate in group projects. This can be addressed

and become a win-win situation by either giving the
student alternative options to verbal participation
(unless it’s a speech class) or simply carefully
coaxing some response out of them and praising
whatever minimal effort you receive from them.
Remember, some students are terrified to be in a
class setting –especially if there are round tables
rather than desks – allowing for little anonymity.
This behavior should be curbed as soon as it occurs.
Inappropriate Suggestion

It’s never comfortable to tell a student that they

11. Sexual Innuendo,
Flirting, or Other

aren’t being appropriate and if you are

uncomfortable, a short, positive e-mail or phone
call might suffice. Your response should be not
judgmental and you might discuss it with your
department chair or faculty mentor before
broaching it with your student.

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 In some cultures, students work together to
produce homework. It may come as a shock to these
students that they cannot submit identical work.
12. Sharing/Copying Work

This may also come as a surprise to couples, parent-

child, siblings, or close friends. Be careful to give
thought to how you will handle this before you
encounter it and react as if it were intentional
cheating. This can also occur when the class does a
great deal of group work. Make sure you are clear
about what is individual vs. group work in your
assignments.
Depending upon the class and the student’s prior
knowledge of what plagiarism entails, some faculty
issue an automatic F for the first instance, then
13. Plagiarism or Lying

expulsion from the class with a report to the

department chair and division dean on a second
instance. Most colleges have specific policies. Be
sure to know your institution policy before taking
action.
Plagiarism should be outlined in your syllabus with
a reference for students to the college catalog for
more information.
Give 2-minute chat times for groups or before class
14. Too Much Chit Chat

begins let them know that you have material to be

covered and that their talking isn’t helping you
achieve your goals for the class. You must also know
that some students occasionally translate a word or
phrase to a tablemate who might not have as strong
an understanding of English, be patient and
observant when curbing this behavior.

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 The reality is that sometimes students just plain
won’t like you. You will find yourself in a
15. Disrespectful Behavior

conversation with yourself about why they don’t

like you and treat you with disrespect. Animosity
will perpetuate itself so remember your role and
look for a way to positively invite the student to
engage more deeply in the class. Perhaps offer
them a special task based on a self-disclosed talent;
for instance, a student whose hobby is Origami
(Japanese paper folding) might lead a lesson on the
art of following instructions.

To start the process of social consciousness :-

The development of social consciousness and empathy are addressed in several
ways in the preschool program. The first step is to help the child recognize and
express his own feelings and emotions. We start by looking at pictures of children
expressing different emotions and we help the children label what the people in
the pictures might be feeling. Then, when we have a real situation where a child is
dealing with strong emotions, we first try to tune-in to the child's feelings and
listen to them with empathy. Then we acknowledge what is causing the emotion
and we help the child label how they are feeling. Finally, we help the child find a
resolution for their need.

Another process we use to help the children develop a sense of social

consciousness and responsibility is implemented when one child hurts another. If a
child deliberately hurts another child then an appropriate discussion takes place
about other means to settle a problem. However, the offending child is never told
they must apologize for their action. Children are often not sorry for their action
and if we insist they say "I'm sorry", we just taught them to lie to get out of
trouble. Saying "I'm sorry" is modeled by the adults and if a child voluntarily says
"I'm sorry" they are acknowledged for it, but they are never forced to say it. What

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we do instead is to have the offending child stay with the injured child until they
are O.K. If an ice pack or band aid is needed then the offending child is the one
who gets it. Both children sit next to each other until the injured child feels
better. When it's preschoolers that are sitting, the offending child keeps checking
to see if the other child is feeling better. Neither child goes back to play until the
injured child is O.K. To help develop a sense of social responsibility, the same
process is followed even if the injury was accidental.

Role Models
The first three years of a child's life are pivotal in building the capacity of
empathy, or planting the seeds of violence, according to research by Bruce Perry
of the Baylor College of Medicine. He found that a large determinant as to which
way a child's moral development will go is how he is treated by his primary
caregivers. Considering that, we remain mindful of how important our part is as a
role model. We strive to always present respectful and appropriate behavior
around the children. We also know that it is confusing for a child to have
conflicting role models in their lives. Therefore, to help create consistency where
all of the primary adults in the child's life are presenting the same model, we
require parents in our program to attend our parenting workshops. At the
parenting workshops current methods of child rearing are explored as well as a
time to share your successes and struggles at home and learn what we are doing at
school. Through this sharing we hope to find the best method to address specific
situations with each child.

