Classroom Management

The key to orderly classrooms is the teacher's ability to prevent problems from occurring in the first place, rather than handling misbehavior once it happens (Kounin, 1970.) Classroom management includes teacher's strateiges that create and maintain a positive learning environment. Effective classroom managers have three primary goals:

1. Developing learner responsibilities
2. Creating a positive classroom climate
3. Maximizing opportunity for learning

A fail proof classroom management plan begins with perfectly clear expectations and well-crafted procedures. At no point in the day or year should students not know what they are supposed to be doing.

1. Developing learner responsibilities:
Developing student responsibility requires a cognitive approach to management, which emphasizes the creation of orderly classrooms through the development of student understanding (Emmer & Stough, 2001.) Student's construct understanding of what responsibility means, why rules and procedures are necessary and learn to accept their role in contributing to a productive learning environment. Learners are more likely to obey rules when they understand the reasons for them (Good & Brophy, 2003.)

2. Creating a positive classroom climate:
In a positive learning environment, both teacher and student demonstrate mutual respect and courtesy, and everyone feels safe to express thoughts and opinions without fear of embarrassment or ridicule. Positive student-teacher relationships affect not only classroom management, but also students' motivation, emotional well-being, and achievement. When students feel they belong and are valued, they are much more likely to follow classroom rules (Anderman, 2002.)

3. Maximizing opportunity for learning:
In classrooms where learning students are engaged and successful, achievement is higher, learners feel a sense of competence and self-efficacy, and interest in the topics is increased (Bransford et al., 2000.) Classroom management is essential to ensure instructional time and academic learning time are maximized for student learning. With strong classroom management, teachers do not waste time or look to kill time as they've maximized it for instructional use.