Good classroom habits

K. Bhanumoorthy

The practices you follow in your classroom go a long way in building an effective learning environment. When there is talk about classroom practice, however, not much attention is given to the smaller things like notebooks, corrections, etc. But when we do the small things right, the bigger practices automatically fall in place. Here, I share a few learnings from my teaching experience.  

Maintenance of notebooks

Let students number the pages in their notebooks and maintain an index page from class V onwards. This habit will ensure that students don’t tear pages from the notebook. Also, maintaining an index page will help them get to the right chapter and page without having to search the whole notebook. Make appropriate remarks in their notebooks while correcting and inform students about the mistakes they have made. If they keep repeating their mistakes, it is time to come up with strategies to guide them.

Homework

Homework is a good teaching-learning tool. It reinforces classroom teaching, but the teacher has to properly plan the homework to be given, making sure that it will be helpful to the students. So, the teacher has to first do some homework herself. Homework also has to be related to the topic taught in class. Students should not be overloaded with homework in many subjects in one day. So, prepare a schedule and coordinate with fellow teachers before giving homework.

Correcting exam papers

Exam papers are a means for teachers to evaluate themselves. When you are correcting exam papers and notice that there are questions that no students have answered, or you spot the same errors in many answersheets, you know that a particular lesson you taught did not go well.

Exam papers are also a way for students to evaluate themselves. Let students see their answersheets and note their mistakes. Take time to help students and their parents understand where the student is going wrong and how the mistake can be corrected.

Whether it is notebooks or exam papers, make sure that your correction has some meaning for you and the student. Just putting tick marks and signing is not correcting.

Conclusion

Teachers are professionals, they are nation builders. Teachers are committed to their students’ wellbeing both inside and outside of school. Students who are inspired by their teachers can accomplish amazing things and that motivation stays with them lifelong.

The author has been in the education field for 40 years now and retired as principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya 1, Palakkad, Kerala. He can be reached at bhanu_haresh@yahoo.co.in.