Problem Behavior Resolution

Atmosphere and Environment

The Preprimary School embraces Montessori educational philosophy. It rests on the

fundamental idea that children have a natural curiosity and love for knowledge.

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The educator’s task in the Preprimary is to motivate these internal desires, supply
the materials for the child’s manipulation and discoveries, and assist the students
for learning at their own pace. Self-discipline is acquired through absorption in
meaningful activities. The teacher’s role is that of a directress. She is a keen
observer of individual interest and needs, of the progress of each child, and is
trained to recognize the periods of readiness and present the correct usage of the
materials corresponding to the child’s abilities. Thus, the school becomes an
enabling and enjoyable environment.

On any typical day in a classroom, you will see children working independently,
hammering, spooning, sorting, washing dishes, painting and preparing snack. You
will also observe small groups receiving direct instruction in math manipulative,
word work, literacy and social and physical sciences. Such tasks stimulate the
development of the child’s concentration, coordination, coordination and work
habits, which are skills required in later years to learn how to read, write and
calculate. In a Montessori classroom there is always a busy hum, due to the many
different activities that go on at the same time. There is a general atmosphere of
respect, for one’s self, others and the environment.

Each child has her own periods of interest and of readiness for learning. Montessori
called these periods "sensitive periods". The sensitive periods are phases of a
child's life when one specific skill or characteristic is more intense or dominant.
The phases are different from each other and its appearance will vary from one
child to another. The Montessori method permits a child to use her "sensitive
periods" by choosing work under close teacher observation and guidance as
needed.

The directress will redirect the child who chooses materials that are above his
abilities. This is because failure is discouraging. The teacher will also encourage

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those children who are hesitant, for the child should always be challenged to work
at his utmost capacity.

On seeing a mistake, the teacher, if possible, will refrain from interfering, giving
the child a chance to find his own mistake by further use of the self-correcting
materials. A new presentation of the skill in need of reinforcement will be given at
another time.

In a Montessori classroom there is always a busy hum due to the many different
activities that go on at the same time. Self-discipline is acquired through
absorption in meaningful activity. The busy child seldom misbehaves. The
misbehaving child is led by the teacher to choose work that will fully absorb his
attention.

The Montessori program is purposefully structured from simple to complex. The

younger children will work with materials designed to prepare them for future
work with the more advance materials. The child of 3 will work with materials to
develop his concentration, coordination and working habits. These skills are
necessary for reading, writing and calculating.

The environment is carefully prepared. It is designed to put the children at ease,

to allow them freedom of choice and of movement. The materials are attractive,
placed on low shelves, at the child's level. The children also work on rugs on the
floor, which is a natural and comfortable position for them.

There is a general atmosphere of respect, for one's self, others and the
environment.

Because of the individual levels of work and respect for each child's abilities, a
non-competitive atmosphere is fostered. Competition should only take place after
the child has gained enough confidence in his basic skills.

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Children work at different paces and mature at different rates. The Montessori
environment does not hinder the more advanced nor pushes the slower. It
nourishes the child's desire to learn, giving the child the freedom to develop at
his/her own rate through the manipulation of educating materials.

The basic goals of a Montessori classroom are to foster:

Independence
Concentration
A sense of order
A work cycle
Perceptual Motor Development
Oral Language
Foundations for written language and Mathematics.

Children’s personalities develop through their relationship with their environment.

Being integrated in a group allows children to make contacts and find friends.
Children need to experience a community into which they can bring their own
personality and in which they can create changes.

Play is a very important element of learning. By learning to concentrate and

develop staying power in games, children create a solid foundation for later on in
school as well. Subsequent success in school partly depends on how intensively
children are able to develop their curiosity.

Our perspective is holistic. Children perceive their surroundings with all their
senses. Thinking, feeling, wanting and taking action are closely connected and
influence each other. Learning by doing, through experience and understanding, is
essential.

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The External Environment
As the environment in the class is structured and safe, similarly the external
environment has to be safe so that the children do not get injured. No sharp
objects should be there and at the same time an adult always has to be there in
order to keep an eye on the children. The outer environment should be clean and
free from dust.

