Building+an+Effective+Classroom+Culture

Building an Effective Classroom Culture
Last Sunday 24th October 2010, a new Professional Development workshop was conducted. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Ali Badran, a member of the Professional Development Committee of Ahmed Bin Hanbal Independent Secondary School for Boys. Thanks a lot for the presenter, Mr. Ali Badran for his efforts that resulted in achieving the objectives of the workshop to a great extent. Staff interaction enriched the discussions about strategies of enhancing the relationship between teachers and students. Next session will give examples of best practice that support building good rapport with students. Staff are now familiar with the various strategies that are used to enhance the relationship between teachers and students as well as some techniques of empowering students.

** The main objectives of the workshop were to ** :


 * Identify key aspects in creating a strong teacher/student rapport.
 * Discuss ways to create positive relationships between you and your students.
 * Identify ways you can change your classroom to become more student centred.

Mr. Ali Badran started by getting teachers to brainstorm the **key factors that build good rapport**. Teachers’ answers centered on the following:

There was a discussion about the **types of communication between teacher and students** which can be shown by the following charts:



It is a continuous process where the teacher gives instructions. He also gives feedback to students to foster learning.



Then Mr. Ali, the presenter, elicited a number of **communication strategies that are used in the classroom** which are listed below:


 * Greet and farewell the students positively.
 * Be aware of your voice, volume and tone.
 * Keep your body language positive.
 * Give clear, precise instructions.
 * Regularly check students’ understanding of concepts and ideas.
 * Develop open ended questioning techniques.
 * Allow students time to discuss ideas and concepts and give feedback.
 * Talk with them as young adults, not to them as young boys.
 * Speak to the students by name.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">In consolidation of the previous workshop on traits of highly effective teachers, the presenter recalled some personality traits that are summed up in the form of some pieces of advice for teachers to help them have good communication skills in the classroom.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Be honest, sincere and approachable.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Use humour. Laughter brings down barriers.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Make and acknowledge mistakes.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Be innovative, creative and energetic.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Be the best teacher in the student’s day.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Share your passion for your subject and learning.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Get to know each learner as a person.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Praise individual’s attempts.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Share your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to learn from the boys.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Role model values and virtues. Share your feelings.

<span style="color: #e36c09; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">Professional Standards


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Be planned, prepared and punctual.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Keep a professional distance.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Have targets and goals for yourself.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Be reflective and critique your own teaching.

<span style="color: #e36c09; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">**Empowering students**

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">To empower your students you need to: **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Acknowledge students’ prior knowledge and strengths.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">State that mistakes are a part of learning.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Dispel their fear of failure.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Encourage participation; Don’t ask the same 5 students for answers.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Believe that all students can succeed under your guidance and support.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Allow students time to explore their own ideas and interests.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Remind students that hard work leads to positive results.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Let them know that you are there to work hard for THEM.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Let students know that you enjoy working with them.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">What do we expect to see in a classroom? **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A **clear learning objective** on the board. ( ** Clearly stated Learning Objectives **** ). **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A lesson with a **Clear Start**.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A **Clear Middle** that comes from the start.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A **Definite End** that relates back to the Learning objective.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Students working in groups – unless there is an assessment/ test on.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Students doing activities that help them learn. Less listening more action!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Students writing their notes in their copybooks.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clear, accurate feedback from the teacher in the student books.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">At the end of the workshop, there was a recommendation encouraging teachers to put today’s activities into practice in their classrooms.

== You can download this presentation ** [|here] **.==