CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Introduction
Classroom management has been an important area in educational psychology for some time.
Research findings have been applied to in-service and to preserve teacher preparation programs,
as well as to systems of teacher assessment and evaluation. Some researchers have suggested,
moreover, that novice teachers may need to reach a minimum level of competency in management
skills before they are able to develop in other areas of instruction (Berliner, 1988).Classroom
management thus merits careful attention by educational psychologists who are interested in their
discipline’s impact on education.1
The ultimate objectives of classroom discipline and management systems are: to create and
maintain environments where learning is nurtured, valued, and efficiently implemented and to
develop self-discipline and self-control in learners. To accomplish these objectives, teachers need
to adopt relevant instructional and management strategies that are derived from scientifically tested
and verified theories.
Definition
Walter Doyle (1986) defines classroom management as “Covering a wide range of teacher duties
from distributing resources to students, accounting for student attendance and school property,
enforcing compliance with rules and procedures to grouping students for instruction”.
Daniel Duke (1979) defines classroom management as “The provisions and procedures necessary
to establish and maintain an environment in which instruction and learning can occur”.
Jere Brophy (1996) defines classroom management as “Actions taken to create and maintain a
learning environment conducive to successful instruction (arranging the physical environment of
the classroom, establishing rules and procedures, maintaining attention to lessons and engagement
in academic activities”.
Effective teachers also use rules, procedures, and routines to ensure that students are actively
involved in learning (Marzano, Marzano, & Pickering, 2003). In essence, they use management
1
Classroom management: A critical part of educational psychology, with implications for teacher education. Database: Psych
INFO Journal Article Emmer, Edmund T.; Stough, Laura M. Educational Psychologist.
not to control student behavior, but to influence and direct it in a constructive manner to set the
stage for instruction (McLeod, Fisher, & Hoover, 2003)
Jones (1996) emphasized the comprehensive nature of classroom management by identifying five
main features:2
1. Understanding students’ personal and psychological needs
2. Creating an affirmative classroom climate and a community of support by establishing positive
teacher–student and peer relationships and maintaining constructive involvement with students’
caregivers
3. Involving students in developing and committing to behavior standards that promote on-task
behavior and help support a calm, safe learning environment
4. Using instructional methods that facilitate optimal learning by responding to the academic needs
of individual students and the classroom group
5. Implementing responses to unproductive student behavior that treat students respectfully and
help them develop skills for working effectively in the classroom and school settings
Misconceptions about Classroom Management
A well-managed classroom is equivalent to an orderly quiet environment, but the reality is that a
productive learning environment can often be noisy because learning is not a passive activity.
Learning requires, talking, sharing, discovering, experimenting and questioning all of which can
create noise.
It is believed that effective classroom management plan relies on reward and punishment, therefore
is approached in a behavioristic manner through the implementation of externally controlled
incentive program teacher who are effective classroom manager often find little need for a reward
based incentive program.
It is believed that there instruction is classroom management. In other words, they think that if
they just teach a really engaging lesson, there student will be highly motivated and engaged and
they will not have time to misbehavior.
2 Jones, V. F., & Jones, L. S. (1990). Comprehensive classroom management (3rd ed.). Presents a comprehensive discussion of the classroom management tradition and offers many practical
suggestions to both elementary and secondary school teachers on ways to promote positive behavior.
Component of Classroom Management
Classroom management as a process consisting of five key areas ;organizing the physical design
of the classroom ,establishing the rules and routines, developing caring relationship, implementing
engaging and effective instructions and addressing discipline issues. Strategically and purposefully
addressing these areas help teacher create and maintain an environment conductive to learning.3
Physical design of classroom The physical design lies in how the classroom is laid out,
where the student’s desks are, where the teacher’s desk is, where learning center and
material are located, where the heavily used item such as the pencil, sharpeners are and so
on.
Rules and routines Teacher establish classroom rules and routines such as handing back
papers and taking attendance, to keep the class activities running smoothly with as little
disruption and loss of time as possible.
Relationship Effective classroom manager develop caring and supportive relationship
with student and parent and promote goo relation among students.
Engaging and motivating instructions Effective managers develop instruction that
engage learners, and they carefully plan there instructions so that each learning activity is
well organized and runs smoothly.
Discipline revolves around teacher actions focused on preventing and responding to
students’ misbehavior. Discipline doesn’t only neither means punishment, nor does it
only means the actions that teacher takes after misbehavior.
3 Effective classroom management .the Essentials pg.3-5 Retrieved from: [Link]
Why Classroom Management Is Important?