Mixed Groups
Handling Mixed abilities in Class

Effective Learning
As a teacher, our aim is to reach all of our students. However, it is well known
that every student has a different way of learning, and learns and progresses at
different speeds. Thus, while some students may find the learning task very easy
to deal with, others may find it difficult to understand. Besides, learning also
depends on what students have brought with them into class. Since each comes
from a different family, a different environment and/or a different nation, the
multi-cultural population of the classroom may be an obstacle for the teachers in
reaching the students, which eventually results in ineffective learning. Moreover,
although it is quite difficult for the teacher to know about each student and to
follow what each one does during the lessons even in small classes, it is important
for teachers to monitor each and every student and to reach their needs in a
variety of ways to achieve effective teaching.

Materials
Since most language textbooks are designed for an ideal homogeneous classroom
environment, teachers always have to deal with the problem that students react to
the textbook differently due to their individual differences. First of all, some
students may find the textbook boring and very hard, whereas some find it
interesting or very easy. In addition, as language teaching course materials are
currently based on content-based or theme-based syllabi, some students may find

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the topics dull, strange, or meaningless; whereas others find it enjoyable, familiar
or interesting. Therefore, it is usually necessary for the teacher to evaluate and
adapt the materials according to his/her class.

Participation
Since the classroom is the first and only environment for many foreign language
learners, they should use this chance as much as possible. However, some of the
students find it difficult to speak in the target language for many reasons ranging
from interest to confidence, from age to knowledge. Other students, however,
would like to express everything they think or feel by using the new language. As a
result, some students may take many turns, while others do not speak for the
entire lesson.

Interests
Interest problems may arise due to the differences among students in terms of
their attitude towards the subject matter and/or the teacher; their knowledge of
language; and their personality. For instance, some students may find lessons
boring, as the topic has no familiarity with their own life or their interests.
Furthermore, some of the students may not be interested in the lesson, unless
they do get the chance to express their own ideas since the teacher talks too much
during the lesson or the other students take many turns. Hence, teachers should be
aware of the different interests of the students to organize and to arrange
activities accordingly.

Discipline
Often the quicker students finish the tasks given before the other students. As a
result, they may misbehave while waiting for the others to finish. The under
achievers,, on the other hand, cannot finish the tasks as quickly as the strong ones
and may lose their confidence and/or show ill-disciplined behavior for a variety of
reasons related to that. Consequently, mixed abilities may result in classroom
management problems.

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How to handle large classes and mixed groups in Montessori

Often a teacher has to handle large group of students in a class. The size of the
class does create problem to keep them under control as well as make them learn.
Such situations need adept teachers who can:

 Control the class well, by her presence and personality.

 Be equipped to hold the attention of the class.
 Set achievable goals, and announce it to the class.
 Have fun yet pursue the lesson. Keep the learning environment relaxed.
 The students should be kept involved with their work.
 Children are always encouraged to give individual performances.
 An eye should be kept on the progress at the same time.

Activities for large groups:

Large groups can be well managed if activities are assigned to the children, which
foster group work as well as individual participation. These activities:
o Increases the vocabulary of the children.
o Creates a positive learning environment.
o Communicates better.
o Interaction and socializing increases.

Why We Use Mixed Age Groups in Montessori

When Maria Montessori began to develop the method of education that now bears
her name, she changed much about what currently passed as children’s education.

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Tables and chairs were shrunk to child-size, children were given real tasks to do,
and observation (not testing) became the key to knowing how a child was
progressing.
Another change that occurred was that children were grouped in multi-age
classrooms, rather than having one age per class.

Generally, Montessori age groupings are as follows:

Infant Birth – 18 months

Toddler 18 months – 3 years

Pre school 3 years – 6 years

Lower Elementary 6 years – 9 years

Upper Elementary 9 years – 12 years

Middle School 12 years – 14 years

High School 15 years – 18 years

Because traditional schooling generally groups children of just one age together,
mixed age groups is a striking difference between Montessori and traditional
educational programs. There are pros and cons to the idea of mixed age groups,
but I believe that the benefits definitely outweigh any possible negatives.

What Do Mixed Age Groups Bring to Montessori?

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1. Interaction: The mixed age group environment creates an atmosphere where
children learn to help and be helped by other children, because they interact
consistently with children whose age and abilities are varied. Children gain an
appreciation for their achievement and the accomplishments of others, and are
naturally challenged by the achievements of others.

2. Learning from Each Other: Older children learn to be patient and tolerant, and
serve as role models and teachers for the younger children. When an older child
teaches a younger one, it reinforces previously learned concepts and is actually an
aid in complete mastery of concepts. Younger children learn about courtesy,
manners, and conflict resolution by watching the older children in the class.

