TTEd SIG PCE 2012- Plenary 1 by Prof Peter Medgyes

Why won’t the little beasts behave?

Prof Medgyes started his session by indicating the importance of classroom management especially for novice teachers, and he gave examples from the journals of some trainee teachers that show their feelings and frustrations at times.

Trainee 1

“One of the students told my teaching partner that the group has conspired against us: they want to see which of us gives up first and leave. They’ve even made bets on either of us. The aim of the game is to misbehave as much as possible, find out what incidents irritate us most and focus on those to make them more efficient.”

 Trainee 2

“My only weapon is punishment. I can’t make them work unless I threaten them with a test they’ll have to do in the next lesson […] I want them to feel that they  hurt me a lot. I’m considering giving up. My teaching partner has already given up.”

Trainee 3

“To be honest, during these months I decided to throw in the towel at least three times, because I felt so disappointed. Nevertheless, I decided to stay because I thought giving up would mean that I was ill-suited for this job.”

Medgyes underlined the importance of “discipline” issue that causes most novice teachers to lose confidence and give up teaching referring to the following quote from Dry, 1977, p.200.

“A sure recipe for low learner performance is to set up a situation where the learner pities the teacher, and then pities himself for being saddled with a
pitiable teacher.”

Topic of discipline has not been mentioned in conferences as it is a “no go!” area for many methodologist.This important issue is sometimes ignored by the well-known authors and researchers as well. Medgyes gave the following quote (Whitney, quoted in Appel, 1995, p. 21) to illustrate what he meant :

“At the final round table, the panel of well-known experts, all with extensive lists of publications in our field, was asked by a teacher how they would handle a particular ’discipline’ problem.  The questioner described her problem carefully and sensitively. The panel was all but stunned into silence.”

The following can be listed as possible characteristics of the disciplined classroom in terms of general expectations, Medgyes says;

  • Learning is taking place.
  • It is quiet.
  • Teacher is in control.
  • Teacher and students are cooperating smoothly.
  • Students are motivated.
  • Lesson is proceeding according to plan.
  • Teacher and students are aiming for the same objective.
  • Teacher has natural charismatic AUHORITY.

 Following that: Medgyes gave some typical teacher types and their characteristics:

The strict and scary teacher

  • She demands perfect behaviour at all times.
  • There is a high level of control over the pupils.
  • She tends to shout at pupils when applying a sanction.
  • She makes frequent use of sanctions to control her classes.
  • She imposes a sanction at the first sign of misbehaviour.

 The firm but fun teacher

  • She tells the class what she expects in terms of behaviour right from the start, and sticks to these rules consistently.
  • She will shout if necessary, but normally does not need to.
  • She makes the work interesting, and sets her pupils hard but achievable targets.
  • She does use sanctions, but will give a series of warnings first.
  • She gets to know her pupils on a personal level.

 Then Medgyes asked if the audience were the former or the latter 🙂 and suggested that they should be the 3rd type which is Soft and Shaky Teacher suggesting the following to prevent misbehaviour:

  • Create a code of conduct with the approval of students
  • Observe
  •  Set boundaries and state sanctions
  • Convince them that you are a person of integrity
  • Make it clear that you are in charge
  • Don’t be on the defensive
  • Be fair and consistent
  • Be polite to your students
  • Be dynamic
  • Always look your best
  • Before the lesson, plan your lessons
  • Have extra material

and finished his session by the following quote (Crace,2000, p. 171) and saying CARPE DIEM.

 „[Yes, may friends, you’re fools if you] sacrifice the flaring briefness of [your] lives in hopes of paradise or fears
of hell. No one transcends. There’s no future and no past. There’s no remedy for death – or birth – except to hug the spaces in between. Live loud, live wide, live tall.”