CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IN THE UAE
BY : SHANE DALY a teacher . They will accept this lesser monetary reward if they are happy in their classroom and in control in their classroom . If that same teacher is not in control in their classroom , there is simply no monetary reward that will entice them to stay . The reason for this , is that if you have ‘ troublesome ’ children in your class or you are inexperienced and do not know how to handle the inevitable tests that will come your way as a teacher , then that four walled room becomes a living nightmare .
“ I turned into a terror , I was bored in school . You should have seen me in third grade , I almost destroyed the teacher .” ~ Steve Jobs .
Teaching can be the single greatest job in the world . It can also be one of the worst . If you are a teacher , that statement will resonate with you . You might have even nodded your head in agreement . If you haven ’ t taught , that might sound hyperbolic if you have taught . You get it . Teachers get it . Teaching in its simplest form is beautiful , conveying a topic you are an expert in and love to a group of students willing to learn and engage on that very same topic . If done right , it is rewarding beyond compare . As cliche as this may be , it makes you feel like you are genuinely making a difference . Yes , you are relaying information to children or teenagers , but you are also a formative figure in their young lives . One , they look up to . One they require attention from and want affirmation from . You are trusted with the task of guiding these students through a formative time in their lives . If you ’ re good , they ’ ll remember you forever . Everyone has a favourite teacher . That opportunity to make a difference should not be underestimated . It ’ s a privilege . Teaching is magic .
However , you might find yourself standing at the top of your class , Monday morning , your coffee is waiting for you on your desk , you ’ re wearing your suit and tie , your lanyard and key card around your neck thinking , “ I can ’ t believe my luck ”, and by that evening , you ’ re on Indeed and LinkedIn looking for new jobs . That shift in emotion . That swing in elation in the AM to misery and the need to look for the nearest exit door in the PM , the smoking gun for this paradigm shift , is often down to classroom management and poor behavior in the classroom .
Furthermore , an offshoot of this issue , is teacher retention . Teacher retention is a major issue in the UAE and there are three main reasons for this :
1 . Classroom / Behavior Management
2 . Salary
3 . Toxic School Environment / Management
Not necessarily in that order . There is a domino effect that occurs . All three of the above are integrated . They are married . My experience is that people will accept a smaller salary or package if the school is a positive environment to work in and grow as
The purpose of this article is not to diagnose and remedy all prospective behavioral issues , as that is an article in itself . Rather , its purpose is to shed light on the current teaching profession and offer my own experiential advice on the topic . There are many things that will determine how your year as a teacher will pan out . They begin the first day , the first week in Term one . The key to effective Classroom Management in my view are the below :
4 . Having your class from the start of Term 1 .
5 . Support from management with regards to behavioral issues .
Allow me to explain :
1 : Although this may seem obvious , starting the term in August with the class you will be with for the remainder of the year is paramount . Many teachers , particularly in the UAE are not afforded this luxury . With teacher retention rates being so poor in the UAE , it often happens that a teacher will leave , having completed maybe 6 to 8 weeks of the first term . They leave for their own reasons , however the teacher that is employed to fill in this position is now inheriting a class in October / November that he / she has had no opportunity to set boundaries with . They have had no chance to set expectations . This is a fundamental problem that can result in that teacher
12 Term 1 Sep - Dec 2022
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