Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Thanks and acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Getting to know our students
- 2 Motivation and activation
- 3 Reviewing while maintaining interest and momentum
- 4 Dealing with written work
- 5 Working well in groups
- 6 Individualizing and personalizing student work
- 7 Making students responsible for their own learning
- 8 Establishing routines and procedures
- Bibliography
- Index
8 - Establishing routines and procedures
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Thanks and acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Getting to know our students
- 2 Motivation and activation
- 3 Reviewing while maintaining interest and momentum
- 4 Dealing with written work
- 5 Working well in groups
- 6 Individualizing and personalizing student work
- 7 Making students responsible for their own learning
- 8 Establishing routines and procedures
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
In the large class, it is important that rules of conduct, policies, routines, and procedures be set up and followed in a fairly predictable manner. It is important that students know how and when they will be evaluated, what the attendance policy of the class is, how homework is checked, what the syllabus of the course is, how they are supposed to conduct themselves, and what level of achievement is expected from them. Well-established routines give students a sense of stability and security. Once such routines are functioning properly, instructions need not be repeated as often, student responsibility increases and the entire process of teaching and learning works more smoothly.
I have found that my classes operate better if I incorporate students in the rule-making process by stating my outlook, asking for comments and suggestions, accepting compromises and then formulating the rules and posting them in a prominent spot on the classroom wall. This does not mean, of course, that rules are never broken. As I have stated before, rules are there to guide us, not necessarily to bind us. When I do break a class rule to accommodate a student, I try to do it with a smile and with the permission of the class. The main idea is to plant the notion that we – the teachers – are not police officers. Rather, it is up to each individual student to observe how he/she measures up to expectations and possibly is an example for other students.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Teaching Large Multilevel Classes , pp. 182 - 193Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001