Introduction to Classroom Management

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Introduction to Classroom Management

• ACED 4900/7900
• Classroom and Laboratory Management

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Important Topics

• Need for classroom management
• Definitions
• Student needs that affect behavior
• Trends in classroom management

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Is There a Need?

• In the 1999 Gallup Poll, Lack of discipline/more
  control was rated as the biggest problem facing
  public schools.
• 47 of all teenagers stated their schools were
  becoming more violent.
• Phi Delta Kappa polled teachers and reported that
  50 felt that talking back to and disobeying
  teachers occurred frequently.
• Cotton 1992 found that nearly half of classroom
  time involves activities other than instruction.

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How about your classroom or laboratory?
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Definitions

• Classroom Management The process of
  establishing and maintaining an effective
  learning environment.

Successful teachers place more emphasis on
classroom management than on their roles as
authority figures or disciplinarians.
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Definitions

• Discipline Training that is expected to produce
  a specified character or pattern of behavior.
  Controlled behavior.

• Rules A principle of conduct observed by members
  of a group.

See page 254
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Definitions
A Good Website For Lots of Great Information on
Classroom Management is
http//chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/manage/rules
.html
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Definitions

• Procedures A set of established methods for
  conducting the affairs of a business or
  classroom.
• See pages 256 259.
• Climate A prevailing condition in human
  affairs.
• Classrooms that have a climate of
  competitiveness, hostility, and alienation cause
  anxiety and discomfort and do not facilitate the
  intellectual development of many students.
• Classrooms in which students and teachers support
  one another facilitate the development of
  self-esteem.

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Student Needs

• Maslow
• Suggests that there is a hierarchy of basic human
  needs.
• Lower-level needs generally take precedence over
  higher-order needs.
• People are basically good and that they have an
  innate need to be competent and accepted.
• Unproductive behavior is not an indication of a
  bad child but rather as a reaction to the
  frustration of basic needs not being met.

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Maslow

• 1) Physiological hunger, thirst, bodily
  comforts, etc.
• 2) Safety/security out of danger
• 3) Belongingness and Love affiliate with others,
  be accepted
• 4) Esteem to achieve, be competent, gain
  approval and recognition.

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Student Needs

• Topper provided a list based on research and
  interviews with students.
• Friends who care for you
• Fun and challenging things to do
• Having choices and learning how to make choices
• Physical well-being
• Status and a cool reputation
• Unconditional love, someone who will always be
  your advocate

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Student Needs

• Lipsitz wrote extensively on the needs of early
  adolescents in the school environment.
• Diversity
• Opportunities for self-exploration and
  self-definition
• Meaningful participation in school and community
• Positive social interaction with peers and adults
• Physical Activity
• Competence and achievement
• Structure and clear limits

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Major Trends/Theories

• The Counseling Approach (1960 1970)
• Emphasis on discipline
• Teacher training focused on what to do AFTER
  students misbehaved
• William Glasser developed reality therapy
• Based on the belief that young people need caring
  professionals
• Young people need help taking reasonability for
  their behavior and help developing a plan aimed
  at altering their unproductive conduct

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Major Trends/Theories

• Behavioristic Methods (1970 1980)
• The focus of classroom discipline moved in the
  direction of teacher control.
• Teachers were taught to ignore inappropriate
  behavior while reinforcing appropriate behavior
• Canter presented Assertive Discipline.
• Teachers learned to state clear general
  behavioral expectations
• And, to teach students how to behave properly

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Major Trends/Theories

• Lee and Marlene Canters Assertive Discipline,
  continued
• Teachers must model and directly teach proper
  behavior.
• Negative consequences are penalties teachers
  invoke when students violate class expectations.
• Three types of teachers (page 85, C. M. Charles)
• Hostile
• Nonassertive
• Assertive

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Major Trends/Theories

• Teacher-Effectiveness Research (1970s)
• Emphasized not what teachers did in response to
  misbehavior but how teachers prevented or
  contributed to students misbehavior.
• Focused on three sets of teacher behavior
• Organizing managing activities
• Presenting instructional material
• Teacher-student relationships
• See pages 20-23

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Major Trends/Theories

• Integration of Approaches
• The behavioral tradition has been characterized
  by adding the following to teacher training
• Beginning the school year
• Working with parents
• Helping students with homework
• Brophy 1996, highlighted the blending of teacher
  effectiveness research with the emphasis on
  creating caring communities of support.

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Conclusion

• Teachers need to continually upgrade their skills
  in motivating and managing students.
• Research in classroom management has expanded
  dramatically during the past twenty years.
• See Page 36! In other words, there are no easy
  answers to all problems we will encounter.