What is Your Classroom

Management Profile?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Answer these 12 questions to learn more about your classroom management profile. The steps
are simple: Read each statement carefully. Write your response, from the scale below, on a
sheet of paper. Respond to each statement based upon either actual or imagined classroom
experience. Then, follow the scoring instructions below. It couldn't be easier!
= Strongly Disagree
= Disagree
= Neutral
= Agree
= Strongly Agree

(1) If a student is disruptive during class, I assign him/her to detention, without further discussion.
(2) I don't want to impose any rules on my students.
(3) The classroom must be quiet in order for students to learn.
(4) I am concerned about both what my students learn and how they learn.
(5) If a student turns in a late homework assignment, it is not my problem.
(6) I don't want to reprimand a student because it might hurt his/her feelings.
(7) Class preparation isn't worth the effort.
(8) I always try to explain the reasons behind my rules and decisions.
(9) I will not accept excuses from a student who is tardy.
(10) The emotional well-being of my students is more important than classroom control.
(11) My students understand that they can interrupt my lecture if they have a relevant question.
(12) If a student requests a hall pass, I always honor the request.

Scoring Your Quiz

Add your responses to statements 1, 3, and 9. This is your score for the
authoritarian style .
Statements 4, 8 and 11 refer to the authoritative style .
Statements 6, 10, and 12 refer to the laissez-faire style .
Statements 2, 5, and 7 refer to the indifferent style .
The result is your classroom management profile. Your score for each
management style can range from 3 to 15. A high score indicates a strong
preference for that particular style. After you have scored your quiz, and
determined your profile, read the descriptions of each management style.
You may see a little bit of yourself in each one.
As you gain teaching experience, you may find that your preferred style(s)
will change. Over time, your profile may become more diverse or more
focused. Also, it may be suitable to rely upon a specific style when
addressing a particular situation or subject. Perhaps the successful teacher
is one who can evaluate a situation and then apply the appropriate style.
Finally, remember that the intent of this exercise is to inform you and
arouse your curiosity regarding classroom management styles.
The classroom management styles are adaptations of the parenting styles
discussed in Adolescence, by John T. Santrock. They were adapted by Kris
Bosworth, Kevin McCracken, Paul Haakenson, Marsha Ritter Jones, Anne
Grey, Laura Versaci, Julie James, and Ronen Hammer.

Authoritarian Style

The authoritarian teacher places firm limits and controls on the students . Students
will often have assigned seats for the entire term. The desks are usually in straight
rows and there are no deviations. Students must be in their seats at the beginning of
class and they frequently remain there throughout the period. This teacher rarely
gives hall passes or recognizes excused absences. Often, it is quiet. Students know
they should not interrupt the teacher. Since verbal exchange and discussion are
discouraged, the authoritarian's students do not have the opportunity to learn and/or
practice communication skills.
This teacher prefers vigorous discipline and expects swift obedience. Failure to obey
the teacher usually results in detention or a trip to the principal's office. In this
classroom, students need to follow directions and not ask why.
At the extreme, the authoritarian teacher gives no indication that he\she cares for
the students. Mr. Doe is a good example of an authoritarian teacher. His students
receive praise and encouragement infrequently, if at all. Also, he makes no effort to
organize activities such as field trips. He feels that these special events only distract
the students from learning. After all, Mr. Doe believes that students need only listen
to his lecture to gain the necessary knowledge.
Students in this class are likely to be reluctant to initiate activity, since they may feel
powerless. Mr. Doe tells the students what to do and when to do it. He makes all
classroom decisions. Therefore, his style does little to increase achievement
motivation or encourage the setting of personal goals.
One Middle-school pupil reacts to this teaching style: I don't really care for this
teacher. He is really strict and doesn't seem to want to give his students a fair
chance. He seems unfair, although that's just his way of getting his point across.

