Teaching has changed drastically in the past few years. The classroom, especially the virtual classroom, has become more student-centered. This means that the role of the class teacher has become even more critical. Teachers employ many types of classroom management strategies to manage their classrooms efficiently. A good class teacher has to have a good understanding of kids in the digital age. Building a relationship with Gen Z is complex, and getting them engaged in class. These and many others – Let’s see how a great class teacher manages her course.

Every class teacher wants an active and engaged classroom during their online learning sessions. Not only this, but effective communication with the parents also takes a priority place on every class teacher’s checklist.

Role of an ideal Class Teacher

In the online classroom, a class teacher is the face of a learning program in schools or coaching institutes. She is the bridge between the students and their parents and the institute on the other side.

Before employing different types of classroom management strategies, you should understand the role of an ideal class teacher and the needs of each stakeholder involved.

Needs of the parents

• Parents need to be updated with any learning patterns or syllabus changes.
• Every communication concerning their child’s performance has to be duly reported.
• Any important notification or new announcements has to be prompt to them.

Needs of the students

• Every child’s learning curve is different. Thus, every student needs to be engaged differently in the classroom.
• Doubts or learning gaps of the students have to be taken care of.
• The class teacher must ensure that every child is comfortable in her class and is treated with respect.

Needs of the learning program

• The class teacher is the face of the institute and is expected to create goodwill about the institute in front of the parents.
• Any bad news has to be delivered with sensitivity.
• The class teacher has to help the parents and students adapt to the new learning processes as and when required.

Wow! That’s a long list of tasks to accomplish. Let’s get started on the ‘how’ then.

How to be an efficient class teacher

Whatever be your type of classroom management, meeting everyone’s expectations in the classroom is a humongous task. It is not easy to keep so many people happy simultaneously. However, intelligent teachers will plan, prepare, and use technology to play their roles efficiently.

Plan for a year, a month, a week, and a day. Confused?

•  As a class teacher, you have been assigned some tasks for the year. Plan and Schedule your planner accordingly. 
• You also have some tasks assigned for a given month. Plan for the coming month in advance, latest by the last week of the ongoing month.
•  Give one hour of your precious weekend to plan for the coming week to better your classroom management experience.
• Before going to bed, chalk out the to-do list for the next day.
• Use apps like Evernote and Clover Note to plan a hassle-free.

Other points to keep in mind:

1. Keep a note-taking diary or app accessible with you to jot down important points to communicate with the parents or students.
2. Create a class group on Whatsapp, Telegram, or the likes for your students to reach out to you beyond class hours.
3. Reach out personally to parents from time to time and ask them for feedback on your virtual classroom.
4. Conduct Parent Teachers meet regularly to keep them updated about their children’s performance and behavior.
5. Communicate parents’ grievances to your school or learning program promptly. Give relevant suggestions whenever necessary.
6. Participate actively in the curriculum-building activities of your school or institute.
7. Plan and design student engagement activities like group discussions, peer teaching, quizzes, etc., for your virtual classroom.
8. Create topic-wise assignments to understand the learning gaps of your students.
9. Plan and schedule extra doubt clearing classes for your students.

The role of class teachers has become ever more important in online learning. The class teacher must assess her students correctly and bridge their learning gaps.

We have tried to bring to your notice your role and responsibility as a class teacher, especially if you are teaching online. As we know, the more critical a part is, the more difficult it seems. But, technology has eased our duties in managing our classroom.

For example, like an online class teacher, your classroom management can be made easy by Classplus. You can have your own app customized according to your needs, preferences, and budget. Instead of a train of apps installed on your devices, you can manage your entire class simply by one app. How cool and convenient is that!