Teacher Management of
Classroom Social Dynamics
in Elementary School
Opportunities for Professional Development & Intervention
Scott D. Gest
Human Development & Family Studies
Prevention Research Center Seminar, January 23, 2013
Today
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Classroom social dynamics & teaching
Classroom Peer Ecologies Project
Results from longitudinal models
Teacher beliefs & implications for PD/intervention
Classroom research traditions
• Traditional focus on individual differences
– Determinants of acceptance, rejection, popularity, friendship
• Classroom context effects
– Aggregated individual characteristics as a context for development
• Teachers as leaders of the classroom social system
– Teaching expectations of adult world (behaviors, norms)
– Facilitating success within the peer system (“invisible hand”)
Three salient aspects of
Classroom Social Dynamics
• Social status
– Acceptance/rejection, popularity, influence
• Affiliation patterns
– Friendships and cliques
• Aggression
– Bullying & victimization
Classroom Peer Ecologies Project
• 1st, 3rd & 5th grade classrooms in PA and IL
• Three assessments in a single school year
• 4-year study; ~50 classrooms per year
• Multiple measures at each assessment
– Teacher ratings
– Classroom observations
– Student surveys with sociometric nominations and self-report rating scales
• End of year teacher interview & ratings
• Funding from W.T. Grant & Spencer Foundations & Institute of Educational
Sciences
Classroom Peer Ecologies Project
Penn State
University of Illinois
PI’s
Scott Gest
Phil Rodkin
Current Grads
Rebecca Madill
Handrea Logis
Kathleen Zadzora
Marina Serdiouk
Aaron Miller
David Requa
Post-doc
Angie Henneberger
Recent Grads
Deb Temkin
Hae-Jeong Ahn
Project Coordinators
Gwen Davis
Jennifer Heinhorst
Data Manager
Linda Jacobson
Measures
• Responsive Teaching
– Based on CLASS observations (Pianta et al.)
– Bi-factor analysis of 10 dimensions
• All items permitted to load on 1st factor, capturing
variance shared by all 10 items
• “general” factor loadings are heavily weighted by
Emotional Support items; labeled Responsive Teaching
• Two additional specific factors -- Routines and Cognitive
Facilitation – are not considered today
Mitigating Status Extremes
I try to structure the classroom environment
so that social status is less relevant.
I try to promote some degree of balance in
social status across children in the
classroom.
I try to support low-status children by placing
a general emphasis on the importance of
social acceptance in the classroom.
I try to coach low-status children to help
them develop skills and strategies that could
lead to a more favorable status in the
classroom.
I try to support low-status children by
creating opportunities for them to have
positive social experiences with higherstatus children.
I try to create extra opportunities for lowstatus children to receive recognition.
Mitigating Status Extremes:
High teacher-rated use of these strategies
Well what I try to do is first of all empower them…find their strengths and …have the
other children listen to me tell what their strengths are. Not just reading a laundry list
of ‘Oh this is what you’re good at’-- But as the weeks go on I will make note well, boy,
you know, “Sammy”, I am just ‘what a fantastic piece of writing’ and what’ll happen is
children sometimes they will gravitate over to see, what was “Sammy” doing? … when
the teacher gives feedback to the student that helps the student but it also allows the
other students to see this teacher says this child has value.
when I see a child that’s very high in peer status I watch to make sure that number
one they’re not misusing their peer status, number two that they’re letting others be
in control sometimes, and number three that if it’s a peer status because they’re
smart that they’re not in charge of the project because all the kids look to them and
say ‘well you do it because you’re smart and you can do it’ so you have to watch it. …
So when that happens, I try to make sure that there are others in that group that get a
chance to be leader and that might mean putting this person in a different role with
somebody else who actually needs a little bit of that help.
