Classroom management

Classroom Management By: Jenifer Frye Lisa Miller Natalie Beckett Inquiry Project CI 4000

Today, teachers everywhere in the world face challenges that were once not even imaginable. In every culture, teachers are expected to not only teach all students to behave in a civilized way, but also to help students realize their potential as adults. To accomplish this, teachers have been given little more than classroom space, some lined paper, perhaps a computer, and little more toward managing the enormous task they have been asked to do. More than ever before, today's teachers need help. However, it must be the right kind of help. Basically, the responsibility for good classroom discipline rests with the classroom teacher. Most authorities agree that w/out a comfortable disciplinary situation, the teacher’s job becomes frustrating, and even unbearable. As a result, little teaching or learning will take place. It is very important that you establish clearly and immediately the behavior pattern to be followed by the students in your class.
The number one problem is the classroom is not discipline, it is the lack of procedures and routines. Discipline concerns how students behave, and has penalties, and rewards. Procedures concern how things are done. They have no penalties or rewards. Procedures help prevent discipline problems, and are those things that will help your class to run smoothly. Every time the teacher wants something done, there must be a procedure or a set of procedures. For instance, have procedures for taking roll, exchanging papers, registering the students on the first day, collecting lunch money, and moving from task to task. If not, time that should be spent on learning will be wasted getting those procedures done. On the first day of class, the teacher needs to develop her procedures with the students. When doing this, the students need to have a part in helping to develop them, because when they do, they will help to apply these procedures, and take ownership because they helped to make them. Most behavior problems in the classroom are caused by the teacher’s failure to teach students how to follow procedures.

This page contains only a segment of this project.

Table of Contents

Pages Title

1-6             Discipline Manual
7-8             Master Teacher Tips
9-20          50 Ways To Enhance Self Esteem
21-22        Group Management Strategies
23              Use of Classroom rules and procedures
24              Having students do what you want
                     you want them to do
25              Discipline Kids are Worth It
26             Techniques that Backfire
27             TLC Newsletter
28-30       Education Update Newsletter
31            Discipline Law
32-77       Focus on ADD and ADHD
78-84       Focus on Learning Disabilities
85             Individualized Education Program

WHAT IS YOUR TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS?

1. It is more efficient to have your students pass their papers across the rows than up the aisles.

2. Scatter questions throughout the lesson or chapter rather than placed at the end.

3. An assignment must be posted and in a consistent location before the students enter the class.

4. To increase assignment completion, give structured, precise assignments.

5. Use a norm-referenced test to check for mastery.

6. The number of students in a group is determined by the size of your class.

7. Begin each day or period by taking roll as quickly and efficiently as possible

8. A grade book should have a minimum of three lines per student

9. A teacher can change to most any other position in education in 3-5 years with a raise in salary of 25 percent or
more.

10. Teachers are an underpaid group of people who do not have the respect of the public

11. Praise the student when the student does well.

12. An excellent way to get class attention is to flick the lights.

13. The assignment and the test should be written at the same time.

14. Beginning teachers are better off using general rules.

15. The number one problem in the classroom is discipline

16. Procedures have no penalties or rewards

17. To increase student learning and achievement, increase the amount of time the student is working.

18. TESA research states that people who are hesitant to learn or do not want to learn tend to sit at the back of the classroom.

19. The number of questions on a test is governed by the number of objectives on the assignment

20. There is more evidence validating mastery learning than there is for any other aspect of education.

http://www.classroommanagement.com/quiz/quiz.html

ANSWERS

T 1. It is more efficient to have your students pass their papers across the rows than up the aisles.
T 2. Scatter questions throughout the lesson or chapter rather than placed at the end.

T 3. An assignment must be posted and in a consistent location before the students enter the class.

T 4. To increase assignment completion, give structured, precise assignments.

F 5. Use a norm-referenced test to check for mastery.
        (Use a criterion-referenced test. )
F 6. The number of students in a group is determined by the size of your class.
        (The number of students is determined by the number of jobs. )
F 7. Begin each day or period by taking roll as quickly and efficiently as possible.
        (Begin with an assignment. )
T 8. A grade book should have a minimum of three lines per student.

T 9. A teacher can change to most any other position in education in 3-5 years with a raise in salary of 25 percent or more.
F 10. Teachers are an underpaid group of people who do not have the respect of the public.
        (Teachers are educated, middle-class people. )
F 11. Praise the student when the student does well.
        (Praise the deed. )
F 12. An excellent way to get class attention is to flick the lights.

T 13. The assignment and the test should be written at the same time.

F 14. Beginning teachers are better off using general rules.
(use specific rules)
F 15. The number one problem in the classroom is discipline.
(it is the lack of procedures and routines)
T 16. Procedures have no penalties or rewards.

T 17. To increase student learning and achievement, increase the amount of time the student is working.

T 18. TESA research states that people who are hesitant to learn or do not want to learn tend to sit at the backof the classroom.

T 19. The number of questions on a test is governed by the number of objectives on the assignment.

F 20. There is more evidence validating mastery learning than there is for any other aspect of education.
(The evidence validates cooperative learning. )
Scoring (number correct):
17 + Congratulations! You should be a mentor.
15 + Good Job! You are a master teacher.
12 + You can improve! You're just surviving, aren't you?
10 + We can help! You're an At-Risk teacher.

What is your classroom management profile?

