Classroom Management

Margelet's Place

Classroom Management

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

"Specific Classroom Management Strategies for the Middle/Secondary Education Classroom."

This abstract by McFarland contains detailed classroom management strategies for teachers working in the area of middle and secondary level classrooms. The strategies covered many facets of management techniques. The strategies were listed as follows; Teachers should have lesson plans that are organized and fully developed including all components of the teaching learning cycles. They should include activities that reflect multiple learning styles. Classrooms should be orderly having a good room arrangement and traffic areas free of congestion, also to include an attractive environment. Teachers should have a positive attitude along with high expectation for all students. When the teacher redirects off task activities he/she should choose non-verbal over verbal comment whenever possible. The teacher should be motivated and interested as well as informed about subject matter to be taught. To prevent discipline problems classroom planning should be done before they happen. Clear instruction should be given by the teacher before moving the students into activities. To prevent boredom students should be kept actively engaged in activities.

In the classroom the teacher is in the position of providing a safe and secure environment for the student to come in .When the student can enter this type of setting there are fewer problems. When the student feels that the teacher will listen and try to understand them they will try harder to accomplish the goals and objectives that have been set. This works out for both the student and teacher. If the teacher is well informed and plans are implemented accordingly there are fewer problems in classroom discipline. When the student is actively engaged in activities there is a sense of belonging and they feel that they have a part in what is going on.

The implications this has on education shows that good planning deters disciplinary

problems in the classroom. This article indicated that all components and strategies are to

be included a well rounded plan. When working with children/students it is important to

remember that the teacher has a big influence on the outcome of many of the classroom

situations that occur on a daily base. It is also important to know that children need to feel

safe and know the teacher.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Pre-service Teacher’s Knowledge of Effective Classroom Management Strategies: Defiant Behavior.

This article written by Kher, Neeland was presented at the annual

Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. This study

identified pre-service teachers’ knowledge about effective and ineffective

classroom management strategies for defiant behavior. Data was presented

in extended written form. The responses were obtained from student

teachers in a rural, southern teacher education program at the end of their

student teaching experience in the spring semester. Participants were asked

to generate classroom strategies in response to problems that occurred in

the classroom. They had to discuss the strategies the would use in handling

two forms of defiant behavior and specific strategies that might not work.

The analysis indicated that student teachers’ reported strategies for both

vignettes were more similar than different. They most frequently reported

that they would send the student to the office, give verbal directives to stop

the behavior, lecture or reprimand, talk to both student separately, and

involve the principal or parents.

Strategies they typically considered ineffective included yelling or

screaming at the students or threatening punishment. What was absent from

the student teachers’ responses were proactive measures to prevent such

behavior or attempts to socialize the students to cooperate with learning

goals.

When trying to avoid defiant behavior, sending a child to the office

might work for a limited time because this takes the student out of the

learning environment. This could also give a negative influence if the

principal is not firm and supportive of his/her teaching staff. The student

will become aware of a way to get out of the classroom and that defiant

behavior will continue. This could hurt the student more than help him/her.

Planning ahead to keep your students on task will avoid inappropriate

behavior. It will help to model the acceptable behavior and always take care

of the misbehavior with the LEAST amount of disruption to your lesson and

the other students.

THE DREIKURS MODEL

Dreikurs developed the model "Confronting Mistaken Goals".

The major components to this model are:

1. Discipline is not punishment. It means self control.

2. The teacher’s role is helping pupils to impose limits on

themselves.

3. Teachers can model democratic behavior by providing

guidance and leadership and involving pupils in setting

and consequences.

4. All students want to belong. Their behavior is directed to

belonging.

5. Misbehavior is the result of their mistaken belief that it will

gain them peer recognition.[It is usually a mistake to assume

that misbehavior is an attack directed at the teacher.]

6. Misbehavior is directed at mistaken goals: attention-getting,

power-seeking, revenge and displaying inadequacy. The trick

is to identify the goal and act in ways that do not reinforce

mistaken goals.

7. Teachers should encourage student’s efforts, but avoid praising

their work [?]or character. [ Others disagree.]

8. Support the idea that negative consequences follow

inappropriate behavior by your actions.