Foundations and Assessment of Education/Edition 1/Foundations Table of Contents/Chapter 11/The Scoop From Someone Who Knows

Keeping Order in the Classroom

By Angelia Ferguson

Learning Targets

• Identify areas of classroom management
• Learn ways to deal with disruptive students

Content

• Introduction
• Areas of Classroom Management
• Disruptive Students
• Scoop From Someone Who Knows
• Conclusion
• Questions
• Answers
• References

Introduction

As teachers, we all have an educational philosophy in our mind pertaining to the classroom. How the environment will feel and what it will look like. Classroom management which is managing both student behavior and the physical learning environment is an important issue. This is a main concern for all teachers. As teachers, we need to make sure that lessons run smoothly despite disruptive behavior by students.

Areas of Classroom Managemant

According to Karen Zauber, from the National Education Association, teachers need to consider four areas of classroom management:

1. Establishing classroom climate - the look and feel of your room
2. Conducting class efficiently - managing time and students
3. Reaching all students - delivery, encouragement, teaching techniques
4. Establishing discipline - creating an atmosphere of consistency and mutual respect.

(Management Tips for New Teachers)

Research has shown that teachers' actions in their classrooms have twice the impact on student achievement as do school policies regarding curriculum, assessment, staff collegiality, and community involvement.(Marzano, 2003a). One of the teacher's most important jobs is managing the classroom effectively. Students cannot learn in a chaotic, poorly managed classroom.

Teachers can establish clear expectations for behavior in two ways: by establishing clear rules and procedures, and by providing consequences for student behavior. Reinforcing acceptable behavior while providing consequences for unacceptable behavior.

Sample Rules

Be kind to others

Raise hand to talk

Work quietly

Also, establish rules for basic situations to keep order in classroom. Examples: passing papers, going to bathroom, sharpening pencils, and safety routines.

Disruptive Students

Being a new teacher with a class of 20 students can be overwhelming. But, usually just a small number of students will disrupt class. This is a difficult situation for teachers and more so for other students. Time spent on inappropriate behavior takes time away from teaching and causes distractions. (Teaching and Learning: Disruptive Students).

There are 3 key ideas in handling disruptive students:

• Know your students
• Use the schools resources
• Use practical application in discipline

(How to deal with disruptive students)

Knowing your student and being able to relate to them is very important. Their background, family life, interests, hobbies, talents etc. will help with the communication process. Parental involvement is also important. Talking with the guidance counselors, and previous teachers can also help in knowing your students and might shed some light on their behavior. Using these resources can help you to better understand how to handle a disruptive student. Finally, apply practical discipline. Find something "important" for the student to do and take the focus off of inappropriate behavior.

Example: If a student is running down the hall instead of staying in line with classmates walking to lunch, give him/her a job as the "leader."

Praise the child in front of classmates.

Scoop From Someone Who Knows

Beth Close has been a Kindergarten teacher for 12 years. I asked her the following questions. What is the hardest part about managing your classroom? She said, "Meeting the individual needs of each student at the same time. Every child is different, and learns in different ways." How do you handle disruptive students? She said there was a variety of strategies she has used over the years. One that has worked well for her is using a piggy bank with pennies as a reward system. The student receives a penny each day for good behavior. At the end of the week they get to buy something out of the treasure chest. This gives students an incentive to have good behavior. She said, "Students with inappropriate behavior first receive a warning, time out, note send home, phone call home, and finally removed from the class." She has also used the old fashioned name on the board routine, and a color system...red light/green light. I also asked her What would you do if a student refuses to do what you ask? Beth said this automatically called for time out for 5 minutes. She said there was no tolerance for this kind of behavior. The last question I tossed at her was concerning how students treat each other. What would you do if students were being disrespectful to each other? This situation called for the child to be removed from the classroom and to sit alone for a few minutes. Beth said that consistency was key as well as same punishment and reward for each student.

It is refreshing to get the scoop from someone already out in the field living the experience everyday. We imagine what the classroom setting will be like, but will not really know until we are there ourselves. The information provided is meaningful in that she already knows what works and what does not. It was nice to see that all of her answers were parellel to what the research says. Being consistent and fair and it was interesting to hear about all the different ways to promote good classroom discipline.

Conclusion

It seems that the phrase "expect the unexpected" really applies in managing a classroom. As teachers, we need to be flexible in responding to the unexpected. We also need to be consistent in the application of discipline, not raise our voice and try to remain calm and rational. Be fair to all students. The combination of establishing clear expectations for rules and procedures, and providing consequences with incentives or by punishment and learning the best ways to handle disruptive behaviors are the important issues in managing an effective classroom. We need to evaluate each circumstance and ensure that the punishment fits the crime.

Questions

1) Which is one of the four areas of classroom management?

• a. grade assignments ASAP
• b. being mobile in classroom
• c. establishing classroom climate
• d. begin class on time

2) Which is NOT a way to deal with disruptive students?

• a. apply practical discipline
• b. arguing with students
• c. use school resources
• d. know your students

3) In class, Mason is talking and not paying attention. What would you do?

• a. threaten him to be quiet
• b. call his name and humiliate him
• c. ignore him and keep on teaching
• d. call on him to read next sentence/paragraph

4) During storytime Gayle will not sit still she is distracting other students. You should?

• a. let her help you hold the book
• b. make her leave room
• c. keep telling her to sit down
• d. allow her to keep disrupting class in order to not make it worse

Answers: 1)C 2)B 3)D 4)A

References

1) Atherton, J.S.(2005) Teaching and Learning: Disruptive Students. Retrieved June 4, 2009 from http://www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/cm_disruptive.htm.

2) Classroom Management.(n.d.) Retrieved June 4, 2009 from http://www.nea.org/classmanagement/discipline.html.

3) How to deal with disruptive students. Retrieved June 4, 2009 from http//www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/disruptive.

4) Marzano, R.J.(2003a). What works in schools. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

5) Marzano, R.J. (with Marzano, J.S., & Pickering, D.J.)(2003b). Classroom Management that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

6) Zauber, Karen. Management Tips for New Teachers. Retrieved June 4, 2009 from http://www.nea.org/bare/print.html?content=/bare/13691.htm.

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