The steps are simple; Answer these 12 questions!
~ read each statement carefully
~ write your response from the scale below on a sheet of paper
~ respond to each statement based upon wither actual or imagined classroom experience
~ follow the scoring instructions below
1.=strongly disagree
2.=disagree
3.=neutral
4.=agree
5.=strongly agree

(1) if a student is disruptive during class, I assign him/her to detention, without further discussion/
(2) I don’t want to impose any rules on my students.
(3) The classroom must be quiet in order for students to learn.
(4) I am concerned about both what my students learn and how they learn
(5) If a student turns in a late homework assignment, it is not my problem
(6) I don’t want to reprimand a student because it might hurt his/her feelings
(7) Class preparation isn’t worth the effort
(8) I always try to explain the reasons behind my rules and decisions.
(9) I will not accept excuses from a student who is tardy.
(10) The emotional well-being of my students is more important than classroom control
(11) My students understand that they can interrupt my lecture if they have a relevant question.
(12) If the student requests a hall pass, I always honor the request

To score the quiz:
Add your responses to statements 1,3,and 9. This is your score for the authoritarian style.
Statements 4,8, and 11. This is your score for authoritative style.
Statements 6,10, and 12. This is your score for the Laissez-faire style
Statements 2,5, and 7. Refer to the indifferent style.

The result is your classroom management profile. Your score for each management profile can range from 3-15. A high score indicates a strong preference for that particular style. After you have scored your quiz, and determined your profile, read the descriptions of each management style. You may see a little bit of yourself in each one. As you gain experience, you may find that your preferred style will change.

AUTHORITARIAN:
The authoritarian teacher places firm limits and controls on the students. Students will often have assigned seats for the entire term. The desks are usually in straight rows and there are no deviations. Students must be in their seats at the beginning of class and they frequently remain their throughout the period. This teacher rarely gives hall passes or recognizes excused absences.
Often it is quiet, students know that they do not interrupt the teacher. Since verbal exchange and discussions are discouraged, the authoritarian’s students do not have the opportunity to learn or practice communication skills.
The teacher prefers vigorous discipline and expects swift obedience. Failure to obey the teacher usually results in detention or a trip to the principal’s office. In this classroom, students need to follow directions and not ask why.
At the extreme, the authoritarian teacher gives no indication that he/she cares for the students. There is little praise or encouragement, if any at all. Students in this class are likely to be reluctant to initiate activity, since they feel powerless. This style does little to increase achievement motivation or the setting of personal goals.

AUTHORITATIVE

The authoritative teacher places limits and controls on the students but simultaneously encourages independence. This teacher often explains the reasons behind the rules and decisions. If a student is disruptive, the teacher offers a polite, but firm reprimand. This teacher sometimes meters out discipline, but only after careful consideration of the circumstances.
The authoritative teacher is also open to considerable verbal interaction, including critical debates. The students know that they can interrupt the teacher, if they have a relevant question or comment. This environment offers the students the opportunity to learn and practice communication skills.
The teacher expresses a warm and nurturing attitude towards the students and expresses genuine interest and affection. The classroom abounds with praise and encouragement. The teacher is about guiding rather than leading.

LAISSEZ-FAIRE

The laissez-faire teacher places few demands or controls on the student. “Do your own thing”, describes this classroom. This teacher accepts the students impulses and actions and is less likely to monitor their behavior. The teacher strives not to hurt the student’s feelings and has difficulty saying no to his students or enforcing rules. When students interrupt, the teacher may feel as though they are not giving that student enough attention, or that the student may have something very valuable to add. Discipline is likely to be very inconsistent.
The teacher is ver involved with his students and cares for them very much. He is more concerned about the student’s well-being that he is with the classroom control. He sometimes bases classroom decisions on his students’ feelings rather than on the academic concerns. You want to be the students friend, You encourage contact outside the classroom. There may be difficulty establishing boundaries between professional life and personal life. It is hard for students to learn socially acceptable behavior when the teacher is so permissive. The students frequently have lower motivation to achieve, due to few demands placed upon them.

INDIFFERENT:

The indifferent teacher is not very involved in the classroom. The teacher places few demands, if any, on the students and appears generally uninterested. The indifferent teacher just doesn’t want to impose on the students. As such, he/she often feels that class preparation is not worth the effort. Things like field trips and special projects are out of the question. This teacher simply won’t take the necessary preparation time. Sometimes he/she will use the same materials, year after year. Classroom discipline is lacking. This teacher may lack the skills, confidence, or courage to discipline the students.
The students sense and reflect the teachers indifferent attitude. Accordingly, very little learning occurs. Everyone is just “going through the motions” and killing time. In this aloof environment, the students have very few opportunities to observe or practice communication skills. With few demands placed on them and very little discipline, students have low achievement motivation and lack self-control.

http://education.indiana.edu/cas/tt/v1i2/what/html

References:

NCAE~~ North Carolina Association of Educators

~ Master Teacher Tips
~50 Ways To Enhance Self Esteem
~ Having students do what you want
you want them to do
~ Discipline Kids are Worth It TLC Newsletter
~ Education Update Newsletter
~ Discipline Law

http://www.para.unl.edu/ServedDocuments/Behavior/lesson3.htm
~ Group Management Strategies

http://www.paraunl.edu/ServedDocuments/Organization/lesson5.html
~ Use of Classroom rules and Procedures

http://members.aol.com/churchward/ms/backfire.html
~ Techniques that Backfire

*Attention Deficit Disorder Info Packet
~ http://pe.central.vt.edu/adapted/adapteddisabilities.html
~ http://www.chadd.org/50class.htm
~ http://www.med.virginia.edu
~ http://www.chadd.org/doe
~ http://www.add.org
* Learning Disabilities Packet
~ http://www.pe.central.vt.edu/adapted/adapteddisabilities/html
~ http://www.ncld.org