Classroom management is a challenge that teachers often face; students who are busy talking to themselves, students do not submit assignments, to a messy class. Rules have been made but students often break them.
Marsaria Primadonna, chairman of the Cikal Teachers Campus, said, These challenges can be overcome by applying positive discipline. One of the elements is making a class agreement which is now also encouraged to be implemented in the Independent Curriculum era.
“By class agreement, students as a whole are involved in making of the and don’ts actions or behavior in the learning process. So a sense of responsibility will grow from within to carry out the agreement,” explained Pima, Marsaria's nickname.
This teacher, who has been teaching for more than twenty years, shared his experience in inviting students to discuss to formulate a class agreement. There are five steps that can be a teacher's guide.
1. Discussion of the importance of class agreements with students
At this level, The teacher can throw several trigger questions to the students. Some recommendation questions from Pima namely
"Why is it important to have a mutual agreement in class?”
"Why is it important for students to be fully involved in making the agreement?”
"Why is it important to agree?”
"Why not just the teacher who made it agreed by the student?”
The results of this discussion are mutually agreeing that students need to be active when formulating class agreements.
2. Drawing ideal class
In the next stage, The teacher invites students to prepare stationery and draw the ideal class. Students can imagine and be creative so that they can imagine if they are disciplined in complying with the agreement, they themselves feel the benefits.
“Why draw? Because students at all levels can draw. Although maybe there are some images that are more abstract, It does not matter,Pima said.
3. Bulk ideas
After drawing, Students are invited to translate their drawings into written points. Different levels will require different interventions. For example, PAUD students may need teacher help to write.
“For PAUD teachers or first grade students, for example, the teacher must ask the students, what they draw and write it down. But for a higher level, they will be more independent,” explained Pima.
4. Discussion to formulate agreement points
Next, Divide students into small groups to start discussion activities. Thus, Students learn to collaborate and begin to realize that there may be points in their desires that do not match those of their friends.
The teacher can provide a discussion canvas as a guide so that the discussion runs effectively. Pima explained, The canvas can be made simple by creating a table containing several questions.
“What is your dream class like??”
"How do we be able to interact well?”
“How to create all that?”
"How we as students can make our class safe and comfortable?”
"What are the class agreements that need to be there?”
The teacher can create a different format for discussion but make sure it is easy for students to do.
5. Make a sentence of agreement
The final step is to formulate a class agreement sentence. For upper class teachers, You can invite one of the students to lead the discussion. At this level, All input from each team is collected and then discussed.
“Nah, There will be lots of points from each group. They can be grouped together or have the same aim, diparaphrase, and made 3-5 positive sentence. Positive sentences, for example, not 'don't eat in class', but rather 'keeping the classroom clean', like that,” explained Pima.
According to Pima according to his experience, Fully involving students like this is very helpful so that the learning process can run comfortably. (Yosi)
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