Classroom Management: A Definition

Classroom management focuses on creating and maintaining an orderly

learning environment, and discipline involves teacher responses to student
misbehavior. Research documents the importance of classroom management
for learning and motivation. Cognitive approaches to management
emphasize learners’ understanding and personal responsibility.
Planning for Effective Classroom Management
Well-planned rules and procedures help establish and maintain orderly
classrooms. An effective list of rules should be short, clear, and positive.
Understanding reasons for rules is essential, and allowing student input
promotes understanding, gives the students a sense of control, and
contributes to self-regulation.
Procedures organize classroom routines. Rules and procedures must be
carefully taught, monitored, and reviewed. Rules and procedures should be
treated as concepts; learners should be provided with examples and non-
examples from which they construct understanding of both. The first few
days of the school year are essential for establishing long-term routines.
Communication with Parents
Parents play a crucial role in supporting teachers’ management systems.
Involving parents increases student achievement, improves attitudes, and
results in better attendance and greater willingness to do homework. Formal
communication channels include open houses, interim progress reports,
parent-teacher conferences, and report cards. Effective teachers also
communicate expectations immediately and maintain communication with
parents throughout the school year.
Economic, cultural, and language barriers can pose special challenges for
teacher-parent communication.
Dealing with Misbehavior: Interventions
Effective teachers keep management interventions brief, preserve student
dignity, and follow through consistently. Focusing on positive behavior,
ignoring misbehavior, and employing simple desists can eliminate minor
disruptions. Logical consequences help students see the connection between
their behaviors and the effects of their behaviors on others. More lengthy
interventions are sometimes necessary when misbehavior persists or occurs
frequently.
Serious Management Problems: Violence and Aggression
In cases of violence and aggression, teachers should immediately stop the
incident if possible, protect the victim, and get help. Teachers are required
by law to intervene in cases of violence.
Long-term solutions involve teaching students social skills such as
perspective taking and social problem solving. Involving parents is essential
in cases of aggressive behavior in students.
Self Assessment
Practice Quiz

Top of Form
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1. Research shows that classroom management is most effective when

the teacher acts as counselor to students, attempting to address the
sources behind students' problems.
the teacher combines effective management with effective
instruction.
the teacher uses effective "desist" strategies to stop misbehavior.

the teacher employs principles of behavior management to

eliminate unwanted behaviors.
2. Classroom management consists of
a plan for systematically enforcing rules.

a system of classroom procedures taught to students.

applying desists in terms of infractions.

establishing rules to structure the classroom.

all of the above.

3. What should teachers' goals for effective classroom management be?

students' beliefs in themselves as self-controlling and capable
students
 students' willingness to adhere to classroom rules and procedures

students' interest in pleasing the teacher

students' ability to fit in with peers in the classroom setting

4. At which grade levels do students become oriented towards each other

and tend to question authority more often?
late high school years

grades seven through ten

grades two through six

primary grades

5. At which grade levels are students most able and willing to control their
own behavior?
late high school years

grades seven through ten

grades two through six

preschool years

6. The main difference between rules and procedures is that rules are
more general than procedures.

more numerous than procedures.

explicitly taught, whereas procedures are developed implicitly.

discussed at the beginning of the year, whereas procedures are

developed later in the year.
7. Students should be allowed to choose their own seats
after they have proven they accept responsibility for their own
behavior.
 never, or very infrequently.

at the beginning of the year.

at the beginning of each new term.

8. Which of the following is not a recommended guideline for establishing

classroom rules?
Involve students when creating rules.

Plan for consequences of breaking rules.

List as many rules as possible.

Carefully explain the reasons behind rules.

9. The strong appeal of the assertive discipline approach is largely due to

its acceptance by students.

its specific plan for consequences before problems occur.

its effectiveness at the high school level.

its ability to involve students in the process.

10 A teacher notices Ken talking with Joseph. As she continues to teach,

. she walks over and stands by Ken. This is best described as a type of
active
listening.
desist.

indirect cue.

I-message.

11 Coach Gatke is teaching basketball fundamentals to fifth-grade boys

. and girls. She begins by dividing the class into two teams and has them
line up opposite each other for a chest-pass drill. She compliments the
 groups for lining up so quickly and quietly. As she begins her
explanation of the procedure, she notices that two girls on the yellow
team have been whispering and giggling since she started the class. At
the same time, Roger shoves Paul into Morris, knocking Morris off
balance. This starts a tittering among the girls on the blue team. As
Coach Gatke steps toward the blue team side of the gym, the office calls
for her over the intercom, and the student nurse arrives in the gym to
check the first aid supplies. If Coach Gatke is withit, which of the
following best describes how she will react?
Give the kids her "let's respect others" talk while ignoring the
specific behaviors.
Answer the office intercom, telling them that unless it's an
emergency, she'll buzz them back.
Tell the kids to begin the drill and motion to the nurse to follow
her to the office, which has a glass window looking into the gym.
Here she is able to monitor them, while she hands the nurse the
first aid kit as she responds to the front office.
Walk to Roger and Paul and stop them from pushing Morris and
each other.
12 Refer to the example in Question 11. Which one of the following best
. describes overlapping?
Monitor the kids performing the chest-pass drill while working
with school nurse. Then answer the office on the intercom.
Ask the office to call back, unless it is an emergency. Stop the
boys from pushing while "shushing" the girls.
Acknowledge the nurse's presence in the gym with a nod of the
head, while reminding the class of the "respect others" rule.
Tell the office she'll call back in a few minutes as she walks over
to Roger and Paul to make sure the pushing and shoving has
stopped while hushing the tittering with a hand gesture.
13 Refer to the example in Question 11. The behavior of the two girls
. whispering on the yellow team, based on the information provided as it
relates to the intervention continuum, would best be managed by
ignoring the behavior.

verbally praising desired behavior by using two girls who are

paying attention as models for the appropriate behaviors.
 using a desist.

applying the consequence of separating the two girls in the line.

