Classroom Management (Chap. 4 & 5)
Quality teachers create quality classrooms where all
children learn well: Thus, they develop an “ethic of
care”
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
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What is classroom management?... pp. 137 & 177
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Theories and educators.. p. 178…
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Research on classroom management? .. p. 181..
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Why students behave/misbehave… p. 192…
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What management programs exist.. p.198…
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Developing a caring learning environment.. p. 203…
Reflection
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Why have you come to the teaching
profession; the classroom, in a time
such as this?
– Beginning teachers report spending many
sleepless nights and recurring nightmares due to
FEAR and worries about classroom management
and discipline problems .. P. 177/178
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What’s your reaction to the above
reality?
FEAR
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FEAR is:
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real
(Scheline, J., 2008)…. For example…
Problem
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Compared to past generations, contemporary
children have changed:
– Yes
– No
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Please justify your response
Fact
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– Children are increasingly selfish and disrespectful.
– Children are continually exhibiting limited moral and
ethical skills.
– Children are displaying potentially violent and
irresponsible behaviors (Berliner and Biddle, 1997).
• The Massachusetts School Law of 1647…Old Deluder
Satan Law (Towns of 50 & up start public schools)
Challenges
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What discipline problems might exist in
your classroom?
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What is your plan to address such
behavior problems?
– What do you want in your classroom in the
context of classroom management?
Classroom Management
“I’ve learned that people will forget
what you said, people will forget
what you did, but people will never
forget how you made them feel”
~Maya Angelou~
Classroom Management
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What is classroom management?
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Characteristics of a quality classroom:
– Is a gracious space…….
– Teacher practices “Ethics of Care.”
Ethics of care..p.178
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Carol Gilligan, 1982 (In a Different Voice)
considered two types of ethics:
– Ethics of right:
• Has rigid rules with clear lines & neutral principles…
– Ethics of care:
• Considers situations or circumstances in totality…. The
big picture or all the variables at play
– Quality classroom…..
Management
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“Children who are treated as if they are
uneducable almost invariably become
uneducable” ~ Kenneth Clark & Dark Ghetto, 1965 ~
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“Short sighted teachers create long term
problems”~ LaRon Coleman, 2010
Quality classroom
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Teacher understands that:
“The first two weeks of school will
determine how the rest of the school
year will go. Teachers need to
establish acceptable behavior limits
and teach acceptable behavior”
Randall Sprick
Quality classroom
Teacher understands that:
“For these are all our children. We will all
profit by or pay for whatever they
become”
James Baldwin
Quality Classroom
“I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the
decisive element in the classroom. It is my
personal approach that creates the climate. It is my
daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I
posses tremendous power to make a child’s life
miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an
instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or
humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my
response that decides whether a crisis will be
escalated or deescalated, and the child humanized
or dehumanized.”
-Hiam Ginnott, 1977
Quality Classroom (Glasser, 1993)
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Warm and supportive
Quality work is expected
Learners always asked to do their best
Learners evaluate their work & improve on it
Learners feel good about quality work
Destructive behaviors are discouraged- focus
is on quality
– Get off to a good start- plan ahead
(procedures, routines/rules &
consequences)
Quality Classroom (chap. 4)
 Is a learning community (p. 160)
–
–
–
–
–
–
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Believe in students’ abilities…
Has learning goals and objectives… road maps
Has flow… planning
Facilitates group development and cohesion…
Pigsface..
Avoid overemphasizing extrinsic rewards
Has positive feelings
Builds learners’ interests and intrinsic values…p. 162
No excuses for failure… internal vs. external
focus..p.163
Attends to learner’s needs including selfdetermination… p. 144 & 164
Quality classroom
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Teacher knows self (Wilen, et al. 2004)
– personality?
• Affirming/negative, Assertive or non-assertive, Democratic or
Dictatorial, Laissez-Faire or Autocratic, Existentialist or
/absolutist, etc.
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Knowing self:
– Pay attention to feedback from others:
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•
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Are you self-regulated? (Character)
Do you talk too much?
Do you talk in private with students?
Do you state what you want (rules) vs. what you don’t
want?
Do you offer frequent empty threats?
Are you flexible?
Do you know your students on an individual level?
