BY: JENSEN NGUYEN

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

Classroom management is defined as a teacher’s ability to organize the student behavior,

student roles, and various other related activities in order to ensure effective learning.

Classroom management is directly linked to student academic achievement, teacher efficacy,

and student behavior.

Bransford and Hammond (2005) assert that “classroom management is not simply the process

of arranging desks and rewarding good behaviors” (p. 327).

Managing a disciplined classroom is of extreme importance for any teacher to be successful

and effective.

It is because a well-managed classroom always has a direct effect on a teacher’s ability to

show a professional approach towards teaching.

Some important and major issues regarding classroom management include students’

misbehavior, students’ inattentiveness, students’ involvement in activities other than studies,

and punctuality issue.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLANS

Dickinson and Waterhouse (1990) found that classroom management

is one of those responsibilities of a teacher which should be effectively

fulfilled in order to get success in the profession.

There are a lot of ways through which a teacher can effectively

manage the behaviors and activities of the students.

These ways include checking the instructions if students misbehave,

regularly monitoring the students, taking corrective measures in

private, threats should never be made, care should be shown to the

students, interacting with the students, and redirecting misbehavior

instead of punishing the students.

It is extremely important for a teacher to have interaction with the students in the

classroom.

A teacher should never let the students feel ignored because when the students feel

that they are not getting required attention from their teacher, they get involved in

other activities like creating noise, showing misconduct, and giving less attention to the

studies.

So it is necessary for a teacher to interact with the students and treat them with love

and care because students respect the teacher who shows kindness to the students.

Christian teachers should strive to turn their classroom into a learning community that

is engaging, supportive, caring but also challenging so that all learners can always

share their beliefs and talents with one another. The Bible makes clear that God calls

us to be a community in which we all contribute our special gifts (Romans 12:5-8).

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INTERACTIVE LEARNING

Farrell (1999) found that dealing with students’ misbehavior is one the

most serious issues for the schools teachers.

Misbehavior of the students is a very serious issue because if any one

of the students shows misbehavior in the classroom due to any

behavioral, corporal, or emotional disturbance, it diverts the attention

of other students and the teacher from studies (Coban, 2012).

Appropriate teacher actions and decisions are very important to

eliminate the issue of misbehavior from the classroom in order to

promote learning in the classroom (Schlein, Taft, & Tucker-Blackwell,

2013).

MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE

“Controlling behavior in the classroom as a way to enhance learning

is viewed as a priority for teachers in the education community”

(Dibapile, 2012, p. 80).

A perfect way to eliminate misbehavior from the students or stop

unwanted behavior is by implementing a best student reward system

in which that student should be given an award or a prize who prove

to be the best student in the class in terms of behavior.

In this case, every student will try to become the best among all

students in order to get the prize.

MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE (Continued)

PRE-SERVICE TEACHER TRAINING

Another effective teaching strategy that can be really helpful in making

teachers skilled and adapted to the environment is pre-service training.

Teachers should be given a training of at least two weeks training

before the start of their service in order to make them learn the skills

they would need to be effective in classrooms.

Training not only helps teachers in getting accustomed to the use of

various teaching strategies but also assists them in managing students’

behaviors (Freeman, Simonsen, Briere, & MacSuga-Gage, 2014).

“Never forget the power of one person to make a difference in the life

of a child.”

There are a lot of classroom management theories and styles which

are appropriate for the teachers in order to manage the students’

behavior and create an effective learning environment.

Some of those theories include:

Restitution theory

Glasser’s theory

Skinner’s behavioral management theory

USE OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT THEORIES

RESTITUTION THEORY

In restitution theory, there is a regular or constant reflection on the behavior of

students.

Students get to learn from their mistakes in order to achieve something.

The regular reflection on the behavior enables the students to conduct their

behaviors according to their inner sense of personal ethics and moral values.

According to restitution theory, the teachers perform the roles of punisher,

friend, monitor, and manager (David, 2012).

The teachers not only enforce control, give threats to students if they show

misbehavior, and encourage good conduct in the classroom but also give

rewards to offset negative.

GLASSER’S THEORY

According to Glasser’s theory, students should have a choice of not only selecting

their set of courses but also setting the code of conduct in the classroom.

Glasser (1993) states, "Control Theory is a new explanation of how we choose to

live our lives: It is actually a new psychology" (p. 122).

Through gaining control, students will gain confidence and cognition by getting

involved in the classroom management.

They will also have a pride in their participation in classroom management.

Students will show the sense of responsibility because they will have in their

minds that they own the classroom so it’s their responsibility to maintain an

excellent behavior in the classroom.

SKINNER’S BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT THEORY

In skinner’s behavioral management theory, consequences or penalty/reward

is provided for both types of behaviors, positive and negative.

Skinner (1976) suggests that students can be controlled by applying the

correct reward and punishment mechanisms.

A proper and systematic process is implemented by the teachers in order to

regulate the behavior of the students in the classroom.

If the students show positive behaviors, they get rewarded by their respective

teachers but if they show misconduct in the classroom, they get penalized.

Skinner behavioral theory has very deep roots in the success of the teachers in

creating a well-behaved classroom environment because of implementation of

a penalty/reward system for the students.

SUMMARY OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Creating a safe, inclusive environment for all students.Building strong, positive relationships with students Understanding the unique adolescent body and mindset.Understanding the multi-cultural and individual differences

within a classroom.Promoting a love for learning and success.Stating simple and clear expectations for rules.Staging appropriate interventions.Good classroom management has three basic and

necessary components: rules and procedures, consequences, and relationships.

REFERENCES

Bransford, J., & Hammond, L. (2005). Preparing Teachers for a Changing World: What Teachers Should Learn and be Able to do. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Coban, A. (2012). Teachers’ Reactions Towards Misbehavior in the Classroom. Education and Science, 40(180), 89-102.

David, R. (2012). A Restitution Guide to Classroom Management. Retrieved from https://davidwees.com/content/restitution-guide-classroom-management/

Dibapile, W. (2012). A Review of Literature on Teacher Efficacy and Classroom Management. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 9(2), 79-92.

Dickinson, C., & Waterhouse, P. (1990). Classroom Management. Stanford: Continuum International Publishing.

Farrell, M. (1999). Key Issues for Primary Schools. London: Routledge. Freeman, J., Simonsen, B., Briere, D., & MacSuga-Gage, A. (2014). Pre-Service

Teacher Training in Classroom Management: A Review of State Accreditation Policy and Teacher Preparation Programs. Teacher Education and Special Education, 37(2), 106-120.

Glasser, W. (1993). The quality school teacher. New York: HarperCollins. Leefon, R., Lynette, J., Le-Roux, A., & Wet, d. C. (2023). Action Towards

Hope: Addressing learner behavior in a classroom. Koers Publication, 78(3), 1-8:

Schlein, C., Taft, R., & Tucker-Blackwell, V. (2013). Teachers’ Experiences with Classroom Management and Children Diagnosed with Emotional Behavioral Disorders. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 15(1&2), 133-146.

Skinner, B. (1976). Walden two. New York: MacMillan.