When it comes to managing pupil behaviour, no teacher has all the answers, if they did we would all be doing the same thing. That’s why teachers should be constantly changing and trying new things to create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning for all. Here are some unusual classroom management techniques that are tried and tested. So what are you waiting for, give them a try!
Spinning in Circles
Neurocognitive doctor, Fritz Mengert teaches brain-based learning programs to teachers in the USA and Canada. He believes that spinning around until you’re dizzy can help children in the classroom, “There is some evidence that if children learn extensively and they spin, they excentricate the brain cells. The learned information will excentricate, or spread throughout, the child’s brain through spinning, transferring the information to outside of the brain, where long-term memory is stored.”
Lamps instead of Overhead Lighting
Dr Mengert also encourages teachers to ditch the fluorescent lighting and opt for a few standing lamps dotted around the classroom instead. He thinks that the standard strip lighting found in most classrooms is too harsh on the children’s eyes and minds. Teacher Cheryl Aikens, who has used this method, agrees and has noticed that her students have responded positively to the new arrangement, “The children are usually a lot quieter. It’s a warmer, more inviting atmosphere,” she said.
Journaling
Journaling involves pupils writing down their thoughts and feelings every day to share with the teacher. This method works as a classroom management technique as it allows teachers to gauge not only their pupil’s moods but also their level of engagement with the curriculum, raise any concerns for things like bullying and identify areas where their students shine. This method also allows students to practice their writing skills in a place where they won’t be judged by the teacher’s marker pen and the act of writing and quiet reflection in itself can also be seen as wind-down method of calming students at the end of a long day.
Unexpected Guests
Roots of Empathy are a not-for-profit organisation in Canada and the US, which aims to stop bullying in schools by inviting a baby into the classroom to teach the children about empathy. Each class is assigned an infant who visits the school every now and then with their parent, in the hopes that the children will get to know the baby and learn their emotional cues. In helping the children identify when the baby is sad or happy, they learn how to be caring, calmer individuals themselves.
Dogs in the classroom will also have the same effect on students and they have the added bonus of improving gross motor skills in children with learning difficulties, as they learn to care and interact with the animal.
Breaking Down Age Barriers
The Intergenerational School in Ohio takes the view that learning is a lifelong endeavour and that the community as a whole should work together to get everybody learning. At this school young people regularly work with older people (some of which may have Alzheimer’s) as they mentor the students in literacy and creative crafts. This method can have a hugely positive effect on the students, as they learn patience and communication skills and it also helps the older generation to stay mentally active and appreciated.
But no matter how unconventional the approach, updating your classroom management techniques every now and then can help you foster a love of learning in your students and make your classroom a much more positive place to be in.
What unusual classroom management techniques have you come across in your teaching career? Share in comments below.
