CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Classroom Management

Classroom Management

Introduction

When dealing with classroom management it is important to consider the level and type of education being taught. Middle school student behave differently than high school students, and gifted students behave differently than "exceptional" students. For this essay I will focus on classroom management in secondary public school classrooms. There are two parts to an effective classroom management plan; preventive management, and corrective discipline. The first part refers to maintaining a learning environment comfortable for both the teacher and student. The later considers the necessary actions in order to correct any misbehavior.

Classroom Management

For many teachers, misbehavior is the most difficult problem to deal with. It disrupts their lesson plans along with other students' learning. In The Synergetic Classroom, C. M. Charles explains some reasons why students misbehave in the classroom. Some students like to see how far they can push and what they can get away with. Others like to mimic each other, especially when it involves disapproved behavior. Most students crave attention and if necessary, they will misbehave to get it. Few students are egocentric and believe anything they do is all right, including retaliation when they don't get their way. All these behaviors can be eliminated, modified, or avoided in the classroom.

Avoiding, or preventing these disruptions is the primary goal in classroom management. To set the stage, there are several aspects of classroom management that reduce the chances of misbehavior. In her book, The Caring Teacher's Guide to Discipline, Marilyn Gootman explains a model of organization to avoid discipline hassles. By organizing space and scheduling time, students will know where things belong and what to do. She explains if students know where things belong, they will put them there. When they know what to do, they are more likely to do it. By developing a daily routine, the students get to reinforce the appropriate behavior on a daily basis. Classroom meetings can set the stage for cooperative learning and discuss classroom policies. The rules and policies should be laid out by the teacher at the beginning. If the students are mature enough, this process may be democratic. The rules, policies, and consequences of breaking them should then be understood and agreed upon by entire class.

Part of the preventive management phase is maintaining the appropriate behavior. Now that the grounds are set for a well-behaved and productive classroom, the teacher must monitor and maintain appropriate classroom activity. Edmund Emmer explains in Classroom Management for Secondary Teachers, to be an effective monitor of classroom behavior, you must know what to look for. He explains the two main things to look for are; the students' involvements in learning activities, and the students' compliances with the classroom rules and procedures. I believe a major tool in maintaining a cooperative classroom is to provide positive reinforcement when students display appropriate behavior. This may come in the form of praise or rewards. This is psychological method is known as "shaping." This provides a positive learning environment where the teacher works with, ...