Authoritative Style
The authoritative teacher places limits and controls on the students but
simultaneously encourages independence. This teacher often explains the
reasons behind the rules and decisions. If a student is disruptive, the
teacher offers a polite, but firm, reprimand. This teacher sometimes metes
out discipline, but only after careful consideration of the circumstances.
The authoritative teacher is also open to considerable verbal interaction,
including critical debates. The students know that they can interrupt the
teacher if they have a relevant question or comment. This environment
offers the students the opportunity to learn and practice communication
skills.
Ms. Smith exemplifies the authoritative teaching style. She exhibits a warm
and nurturing attitude toward the students and expresses genuine interest
and affection. Her classroom abounds with praise and encouragement. She
often writes comments on homework and offers positive remarks to
students. This authoritative teacher encourages self-reliant and socially
competent behavior and fosters higher achievement motivation. Often, she
will guide the students through a project, rather than lead them.
A student reacts to this style: I like this teacher. She is fair and
understands that students can't be perfect. She is the kind of teacher you
can talk to without being put down or feeling embarrassed.

Laissez-Faire Style

The laissez-faire teacher places few demand or controls on the students . "Do your
own thing" describes this classroom. This teacher accepts the student's impulses
and actions and is less likely to monitor their behavior.
Mr. Jones uses a laissez-faire style. He strives to not hurt the student's feelings and
has difficulty saying no to a student or enforcing rules. If a student disrupts the
class, Mr. Jones may assume that he is not giving that student enough attention.
When a student interrupts a lecture, Mr. Jones accepts the interruption with the
belief that the student must surely have something valuable to add. When he does
offer discipline, it is likely to be inconsistent.
Mr. Jones is very involved with his students and cares for them very much. He is
more concerned with the students' emotional well-being than he is with classroom
control. He sometimes bases classroom decisions on his students feelings rather
than on their academic concerns.
Mr. Jones wants to be the students' friend. He may even encourage contact outside
the classroom. He has a difficult time establishing boundaries between his
professional life and his personal life.
However, this overindulgent style is associated with students lack of social
competence and self-control. It is difficult for students to learn socially acceptable
behavior when the teacher is so permissive. With few demands placed upon them,
these students frequently have lower motivation to achieve.
Regardless, students often like this teacher. A Middle School student says:
This is a pretty popular teacher. You don't have to be serious throughout the class.
But sometimes things get out of control and we learn nothing at all.

Indifferent Style

The indifferent teacher is not very involved in the classroom . This teacher
places few demands, if any, on the students and appears generally uninterested. The
indifferent teacher just doesn't want to impose on the students. As such, he/she often
feels that class preparation is not worth the effort. Things like field trips and special
projects are out of the question. This teacher simply won't take the necessary
preparation time. Sometimes, he/she will use the same materials, year after year.
Also, classroom discipline is lacking. This teacher may lack the skills, confidence, or
courage to discipline students.
The students sense and reflect the teacher's indifferent attitude. Accordingly, very
little learning occurs. Everyone is just "going through the motions" and killing time. In
this aloof environment, the students have very few opportunities to observe or
practice communication skills. With few demands placed on them and very little
discipline, students have low achievement motivation and lack self-control.
According to one student, This teacher can't control the class and we never learn
anything in there. There is hardly ever homework and people rarely bring their
books.
Mrs. Johnson is a good example of an indifferent teacher. She uses the same lesson
plans every year, never bothering to update them. For her, each day is the same. She
lectures for the first twenty minutes of class. Sometimes she will show a film or a
slideshow. When she does, it becomes a substitute for her lecture, not a supplement.
If there is any time left (and there always is) she allows students to study quietly and
to talk softly. As long as they don't bother her, she doesn't mind what they do. As far
as she is concerned, the students are responsible for their own education.

Classroom Management:
Strategies, Techniques,
and, oh yes, Pitfalls
CAJE 32
Roland Roth
Director of Education and Programming
Congregation Beth Shalom, Wilmington, DE
education@bethshalomwilmington.org

Effective Teaching the First Day

Rivka Shalom is fresh out of college, clueless but

excited over being a new teacher. With 17 boxes of
activities she can't wait to make learning fun. So she
starts the first day of school with her most favorite
fun activity and then spends the rest of the school
year chasing after the class.
Melissa Bat-Sheva scripted her first day of school.
She is like a coach who scripts the first 25 plays of a
game. A teacher would not "wing it" in a classroom
any more than a coach would "wing it" on a football
field or a pilot would wing it on a flight from
Baltimore to Kansas City! The successful and
effective teacher goes in with a plan and modifies
that plan if conditions change.

