LESSON-NINE
a) A systematic Merit-Demerit Chart
Unlike traditionally practised
merit/demerit charts in the classroom, a teacher is supposed to design an interesting chart that helps in
classroom management. A sample could
be like this. A separate piece of paper containing criteria has to be pasted
beside the merit-demerit chart.
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SN
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No. of stars
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Criteria (evaluation at your
convenience)
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1
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5
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discipline
at home/school or everywhere
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2
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3
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studies
(on the basis of term results or classroom performance)
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3
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2
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regularity
to school (weekly or monthly attendance record)
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4
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1
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completion
of assignment/active participation in ECAs/initiatives
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SN
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Students
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Merits (stars in green ink)
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Demerits (stars in red ink )
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1
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A
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2
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B
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3
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C
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4
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D
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5
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E
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In case your
students collect a certain number of merits, your students are entitled to
claim one of the following items from the store room/office/school
canteen/classroom.
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SN
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Items
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required no. of merits
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1
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a
novel/storybook/magazine worth Rs 200
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50
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2
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colour
pencil/sketch pens/geometry box worth Rs 150
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35
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3
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chocolates/chart
papers/ pens/ glitter pens
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20
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4
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pencils/
book wrappers/ exercise books/
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10
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b) Passing
the Objects
If
a teacher himself/herself chooses a student to answer his or her question in
class, the teacher is practicing a teacher-centred traditional approach. So,
teachers are expected to call out a student’s roll no. promptly first. After
the student does his or her part, the teacher should encourage the student to
pass any classroom objects such as chalks, markers, dusters, pens to another
student of his or her choice for an interesting practice.
c) Use of
Symbolic Correction Technique
Underlining
wrong words, sentences, paragraphs in red ink and overwriting correct answers
in students’ exercise books kills students’ creativity and makes the pages of
exercise books colourful. It rather looks ugly. A creative teacher
himself/herself works less but makes students work harder and produces
outstanding results every term. Take a look at the sample table below.
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SN
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Symbols
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Remarks
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1
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☺
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If a
teacher is happy with the presentation of work
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2
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SP
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If a
spelling is wrong
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3
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WO
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If a word
order is not correct
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4
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WG
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If grammar
is wrong
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5
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WT
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If the
tense of a sentence is incorrect
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A
sample text-
One
of my schoolmets (SP) phoned me last night. He had phoned me at
around 8 pm when I was eating my dinner. (WG)
The
correct one- One of my schoolmates phoned me last night. He had phoned me when
I was eating my dinner. Or, one of my schoolmates phoned me last night. He
phoned me at around 8 pm when I was eating my dinner. (Simple past takes definite time
expressions such as today, yesterday, yesterday evening, last month etc. But
past perfect takes indefinite time adverbs such as already, just, hardly etc.)
So,
a teacher’s role is to pinpoint their mistakes for guidance. If you correct the
answer, you’re leading your students.
d)
Match-Stick Pictures
If
you don’t have access to touch board screens or smart boards in your
classrooms, for effective teaching you are required to make proper use of your
creativity and the whiteboards/blackboards. You can simply draw match-stick
pictures on the board which on the one hand reinforces teaching and on the
other hand it injects a little entertainment into class.
Hi! Guys, this is Paul from Paris. I speak
French and English. Can you speak French, eh? I think I’m the most handsome guy
in the world, aren’t I? (humourous)
e) Word of
the Day/Thought of the Day
A
good teacher always makes his/her students curious for something new every day.
A class teacher rather than subject teachers can start classes writing Word of
the Day/Thought of the Day. If the teacher writes word of the day in the first
lesson, students need to write as many words as they can by adding suffixes and
prefixes. Also, they should write parts of speech. In the case of Thought of
the Day, students need to elaborate on the thought.
For example, Word of the Day=
‘illustration’
illustrate= verb,
illustrative=adjective, illustrator=noun (person), illustrious=adjective
f)
Commitment Papers
Until
and unless your students are attentive in class, no matter what techniques you
apply doesn’t work. So one of the good techniques to stop students from
misbehaving, you’ve got to print out commitment papers and ask them to put
their signatures so that you can emotionally blackmail them. It can be a legal
threat to them. It’s applicable to those students who belong to age group 10 to
14 years. A bit of strictness and rudeness isn’t that harmful.
g) Records
of Students’ Profiles
Keeping
records of students’ profiles helps a teacher study students’ family
backgrounds, hereditary illness, contact address, likes and dislikes, academic
status for comparison and future plans. So, records related to students’ all
aspects are a must.
h)
Identification of Students’ Personality
The
students you teach weren’t born on the same day, at the same time and same
place. They don’t possess same talent and quality either. Human brains have
four parts: top left, bottom left, top right and bottom right. The students who
use top left part of the brain most are very good at memorization. They can
pursue their careers in medicine, engineering etc. On the other hand, students
who use top right part of the brain cannot be compared with the one who uses
the top left part of the brain. Every student has a personality by birth. It’s
a teacher’s sole responsibility to nurture their talents and help them
cultivate their own talents. Dividing students into four categories, giving
them different sets of problems, question papers, project work and introducing
different approaches in class are what a good teacher always does at school.
