SCHOOL MINISTRY GUIDELINES

School staff are interested in providing learners with a quality education. The Reach4Life programme encourages learners to reach their fullest potential. This means the school and the programme are working toward the same goal. The Reach4Life programme also provides moral guidance which will have a positive effect on both the learners and the classroom. For things to work smoothly in the classroom, meet with the teacher whose classroom you will be using. During the meeting:

• Be professional and courteous.

• Briefly explain the basics of the programme.

• Find out how much time you will have and stick to it.

• Ask how many learners are in the class.

• Don’t ask the teacher for supplies; bring your own pencils, etc.

• Learn what the classroom rules and methods of discipline are.

• Find out if the school has any special policies and procedures you should be aware of.

• Are there any safety procedures (fire drills, school lockdowns, other emergencies)?

• Is there a dress code for the teachers?

• If someone comes and asks the learner to go with them, how should you respond?

• If possible, ask to be introduced to teachers in classrooms nearby.

• Find out where the restrooms are. Tour the building to become familiar with the layout.

• Ask the teacher if he or she has any preference as to whether the learners call you by your first name or your surname.

• Ask where you should store your personal items (coat, purse, bag).

• Thank the teacher for letting you come into their classroom and let them know you are looking forward to working in their classroom.

Establishing authority in the classroom

Establishing yourself as an authority figure may seem uncomfortable, especially if it’s the first time you have taken on such a role. To gain the respect of the learners, you must look and act the part of a confident, capable leader. This means:

• Standing: You will spend the majority of your days on your feet. This gives you a height advantage over most learners and establishes you as an authority right away.

• Dressing appropriately: Look at what you wear on the job as your work clothes. If you are wearing something sloppy or inappropriate you will lose the respect of the learners, your co-workers, and supervisors and parents.

• Smiling confidently: Even if you aren’t in a great mood or feeling confident you need to project a positive attitude. This gives the learners confidence and will probably help to turn your mood around.

• Speaking slowly and clearly: Thinking before you speak is extremely important. Make sure that what comes out of your mouth is professional and it will gain you respect.

Dealing with confrontational learners

One difficult issue for teachers is dealing with confrontational learners. Here are some ideas and tips to help in this situation:

• Do not lose your temper: This can be harder than it sounds. However, you must remain calm. You have a classroom full of learners watching you. If you lose your temper and start shouting at a confrontational learner, you have given up your position of authority and lowered yourself to the learner’s level. Instead, take a deep breath and remember that you are the authority figure in the situation.

• Do not raise your voice: Raising your voice will simply make things worse. Instead, it is better to talk quietly as the learner gets louder. This will help you keep control and appear less confrontational to the learner, thereby helping to calm the situation.

• Do not get other learners involved: It doesn’t help to get other learners involved in the confrontation. For example, if the learner is making an accusation about something you did or did not say, do not turn to the rest of the class to ask them what you said. The confrontational learner might feel backed into a corner and become even more angry. A better response would be to say that you will be happy to speak with him about the situation after the class is over.