3. Work at Child’s Own Pace: Because teachers do not have to set the instruction
pace by a whole group, each child is given the ability to learn at his or her own
pace. This is a striking difference from traditional education, where everyone turns
to page 33 of the book and stays there until every child understands the concept.

4. Community: By staying in a classroom for a three year period, children develop

a strong sense of community and stability, with 2/3 of a class returning every year.
This community aids the development of students as role models for one another.

5. Familiarity: Being in the same classroom year after year allows a teacher to
truly learn each individual child’s learning abilities, style, and developmental level
to better be able to set the learning agenda as well as build on strengths and work
on weaknesses.

6. Home-schooling: Since home-schooling is naturally multi-aged, it’s a natural fit

with the structure of Montessori. Siblings have a built-in support community for
education and play, and benefit in the same ways that mixed age peers do as
described above.

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The advantages inherent in the use of mixed age groups.
 The mixed age groupings found within a Montessori classroom are conducive
to a successful inclusion experience.
 Mixed age groups necessitate a wide and complete range of materials within
each classroom which are used to meet the individual needs of children and
not the average need of the group.
 This helps children with disabilities to fit in by allowing them to use
developmentally appropriate materials that their same age peers are also
using.
 Mixed age groups contribute to the development of a caring community of
learners and set up the expectation of sometimes being a teacher for your
friends.
 Additionally, children who are in mixed age classrooms stay with the same
teacher for several years in a row. In Montessori classrooms, primary
children begin at age 2 & 1/2 - 3 and remain with the same teacher through
their kindergarten year. This means that their teacher has every opportunity
to intimately understand developmental levels, learning styles, and family
support systems.
 For children with disabilities, this means there is no "starting over period" as
the regular education teacher learns about the child, the child's specific
disability, and any specialized knowledge (i.e., positioning/handling, use of
a phonic ear, seizure management, etc.).
 Mixed-age groups also contribute to the moral development of the child, as
students are taught to respect others, be sensitive to their different needs,
and to collaborate in a helpful in classes.
 Children are helpful and cooperative by nature, and the Montessori
environment supports and encourages that wonderful aspect of every child’s
personality.

How to Cope with the Problems

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1. In order to solve the problems of mixed ability, teaching should appeal to all
senses, all learning styles and all intelligences. Moreover, it should be based on a
meaningful context for all learners. To exemplify, visuals are always useful for all
age and proficiency levels, so even using colored chalk or board markers attracts
learners’ attention to the teaching point. Hence, teachers can make use of visuals
to grab students' attention and to motivate them because even the most passive
learners are often interested in realia and/or colorful and interesting posters.
2. It is advisable to have contingency plans for the early finishers in case they
finish the tasks earlier. This contingency plan might be an extra exercise, a
handout or a reading passage. Recently, some of the textbooks have been
prepared considering the mixed ability classes and include contingency activities in
teacher’s books. Nevertheless, teachers are the ones who should/could know
which contingency plan works better after which activity in their class.
3. All students do not need to carry out an entire in-class activity. While every
student should do certain parts, only some of the students (slower ones or early
finishers) do all of it (Ur 1996, 306). In relation to that, the tests could include
optional questions: While every student completes some parts of the test, some
other parts may have options from which the students choose. Furthermore,
different tasks can be given to different learners according to their language
progress or interest, or optional tasks can be prepared from which students
choose.

4. Open-ended tasks or questions (such as writing a letter, an ending of a

story/book/film, or a response to a picture) have a variety of possible correct
answers instead of a single answer. These tasks allow each learner to perform at
his/her own level. Some of the students may be good at understanding but might
be weak in expressing themselves orally or in written work; thus, open-ended tasks
give them the chance to express themselves without trying to find the one and the
only correct answer.

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5. It is important for teachers to give students the opportunity to express their
ideas, feelings and experiences, though they may lack confidence or enough
language knowledge. By personalising the tasks, all students can participate
voluntarily. Knowing students’ personalities helps the teacher to prepare and
adapt materials easily in order to make them interesting or relevant to students,
which adds variety to the classroom environment and establishes a positive
atmosphere.

6. Students love games, competitions and dramatization, so these are ways of

ensuring their interest in the lesson. Regardless of the differences among the
students in terms of language level and learning styles, they are motivated to use
the target language while they are playing a game or participating in a
completion.