Mitigating Status Extremes:
Low teacher-rated use of these strategies
I don’t know. That’s hard. ‘Cause … we try to talk to kids whenever they have an
issue with somebody about why do you think this person is treating you that
way … and some of it is them and who they are and how people perceive them
but it’s hard to really without getting too personal with them I guess it’s kind of
hard to really address that. You can’t say to somebody … well you’re not popular
*laughs* and that’s why you know so… sometimes we’ll try to do things where
you know you try to include them in things or encourage other people to
include them…. I try to switch my groups around every month and I’ll notice
sometimes you know it might not be somebody they’ve really talked with much
but then you know suddenly they’re kind of buddies and sitting together maybe
at lunch for a little bit so I don’t know try a little bit in subtle ways I guess to
help them find ways to fit in I guess.
Supporting Isolated/Friendless Children
I try to create opportunities for isolated and
friendless children to develop new
friendships.
I try to help isolated or friendless children to
develop friendships with specific classmates.
I try to support isolated of friendless children
by putting general emphasis on the
importance of developing new friendships in
the classroom.
I try to support isolated or friendless children
by working with them to develop and
practice social skills or strategies for
forming relationships.
LOW: There may have been a couple of times where a student has said “I have nobody to play with
on the playground”. And I’m like you know there are sixty first graders you can’t tell me that you have
asked every person. And then they usually go off and try and they find somebody.
LOW: I don’t want to push it meaning I don’t want to force a student to feel like they need to play
with somebody or to have somebody play with them unless they’re telling me I have no friends or I
just wish people would play with me then I have no problem trying to get them in situations where
hey why don’t you and you go on the carpet and just read a book together or at recess maybe I can
talk to a few responsible students who I trust just would you mind incorporating this person. But
unless they tell me something like that or it seems like their self esteem is really low or something I
don’t try to push the natural things I feel like they’re trying to do.
HIGH: That’s when I try to pull in my other groups to maybe take them into their group. Because I
think as a little girl I was kind of isolated like that and nobody really stepped in so I think that’s why
I’m so why it sticks out at me. ‘Cause I went through that and nobody stepped in you know so I don’t
want anybody to go through that…because I was just shy.
HIGH: That’s a challenging one…Because you want to think about all the reasons why that student
may be unpopular and doesn’t have friends. Is it a personal choice? Is it the choice of other students
around them? So I guess like getting to the bottom of it. Trying to figure out why that person has
secluded themselves or are they being secluded from other students and then if that is the case you
know encouraging them to find one person who they feel comfortable around to be a friend with or
maybe kind of you know choosing a student who is usually pretty reasonable and friendly and
encouraging that student to play with them. I mean there’s a number of ways that you can do it but
you also have to be sensitive to the fact that students aren’t unintelligent they know if someone is
trying to force someone on them and it’s just something that’s I find can be pretty challenging to do.
Preventing Problematic Friendships
I try to structure the classroom environment
to prevent problematic friendships or
friendship groups from forming.
I try to improve the problematic social
interactions that may be associated with
certain friendships or friendship groups.
I try to limit opportunities for problematic
friendships or friendship groups to interact
once they have formed.
I try to encourage children involved in
problematic friendships or friendship
groups to develop new, less problematic
friendships with other classmates.
Managing Aggressive Behavior
I try to structure the classroom environment to
limit opportunities for aggressive, mean behavior.
I deliver clear and consistent consequences for
aggressive, mean behaviors in private.
I try to support children who are often the target
of aggressive, mean behavior by limiting their
potential exposure to such behavior.
I try to support children who are the target of
aggressive, mean behavior by intervening right
away when I see these behaviors occur.
I try to coach children who are often the target of
aggressive, mean behavior in how to avoid being
targeted and how to respond effectively.
Promoting Positive Behavior
I try to influence the social interactions of
children who display aggressive, mean behavior
by creating positive social opportunities for
them.
I try to influence the social interactions of
children who display aggressive, mean behavior
by creating positive classroom roles for them.
I try to help students who display aggressive,
mean behaviors to develop alternative behaviors.
I try to support children who are often the target
of aggressive, mean behavior by creating extra,
positive classroom roles for.
I try to support children who are often the target
of aggressive, mean behavior by creating positive
social opportunities for them.
