1. My Experience: Techniques that improved my practice
I'll admit that I'm not the most assertive person and I tend to be very social. Negotiating a balanced
student teacher relationship that is friendly and cooperative, but still allows me to maintain an
appropriate amount of authority was quite difficult originally. I really did not want to be seen as the
ogre that does not let the student have fun while they are learning. By trying not to an ogre, I
inadvertently had not learning not because of disruptions that were a result of my lack of authority.
The students actually appreciate sternness that allows them to learn.
There was a teacher that I observed who was famous for being very strict. The students that were
normally loud acted up and did not complete work wee silent with their work done to a high
standard in her classes. It was clear that this teacher would accept no less. I, like others, presumed
that the students hated her. While it was true that she did scare some, most of the students
actually said they liked her most because they learned a lot in her class and would not dream of
playing up because she would punish them severely.
They key to classroom management is the balance of authority and friendliness. Initially, I had the
good relationship with the students because I was warm, enthusiastic and took a real interest in
them. One of the features of authority that I was missing was the presence in the room and strictly
enforces consequences for bad behaviour. Clearly my methods of being more friendly and free
flowing with the students was not working, so I had to choose some new techniques to become
more authoritative.
I started with the Year Sevens. The students already liked me because I was warm, enthusiastic,
smiled a lot and had interactive lesson plans. At the time, I was implementing the last phases of my
Action Research project, where we watched a movie about the Orangutans and Palm Oil and had
a discussion about which products the students used that contain Palm Oil, before we were to
move on to an independent research project that they were very excited about. My solution was to
stop talking when the students started to talk and wait for them to be quiet. For every minute that
they wasted of my time, I took a minute of their time. It took half a recess and the students caught
on very fast that I would give them time to talk, but they were not to talk or disrupt the class.
Engaging the class in a project and issues they were interested in, combined with strictly enforced
classroom management expectations, was the key to improving the learning environment.
The same techniques cannot be used with different classes, lessons or at different times of the day
Talking was not an issue with the Years Eights, but they got quite challenging on Fridays during
period four. On my last day, I had them at this time and my mentor was away. Fortunately, I had a
well planned out lesson and activity. I had a good relationship with the kids and the CRT. I all of my
equipment was booked and the photocopies were done. I went to class a few minutes early to set
up a projector and some students came into help. In short, it looked like my lesson was going to go
off without a hitch. As the bell went I was setting up the projector and tried plugging it into the wall.
It didn't work, so I tried other outlets. None of these worked and the kids were starting to get
restless.
The lesson was to elaborate some ideas that the kids were meant to have studied in an

2. independent learning activity, which did not work out. The students had some prior knowledge, so I
quickly gave out an extra activity I had prepared, which the CRT thought showed signed of my
being flexible, well-prepared and resourcefulness. I sent two of the other students to find a room
and set up the projector. After I moved the class, they were quite rowdy. I had a good relationship
with the students, but had always been firmer than with Year Sevens. As such, I was able to keep
control. The CRT teacher commented that a more experienced teacher could have had similar
difficulties and dealt with them similarly. In short, she thought I did a good job.
What was interesting was that inquiry learning worked out with the Year Sevens, but not the Year
Eights. These students did not fair as well because they lack the motivation and required skills to
complete the tasks. As a result more direct instruction was required for these students. Thus,
showing that the students, time and resources can influence lessons in a way that requires a
teacher to change their techniques.