Power in Classroom: Communication, Control and Concern
Mr.A. K. Parkhe (akparkhe@coe.sveri.ac.in) Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SVERI’s College of Engineering, Pandharpur
The power is something that is negotiated by participants in the instructional process and with the goal of understanding how communication and power interact; this blog looks at power and instruction in different ways. It examines research that has been conducted by instructional communication specialists, looks at newer approaches to power, and presents a status report on what is now known. Research related to communication in the classroom has been reported in the education literature for most of the past century. This is not to say that people in communication have been disinterested in education.
- Communication in Classroom:
Effective communication is essential for a well-run classroom.Classroom communication exists in three categories: verbal, nonverbal and written. Verbal communication means anything that a teacher or student speaks aloud. Non-verbal communication refers to body language that people express through. Written communication is writing directed at a specific audience, such as report card comments or students’ assignments. Teachers and students interact with one another in many different contexts, and use all three of these types of communication. Respect is the foundation of effective communication, especially in the classroom. Teachers and students demonstrate respectful communication in the following ways:
- Use a tone that is honest and tactful, choosing words that are appropriate to the situation and no inflammatory.
- When taking on a listening role, make eye contact and focus on the speaker.
- Speak in turn, never interrupting the speaker. Teachers who model respect with their students have more respectful classrooms overall because students learn how to communicate respectfully and see its effectiveness.
- Repeat Your Message in Different Ways:
While most communication in a classroom starts verbally, many students don’t take in what they hear the first time. Effective communication requires using different techniques in communication. When you want to make a point, consider what visual tools can help you in addition to your verbal communication. Give the students something to do that reflects the idea you are communicating. Repeat yourself at least twice verbally and offer something for students to look at, hold, or do that will also reinforce your message.
- Check for Understanding:
A teacher should always check for understanding. The simple question, “Do you understand?” will not result in much information, as most students will either nod or sit passively. Students can write down one sentence that summarizes what they think the lesson or lecture was about, or they can write a question they have about the lesson. In a one-on-one conversation, a teacher should ask the student to repeat the main point or outcome of the conversation.
- Control in Classroom:
Effective teachers are passionate about educating their students. They want to spend their time for teaching, not dealing with classroom disruptions.Here are some classroom management tips to help teachers settle problems, or prevent them from occurring so that, they can spend more of the classroom hours on teaching and learning.
1. Take Charge of Your Class:
Get everyone’s attention before beginning class. That means the lesson won’t be started, the lecture won’t begin, and nothing will be written on the overhead until everyone is in his or her seat paying attention. Remember, don’t start teaching until all eyes are on you and everyone is in their seat.
2. Focus on the Disruptive Students:
If students aren’t paying attention or busy doing other things, get them focused by using non-verbal signals of disapproval. If they are talking, pause and look towards them. If in front of the class, continue with the lesson but walk towards the problematic students and stop near their seats, while still teaching.
3. Let Students Choose Their Seats:
At the beginning of the school year, let students sit where they want for a few days. Then about the third day, tell them that from the next class/period they should find a seat that they will keep permanently for whole year/semester. When students choose their seats, they have “ownership” in those seats and tend to behave well in order to avoid being moved.
4. Give Incentives to Do Their Best on Assignments:
If an assignment will not be collected and graded individually, students may feel they have no reason to make an effort to do a good job on the no-credit assignment. Another strategy to motivate students to stay on task would be to have students who have not stayed on task should remain after class for a minute. If there is no penalty for not working, they have no reason to work.
5. Keep an Eye on Your Students:
Class goes so much better when you can see your students. Turn your back on them and you may get surprised. Position yourself so that most, if not all of the class is visible. When teaching, try to face students as much as possible.
6. Establish Consequences for Misbehaving:
Good classroom management starts the first day of school/college. Once students learn there will be consequences for misbehavior, they usually come around.Follow through with consequences for misbehavior. Show students that you are serious and they will take you seriously.
Classroom management, especially with elementary, junior high age students and college students never ends. It is an ongoing process, but once the foundation is laid, it only takes occasional reminders.
- References:
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