Sharing Good Practice having a horrible experience for the rest of the academic year , if they stay .
In many cases , that class will have had several teachers in that 6 to 8 week period , such is the issue with teacher retention . For example , in my first position as a teacher in the UAE , I joined in November 2019 , I joined the Primary department of a prominent school in Abu Dhabi . I was the 23rd teacher to join that department in 8 weeks . Not the school . Just that department in 8 weeks . The 22 before me left . I inherited a class that had been disrupted consistently for essentially their entire first term . They had no continuity , no understanding of expectations and had no boundaries . As a result , their behavior was appalling . It was then that I knew how important effective Classroom Management is in school .
I stayed in that post for two years . That position was the culminating factor in why I became passionate about Classroom and Behavioral Management . I could see clearly that this was a huge mitigating factor in why teachers leave . As a teacher it is the defining factor , in my opinion , that affords a school and a teacher the ability to actually do their job . If you do not have the ability to manage that classroom and gain the students respect , then you no longer are a teacher in that classroom , you become more of a security guard that sporadically gives information . The disruptive students are allowed to disrupt and take away the ability of the willing students to learn . This is not how a classroom should be . All children in that room should be afforded the same opportunity to learn . This begins with setting boundaries the very first day of term , and sticking to them . The second aspect that will define your year is support from middle and higher management .
Fortune 500 company or an option on the NASDEQ on Wall Street , instead of an educational institution . Directors are in charge of incomings and outgoings . Making sure that the former is much larger than the latter , is seen as good business . It is good business , but at what cost ? Repercussions for students who consistently misbehave and are known to cause consistent upheavals within classrooms for years , are often ignored as management is unwilling to upset the parents of such students , for a variety of reasons .
This topic is not unique to the UAE . It is a private school issue that occurs worldwide . Exclusions are a key topic in the UK educational system at present , with teachers campaigning for the expulsion of certain students who consistently cause problems . They are campaigning for this , with the education of the students who are willing to learn , but are not afforded that opportunity , in mind . Often it is 1 or 2 students that can hinder the results and the educational experience of the other 20 or 30 students in a classroom . We do need to be concerned for these disruptive students , as there are a myriad of reasons for their misbehavior , which of course need to be addressed with care and sympathy , but not at the expense of students who are ready and willing to learn .
However , exclusions in my opinion are often warranted and will enhance
the educational experience of the rest of the class . Surely , the needs of the majority should be met at the expense of the very , very few . Michaela , a revolutionary school in the UK is an excellent example of the future of education . The school is run by headmistress Katarina Birbalsingh . A controversial figure , but one with a clear view that education is paramount . A supportive management that makes staff feel as though their worries are worthy , can be worth their weight in gold . They are a determining factor in teacher retention . It is often said that staff do not leave a job , they leave a boss . A school leader that is on the side of staff is an exceptional benefit to have in a school . Management that is willing to enforce repercussions for poor behavior and stand on the side of the teacher , offering support and encouragement is a true luxury that cannot be underestimated .
There are a myriad of aspects that determine a successful and effective teacher . However , if you get Classroom Management right , then that will afford you the space to grow and allow you to give your students the best foundation possible to enjoy school and learning . School should not be a crowd control exercise . It should be a safe place for students to learn and to grow as young adults . Getting classroom management right will make you realize that you do have the best job in the world . You ’ ll fall back in love with teaching again .
2 : Having supportive management again , is a luxury afforded to few . Schools in the UAE are for profit . They are a business . They have shareholders and those shareholders expect a return at the end of the year . As is the case with any other business . This is perfectly acceptable . It is expected . However , often this clouds judgement . Large schools are often more akin to a
Shane Daly is a Primary School Teacher in Dubai . He has a degree in History and a masters in Irish History from University College Cork , Ireland and a PGDE from Abu Dhabi University , UAE . He is a regular columnist with a prominent Irish newspaper .
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