Which is your favorite classroom management strategy for working with teens?

What advice would you give to novice teachers to manage the classroom?

How do you handle conflicts or challenges that arise in your class?

Personally, I enjoy making competitions or games where they are able to win points, also thanking them once you finish, is really important because that makes them feel useful and valuables

Treating with teenagers can be difficult and stressful at first, you have to be patient because at this age, they might think everyone is fighting with them. Ask yourself the question “how would you like to be treated if you were that age?”. You have to be kind, yes, but also, you have to show that you are capable and you are not their friend.

Every conflict has a different solution, to be able to solve, you have to analyze, listen the students who are involved and those who are not, so you can have a complete understanding of the situation and try to find the best solution for the classroom, be patient and empathetic is also a key element.

My fav classroom management strategy is planning my lesson. I always try to have my lesson plan well developed with a wide variety of activities. I like to include games and different language skills. In that way, students feel motivated and are always on task. Technology is present in most of my classes because I know many students like it, so I take advantage of it for their learning.

My advice is to enjoy teaching and be emphatetic with students. They notice when a teacher cares about them and feel valued when we show emphaty and trust. Students feel confident with a prepared teacher who likes his/her job.

When something is not going the way it should be or I expect it to be, I just try to be clear with the students about the issue we are having, and I explain to students why it is important to solve or pay attention to that situation that is minimizing learning or breaking communication with me as a teacher.

To manage the class throughout the semester with ease, I set the rules and or routines that would apply during the semester to work. For example, I explain to my students that I usually set time to build background through KWL charts, reflective questions, word webs, etc. to start and that participation will not only impact positively their final grade, but also it will enhance their learning. At the end of every class, I expect everyone to deliver an "exit ticket class" to get immediate feedback on the session. That way, I could adjust my teaching strategies for the next class.

Always prepare your lesson and know your audience (students). Prepare a plan B for your class in case technology is not on your side for the day, and always create a lesson plan that promotes interaction among students.

It depends on the context in which the problem occurs, the people involved, and the type of challenge ahead. Usually, if it is among students, I listen to them, identify their feelings, validate them, repeat verbally the situation (to know if I had comprehended correctly), and express my goodwill on helping to find the best win-win scenario to solve the problem considering their options and their consequences. After that, I would set with them an action plan with a due date to check on progress.