7. Group/pair work activities are useful not only for the teacher to observe
students but also for the students to cooperate and to learn from each other.
When a strong student works with under achievers, the student can be a source of
language/knowledge in the group. The teacher, on the other hand, may form
groups of weaker and stronger students separated from each other, and she can
give different tasks to these groups. So the stronger and quicker students work
with more complicated tasks, whereas the under achievers deal with a simpler task
or work with the teacher as a group member.

8. Extra homework always helps teachers of mixed ability classes. However,

considering the level and the interests of the students, extra work should be of
something that the students would enjoy doing. Therefore, a good way of dealing
with mixed ability may be individual and team projects. In addition, students
would be more enthusiastic to work in such projects if they can choose their topic
such as preparing a poster on their favorite sports,

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9. Portfolios are another efficient way of dealing with mixed ability groups.
Teachers may ask students to keep all the things they have done during the term
including the extra work depending on their ability or needs. As a result, not only
the teacher but also each student has a record of his/her progress during the term.
This record also shows the needs of the student for further progress.
10. It is also useful for students to study in self-access centers, where they can
visit in their free times to study alone, with a peer or a tutor. The main aim of
self-access centers is that students decide on what they want to study. While the
students can find appropriate materials such as extra exercises, they can also
make use of cassettes, videos and/or books to improve their language.

Teacher has to know what type of personality they are dealing with in order to
handle problematic children diplomatically. According to experts there are three
types of children who act out unreasonably. Listed below are these three types and
some tips to deal with them properly.

The purposeful child: This is the really wild child, who knows that by acting unruly
he will get attention, and he will keep it up until he does get attention.

The stressed child: This is the child who acts wild to compensate for stressors he
is feeling in his life, and knows no other way to vent. This child may be having
family situations at home, doing badly in school, or just needs to know that
someone cares.

The spur of the moment child: This child will usually only act up when he is around
certain groups of other kids or has had too much sugar in class. This type of child
will usually be on good behavior with only occasional outbursts.

What Doesn't Work

Losing your temper: This is exactly the type of response that most misbehaved
children know they can get from you. By getting angry, you can't help but place

34
every ounce of your attention on that child. You are cornered. Instead, remember
from Scripture, "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself
under control." (Proverbs 29:11)
What Works
 Set classroom rules, explain them to the class, and keep them posted where
children can easily see them. Explain the consequences for breaking any of
the rules, and stick to those consequences.
 One of the best scenarios would be to remove the child from the room, and
have another staff member be available to give this child a one-on-one Bible
lesson; perhaps a Sunday School Superintendent.
 Assign tasks to children. By redirecting a child's behavior to an assigned
task, you are giving him a responsibility and showing that he is part of the
class and can be a positive influence.
 Talk to the child's parent(s). There is no reason to just "muddle" through a
class or event because it is only a few hours one day a week. You could be
missing some key information that his parent(s) can give you as to why his
behavior is unbalanced.
 Give your wild child some out-of-class attention. Send him a card or
postcard to let him know that you are praying for him this week. Tell him
that you look forward to seeing him in class next week. This will really help
build up his self-esteem, which he may be lacking .individuality

One solution to this problem is to abandon lockstep teaching (1) for at least parts
of the lesson, so that the teacher can work intensively with a sub-group of the
class while the others work autonomously. This, of course means that suitable
materials for autonomous study need to be available. These can be in any format,
but if computers are available in the classroom, the easiest solution is undoubtedly
the use of on-line materials.

The most radical way of using the materials would be to make them the sole basis
of the lessons. Each student would spend the lesson working through a course at

35
his/her own level while the teacher circulated – monitoring and giving individual
help, explanation and practice as necessary. With some groups, containing
students of widely differing levels, this may well be the best solution. But with
others, where the difference is not too extreme, it’s also possible to incorporate
the autonomous work into the regular class lessons.

Let’s take the example of a mixed level group containing students from upper-
elementary to mid-intermediate levels. The next area to be covered in the syllabus
is the present perfect for past to present events – for example, I’ve lived here for
ten years. For the upper-elementary students this is completely new. They’re
going to need not only a full presentation but also a lot of controlled practice
before they can go on to using the structure. For the mid-intermediate students
however, the lesson is only revision and consolidation.
Here is a possible outline for the lesson:
 Stage One
The lesson starts with a warm-up activity consolidating the simple past,
which all students have met previously.

