Creating a strong classroom presence is essential for new faculty to establish credibility and effectively manage their classrooms. Students enter the educational environment with specific expectations. When they perceive their teachers as competent, caring, and honest, their emotional engagement and motivation to participate in academic activities significantly increase (Lv, 2024). Faculty should begin fostering a positive perception among students from the start of the course. This approach helps faculty establish credibility, which in turn leads to effective classroom management.

What Happens in the Absence of Building Credibility
Students might feel less motivated to attend and engage in activities.
Students may become indifferent to listening to the faculty.
Classroom management issues could escalate.
The classroom environment may become noisy and chaotic due to a lack of control.

This post offers three suggestions to help you build credibility and promote positive classroom behaviours.

Use Effective Body Language

Your body language can communicate confidence. When we communicate, we convey our messages through words, facial expressions, and body movements (Tai, 2014). This is known as body language, which interprets the meaning of various body parts. Soran, Bingol, and Kara’s (2022) study suggests that as a successful communicator, you not only listen to what others say but also pay attention to nonverbal cues like facial expressions, body movements, tone of voice, and personal space. Body language is a meaningful and valuable form of communication.

Maintain direct eye contact with students. Expert teachers use eye contact effectively to convey messages and gauge classroom dynamics. This practice can also help minimize side conversations and noise, contributing to a more focused learning environment.

While teaching, avoid standing still. Occasionally, walk around the classroom. If space is limited, walk in front of the board and to the corners. Avoid excessive movement, as it can be distracting and create tension. Walk purposefully, especially during transitions in your speech, to maintain continuity and engage your audience. As you practice these movements, you will gain better control and influence over your students. (Soran, Bingol, & Kara, 2022).

If a group of students is making noise or engaging in side conversations, do not ignore it. Ignoring disruptive behaviour can be perceived as a sign of weakness and may lead to escalating issues in the classroom. When you notice such behaviour, approach the group to understand what is happening. Address them firmly outside of the classroom. While doing so, maintain a positive demeanour but use a firm tone to establish clear expectations.

Build Rapport with Students

Establishing a positive relationship with students can significantly enhance your classroom presence. Start by learning students’ names and showing genuine interest in their lives and academic progress. This can create a supportive and engaging learning environment.

Creating Expectations Together

For example, begin the semester by collaboratively establishing guiding principles in the classroom. Conduct a 5-minute activity where students work in groups, with each group sharing one expectation they have of you and one expectation they aim to fulfill as students. After gathering the expectations from all groups, provide a brief debrief to clarify which expectations can be met within the classroom and which are beyond the faculty’s capacity. Occasionally, remind the students about these expectations. You also can pin the expectations in the course shell.

If you are new to teaching, it may take some time to establish credibility, but with consistent practice, you will eventually find the approach that works best for you and your classroom. However, this process can be more complex and challenging without opportunities for consultation and reflection. Feel free to contact a consultant at Teaching and Learning to discuss specific issues and find quick solutions. Engaging with an expert can ease your journey and provide valuable support for your teaching endeavours.

References

Lv, W. (2024). Unveiling the power of teacher credibility and care in learners’ motivation through the lens of rhetorical/relational and broaden-and-build theory. Learning and Motivation, 86, 101988-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2024.101988.

Soran, A. A., Bingol, M. A., & Kara, S. (2022). Body Language in Education and Effective Recommendations to Pre-Service Teachers in Classroom Management. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 9(1), 298-307. https://doi.org/10.23918/ijsses.v9i1p298

Tai, Y. (2014). The Application of Body Language in English Teaching. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 5(5), 1205-. https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.5.5.1205-1209