Maintaining Classroom Rules Pre-
42 So, we were close in both outside and inside the class. I was not strict but
flexible. When we should be serious we should be, and when we should enjoy we should enjoy. Excerpt 29
As Garrett 2014 stated that a sense of humor can create a comfortable
learning environment p. 46. Participant A argued that building a good relationship with the students was important because it influenced the learning
process as stated in Excerpt 30. It was important because if the relationship was not good the learning
process would not be comfortable. Excerpt 30
Participant B built the relationship with the students by giving games in some meetings as mentioned in Excerpt 31. Doing the games made the students
happy with the activities and her. One of the ways to build the relationship was giving games. Using games
or having chats. The chats were not always about the lesson. There were some students I talked to personally. So, I did not talk in front of the class
but personally. Excerpt 31
She added that when she had a talk with her students, the topic was not only about the lesson. Sometimes, she also talked about
the students’ personal lives such as their addresses and hobbies as stated in Excerpt 32. Teachers show
their attention to the students by learning the students’ lives Garrett, 2014, p. 46.
For example, they asked me about my house, and then I asked them about their hobbies which were more personal. They were happy to be asked and
then they told me about it. It was like that, and I became their friend in sharing their story. Excerpt 32
Participant C tried not to be too strict with her students. She built a relaxing atmosphere by giving some jokes during the lesson. Additionally, she
tried to talk personally with the students so they felt that she cared for them as mentioned in Excerpt 33.
43 I had chats with them so that they felt I cared about them. The chat was
about how they could be more enthusiastic in learning. Excerpt 33 Participant D also had different strategies of building a good relationship
with the students. First, she was not strict and serious in the class. She wanted her students felt relaxed when they were studying as shown in Excerpt 34.
Usually, I was not too strict in the class. I meant I was serious but still relaxed when teaching in the class. Excerpt 34
The students were free to ask any questions to her and she would try to
answer it as the best as she could as stated in Excerpt 35. She would be honest if she could not answer the students’ questions.
If they wanted to ask anything, they did not understand, I would answer it based on my capability. If I could not answer it, I would be honest with
them or I gave it to them as an assignment. Excerpt 35 Second, she approached the students one by one when they were working
on their assignments as shown in Excerpt 36. It was done to check whether the students had a difficulty with their assignments. This extra help can make the
students believe that the teachers care for them Garrett, 2014, p. 47. When I gave the exercise I would come to them one by one. I asked them
whether they had difficulty or not, and when I explained the material whether there was something they did not understand or not. They would
say it if they had difficulty. Excerpt 36 In Excerpt 37, she concluded that the main point in building the
relationship was coming to the students personally. So, for me the main point was personal approach. Not only inside the
class, in front of the class when I was explaining whether they were listening to me or not. Sometimes, I came to them one by one. Excerpt
37
44 She stated that having a good relationship with the students was important.
It influenced the students’ willingness to study, and their respect for the teacher as mentioned in Excerpt 38.
For me it was important, it influenced your students’ willingness to study. Therefore, if your relationship with the students was good, they would not
be afraid of you but they would respect us as their teacher. So, a good relationship was when we came to their class, they would respect us, and
were willing to learn. Excerpt 38 In Excerpt 39, Participant E mentioned an interesting experience in
building her relationship with her students. She explained that in her school, many students sold various goods, such as food, accessories, and make-up. To create an
interaction with the students, she bought some of those goods. She realized that it made the students opened themselves and have an interaction with the teacher.
My students in Vocational High School had business, they sold various goods. There were foods and cosmetics. Usually, I bought it so that there
was an interaction. It made them was willing to open themselves and had interaction with the teacher. Excerpt 39
Sometimes, she also came to the class in the break time or when there was
no lesson. She came to the class just to have a small talk with the students, and to know more about them as stated in Excerpt 40.
I often came to their class when they did not have meeting or when they had recess. Then, I just saw them or had a chat. Excerpt 40
In the first meeting, she gave the students her phone number. She let the
students contacted her anytime to ask about the lesson or share their stories as shown in Excerpt 41. Welcoming each student to know the teacher personally
makes the students feel more connected and easy to follow the classroom rules Garrett, 2014, pp. 46-47.
45 The relationship was good enough. It was because on the first meeting I
had already let them to have my phone number. They could reach me by WhatsApp and usually they also used Instagram. Excerpt 41
In Excerpt 42, she mentioned that she was also open to her students. Her
students could come to her and share any stories with her. If there were students who wanted to share their story I was open to them
beyond the lesson hours, and there were many students came to tell their story. It helped me a lot when I taught. Excerpt 42
It could be concluded that all of the participants considered building a good relationship with the students was important. It would influence their
success in delivering the materials. During the Teaching Practicum, all the participants did some strategies to build their relationship with the students. As a
result, their strategies were effective in building a good relationship with the students.