Classroom Management Observation: What the Teachers and Students Should Do

Practicum
Student Name
Institution Affiliation
Classroom Management Observation
The relationship between a teacher and the students is significant in ensuring the effectiveness of the overall learning process. The teacher should be able to find convenient ways to connect and interact with the students and in so doing ensure continued engagement and participation in all the classroom activities. A teacher who is tasked with educating international students about the English language should be able to cut through the racial and cultural differences and identify the best possible learning initiatives to incorporate in the teaching program. There are several observations I have been able to gather and collect from my host teacher and specifically about the relations with the learners in my literacy class and who are from diverse backgrounds around the world.
One of the first things I noticed about my host teacher is how he tried to instill a positive learning environment by ensuring he connected with the students. He made quick efforts to not only know all the students by their names but also how to correctly pronounce them and which made them feel valued and appreciated. My host teacher also mastered the art of maintaining eye contact while addressing a student and he would regularly crack jokes to relieve tense moments that would leave everyone in the classroom smiling. These continued efforts to build rapport and a trusting relationship with the students enabled my host teacher to create a supportive learning atmosphere (Li et al., 2012). As a result, all the students became free and comfortable and would often engage the teacher through questions and exhibited positivity in their body languages which signaled the willingness to learn. Nonetheless, there were noticeable patterns because of the diversity in gender and nationality which consequently influenced some of the behaviors in the classroom. I remember initially most of the female students were shy and laid back while the Japanese students were always quiet but very attentive.
My literacy class is comprised of students not only from diverse cultures but also with different behaviors, learning experiences and expectations. For example, there is a middle-aged Japanese student who despite having vast knowledge on the structure of the English language has poor pronunciation and as such, tends to refrain from answering or participating in the classroom discussions. On the hand, there is a Belgian student who is very fluent in English and who uses every opportunity when addressed by the host teacher to showcase his prowess with some of the English swear words. Additionally, the young students are always vibrant and exhibit the willingness to volunteer in the class activities and ask questions. The personalities and attitudes of the individual students are also essential components that contribute to the social interactions in the classroom. Senior (2007) reiterates the above and shares “some students are naturally more outgoing, others prefer to remain within their comfort zones while some are highly competitive and inclined to feel resentful when others do better than they do” (p.111). It is therefore vital for teachers especially in adult language classes ...