Planning, Scripting, Ready

Melissa began the first day of her first year of teaching with a
plan. She scripted the first day of school as follows:
Greet each student at the door:

hand each child a classroom rules sheet (goes in notebook)

direct them toward their assigned seat (alphabetical)
tell child to read and follow the instructions written on the board
have instructions written on board for them to start on
finish greeting the last to arrive in class

Welcome students to class and introduce myself:

my name
talk about family (husband, kids)
education
where I'm from and where I live
tell them why I wanted to teach

Planning, Scripting, Ready, cont.

Arriving and leaving class:

teach procedure for arriving in class

teach procedure for dismissal from class

Explain rules and daily procedures:

refer to the rules that are posted at front

explain discipline plan and refer to poster
go over procedures and refer to poster
talk about "We missed you" chart

Respecting the classroom and the art supplies:

refer to classroom rules and procedures

teach them to be responsible for the art supplies and
room; teach procedures

Planning, Scripting, Ready, cont.

Teachers things and students things:

some things are only for me

other things are for you to use as you need it

Explain thematic lessons and such:

will be going along with what regular teacher is teaching

Art centers:

everyone will get a chance to go to all the centers

art centers board will have names (numbers) that tell us who
does what that day

Notebooks:

this is so that the child can record their grades and keep track
of them for themselves
to store vocabulary words (Hebrew, etc.) for future use
to write a weekly journal entry about what they liked most
about the weeks lesson

Overview/Objectives

Classroom Management is requires

planning

Before the First Day

Classroom Setup
General Rules for Promoting Effective
Classroom Management
General Guidelines for Good Classroom
Management Practice

Before the First Day

A LIST OF THINGS TO DO
BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS
ROOM ENVIRONMENT

Decide on a theme for your classroom

Prepare/purchase bulletin board
materials
Decide where to post notices/materials
Make a classroom welcome sign
Set up learning centers, display tables,
and student work areas
Teresa Wasinger, Pleasant
Valley Middle School

Before the First Day,

cont.

SUPPLIES
Writing, drawing, and construction paper
Pencils/Pens
Crayons
Paste/glue
Stapler/staples
Paper clips
Rubber bands
Straight and safety pins
Transparent tape
Manila folders
Marking pens
Rulers
Art supplies
Grade book
Lesson plan book
Attendance materials
Textbooks/workbooks
Boxes for keeping units

Teresa Wasinger, Pleasant

Valley Middle School

Before the First Day,

cont.
FIND OUT ABOUT

Fire drills
Tornado drills
Lunch procedure
Staff handbook
Dismissal procedure
Your colleagues

STUDENT PREP

Make student name tags

Prepare first-day materials to send home (emergency
cards, school/classroom rules, bus regulations/info,
letter to parents, classroom schedule)
Prepare class list
Decide on your seating procedure
Check records for students with special needs
Teresa Wasinger, Pleasant
Valley Middle School

Before the First Day,

cont.
GETTING ORGANIZED

Brainstorm class expectations

Arrange desks
Pin up bulletin boards, notices, etc.
Write lesson plans for the first week
Duplicate materials for first week
Write daily schedule, date, and your name
on the board
Prepare files for parent correspondence,
school bulletins, and sub teachers
Teresa Wasinger, Pleasant
Valley Middle School

Before the First Day,

cont.
THINK ABOUT PROCEDURES FOR...

Book distribution
Turning in work, format of work
Handing back assignments
Homework
Grading--recording grades, extra credit, portfolios
Housekeeping procedures--clean up, supply storage
Rewards and incentives
Communicating with parents
Signals for students' attention
Daily routines--beginning of day, transition times,
independent and group work
Agenda use and motivators

Teresa Wasinger, Pleasant

Valley Middle School

Classroom Setup
It is typical for classrooms to be set up in rows,
or lately, in groups of 3-4 tables (which allow for
easier cooperative learning). However, there are
fundamental problems for each:

In rows, studies have shown that the further back you

go, the more discipline problems there are. The
visual, aural and physical stimulation from the teacher
is increasingly diminished as you move further back.
This allows boredom to set in, and as a result,
potential disruption.