Effective Teaching
A disorganized classroom without routines and expectations makes it difficult for the teacher to
do her job. Students don't know what to do, so they might get off task or cause disruptions. When
the teacher is constantly redirecting students or handling behavior problems, she loses crucial
teaching time. Classroom management strategies help creates an organized classroom environment
that's conducive to teaching. Kids know the expectations in different types of learning situations.
For example, kids would know that when working in small groups, they talk in quiet voices and
take turns talking. They might each have a specific job within the group.
Efficient Use of Time
Taking time before school starts to create routines and procedures saves you time in the long run.
When the children know what to do, it becomes a natural part of the routine. After a few weeks,
you don't need to tell them what to do. The students know they get their planners out, write in
homework assignments and gather all of their materials at the end of the day, for example. You
can get your kids out the door faster at the end of the day. When you train them how to do each
part of the school day, you don't spend as much time giving directions.
Consistency
A teacher with strong classroom management skills creates consistency for his students. The kids
know what to expect every day when it comes to the routine activities. Your students may fare
better when you're gone if you have set expectations for everyday tasks. They know how the
classroom runs so they are able to help the substitute run the classroom. You can also create
consistency throughout the school by aligning your management strategies with the school wide
standards. If your school focuses on respect and responsibility, incorporate them into your
classroom management techniques. The students will hear those words throughout the school and
know that the expectations are the same anywhere in the building.
Fewer Behavior Problems
The main goal of classroom management is to reduce misbehavior in the classroom. Effective
classroom management gives the students little time to misbehave. Because the expectations are
clearly explained, the students know what they need to do. Transitions in particular are easier to
control when a teacher has strong classroom management skills. For example, if you have dots on
the floor for lining up and call one group at a time, the students know to listen for their groups and
stand on a dot when called. Kids aren't bunched up since the dots help space them out. They won't
rush and push if you only call a few students at a time. The expectations for behaviors that are part
of a classroom management plan give students boundaries, as well as consequences.
SYSTEM OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Classroom management systems are effective because they increase student success by creating
an orderly learning environment that enhances students' academic skills and competencies, as well
as their social and emotional development. Classroom management systems are most effective
when they adhere to three basic principles (Brophy, 2006)
Humanistic approach
The principles underlying the humanist tradition come from the practice of clinical and counseling
psychology. It is called humanist because its primary focus is the inner thoughts, feelings,
psychological needs, and emotions of the individual learner. Humanist approaches emphasize
allowing the student time to develop control over his or her behavior rather than insisting
immediate behavioral change or compliance. They use interventions that stress the use of
communication skills, an understanding of student motives, private conferences, and individual
and group problem solving, and the exercise of referent and expert power
The humanistic tradition emphasizes the critical role of communication and problem solving
between teacher and students. This tradition is represented by Ginott’s cooperation through
congruent communication(1972) and Glasser’s cooperative learning (1986, 1990).
Cooperation through Congruent Communication
The cardinal principle underlying Ginott’s communication skills approach is that learners can
control their own behavior, if teachers allow them to do so. Teachers foster this self-control by
allowing learners to choose how they wish to change their own behavior and how the class will be
run. In addition, they help their students express their inner thoughts and feelings through the use
of effective communication skills.
Communication skills are the primary vehicle for influencing learners’ self-esteem, which in turn
is the primary force underlying acceptable behavior. Therefore, this tradition tries to influence
student behavior above all by enhancing student self-esteem. According to the proponents of this
approach, congruent communication is the vehicle for promoting self-esteem. Teachers have many
opportunities during the school day to engage their student’s incongruent communication. Such
communication usually occurs during private conferences with students who misbehave. However,
it can also go on during problem solving with the whole class. At such times, teachers communicate
congruently when they do any of the following.
Express “Sane” Messages. Sane messages communicate to students that their behavior is
unacceptable but do not blame, scold, preach, accuse, demand, threaten, or humiliate. Sane
messages describe what should be done rather than scold what was done.
Accept Rather than Deny Feelings. Teachers should accept students’ feelings about their
individual circumstances rather than argue about them. If a student complains, “I have no friends,”
the teacher should accept the student’s feelings of isolation, identify with the student
Avoid Using Labels. When talking to students about what they do well or poorly, teachers should
avoid terms such as “lazy,” “sloppy,” or “bad attitude,” as well as “dedicated, ”intelligent,” or
“perfectionist.” Instead, teachers should describe what they like or don’t like about students in
terms of what they do. For example,
Use Praise Cautiously. Ginott believes that many teachers use praise excessively and
manipulatively to control student behavior rather than to acknowledge exceptional performance.