Measures
• Classroom Relationships
– Teacher support
• My teacher is kind to me; …treats me fairly;
– Peer support
• Kids in my classroom treat each other with respect;…work together to
solve problems
• Achievement Motivation
– Striving (effort & commitment)
• Doing well at school is important to me; I do the best I can at my
schoolwork
– Intrinsic interest (affect toward school)
• I enjoy my schoolwork; I like going to school
• Aggression
– Peer nominations: fights; picks on others
Questions
• When teachers report frequent use of strategies to manage
social dynamics, do students experience improvements
across the school year in (a) classroom relationships, (b)
achievement motivation and (c) aggressive behavior?
• Do the effects of CSD strategies remain significant after
accounting for a general levels of Responsive Teaching?
• Are the effects of CSD strategies moderated by Responsive
Teaching such that they are more effective when teachers
display high levels of responsive teaching?
• What do teachers’ beliefs about CSD strategies suggest
about possible approaches to PD/intervention?
Growth models
• N = 48 classrooms
• Intercept, linear growth in DV across 3 waves
• Controls
– Grade level
– Gender composition
– Class size
– School (fixed effect)
• CSD teaching strategy
Classroom Relationships
Teacher-Reported Strategy Use
Growth in
Teacher Support
Growth in
Peer Support
.07*
.09**
Supporting Isolated Students
ns
.07**
Managing Problem Friendships
ns
ns
Preventing Aggression
ns
ns
Promoting Positive Behavior
ns
ns
Mitigating Status Extremes
Classroom Relationships
(controlling for Responsive Teaching)
Teacher-Reported Strategy Use
Growth in
Teacher Support
Growth in
Peer Support
.07* (ns)
.09** (.07*)
Supporting Isolated Students
ns
.07** (.07*)
Managing Problem Friendships
ns
ns
Preventing Aggression
ns
ns
Promoting Positive Behavior
ns
ns
Mitigating Status Extremes
Responsive Teaching did not significantly
moderate the effects of strategy use.
Achievement Motivation
Teacher-Reported Strategy Use
Striving
Intrinsic Interest
Mitigating Status Extremes
ns
.13* (ns)
Supporting Isolated Students
ns
ns
Managing Problem Friendships
ns
ns
Preventing Aggression
ns
ns
Promoting Positive Behavior
ns
.10* (ns)
Responsive Teaching * Preventing Aggression
(Boys)
4.4
(1) High Responsive
Teaching, High Prevent
Aggression
4.35
Academic Striving
4.3
4.25
(2) High Responsive
Teaching, Low Prevent
Aggression
4.2
4.15
(3) Low Responsive
Teaching, High Prevent
Aggression
4.1
4.05
4
(4) Low Responsive
Teaching, Low Prevent
Aggression
3.95
3.9
1
3
Time
Aggression
Teacher-Reported Strategy Use
Aggression
Mitigating Status Extremes
ns
Supporting Isolated Students
ns
Managing Problem Friendships
-.005* (-.004+)
Preventing Aggression
-.01** (-.01***)
Promoting Positive Behavior
-.01** (-.01**)
Interactions with attunement &
responsive teaching
Tentative conclusions
• Teacher-reported strategies for managing classroom
social dynamics are associated with different
trajectories of classroom adjustment
• Some evidence of domain-specific effects
– Strategies focused on status and friendships are associated
with perceived peer support
– Strategies focused on aggression are associated with
trajectories of aggression
• Most main effects of strategies are independent of the
effects of generally responsive teaching
• Some effects of strategies are only evident when
general responsive teaching is high
Teacher Attitudes about Classroom Social Dynamics
Importance for teaching
Mean
SD
3.52
0.59
3.31
2.93
0.77
1.14
2.91
0.99
2.86
2.61
2.47
2.38
1.14
1.15
1.10
1.28
How important is it for you to play a role in this area?
How much do issues related to this area affect your ability to reach your
instructional objectives?
How much do issues related to this area affect your ability to reach your
behavior management objectives?