Dr. Scott Mandela, Pacoima Middle Sch

ool

Classroom Setup, cont.

In groups, the opposite is true. Students are over
stimulated--by the peers that are now not only next to
him/her, but across the table! There is now MORE to
distract the student, leaving it harder for the teacher to
keep the student focused on any frontal instruction.
An alternative is to arrange the chairs/tables into a threesided "box" shape, (with an occasional second row if
room demands). In this fashion, EVERY STUDENT IS IN
THE FIRST ROW! The teacher can freely move around
the room while talking, and therefore giving "personal"
contact with each student. The result: greater attention
and fewer discipline problems. Desks/tables can be
moved into cooperative learning groups as needed
usually within two-three minutes!
Dr. Scott Mandela, Pacoima Middle Sch
ool

General Rules for Promoting

Effective Classroom
Management

Thirteen steps teachers can take at the beginning of the year to promote
effective classroom management are:
1.
Develop a set of written expectations you can live with and enforce.
2.
Be consistent. Be consistent. Be consistent.
3.
Be patient with yourself and with your students.
4.
Make parents your allies. Call early and often. Use the word "concerned."
5.
When communicating a concern, be specific and descriptive.
6.
Don't talk too much. Use the first 15 minutes of class for lectures or
presentations, then get the kids working.
7.
Break the class period into two or three different activities. Be sure each
activity segues smoothly into the next.
8.
Begin at the very beginning of each class period and end at the very end.
9.
Don't roll call. Take the roll with your seating chart while students are
working.
10.
Keep all students actively involved. For example, while a student does a
presentation, involve the other students in evaluating it.
11.
Discipline individual students quietly and privately. Never engage in a
disciplinary conversation across the room.
12.
Keep your sense of perspective and your sense of humor.
13.
Know when to ask for help.

Linda Starr, Education World

Important Strategies

Once students are settled in the classroom, you'll want to

continue with some of these teacher-recommended
techniques for maintaining control without confrontation:

Establish eye contact.

Move around the room and increase proximity to restless
students.
Send a silent signal.
Give a quiet reminder.
Re-direct a student's attention.
Begin a new activity.
Offer a choice.
Use humor.
Provide positive reinforcement.
Wait quietly until everyone is on task.
Ask a directed question.
Linda Starr, Education World

Calming Routines

Many teachers have found that the best way to

start the school day is to greet each student
personally as he or she enters the classroom.
They use the opportunity to establish rapport,
and to deal with such minor problems as gum
chewing, boisterous behavior, bad moods, or
unwanted materials, quietly and discretely -before they can erupt into public confrontations
that threaten control and disrupt the class. A
warm personal welcome sets the tone for
the day. Offer students a choice of three
greetings -- a handshake, a high five, or a hug.
Their response can tell a lot about how each
student is feeling that day.
Linda Starr, Education World

General Guidelines for Good

Classroom Management
Practice

There are many different practices that

are used for good classroom
management.
As with all classroom management
practices, adapt what you like to
your classroom taking account the
age and personality of the class as a
group, and of you as an educator.
Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS
(Dublin, Ireland)

Classroom Management,
cont.

Maintaining good order in classrooms is one of the

most difficult tasks facing young inexperienced
teachers. The task has become more difficult over
the past few decades as young people's
attitudes to people in authority have
changed dramatically. Some of the changes
have led to greater self-confidence in students.
Others--such as the acceptance of violence to
achieve ends, attitudes to substance abuse and
an increasing lack of respect for authority--have
made classroom management and life in school
generally more difficult, and more demanding, on
those who are charged with maintaining a positive
learning environment.
Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS
(Dublin, Ireland)

Classroom Management,
cont.

