Maintaining Classroom Discipline: The Show-Off (1954) 

Maintaining Classroom Discipline                             No matter how much you know about what you teach, managing the classroom has to be effective to produce a learning environment that results in learning. As a teacher of English as a Foreign Language, that means you have to do three things very well: 

1. You know how to read, write, speak and understand English at a high level. 

2. You understand how children learn (pedagogy). 

3. You are able to manage the classroom so that learning can occur. 

In the video below, there are problems. We meet the class clown, the "show-off". Every class has one, in varying degrees. What's important is the behavioural management solutions you choose to use. It is not easy, and there are no tried and tested methods that work for all students. 

At the end of the video we are well aware of the problem. The problem is causing everyone in the school community a lot of concern. What to do about it?

The method of behaviour management chosen is to try to use peer pressure. In a classroom, the actions of peers, in fact, can hurt or help the class teaching and learning environment. Therefore, it is essential to study the pros and cons of this option closely.

"Peer Pressure"

It is essentially a question about the balance of power, fear, and the natural tendency of humans to not get involved in situations they recognise as wrong, but were not initiated by them. Yet, peer pressure is offered as an alternative, with no easy answers given. 

So, when would peer pressure be advisable, and when would it be not a very good idea? You have to decide for yourself, hopefully, well in advance of meeting the actual classroom situation... 

Finally, in this case, as shown in the video, do you think Peer Pressure is the best option, or would you try something different?

Video Source: http://archive.org/details/ShowOffT1954 

**

Author Page: Thomas Jerome Baker