Reasons for Non-Involvement
It is better for children to work out these issues on their own. (Status & Friendship)
These issues do not affect what happens in the classroom.
When concerns arise, it is better to make a referral to the appropriate school
support personnel.
A teacher’s job is to stay focused on academic instruction.
If teachers spent time on these issues they would never get any teaching done.
It is not clear what a teacher could do to affect these issues.
It is better for children to work out these issues on their own. (Aggression)
Sources of Information about CSD
Mean
SD
I pay close attention to students’ interactions inside the classroom
(e.g., informal interactions or interactions related to classwork)
3.89
0.87
I change seating arrangements or work groups regularly to see how
different children interact with each other.
3.73
0.83
I pay close attention to students’ interactions outside the classroom
(e.g., in the hallways, at lunch or recess).
3.68
0.95
3.63
1.00
3.58
0.94
I have conversations with teacher colleagues.
3.56
1.01
I ask children directly about these issues.
3.31
1.04
Sources of Information
Children spontaneously tell me about these issues (even when I do not
ask).
I have conversations with other school personnel (e.g., principal,
counselor, secretary, lunchroom and playground monitors).
Sources of Consultation
Grade-level colleagues
Building administrator
Different-grade colleagues
School guidance counselor
Special education teacher
School social worker
School district resource (specialist)
School psychologist
Mean
SD
4.57
4.24
3.76
3.42
3.24
3.15
2.78
2.74
1.04
1.06
1.15
1.50
1.35
1.78
1.37
1.23
Implications
• Teachers vary in how important they consider CSD
– PD/interventions may need to provide evidence of impact on student
motivation and behavior
• There are diverse reasons for teachers *not* to get involved in CSD
– PD/interventions must recognize and address these concerns
• Teachers use diverse sources of information to learn about CSD, but are
unlikely to ask children directly
– Identifying the strategies used by the most effective teachers may help to
focus PD efforts
• Teachers are most likely to consult grade-level colleagues and the building
administrator with questions about how to manage CSD
– Tapping into natural advice-networks (e.g., teacher ‘opinion leaders’) may
enhance impact
Interest in learning about classroom social dynamics:
“How useful would it be to learn about X in your classroom?”
Mean
SD
% Low
% High
Aggression, bullying and victimization
4.67
0.78
5.56
92.59
Student feelings about relationship to teacher
4.43
0.86
5.56
87.04
Student feelings about classroom community
4.43
0.77
3.77
90.57
Students’ enjoyment of school
4.37
0.71
1.85
90.74
Students’ achievement motivation
4.37
0.85
3.70
88.89
Animosities (who dislikes whom)
4.13
1.03
9.26
83.88
Friendships (who is friends with whom)
3.78
1.11
9.26
61.11
Social status (most/least popular/influential)
3.67
1.08
12.96
62.96
Interest in learning about classroom social dynamics:
“How willing would you be to ask students about…”
Mean
SD
% Low
% High
Classmates who get picked on
4.52
0.69
1.85
92.59
Classmates who hit, push, say mean things
4.48
0.75
1.85
88.89
Classmates who cooperate and help out
4.41
0.74
1.85
88.89
Friends in the class (student identifies friends)
4.24
1.01
9.26
83.33
Classmates I like most
4.19
1.03
9.26
79.63
Classmates who are good at their schoolwork
4.19
1.02
9.43
81.13
Classmates I like least
4.00
1.14
13.21
73.58
Classmates who are ‘cool’
3.94
1.24
16.67
72.22
Implications (2)
• Teachers want to know more about CSD in their classrooms
– A large majority believe it would be useful to learn about social
dynamics
– Teachers are nearly as interested in students perceived
relationships & motivation as they are in aggression
– Teachers are willing to ask specific questions that would provide
critical information
– Teachers are least interested in friendship & status info, but a
majority would still be willing to ask relevant specific questions
• A tool that would facilitate teachers gathering and
interpreting this information could be useful
– Especially if the tool incorporated tips on how the most effective
teachers manage specific dynamics