Are you democratic? (Wilen, et al. 2004)
Quality Classroom
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Democratic educators:
• Say yes more often (Glasser, 1992)
• Are with it (Withitness– (Kounin, p.189)
• Say my job is.. Your job is…
• Praise in public & criticize in private
• Know the rules and remind learners
• Are never sarcastic
• Are consistent (Wilen, et al., 2004)
Quality Classroom
– Knowing self:
• Do you challenge existing myths (Wilen, et al., 2004)
• Do you use student-centered instructional approaches
(Johnson & Johnson, 2003)
• Do you focus on altering behavior instead of making
them behave?
• Do you practice 24 hr. rule?... If an issue if still bothering
you after 24 hrs., address it
• Do you understand reasons for good/bad
behavior?...p.194
• Do you understand children’s needs?
Quality classroom
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Knowing self:
– Do you understand that children:
• need and like structure
• will work hard for you, if they like who you are as a
person
• like to know what is expected of them
• like to know they are cared for (Love & Logic)
Ron, 2003.. The Essential 55)
( Clark
Quality Classroom (Wasicsko & Ross, 1982)
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Knowing self…do you:
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Expect the best from kids
Make the Implicit Explicit
Rewards, Yes! Punishments, No!
Let The punishment fit the crime
If you must punish, remove privileges
Ignorance is Bliss
Consistency is the Best policy
Know each student well
Use school work as Rewards
Treat students with respect & Love
Quality classroom (Wilen et al. 2004)
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Knowing self--- your powers
– Referent Power
• Relational, Charismatic, Personality
– Expert Power
• Competences, Qualification
– Legitimate Power
• Comes with office/role
– Coercive Power
• Punishment, threats, reference to position
– Reward Power
• Deserved recognition, praise, approval, etc
Quality Classroom
Teacher understands that:
“Change is caused by ordinary people doing
extraordinary things”
~Unknown source~
Quality Classroom
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Teacher:
– Develops a democratic learning environment that
values all learners… p. 185
– Develops authentic relationships.. p. 185
– Focuses on the basic goodness of learners.. “an
ethic of care” p. 180
– Establishes order before and during teaching
..p.185
– Provides a caring environment.. p. 205
Quality Classroom
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Teacher establishes a caring environment…social
democracy
– people consider the “Other,” hence , there is:
• Fairness, respect, justice, kindness, equality, equity, etc.
– members seek to:
• Understand other points of view
• Explain their point of view
• Share and understand feelings
• Collaborate to establish alternatives (Goodlad, et al. 2004).
Quality Classroom
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Teacher focuses on:
– Altering behavior vs. making them behave.
• Follow tested practices
• Meet their needs
• Condition them- Behavioral/Reinforcement theory
argues that humans are conditioned beings:
– Positive & Negative reinforcement (BF Skinner..p. 197)Use rewards that don’t cost a lot
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Research on classroom management.. p.184
Quality classroom
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Teacher knows his/her students -
What
and how?
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The what…
– Personality (Introvert, Extravert, Feelers,
etc., multiple intelligence)
– Learning styles (CS, CR, AR, AS..)
– Interaction dynamics (physical &
emotional)- be the decision-maker.
Quality classroom
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Knowing children:
– How”
• Systems already in place
• Communicate with parents
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How does your child seem to feel about going to school?
What are your goals for your child?
What are your child’s interests? (art, sports, lessons, pastimes)
What type of activities do you do as a family? (Christopher-
Gordon Publisher, Inc 1994)
– Involve parents (Fawcett, 1995)
• All parents, especially poor ones want to be involved
(Rassol & Curtis, 2000. p. 254; Michie, p. 23)
Quality Classroom--Involving Parents (Fawcett,
1995)
 Recruit a parent volunteer for specific tasks/roles
 Collaborate with parents when problems arise
 Involve parents in goal setting
 Use technology to excite parents about their children’s learning
 Share a meal
 Organize special sessions for parents
 Sponsor a parent/student project
 Explain school routine
 Make your expectations clear
 Stick with a good thing
 Sponsor a story hour
 Team with parents at work
 Make special effort
 Involve other teachers and administrators
Quality Classroom
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Know your students:
– Use suitable commercial programs
• Love and logic
• Assertive Discipline
• Boy’s & Girl’s Town
• Bully Proving
• Best behavior (be responsible, be respectful & be safe)
• Win-Win (Kagan)
• Etc.
Celebration/Fun!!
Quality teachers Celebrate…. Reflect, Seek answers
to pedagogical issues; Inform other educators;
Rejoice/Fun
Classroom Management
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Is Personal
– How has your mentor personalized his/her
management approach?
• Example/story when approach applied
– What happened?
– How are you personalizing your management
approach/philosophy as result?