i) Quiz
Contest in Class
In
general, a quiz contest is understood to be a test of knowledge in a particular
subject like sports, medicine, history, geography, politics etc. In order to make
your students good at your subject, you can conduct indoor quiz contest of your
subject but before promotional or annual examinations, questions from all
subjects must be asked.
j)
Innovation in Test Papers
Why
can’t you do the same thing differently? Is it mandatory to write only Ram when
you write a story? Is it mandatory to make students write essays on school,
discipline, child rights, my aim, my family and so on. Let’s think of something
that is beyond the horizon. Some students grow nervous as soon as they receive
question papers during exams. If your question paper provokes some laughter, it
will definitely help them overcome nervousness and do well in exams. Students’
names, their works of art, some animated pictures, and teachers’ creations can
be entailed in question papers to relieve students’ anxiety. We teachers are to
help them get ideas from others’ work. Contrarily, we are trying our students
to be an imitator and attain full marks.
k) Exchange
and Visitation Programs
A
teacher’s clothing, regular presence and similar trend of teaching might
indirectly impact on students’ outlook on teachers and their learning. Do you
eat same kind of food every day? Of course, not. So, everyone expects new
things every day. Besides a wide range of techniques in class, there can be a
sudden change in the routine of teachers. If a visiting teacher enters your
classroom, whole period your students don’t feel bored. You can go to your
colleagues’ or friends’ school as a visiting faculty and so can they. If there
is a disruptive student who usually gets on your nerves, you’d better establish
a good rapport with him/her. If you contact his/her parents and pay him/her a
few informal visits. The student doesn’t dare to breach any of classroom rules
in your lesson or presence. Your relation with the particular child’s parents
makes him/her feel uncomfortable while punishing.
l) Circle
Time
Once
a week or every fortnight, keep away your regular lessons, textbooks and
exercise books. Just take your students somewhere out of the monotonous
classroom. (I mean they sit in the same classroom, so they feel bored to be
there.) Don’t let them know in advance where or why they are outside. They
should be surprised. Choose a student to say a number. They can choose one
number among 1, 2, and 3. You should have already written down the no. and
topics. Topics could be debate, singing, cracking jokes, storytelling, sharing
personal feelings, views on politics, history etc. After the circle time is
over, they can be assigned a report on what they’ve done in circle time. It is
an outlet to their personal sharing.
m) Small
Scale Survey/Research
Concept
of small scale research or survey should be started right at the tender age. As
far as possible, students should be encouraged to carry out small scale survey/research
on what are good facilities in a school, what are good qualities of a good
student/teacher, how many students are vegetarian and non-vegetarian, how many
like football, cricket, etc. Results should be announced in the assembly.
n) Choosing
Motivating Topics
Force-feeding
is likely to misfire. So, either do a survey or study students’ mentality about
which chapter they are interested in. If you teach the chapter that students
think is mundane. You may not be able to grab their attention. And all your
effort goes in vain.
o)
Step-by-Step Explanation
Long
texts, paragraphs or passages affect students’ readability. Start teaching with
small bits of text such as word clues, titles and subtitles, important lines,
difficult vocabularies. Line by line explanation is like a maze for students.
They get lost. Therefore, at the end of the class, a short summary makes them
clear. There are many students who prefer lecture methods. But cross-questions,
humours, movements of students are important in the middle of the lesson. If
you’re teaching very young children or using handouts, please choose the text
of moderate size with pictures or illustrations.
p) Prompt Decisions
As
a class teacher or a subject teacher, you may have to cope with many
confrontations, intellectual conflicts or disagreements among students.
Whatever the case is, don’t let it be pending. You will lose their trust upon
you. They won’t come to you for a second time seeking your help. Take the case
and settle it to win their approval and credibility. This is a golden
opportunity to show your leadership skills.
q) Students as Teachers
Your
students are future nation builders. Why not give them a chance to enhance
their potentiality? Sometimes, when there is a time to teach short and easy
chapters, pick out a couple of smart students. Take them to the staff room or
whenever they’re free, sit with them. Teach them how to teach the particular
chapter in class being a teacher. Their ideas and your ideas should be merged.
Let your students have a wonderful experience. Next time, other new students
should be given chances.
r) Target
Students
It
is a human tendency that average or weak students anywhere are usually
overlooked. For instance, when you watch a live football match, the scorer is
highlighted but the one who makes such a beautiful pass is overshadowed. Is
football an individual game? Of course, not. In teaching, competitions are for
talented ones. What about those who are struggling to pass each term? Don’t they
expect to be part of such platforms? It is you intellectual personality,
teachers. You’ve to organize either outdoor or indoor pursuits to uplift the
academic standards of average as well as struggling students. Then you’ll be a
great teacher!
s) Prizes/Awards
Despite
activities in class, some students remain passive. Why? Who are responsible for
it? It’s none other than you teachers yourselves. Our students, especially
young participants expect something as a prize. We teachers promise prizes, but
with the passing of time, it is faded. But our students remember it. Next time
they hesitate to partake in activities we organize. Let’s not dash young ones’
hopes. Ultimately, it affects our objectives.
