Teacher-Child Relationship and Preschool Classroom Management

Did you know that children who have a strong sense of security, trust, and confidence usually learn more than their peers? One way children acquire these traits early in life is through strong, healthy relationships with their caregivers. Preschooling is a major turning point in a child’s life. Because school creates a situation where the child is away from parental care and home environment. It helps the child adapt to the new environment and get a chance to interact more with children of the same age. In such a situation teachers play an important role in shaping the character of a child.

Interactions with teachers and peers are critical for children’s social, behavioural, and academic development in the classroom context. Good teachers teach children how to be learners. Preschoolers need to learn to be curious, think flexibly, solve problems, and develop self-regulation.

How to Develop Strong Teacher-Child Relationships?

A child’s preschool experience is fundamentally shaped by their relationship with their teacher, which also influences how well they grow emotionally, physically, and socially.

• Observant and responsive teachers: Preschool is the first time a child moves away from home to a different environment. Therefore, the teacher must understand the needs of the children and work in response to those. The teacher should listen to the child when the child needs it. Moreover, a teacher needs to develop a teacher-student relationship where the child can talk to the teacher without fear.
• Engaging play: Engaging play is the most effective way to build a relationship with students. If learning through play is done with the students, they can develop a good relationship with the teachers, thereby making learning easier. The teacher can offer suggestions to the children to further their play.
• Have a positive attitude: It is very important for teachers to always have a positive attitude. Because children are always watching their teachers. They observe how teachers behave and react in every situation and try to adapt to it. So a positive attitude creates a positive classroom.
• Express empathy, comfort, and safety: A model teacher is someone who understands children’s emotions and behaves aptly. So help children feel that you understand their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. As a result, it strengthens the relationship between the teacher and the child, strengthens trust and helps the child feel safe and cared for.

Every moment is an opportunity for teachers to build and strengthen relationships with children. Getting to know children is an important strategy for creating good teacher-child relationships in school; expressing empathy, comfort, and safety; developing a positive attitude; setting expectations; and encouraging and supporting children, these are key

Why is Classroom Management Important?

Preschool classroom management are methods that teachers use to manage their students’ behaviour and create a healthy classroom environment. Let’s take a look at some preschool classroom management tips to help maintain routines and meet student needs:

• Create positive and productive learning environments: A classroom can only provide a safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment if it is well managed. And in a classroom where they feel safe and supported, students actively engage and take academic risks. When a teacher enforces clear expectations, establishes consistent routines, and fosters a positive classroom climate, she/he/they create an environment where students can share ideas, seek clarification, and collaborate.
• Behaviour of students: Classroom management strategies are important for preventing and managing behaviour problems among students. A positive classroom is catalytic to good student behaviour. . Disruptive incidents can be reduced if students are told the boundaries and standards of acceptable behaviour.
• Time efficiency: Well-managed classrooms are more efficient in utilising instructional time. To maximise the time teachers spend on teaching, teachers should establish clear procedures for distributing materials, facilitating and transitioning group work.
• Life-long skills: Classroom management teaches students lifelong skills that extend beyond the classroom setting. In addition to developing organisation skills, goal-setting, and self-regulation, students learn time management, self-discipline, and responsible behaviour.
• Inclusion: Classroom management practices contribute to creating a learning environment that is inclusive of a range of learners. To accommodate students with different abilities and backgrounds, teachers can use different strategies, such as differentiated instruction, flexible grouping, and the use of assistive technology.

Classroom management is essential for creating a positive learning environment. It helps to reduce problematic behaviour, foster a sense of belonging, and ensure that students are engaged, motivated, and learning to their fullest potential.