Pedagogy and Practice in Classroom Management - Essay Example

Pedagogy and Practice Introduction The word ‘Pedagogy’ stands for the art of teaching or the education in teaching techniques. The educational aspect has been confronted to describe teaching and teacher education. There is a shift in paradigm that leads the thinking about best practices for teaching. According to this paradigm shift one can make standard to explain and evaluate teaching, learning and teacher education. But, it is significant to keep in mind that these are the standard based on the current paradigm. Now as paradigms have changed in scientific thinking (Kuhn, 1996) so have paradigms of teaching. If one admit that values are sets of principle that reflect the present paramount views of a community, in that case it can be useful to have such standards to study the assumptions, ethics, and attitude of teaching, learning, and teacher education. The National Science Teachers Association Standards writers describe a model of pedagogy known to teachers and teacher educators. This model consists of: actions and plans of teaching, organization of classroom practices, providing for varied student requirements, appraisal and completion of learners past ideas, and conversion of thoughts into realistic bits. (National Science Teachers Association, 1998) These well-known concepts were evidently explained in Borko and Putnams (1996) review of literature on learning to teach (Watson, & Konicek, 1990). Shulman (1986) came up with a new agenda for teacher education by launching the notion of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Instead of viewing teacher education from the perspective of content or pedagogy, Shulman said that teacher education programs should merge these two knowledge bases to more efficiently organize teachers. Pedagogical content knowledge project researched how a beginner in teaching obtained new understandings of their content, and how these new understandings influenced their teaching. These scholars explained pedagogical content knowledge as the knowledge formed by the blend of subject matter knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of background. Teachers differ from biologists, historians, writers, or educational researchers, not by their subject matter knowledge, but in how that information is planned and used. For instance, skilled science teachers’ knowledge of science is prepared from a teaching outlook and is used as a basis for helping students whereas; scientist’s knowledge is structured from a research perspective. The use of PCK as an issue for research and debate about the nature of a proper knowledge base for developing future science teachers has progressively improved as its inception. (NRC, 1996; Tobias, 1999). This essay briefly explains the Pedagogy and Practice in classroom management (Veal, et.al. 1999). Classroom Management Usually, classroom management question does not arise if pupils are appropriately engaged in the class while: the lesson has been well planned; learning outcomes are shared and understood; different approaches are used to strengthen and secure learning; resources and background are enough and favorable to efficient learning and attainment is acknowledged. Even then problems do come up, and these are efficiently managed by the teacher by: re-engage with tasks; implement individual responsibility; react optimistically to the teacher’s intercession; maintain reverence for themselves and the teacher; admit the consequences of their conduct. Effective classroom management confirms the teacher’s right to educate and the pupil’s right to study. The successful management of pupil behavior in the classroom lies in the application of the best pedagogy and practice and an admiration of the values and attitude which should be included in the school’s culture. Students are to engage in learning if the teacher has high expectations and makes them understand learning experiences Studies carried out by Croll and Moses (2000) and Miller (1996) stated that teachers believe that 80 per cent of the reasons of tough conduct among students are owing to inheritance or home environment features. This observation is opposed by study of Beaman and Wheldall (2000) who established that the actions of the same pupils vary across subject and among teachers; once the level of teachers’ positive verbal involvement raises, there is an augment in the level of pupils’ on-task performance. It is significant to investigate the principles and ideas which strengthen successful pedagogy and practice. As per the UN convention of Rights of the child (1990), human rights legislation (2000) and the Disability and Discrimination Act (2001) the values listed are: Valuing diversity, equality, mutual respect, developing the potential and autonomy of all, learning as life enhancing, collaboration, emotional and physical well-being and a clear moral purpose. The classroom management focuses on guidelines, methods and approaches which relate to the management of student performance. However, a well-managed classroom is the one where additional vital features of pedagogy and practice are suitably accomplished. As a result the teacher and the students are busy in learning, and the managing of student behavior becomes easy, creating an environment of successful teaching and learning. Hence it is significant to concentrate on lesson design, improving the atmosphere for learning and learning styles. Teaching is a difficult procedure. Complication enhance as aspect in appraisal and student accomplishment; raising standards; the diversity of practice that each classroom presents; and transforms to curriculum model and topic stipulations. Evaluation and refining the teaching procedure is essential for teachers to be able to meet the anxiety of the changing classroom. As a teacher one ought to know about how the content is explained for the students that each and about the common misunderstanding that are an attribute of the subject and how to deal with them, for instance by using proper models and analogies. Teacher must know about general principles and approaches of classroom management and organization, about the students, about the society where the school is located and the goals and values of the education system. The teacher must make choices about how to apply the diverse knowledge in order that student may study efficiently. The teacher has to make out suitable learning outcomes and plan to make sure that these results are to be met in the lessons one teach. This will engage selecting and arranging resource material to facilitate all students to develop in their knowledge, talent and understanding. The knowledge that one has about his subject, the curriculum and the decisions that one make will indicate how the teacher organizes the classroom to focus on students’ learning. Teachers’ awareness about the pupils and their rates of progress will alter the view of the teaching process for each class that one takes. Another important factor for a successful teacher is to build mutual respect. Teachers go through a large number of societal relations, both inside and outside the classroom. Students are in fact responsive to the language teachers’ use. Using the proper tone and language is critical to the teacher’s success, in attaining behavioral and