Many disruptive behaviors in the

classroom can be alleviated before they
become serious discipline problems. Such
behaviors can be reduced by the
teacher's ability to employ effective
organizational practices. Such
practices are at the heart of the teaching
process and are essential to establishing
and maintaining classroom control.
Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS
(Dublin, Ireland)

Solid Organizational Practices (SOP)

The

following set of organizational practices

should help to establish effective control of
the classroom by the teacher:

Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS (Dubl

in, Ireland)

SOP: Get Off to a Good Start

The first honeymoon encounter between the

teacher and the students is when they formulate
their impressions of the teacher. Students sit
quietly, raise their hands to respond and are generally
well behaved. The teacher is easily misled into
thinking that this is an ideal class and may relax their
vigilance. Students within a week will begin to test the
waters to see what they can "get away with". It is
during this period that the effective teacher will
establish the expected ground-rules for classroom
behavior.
Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS (Dubl
in, Ireland)

SOP: Learning School Policies

Prior

to meeting the class for the first time,

the teacher should become familiar with
school policies concerning acceptable
student behavior and disciplinary
procedures. The teacher should definitely
know what the school expects from both
student and teacher in regard to discipline.

Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS (Dubl

in, Ireland)

SOP: Establishing Rules

Establish

a set of classroom rules to

guide the behavior of students at once.
Discuss the rationale of these rules with the
students to ensure they understand and see
the need for each rule. Keep the list of rules
short. The rules most often involve paying
attention, respect for others, excessive noise,
securing materials and completion of
homework assignments.
Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS (Dubl
in, Ireland)

SOP: Overplanning Lessons

Overplan

the lessons for the first week

or two. It is important for the teacher to
impress on the students from the outset that
he or she is organized and confident of their
ability to get through the syllabus.

Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS (Dubl

in, Ireland)

SOP: Learning Names

Devise

a seating arrangement whereby

students' names are quickly learned.
Calling a student by his or her name early in
the year gives the student an increased
sense of well being. It also gives a teacher
greater control of situations. Shmueli, stop
talking and finish your work is more effective
than Let us stop talking and finish our work.
Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS (Dubl
in, Ireland)

SOP: Be Firm and Consistent

A

teacher can be firm yet still be

supportive and friendly with students. A
firm teacher can provide an environment
where the students feel safe and secure.
Many teachers report that it is easier to begin
the year in a firm manner and relax later,
than to begin in a lax manner and then try to
become firm.
Tony Murphy, Catholic Boys HS (Dubl
in, Ireland)

Teacher Survival Kits

Place all items in a brown lunch bag along with this handout:
1. When it spills, wipe it (paper towel)
2. When it cries or sneezes, dry it (tissue)
3. When it bleeds bandage it (Band-Aid)
4. When it needs a hug and a kiss, give it (candy kiss)
5. When it rips, pin it (safety pin)
6. When it's sour, sweeten it (pack of sugar)
7. When it's wrong, erase it (eraser)
8. When it pounds, soothe it (aspirin)
9. When it hurts, grin and "bear" it (bear sticker)
10. When it's important, write it down (note pad sheet)
11. When it's a good day, chalk it up (piece of chalk)
12. When it's a bad day, ask G-d for strength and hope for a
better day tomorrow (nothing is found in the survival kit for this
need - it comes only from the heart and soul of the teacher).
13. When it's gossip, cut it out and dispose of it (word gossip on
a sheet of paper with cutting dashes around it)

Rochelle Chenoweth, Elkins Middle School (WV

)

 Student Welcome Bags

The cotton ball is to remind you that this room is full of kind
words and warm feelings.
The chocolate kiss is to comfort you when you are feeling sad.
The tissue is to remind you to help dry someone's tears.
The sticker is to remind you that we all stick together and help
each other.
The star is to remind you to shine and always try your best.
The gold thread is to remind you that friendship ties our hearts
together.
The rubber band is to remind you to hug someone.
The penny is to remind you that you are valuable and special.
The toothpick is to remind you to "pick out" the good qualities in
your classmates.
The bandage is to heal hurt feelings in your friends and in
yourself.
The eraser is to remind you that we all make mistakes, and that
is O.K.
The life saver is to remind you that you can come to me if you
need someone to talk to.
Rochelle Chenoweth, Elkins Middle School (WV
)

Ideas for Middle School

Teachers
In order to teach, you must have control
over your classroom. This does not mean
you should act like a dictator. If you try to
teach without establishing control, then
the quality of teaching will suffer.
In order to have true respect, you must
give it. This does not mean that you accept
undesirable comments in the classroom nor
does it mean that you can run a classroom
without some consequences.
Ginny Hoover, Abe Hoover Middl
e School

Middle School Teachers,

cont.
In order to have discipline there will be
consequences for bad decisions. This
does not mean that consequences must be
harsh to accomplish its job. Harsh
consequences do not accomplish much
except for breeding hatred. Consequences
should fit the offense. Often the natural
consequence is the best.