He urges teachers to use praise only to acknowledge exceptional performance and in terms that
separate the deed from the doer.
Communicate Anger. Teachers are people, too. They get frustrated and angry just like anyone
else. Ginott believes that teachers should express their feelings through the use of “I messages
“rather than “You messages.”.
Glasser’s Cooperative learning
In this tradition the student does not want to leave the learning environment and therefore it
motivates the students to participate in learning activities. Glasser believed that competing for
limited rewards causes half the students to disengage from the learning experience. When a student
is misbehaving they are taken aside, where the student tells the teacher the rules and the teacher
tells them their inappropriate behavior reminding them of the consequences and then enforces
those consequences (usually removal from the room) without allowing the student any excuses for
not being able to control their own behavior.4
In order to create this environment. Glasser recommends the following:
Develop rules with the students.
Work with administrators to have an area for disruptive students.
Privately conference with misbehaving students to remind them of the importance of
correct choices.
Accepting no excuses for wrong choices.
Follow through with consequences allowing the student to return when they choose to
follow the rules.
The Humanist Tradition in Classroom Management 5
1. Most classroom discipline problems are low intensity, continuous, and unconnected with
any larger, more serious event.
2. The humanist tradition of classroom management focuses on the inner thoughts, feelings,
psychological needs, and emotions of the individual learner. Humanist approaches
emphasize the importance of allowing the student time to control his or her own behavior.
3. Ginott's "sane messages" communicate to students that their behavior is unacceptable but
in a manner that does not blame, scold, or humiliate.
4 Positive Approaches to Conduct Management - OWS Home. Retrieved from:[Link]
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4. Glasser's cooperative learning emphasizes building a more friendly workplace that the
learner would regret leaving because of misbehavior, if told to do so. The humanist
tradition focuses on developing rules, getting support from school administrators, holding
private conferences with students, and following through when students must be removed
from the classroom
Applied Behavior Analysis
Applied behavior analysis is associated with behaviorism or operant conditioning, where Skinner’s
theories are applied to the classroom using behavior modification techniques and reinforcement
theory.
Behavior modification concentrates on modifying a behavior which is applied to the classroom
using behavior modification techniques and measurable and may include positive and/or negative
reinforcements.
Most applied behavior analysts would recommend the following:
Identify both the inappropriate behavior and what appropriate behavior you want.
Identify the antecedents to both types of behaviors.
Make the necessary changes in the environment.
Identify the purpose of the inappropriate behavior and stop satisfying this purpose.
Establish procedures for reinforcing the appropriate behavior.
Use punishment as a last resort.
The Applied Behaviour Analysis Tradition in Classroom Management6
The applied behavior analysis tradition of classroom management applies the techniques
of operant conditioning to change socially important behaviors.
Behavior modification focuses on changing or modifying behavior by following a behavior
with some type of reinforcement.
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Positive reinforcement occurs when a desired stimuli or reward is provided after a desired
behavior to increase its frequency.
Negative reinforcement occurs when a painful, uncomfortable, or aversive state is avoided
to achieve a more desirable state.
Antecedents are events or stimuli present when you perform a behavior that elicits or sets
off the behavior, such as sounds, sights, or people.
The applied behavior analysis tradition focuses on identifying the appropriate and inappropriate
behavior, identifying antecedents that could trigger these behaviors, the student's goal for the
misbehavior, and procedures for reinforcing the appropriate behavior.
Integrated Approach
An Integrated Approach to Classroom Management7 Integration of approaches to classroom
management with an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each follows.
Low-profile classroom management
Low-Profile Classroom Management refers to coping strategies used by effective
teaches to stop misbehavior without disrupting the flow of a lesson.
Low-profile classroom management approaches are effective for “surface behaviors”
which represent the majority of disruptive classroom actions (examples: doodling,
passing notes, humming, tapping).
Low-profile classroom management requires teacher anticipation of problems,
deflection to redirect disruptive behavior, and reaction to unobtrusively stop disruptions
immediately after they occur.
Reinforcement theory applied in classroom
The idea behind reinforcement theory is that any behavior can be controlled by the
consequences that immediately follow. When the consequence changes the probability
of the behaviors reoccurrence, reinforcement has occurred.
Some behavior that occurs in classroom are increased unintentionally through
reinforcement in such a case, the probability of misbehavior increased because the
consequence that follows the misbehavior is perceived as desirable by the student.
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After two or three warning have been given in response to misbehavior, a punishment
should be assigned.
Corporal punishment is rarely effective in deterring misbehaviors.