learning responses, and as well in sustaining the excellence of relationships. In a real sense, teachers must at all times find the proper language to handle the circumstances. Learned and knowledgeable teachers use vocal and non-vocal intercession to reinforce, redirect student behavior. Efficient intercessions sustain and encourage optimistic behavior for learning. The efficient oral interventions should take the form of constructive events that move in succession from optimistic support through to positive improvement. Usually students look out for appreciation and recognition of their accomplishments. Appreciating properly is a talent in its own right. Students may not react optimistically if the tone, background and content of the praise are mismanaged. Teachers who look for to build up the customs of praise in their classrooms can concentrate on recognizing only those students whose performance they have wanted to alter through praise. Praises will be accepted when it is personal, authentic, fitting, specific, and reliable and used frequently. Yet another important aspect in schools and classrooms is rewards and consequences and can be very efficient in retaining optimistic approaches to learning and performance. There is dispute about whether students should get rewards for performance which is at the anticipated level. Another criticism narrates to the fact that rewards are frequently aimed at students whose earlier performance has been a source for concern, and are rewarded as they make progress. This has been criticized by some as unfair and discriminatory. Usually, the classroom teacher must aim to recognize and reward, rather than run through a range of approvals. At the same time, improper behavior cannot be accepted, and the student guilty will have to agree to the consequences. Lot of research has gone into those students behaviors which teachers find most upsetting. Gray and Sime (1989) reviewed a large number of secondary and primary teachers as part of the investigation for the Elton Report. Their conclusions are supported by other research (Wheldall and Merrett 1988). Nearly all common finding was that pupils talking out of turn (TOOT) were a major apprehension. As a matter of fact in Gray and Sime’s study they recorded that 975 of all Secondary teachers interviewed claimed TOOT happened minimum once throughout the week. It was acknowledged as the behavior that teachers felt most complicated to deal with. Certainly, as these teachers reflected on some of their more challenging classes, it was TOOT that came out as the most important dynamic. The successful teacher definitely organizes a range of practices and approaches to supervise the classroom successfully, but a widespread list of options, tricks and methods will not keep up the excellence of teaching and learning. The most important efficient aspect in declining classroom disturbance and off-task student behavior is the teacher’s deep-seated proficiency of planning and pedagogy. Kounin (1977) stated that what teachers did in expectation and in their planning was far more successful than their responses to events and incidents. The thoughtfulness given to classroom rules can be used to develop further into a classroom behavior plan. These are the rules which pupils have to follow: it promotes the teaching of optimistic behavior; it makes a suitable atmosphere for successful teaching and learning; it permits teachers to recognize and reward optimistic behaviors and learning; it make possible students to make well-versed options about how to behave; it summarize consequences of off-task performance. (DfES, 2004) Conclusion Education is the basic method of community growth and transformation. Education is an instruction of the process of coming to share in the social awareness; and the individual activity on the basis of this community perception is the certain method of communal rebuilding. This thought has due regard for both the individualistic and socialistic ideals. This is socialistic as it influence of a certain form of institutional or community life upon the person, and that the societal individual through the school, as its organ, might decide moral outcome. The model schools have the understanding of the distinctive and the institutional principles. The communitys responsibility to school is, thus, its supreme moral function. Through school education society can devise its own purpose, can arrange its own means and resources, and thus form itself with certainty and economy in the direction in which it wishes to progress. Education thus envisioned marks the ideal and close union of science and art imaginable in human experience. The teacher is engaged in the creation of the proper social life. Every teacher should understand that he/she is a social servant set apart for the preservation of proper social order and the securing of the right social growth (Dewey, 1897). In this essay Pedagogy and practice in classroom management is emphasized. References Beaman, R. and Wheldall, K. (2000) ‘Teachers’ use of approval and disapproval in the classroom’. Educational Psychology 20 (4), 431–446. Borko, H., & Putnam, R. T. (1996). Learning to teach. In D. C. Berliner & R. C. Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of Educational Psychology (pp. 673-708). New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan Croll, P. and Moses, D. (2000) Special needs in the primary classroom: one in five. Cassell Academic. ISBN: 0304705640. Dewey, J (1897) My pedagogic creed, The School Journal, Volume LIV, Number 3 (January 16, 1897), pages 77-80. DfES, (2004). Classroom management [Online] Pedagogy and Practice: Teaching and Learning In Secondary Schools Department for Education and Skills. From: [14 February 2008] Gray, J. and Sime, N. (eds) (1989) ‘Findings from the national survey of teachers in England and Wales’. In the Elton Report (1989) Discipline inschools. Report of the committee of enquiry chaired by Lord Elton. HMSO. ISBN: 0112706657. Kounin, J. S. (1977) Discipline and group management in classrooms (reprinted edition). Krieger. ISBN: 0882755048. Kuhn, T. S. (1996). The structure of the scientific revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press Miller, A. (1996) Pupil behaviour and teacher culture. Cassell. ISBN: 0304336831 National Science Teachers Association. (1998). CASE draft standards for the preparation of teachers of science NRC. (1996). National Science Education Standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those Who Understand: Knowledge Growth in Teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14 Tobias, S. (1999). Some Recent Developments in Teacher Education in Mathematics and Science: A Review and Commentary. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 8, 21-31 Veal, W.R. et.al. (1999). Pedagogical Content Knowledge Taxonomies [Online] Indiana University, School of Education, 201 N. Rose Ave., Bloomington, IN 47405 Available from: [14 February 2008] Watson, B. & Konicek, (1990). Content and Pedagogy: Intersection in the NSTA Standards for Science Teacher Education [Online] Mark Enfield, Michigan State University. Available from: [14 February 2008] Wheldall, K. and Merrett, F. (1988) ‘Which classroom behaviours do primary school teachers say they find most troublesome?’ Educational Review 40 (1), 13–27. Read More