Ginny Hoover, Abe Hoover Middl

e School

Middle School Teachers,

cont.

In order to be the authority figure in a

classroom, there is an imaginary line that
you shouldn't cross. Does that mean you
cannot be a friend to your students? No, it
means that if the friendship gets in the way
of education, then it has crossed the
imaginary line. (For instance, others may see
such conduct as playing favorites and it could
undermine your relationships with them.)

Ginny Hoover, Abe Hoover Middl

e School

Middle School Teachers,

cont.
A teacher cannot always be fair, but
should strive to fairly apply the
rules.
A positive classroom will accomplish
much more than a classroom that is
filled with negativism--don't
threaten your students.
Ginny Hoover, Abe Hoover Middl
e School

Middle School Teachers,

cont.
If you discipline in anger, your judgment can be in
error. Learn to be calm in the face of
problems. It will be a healthier approach for you,
and your students will learn from your problem
solving abilities. Don't take your students'
remarks personally--students at this age may hate
a teacher one day and love him/her then next. It
is a sign of their age, not their overall opinion of
the teacher.

Ginny Hoover, Abe Hoover Middl

e School

Middle School Teachers,

cont.
It is important to act, not react. Give students
choices--for example: 1. You may leave the room
and go to . . . . .(a pre-selected place--maybe
another teacher can provide a time out corner if
you don't have a time out room). 2. You may stay
here and make changes in your personal choices.
3. You may stay in the room, but change your seat
to an area where you agree there will be fewer
problems.---When you give students choices, they
have power--power to make a good choice and
continue receiving instruction.

Ginny Hoover, Abe Hoover Middl

e School

Middle School Teachers,

cont.
If the emotional and/or physical well being of a
student is at risk, then the offender should be
removed from the room--no choices.
If teachers copy the discipline style of
another, it may not fit them or their
classroom. Classroom control, like teaching,
requires personalization--what works best for
your is what you should do.
The above list is generalities that work. Think
about using them.... Whatever you choose, keep a
positive atmosphere in the classroom.

Ginny Hoover, Abe Hoover Middl

e School

Back to the Beginning

At the end of her first year as a teacher, Melissa writes:

My first day of school was a success. Each of my students had a
place to sit and an art number, which they would use for the
duration of the year. The overhead projector was ready with
seatwork on the board and they worked quietly until I was ready
to introduce myself. I let them know what I expected and that
each of them would be successful. Classroom management
and having a procedure for everything is a key factor in
success, but I have also found that having a place for
everything and everything in it's place is also very
important. The longer it takes to find a paper or get out work for
students who have been absent, the more distracted other
students become.

In the End
If

you do not plan, the students will plan

for you.
The effective teacher organizes and
structures the classroom for his/her
success, but most importantly, for the
success of the students.

Suggested Title

Positive Discipline: A Teacher's A-Z Guide, Revised 2nd Edition: Hundreds of

Solutions for Every Possible Classroom Behavior Problem (Paperback)
by Jane Nelsen (Prima Publishing) www.positivediscipline.com

Recommended Websites
www.nea.org/classmanagement
www.teachers.net
www.classroommanagement.com
http://education.indiana.edu/cas/
theteachersguide.com/classmanagment
www.teachervision.com

A Prayer for Our Teachers

Kaddish DeRabbanan
(music & lyrics by Debbie Friedman)
For our Teachers and their Students
And the Students of the Students
We ask for Peace and Loving-Kindness
And let us say Amen.
And for those who study Torah
Here and Everywhere
May they be blessed, with all they need
And let us say Amen.
We ask for Peace, and Loving-Kindness,
And Let us say Amen.
We ask for Peace, and Loving-Kindness,
And Let us say Amen.

Thank you for coming to this session

on Classroom Management
To get a copy of this slide show (and
outline) email:
education@bethshalomwilmington.org
or call Roland Roth at 302-654-0154.
Safe Travels and see you in Vermont!