Managing the Classroom

LePage, P., Hammerness, K., Hanife, A., Gutierrez, C., Jenkins-Gunn, E., & Rosebrock, K. (2005). Classroom Management. In L. Darling-Hammond & J. Bransford (Eds.), Preparing Teachers for a Changing World (327-357). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Summary

In Chapter 9, the authors emphasize the importance of understanding the nature of classroom management, pertinent applications of classroom management, and suggestions for teacher education programs to produce effective classroom managers. While the authors’ perspectives of classroom management suggest that teachers utilize approaches that align closely to social constructivism, the following five points are identified as leading aspects of effective classroom management:

1. Creating meaningful curriculum and engaging pedagogy to support motivation: developmentally appropriate; collaboration; self-direction/perceived control; sociocultural experiences

2. Developing supportive learning communities: joint-productive activity; dialogic instruction; equity; interdependent tasks among teacher and learners; engaging parents and other stakeholders

3. Organizing and structuring the classroom: withitness; fluid movement and instruction; adequate planning; analyze rules and procedures; student accountability; clear communication; physical arrangement

4. Repairing and restoring behavior respectfully: I-messages; cooperative learning/conflict resolution; highly humanistic; democratic climate

5. Encouraging moral development: character education and moral communities approach

The authors promote teacher education programs that inform and provide clinical experiences with scaffolded learning opportunities (i.e., observing, modeling, and guided reflection). Simulated activities within courses (e.g., student/teacher interactions, lesson planning, and constructing physical environments) may allow students to think critically and respond appropriately when similar situations arise. Additionally, the authors expect teacher educators to create a learning environment that models expectations for classroom management to positively influence preservice teachers’ confidence of knowledge and implementation in their future classrooms.

Reflection

Currently, as a classroom teacher, I connected with the authors on knowing ways to work with parents to enhance children's learning, influencing students' moral development, and being provided simulated experiences of practical classroom management situations/issues.

As I work closely with beginning teachers, I have had the issue of reminding teachers how to effectively enhance their students' learning by emphasizing the importance of remaining connected with parents. Throughout our planning sessions, I try to focus on highlighting the ways parents may influence how we as teachers could gauge the nature and level of engagement of activities within our classroom for various lessons. As the authors stated that it is important to know how parents/guardians beliefs align with our instructional strategies, discipline, and management, we have found ourselves holding back on the level of interactivity allowed with various materials (p.340). For example, we (teachers) were planning a science unit on the human body systems which called for students to have access to 3-D models of basic human body parts (i.e, brain, heart, lungs, etc.). Some district lesson plan resources suggested that Play-Doh could be used to allow students to construct each body part and take home to review with their parents. We thought it may have been a great idea to enhance learning at home; however, some children/parents expressed that sticky "play" materials are not allowed in their home and they would be thrown away if they came in their homes with it. As the unit is rather short, we had to reconstruct our lesson plans to think of another way to allow parents to be involved with their learning that is engaging. I believe trust is the greater factor, in this case. It's not that they don't trust me as a teacher, but rather trusting that the appropriate ways of behavior (i.e., caring for objects) are taught in school that can be easily translated into the home. It is evident that the parents' authority negatively affects the confidence and self-directing ability levels of our students. How can we translate to parents that they can trust their children to be responsible, especially if they are taught those values in school?

In addition to aligning expectations at home with those in the classroom, the sensitive subject of directing students' moral compasses would be cumbersome when trying to link behavioral expectations with instructional outcomes. The authors agreed that teachers' work presents difficult moral choices that need constant consideration, experimentation, and reflection (p.347). For example, most notably at a Title I school, children may come from backgrounds that do not provide them with appropriate social skills and responsibility that positively translates in the classroom. I have found myself trying not to "preach" to them, but rather guiding them with modeling how to react when faced with issues between peers or intrapersonal contentions. For years teacher within my school would ask, "how could I have enough time to model appropriate strategies?" Thankfully, (this year) my school implemented character education in all grade levels' daily schedules to help provide the linkage between behavior and academic achievement.

I have also found it helpful to refer back to my experience as a preservice teacher where I also rendered my learning from classroom management courses at a Title I school. As the authors mentioned, practical experience, as well as simulated classroom activities, allow for preservice teachers to learn more about classroom management, I believe those experiences well prepared me for effectively problem-solving, to this day (p.354). I remember the most influential activities within the said courses were simulated activities that allowed for me to use interactive multimedia programs. For example, I had the opportunity to build a classroom (keeping in mind behavioral pedagogy), participating in role play that involved creating environments that were similar to teacher-student and peer interactions. I also remember having a classroom management project which required me to infuse the modeling and practice of embedding the five major points of Chapter 9 within a social studies and reading lessons.