Classroom Management Strategies

This page consists of my research on different educational theorists and their classroom management strategies.  Try out these strategies in your classroom!

Robert J. Marzano: Teacher/Student Relationships 

Marzano believes that classroom management is defined by quality teacher student relationships.

Teacher student relationships are established in three ways:

• ·      Exhibiting appropriate levels of dominance
• ·      Exhibiting appropriate levels of cooperation
• ·      Being aware of high-needs students

In order to have an appropriate level of dominance, teachers do not need to be controlling or harsh. Marzano instead suggests that teachers who are dominant give clear direction and guidance. Teachers have to have clear rules and expectations set, as well as consequences. This is applicable with both academics and behavior.

For teachers to have appropriate levels of cooperation with students, they must be reasonable and flexible. Teachers have to constantly assess how students respond to instruction and discipline, and make needed adjustments. Teachers also need to take personal interest in students. This includes things like greeting them, making eye contact, and engaging them in classroom participation.

Being aware of high needs students involves many different things. Much of this is dependent on the type of high need student a teacher is dealing with. For example, you may be dealing with a perfectionist student. The teacher would need to help the student understand that it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them.

Overall, I think that Marzano’s ideas are sound and reasonable. These are good things for teachers to keep in mind as they run their classroom day to day. I do think that a teacher’s awareness of high need students must be balanced. If a teacher spends too much time focusing on a few high needs students, the overall classroom environment could suffer.

Fred Jones: Classroom Environment 

Fred Jones believed that students misbehave and waste time when they feel passive, purposeless, and confused. This kind of feeling is generally caused by a teacher’s ineffectiveness. If a teacher is constantly nagging students, gives little direction, and is unclear about what he/she expects from the students, students will misbehave. Jones felt that teachers should have 5 sets specific skills and strategies for keeping students on task and behaving.

            The first skill set involves using your classroom structure to discourage misbehavior and time wasting. Teachers should always minimize the physical distance between themselves and the students. Teachers should constantly be around their students, perhaps by moving about the classroom. Classrooms should be arranged to accommodate this. Jones also suggests that teachers should establish a bell work routine for the beginning of each class period. This routine should be well established so that students begin work as soon as they enter the classroom, with little to no instruction from the teacher. This kind of routine cuts the time it takes students to “settle in” and puts them in the correct mindset immediately. Teachers should also give students established classroom rules.

            The second skill set involves teachers using their body language to discipline students. A teacher should work to have body language that communicates to students to stop wasting time or misbehaving. This wastes less time than verbal communication. For example, a teacher could move closer to a student that is misbehaving. This lets the student know that the teacher is aware of their behavior. Teachers should also work to remain stern, but calm. This includes maintaining proper posture, steady breathing and eye contact.

                The third skill set involves using a “say, see, do” method of teaching. This causes students to be continually actively engaged in a lesson. The teacher tells students what to do, shows them how to do it, and then they must do it. This process should be a continual input between the student and teacher. This way, a teacher can correct students as needed and help them to arrive at the appropriate goal.

            The fourth skill set is establishing an effective incentive system in the classroom. Incentives can be used to motivate cooperation, responsibility, and productivity. Jones stated that students should be able to earn Preferred Activity Time, or PAT, this will encourage students to stay on task. He also suggests having a backup system for students that continually misbehave.

            The fifth, and final, skill set is providing help to students on an individual basis. Jones felt that students must learn to work independently, and should not call for the teacher’s assistance unnecessarily. He calls these types of students, “helpless handraisers.” In order to discourage this, teachers must use a short amount of time to help students individually. This way, more students can receive help. Also, students will not misbehave and waste time while they are waiting for assistance.

            Overall, Jones believes that is the teachers primary responsibility to establish the appropriate classroom environment. This includes the classroom arrangement, pace of learning, and body language. This is the only way to ensure students will stay on task. 

Johnson and Johnson: Cooperative Learning

Roger and David Johnson developed the Cooperative Learning and Conflict Resolution model of teaching. In this model, students are instructed in small groups. This allows students to learn to work together and accomplish common goals. In their groups, students have the responsibility to learn the given material and also make sure that their peers also learn and understand the material.

The main objective of cooperative learning is to help each student grow as an individual in his or her own right. Teachers have to carefully structure student groups so that students believe that their success or failure is defined as a group. At the same time, they are individually accountable for doing their own part. This will help them to assist and encourage their group members. They should also be able to assess how well their group is working, and what changes can be made to improve their work. In doing so, they will gain social skills and learn to resolve conflicts in their groups. In order for cooperative learning for occur, groups must do all of these things.

Research has shown that using a cooperative learning model results in improved academic achievement, and more positive relationships in the classroom. Individually, this model benefits psychological health and self-esteem in students. This could be implemented in the classroom on a daily basis. Student groups could be used to review the learned material or perform an activity. In an art room, design lessons that would allow students to work in groups or teams. They could work on a collaborative art project. This would serve students well academically and socially. 

Kounin & Dreikurs: Dealing with Behavior Issues

Jacob Kounin’s work focus on how teachers can manage their classroom by using specific techniques that would reduce any occurrence of bad behavior. According to Kounin, it is the technique, not the personality, of a teacher that makes classroom management effective. Kounin has several techniques that are helpful in classroom management and discipline.  The most important thing for a teacher to have a well-managed classroom is awareness. They include the teacher being constantly aware of what is happening in the classroom, keeping up the momentum of a lesson, checking alertness of students, and holding students accountable for their actions. In short, good classroom management is a direct result of good planning, organization, and routine.

Rudolf Dreikur’s developed a theory based on his idea that “all behavior has a purpose.” Dreikur believed that students misbehave in order to accomplish self-serving goals. The four main goals are to gain attention, to gain power or control, to get revenge or compensate for hurt feelings, or to avoid failure. Teachers should never react to misbehaving students in an emotional or accusing manner. Regardless of the way a student misbehaves, it is important for educators to respond in a positive way. This includes reasoning and communicating with the student, as well as using logical consequences to correct poor behavior

For my personality, I feel that both of these strategies have merit. I like Dreikur’s ideas that students are acting out for a reason. As teachers, we should never label our students as troublemakers, or just assume that they are bad children. They may have legitimate emotional or social reasons for their behaviors, and we should strive to understand them. However, I feel somewhat more drawn to Kounin’s ideas. I especially appreciate the way that he places the responsibility on the teacher. It is only logical that a teacher that has a well-planned and engaging lesson would have less classroom management issues. If students are excited about learning, they will be less likely to misbehave.