 Stage Two
The class then divides. The elementary and intermediate students, who
need assistance and who the teacher thinks need a full structured
presentation, remain with the teacher while the stronger intermediate
students work autonomously on a second simple past consolidation activity –
maybe a short listening or reading activity.

 Stage Three
After the teacher has completed the presentation, the class comes back
together and completes a receptive practice activity which asks them to
distinguish between the two verb forms – for instance the first activity
mentioned in the article Receptive Practice Activities. This has the aim of
checking whether all the students understand the use of the form. If the

36
 teacher finds that any of the higher level students in fact don’t, s/he can
ask the lower level students to explain. This a) checks that the students who
heard the presentation really understand, and b) aids motivation: one of the
problems of a mixed ability group is that it is always the same; weaker or
lower level students who ―don’t know/can’t do‖. This activity gives them
the chance to be the ones who do know.

 Stage Four
The class then splits again. These stronger students go back to the computer
(or other materials) and work on consolidation activities for the present
perfect at their own level. These may be grammar practice activities, a
listening consolidation, or whatever the teacher thinks the students need.
Meanwhile the lower level students remain with the teacher for some
controlled practice work.

 Stage Five
The groups then swap. The stronger students meet the teacher for some
semi-controlled or freer practice, while the under achievers work
autonomously at their own level – which may or may not mean working on
the same activities that the stronger students did in stage four.

 Stage Six
The group comes back into lockstep and works on a final activity in which
either

 a) students are paired high/low level with the stronger student having a
more demanding role
 b) students are again paired high/low and work on an activity in which the
strong students help the weaker students or

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  c) Students are paired high/high, low/low and work on an activity at their
own level.

This constant switching between lockstep and ability group work has various
advantages

a) Most importantly, the lockstep allows the students to develop a single group
identity and collaborative working dynamic. However, this will only happen if the
lockstep stages are productive and non-threatening for everyone. The split group
stages ensure that when the students do come together they are all able to work
on an activity which is the correct level of challenge for all members of the group.
No-one needs to feel they’re wasting time waiting for the others or that they are
―out of their depth‖ in comparison to other members of the group.

b) The lesson format also has the practical advantage, if you are using on-line
courses, that you don’t need an enormous number of computers. Only half the
group will be at the computers at any one time - if they work in pairs that means
that three computers would be sufficient for a group of twelve.

Administration
School Administration
Administrative policies indicate in broad general terms the beliefs of the district
and direction in which the superintendent wishes the district to move. They are
philosophical statements, which establish the direction for future discretionary
action. Policy statements provide the framework for administrators; teachers,
students, parents and communities follow in their day-to-day application of
education.

Administrative regulations provide clarification of key words and concepts in a

policy. Regulations indicate what action is required. They may contain detailed
statements indicating who does what, how, when and in what sequence.

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Definitions:
 Board means the board of trustees.
 Assistant superintendent means the head of a department or the person the
assistant superintendent has designated to act for the assistant
superintendent.
 District means the District under whose jurisdiction the school comes.
 Parent means the biological or adoptive parent, the legal guardian, or the
independent student.
 Principal means a teacher designated as a principal or acting principal under
the School Act or a person the principal has designated to act for the
principal.
 School means a structured learning environment through which the School
offers an education to a student.
 Student means an individual who is enrolled in a school or is required under
Section 8 of the School Act to attend school.
 Superintendent is the chief executive officer of the board and the chief
education officer of the district. Superintendent may mean the person the
superintendent has designated to act for the superintendent.
 Teacher means an individual who holds a certificate of qualifications as a
teacher issued under the School Act.
 Each school is headed by one Headmaster/Headmistress. The head of an
institution is solely responsible for institutional planning and management.
He/
or she decides how to use the available resources and how to initiate steps
to mobilize the resources. He or she involves the teachers, parents, other
associations etc. towards the achievement of qualitative education for
young generations.

Responsibility of Heads of the Institutions:

1. Supervising the teachers

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 2. Maintaining attendance of teachers and records
3. Reviewing the notes of lessons
4. Sanctioning of leave to teachers
5. Preparation of statement for claiming pay for teachers.
6. Conducting District Level examination
(Quarterly-Sep, Half yearly-December , Annually-Mar/Apr)

Tentative Working Pattern of a School

School Type Working days a year Working Hours
Elementary Middle School 220 days 9.30 am – 4.30 pm
High and Higher 200 days 8.30 am – 5.00 pm
Secondary

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