Classroom management plays a key role in creating and maintaining an appropriate behaviour in the classroom setting. Managing a classroom can be a daunting task. Having to think about students needs and behaviours, principal demands, parental demands and so on, can be overwhelming. It is important for prospective teachers to consider the needs of their students and to think about the way their classroom should be managed. Here are three classroom management theories to consider:
Student-Directed
Management
Students who live in equality and who are
able to control their behaviours, care for others and make wise decisions are
considered to be primary goals for student-directed management. This type of classroom seeks to attain high
achievement and positive learning environments with strong teacher-student
relationships (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2014). There are two main beliefs for this type of classroom
management:
- Students must be responsible for controlling their behaviour
- Students are able to control their behaviour if an opportunity arises
(2012, July 3) Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E61YKwA6B28
Should our classrooms look like this?
Collaborative
Management
Having both the student and the teacher
responsible for the students’ behaviour, is considered to be a collaborative
classroom management theory. The goal of this type of management is to ensure
that the classroom is well organized and that students are:
- Engaged in learning
- Frequently successful
- Respectful of the teacher and fellow classmates
- Cooperative in following the classroom guidelines that both the teacher and student have agreed upon
Teacher-Directed
Management
This type of classroom management produces
students who are able to make good decisions based on the guidelines and rules
that are set in place by the teacher. The teachers are responsible in making
guidelines and rules that will create a productive learning environment for the
students and to make sure the students understand these rules and the
consequences set in place if they do not follow them (Levin et. al, 2013). Teachers are constantly
rewarding, withholding and punishing students, trying to stay consistent with
their behaviour. I know that throughout my schooling, most of my teachers
taught in this type of a classroom. They were seen as a power figure to the
class. Although I succeeded academically in this type of classroom, I also feel
that I learned how to please the teachers based on their preference of
teaching. Therefore, did I actually learn the material, or did I just learn how to
please the teachers? I feel that teachers spend more time micro-managing their
classrooms, through punishing those who are a distraction to others, instead of
teaching the material and allowing the students to create an environment for
learning.
While there are distinct features for each
of these three theories, some in which seem better than others, I think it is
important to consider the subject you are teaching as well as the learning demands
of your students to determine the most beneficial method of classroom
management. Teachers should match the type of instruction to the task and teach
directly with the skill being taught.
How have you been taught throughout your schooling?
EJD
Drake, Susan M., Reid, Joanne L., and Kolohon, Wendy (2014). Interweaving curriculum
and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21st-century learner. Canada: Oxford University
EJD
References
Drake, Susan M., Reid, Joanne L., and Kolohon, Wendy (2014). Interweaving curriculum
and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21st-century learner. Canada: Oxford University
Press.
Levin, J., Nolan, J., Kerr, J., Elliott, A., & Bajovic, M. (2013). Principles of Classroom
Management (Fourth ed., p. 300). Toronto: Pearson.
What is Self-Directed Learning? (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Self_Directed/
Levin, J., Nolan, J., Kerr, J., Elliott, A., & Bajovic, M. (2013). Principles of Classroom
Management (Fourth ed., p. 300). Toronto: Pearson.
What is Self-Directed Learning? (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Self_Directed/
Hello Emily,
ReplyDeleteI want to start off by telling you that I found your blog post to be extremely relevant to our class material as very informative. You presented us with a lot of questions in your blog that I found to be a great way into opening up the debate for how the classrooms of today should look like. This is seen when you began with the topic of student direct learning when you mentioned the question, “would we see more individuals interested in education, as they are able to foster their own educational development”? This question made me think about my own learning and how if I had more choices, I may be more interested in certain subjects as a child. The addition of the video complimented your information and gave a solid glimpse into the new theories of classroom management at work. Also, the video helped to further demonstrate how the use of technology can be implemented in the classroom that can enhance the learning experience while sparking student creation. It is in my own belief that technology plays a major role in aiding the learning demands students and can also be used as a beneficial tool for classroom management. I would like to ask you if you feel that the integration of technology is a vital part of the student-direct or even collaborative theory of classroom management or not?
- Nicola
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteYour first blog post was very interesting to read because of the clarity and guiding questions that you offered readers throughout your post. I found that the organization of the post worked very well, especially since you can describing three theories in classroom management. As a future educator myself, I found your blog post to be very informative and made me reflect on the types of classrooms I found myself in when I was in elementary and high school. In addition, the images and video that you put into your post helped me to think about what type of classroom management theory I might use in my future classroom. In addition, your post made me also question at what grade level each classroom theory would work best in regards to the intermediate/senior grades?
Overall your first blog post is clear and educational. It allowed me to gain a glimpse into the three theories that are out there in regards to classroom management and allowed for me to think about which theory matches my teaching beliefs and what I hope would work well for my future classroom. I look forward to reading your next blog post.
Miss Chong
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteI love your humble admittance that “managing a classroom can be a daunting task”. Last year in EDUC 8P50, Dr. Cherubini told us, “if you do your job right, teaching is not an easy task” and I have never agreed with anything more!
I wanted to also say that your visual displays of lists as well as your images are very aesthetically appealing. I also LOVE your integration of questions- they really made me think, and I am still thinking.
When considering what type of classroom management would best suit the needs of society, keep in mind that society is diverse- there is no one size fits all, unfortunately! For example, in my front matter assignment I discovered ample differences amongst Ontario and British Columbia alone – cultural differences play a significant role in this.
I have a question regarding your reflection in your success as a student in a teacher-directed management- you did a fantastic self-assessment of your experience! I want to ask: what else do you think may have affected this and led to your success? A factor I thought of for example is cultural capital. Have you benefited, and/or memorized those ropes as well?
Also, I think your comment about the need to match subject with teaching instruction makes a lot of sense- evidently we would not teach math and French for example in the exact same fashion. If you were to do this, how would you go about it (for example, in your two teachables)? I will think about my own in my own two teachables and would love to discuss with you soon!
Looking forward to reading more from you,
Miss Colella