In order to benefit from the expertise of staff members, transfer knowledge from different disciplines and keep abreast of the new strategies in teaching and learning, the College of Public Health and Health Informatics, Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), held a lecture titled "Classroom Management" on Monday, 12^th Muharram 1439H (2^nd October 2017). The lecture was presented by Prof. Dr. Hamed Adetunji, Professor at the Department of Epidemiology, and attended by a number of department heads and many staff members from the various departments at the College.    

Prof. Adetunji reviewed the lecture with an introduction that included quotations of some scholars on classroom management. For example, he quoted Martin (2002) in that the classroom environment was a complex environment in which students and teachers communicated continuously through discussion, talking, writing, and even using gestures such as hand lifting and waving; it was also a process of ensuring that classes continued smoothly despite student disruptive behavior (this term also means the prevention of disruptive behavior). Another example was the opinion of Safran and Shaker Oglu (2004) that when such interaction was supposed to be a significant component of the teaching and learning process, it was noted that the teacher was an important factor in effective management.

The classroom management concept includes all what a teacher does to organize students, place, time, and materials; so that content education can be fulfilled and students can learn. Moreover, there are two main objectives of classroom management: to promote student participation and cooperation in all classroom activities, and to create a productive work environment.

During the lecture, Prof. Adetunji highlighted the significance of good classroom management. He explained that good organization and management of classrooms was a prerequisite for establishing an effective learning environment. He added that the management of the classroom included the development of procedures, the existence of governing rules, and the reduction of discipline problems.

In the same context, the lecturer clarified the concept of student disruptive behavior as any action or group of actions done by an individual, which was unreasonably inconsistent, hindered, obstructed or prevented the right of others to participate freely in his/her activity, program or service. This included behavior that might prevent staff members and employees from carrying out professional responsibilities. Prof. Adetunji also presented some reference material on classroom management, especially for junior teachers.  

At the end of the lecture, the attendees talked about a number of aspects of the subject. Such aspects included the significance of focusing on institutional development programs and their use in teacher training not only in control but also in classroom management, due to the various backgrounds from which students came and the need for consideration and assumption of their cultural and other differences. Moreover, the attendees discussed the need to maintain balance in the classroom during activities and to neutralize stubborn students. In addition, staff members discussed the standardization of classroom management level, so that there could be no differences in the way of dealing and control between teachers. In this regard, some staff members demanded examples of problems in the behavior of students and some of the solutions proposed to them. Some participants also stressed the importance of the first impression left by the teacher on the students, and emphasized the objectives of the courses and lessons and the method to achieve them. Finally, some of the attendees wondered how to render study and its activities interesting to and enjoyable for students.