How to create a happy classroom –
There is a classroom poster that states –
If you’re a teacher you are also a: life coach, motivator, discovery guide, negotiator, cheerleader, rule enforcer, role model, organiser, counsellor, handwriting expert, mediator, truth detector, entertainer and trainer.
While you might fulfil most of these roles at any given time, all of the above will be much more effortless if you manage to create
Here’s how to go about creating a happy classroom:
- Meet your learners with a smile and positivity.
- Learn more about the learners in your classroom in order to foster personal relationships and to understand each individual better.
- Show and insist on empathy in the classroom. Be patient. Be kind.
- Incorporate humour into your lessons where possible. As the British novelist Roald Dahl, who sold more than 250 million copies of his books worldwide, once said:
A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men. - Share something about yourself with your learners.
- Relate the subject you teach to real-world and real-life situations whenever possible.
- Praise learners – the entire class or individual learners – when they deserve it. Research has shown that reward and recognition go a long way to boosting someone’s confidence and morale and it also encourages them to try to do well again.
- Be aware of your body language and facial expressions. Convey positivity and respect at all times.
- Teach and instil self-confidence in your learners. Discuss the issue of self-belief and self-confidence when an opportunity arises.
- Build positive relationships – between peers as well as adults and learners within the school system – and create a culture of understanding in your classroom.
- Aim to inspire your learners and set clearly defined goals for them. Hold them accountable.
- Create a network of support for your learners.
- Help learners to develop coping skills. Life – at school and outside of school – can get tough at times. Being able to deal with situations that are out of your/their immediate control is a valuable life skill to have.
- A happy classroom necessitates that YOU are prepared – and organised – when you enter the classroom. Know your subject – and enough resources which could include a mentor teacher – and have a time filler or backup activity or exercise ready in case it is needed. Ensure that you are organised. Be flexible – sometimes you will have to use more time to cover a topic or to explain a specific section of work.
- Make at least some of your lessons engaging and/or interactive.
- Be active in the classroom. Teachers are far less efficient – and respected – if they tend to sit behind their desks throughout lessons.