14 Refer to the example in Question 11. Of the simultaneous distractions,

. which one is most critical for Coach Gatke to immediately attend to,
according the research on managing the learning environment?
The whispering girls because they were closer to Morris, who fell
but seemed unhurt
The shoving boys, Paul and Roger

The intercom interruption

The physical visit by the school nurse

The kids who reacted to the shoving and pushing

15 Refer to the example in Question 11. If Paul and Roger chronically

. exhibit the behavior described in the case study—such as this being the
third time they've behaved this way—which action would be taken if
Coach Gatke uses assertive discipline and has responded to both of the
first two infractions?
Place a call to each of the boys' parents.

Give them each a half-hour of detention.

Place a second check by their names.

After their second verbal warning, place their names on a list.

16 Refer to the example in Question 11. Of the following, the most

. common criticism of assertive discipline is that
it is ineffective; it doesn't actually reduce inappropriate behavior.

it is punitive; it doesn't promote self-regulation.

it is demanding; implementing the system is too difficult.

 it is based solely on punishment; it doesn't reward desirable
behavior.
17 Refer to the example in Question 11. Of the following, the best example
. of an I-message that Coach Gatke might use would be:
"Kids, I get disappointed when my time to coach you is spent on
discipline instead of having fun and learning stuff."
"Kids, I'm really disappointed that you're acting this way when we
could be having fun while learning."
"Kids, I'm doing my best to teach you something fun, and I expect
you to do your best by following the rules."
"Kids, I included you in the rule making for a reason, so you
would feel ownership. Now let's pay attention and get back to the
chest-pass drill."
18 Refer to the example in Question 11. The students who have PE during
. the first period of the day are asked to wear their PE outfits under their
regular clothes. Students who forget must get the key from the coach's
office to unlock the changing room. As a result, they often have to wait
several extra minutes before they get to participate in the activity. The
most likely reason that sixth graders in the middle school forget to wear
their PE uniforms, when they have PE first thing in the morning, is
the procedure wasn't explicitly taught.

parent communication about this procedure was not clear.

there are no real consequences for not following the procedure.

kids this age commonly simply forget procedures.

19 Refer to the example in Question 11. Suppose Coach Gatke has

. "Respect Others" as one of her rules, suggesting to the children that it is
important to grow up learning considerate behavior. This is a common
rule in both elementary and middle school classrooms. According to
research and the guidelines for preparing rules, which is the best
assessment of this rule?
It is effective as written.

It is too brief.
 It doesn't include a rational.

It isn't stated clearly.

20 Refer to the example in Question 11. According to research, if Coach

. Gatke allows the students to help formulate the rules at the beginning of
the year, which is the most valid prediction of the likely result?
The students will become self-regulated individuals.

Improved management will positively impact student

achievement.
A feeling of ownership will positively impact the students'
obeying the rules.
Rule infractions will require less severe punishments.

Bottom of Form
11 A sixth-grade teacher wants his students to develop an appreciation for the
. importance of listening to each other's opinions before reacting. This goal
would be best classified in the:

affective domain.

cognitive domain.

psychomotor domain.

affective and psychomotor domains.

12 A physical education teachers wants to develop in her students a life-long

. commitment to physical fitness and activity. This goal would be best
classified in the

affective domain.
 cognitive domain.

psychomotor domain.

affective and psychomotor domains.

13 A teacher carefully plans for a lesson, worrying not only about logistics but
. also about what students will be doing at different times and how those
activities contribute to student learning. This is an example of

internalization.

organization.

equitable distribution

task analysis.

14 "Mrs. Jones, you called on me and I didn't even have my hand up." This
. student's comment relates most closely to

equitable distribution.

prompting.

emphasis.

wait-time.

15 "Class, now I want everyone to think seriously about this question before you
. raise your hand." This teacher's comment relates most closely to

closure.

equitable distribution.

prompting.

wait-time.

16 The part of the lesson when the teacher attempts to pull together ideas into a
. coherent whole is called

introductory focus.

internalization.

organization.

closure.

17 Mr. Reeves, a social studies teacher, says, "Okay, we've been talking about
. the causes of the Industrial Revolution. Now, I want us to think about some
of the outcomes—both good and bad—that resulted from it." This is an
example of

emphasis.

precise terminology.

sensory focus.
 transition signal.

18 Mrs. Henry, in response to a student answer, replies, "Good answer, Juanita.

. You described the direct object and identified the verb that caused the
action." Her statement is an example of

closure.

feedback.

equitable distribution.

prompting.

19 Of the following, the one most likely to impact precise terminology is

.
knowledge of students' background knowledge.

knowledge of pedagogy.

knowledge of content.

expectations for students.

20 "Everyone look up here at the chart. We are going to be talking about the
. content in it and explore how it relates to what we were talking about
yesterday." This is an example of

closure.
connected discourse.

introductory focus.

task analysis.