Teaching is one of the most common callings in the church. In fact, even if you are not called to be a teacher, you will likely teach at some point in your calling. There are several aspects that go into being an effective teacher. This blog will focus on classroom management. Classroom management is really important because poor classroom management leads to disruptive behavior and can stop the spirit from entering the setting. Here are three main areas that can make a big difference in how you manage your classroom.
1) It is important that you set the mood or the tone of the classroom from the beginning. You can do this by playing prelude music as the students enter the room. You can have a centerpiece or a picture on display that is related to the lesson. You should arrive before your students do and have the room set up properly. This is especially important if you are teaching children and youth. If you have a spiritual environment that the children walk into, it is much easier to maintain that environment.
2) It is important to capture and maintain your students’ interest in the lesson. A great way to do this is through an object lesson. Most of the manuals have ideas listed at the beginning of each lesson. Although it does add a few more minutes onto your preparation, these can really help in starting the lesson off on the right foot. Additionally you should strive to maintain their attention during the lesson. You can do this with careful planning. You may want to add pictures or objects that illustrate each point in the lesson.
3) Finally you need to address misbehavior problems. If you are teaching adults this should not be a problem, but if you are teaching youth or primary aged children you may run into some snags. The best way to deal with this is to establish ground rules and consequences from the very beginning. You should keep the rules simple and follow through with the consequences. If things become really out of hand you may have a parent come in to help to maintain order. This is the most effective when you ask the parent of one the children who is having a difficult time behaving. You also may need to assign seats or decided on the most effective way to arrange seats for your classroom.
You should take time to read “Teaching No Greater Call,” which offers suggestions on classroom management, attention activities, and other activities to help hold your students’ interest. Additionally there is a great section explaining how each age group learns differently and how best to reach them.
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