Humour in
class
A
teacher himself/herself should possess a sense of humour. In order to inject
enthusiasm into classrooms, multimedia is a must. If multimedia is not
accessible, teachers can provoke laughter in students by cracking jokes,
displaying caricatures and showing funny snapshots. A teacher has to be
imaginative.
REINFORCEMENTS
Reinforcements
in teaching are award and punishment practices. Both practices are intended for
the enhancement of teaching and learning. If we look back, most of our teachers
all over the world practised negative reinforcements to keep students in their
grips. Of negative reinforcements, corporal punishment was dominant. It was
widely used. Times have changed. Today, it is strictly prohibited in most of
the countries. But the selection between positive reinforcements and negative
reinforcements is still debatable. In my opinion, the first one overlaps the
latter. The latter brings instant and momentary change. But the first one is
steady and gradual which brings lifelong change in students. It’s the time of
guiding not leading. In the past students were led, but today they are guided.
Some of the reinforcements are as follows:
Positive
Reinforcements:
- Verbal praise
- Stickers
- Certificates
- Appreciative notes to parents
- Tangibles/edibles
- Stamps
- Positive notes on work
- Free time for fun
- First to Leave
- Extra responsibilities
- Greeting Cards
- Green Cards Provisions (Appreciation)
Negative
Reinforcements:
— Sit out at the back of class
— Send to buddy class
— Write out the rules
— Lunch detention
— Send to time-out room
— Verbal reprimand
— Send to DI/Co-ordinator
— Change seating position
— Call to parents
— Withdrawal of privileges
— Overstay at school
— Deprivation of activities
— Overload of assignments
— Yellow card provision(as a
warning)
Vocabulary Test
Group
A
acuity fecund
delineate fiat
depraved figment
emend garner
enervate hallow
esoteric
From
the words in Group A and Group B following. Choose the one that most nearly
corresponds to each definition below. Write the word in the space.
a. (v.) to portray, sketch, or describe
in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially ________________
b. (v.) to set apart as holy or sacred,
sanctify, consecrate; to honour greatly, revere _______________
c. (n.) to correct; to alter to serve a
new or different purpose
d. (n.) a fabrication of the mind; an
arbitrary notion just a
e. (n.) an arbitrary order or decree; a
command or act of will or consciousness _________
f. (adj.) intended for or understood by
only a select few, private, secret ________
g. (n.) sharpness (particularly of the
mind or senses) _________
h. (v.) to acquire as the result of
effort; to gather and store away, as for future use _________
i. (adj.) fruitful in offspring or
vegetation; intellectually productive ____________
j. (v.) to weaken, lessen the mental,
moral, or physical vigor of, enfeeble, hamstring ________
k. (adj.) brought to a state of evil and
corruption, devoid __________
Group
B
idiosyncrasy penchant
ignominy reputed
malediction sophistry
mundane sumptuous
nuance ubiquitous
overwhelming
a)
(adj.)
earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary __________
b)
(n.)
a strong attraction or inclination __________
c)
(adj.)
present or existing everywhere __________
d)
(adj.)
according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance and
good reputation ___________
e)
(n.)
a curse, expression of hatred and condemnation _________
f)
(n.)
conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate _________
g)
(n.)
reasoning that seems plausible but is
actually unsound; a fallacy________
h)
(n.)
a subtle or slight variation (as in colour, meaning, quality), delicate
gradation or shade of difference _________
i)
(adj.)
costly, rich, magnificent ____________
j)
(n.)
shame and disgrace ___________
k)
(n.)
a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify ________
Group C
Word Power
Whatever your personality
type, you’ll win friends and influence people with a good
vocabulary. See which of these words related to character you can define— and perhaps which
defines you—and then analyze the next page for answers. Tick the best option.
i. cravan
a) reckless b) fussy c)
cowardly
ii. picaresque
a)like a daring rascal b) good looking c) standoffish
iii. recluse
a) group leader b) hermit c) problem solver
iv. narcissist
a) generous giver b) self-absorbed sort c) analytical type
v. ingratiate
a) eat impulsively b) attempt to control c) try to gain favour
vi. acolyte
a) follower b) braggart c)
daredevil
vii. bon
vivant
a) good listener b) trusted ally c) lover of fine dining
viii. sanguine
a) optimistic b) melancholy c)shy
ix. choleric
a) logical b) health-conscious c)
hot-tempered
x. congenial
a) unreliable b) given to gossip c)
friendly
xi. bloviate
a) get angry b) rant pompously c)
commit petty crimes
xii. venal
a) virtuous b) corruptible c)
interfering
xiii. bumptious
a) pushy b) countrified c)
roly-poly
xiv. altruistic
a) honest b) kind to others c)
quick to change
xv. bohemian
a) machoguy b)nonconformist c)
picker of arguments
(for
answers, you are requested to consult a dictionary. Or, you can also contact
the writer via email.)