Classroom Management

Executive Summary:

According to a 2006 survey conducted by the American Psychological

Association, Classroom Management has been cited as one of the most prevalent
reasons for job burnout and attrition. Unfortunately, classroom management
strategies are not often taught to pre-service teachers at university. This is why we
found it so necessary to convey this information to our classmates. Teachers of any
subject and any grade level, and teaching at any school, can employ different
strategies to keep students engaged in learning throughout the day. There are
countless strategies to use, but there are three overarching categories to remember
when employing classroom management strategies in the classroom: Consistency,
Relationships, and Rules. Our goal was to give them the key steps to using these
strategies and achieving high classroom management.
We began by demonstrating the ineffective ways teachers have been known
to run their classrooms. We gained their attention by yelling for them to be quiet.
We then gave them an activity to do, but purposefully gave very few rules. We asked
them to discuss ideas with their group regarding classroom management strategies.
When they were finished, we questioned if they wrote any of their answers down
and asked why they did not put it on the chart on the board. They looked extremely
confused, which proved our point that children need rules and guidance.
We then shared our research with the class. We explained that rules are
important for students at any age (as demonstrated by the opening activity). In the

elementary school classroom, the rules should be made clear, made explicit, and
posted in the classroom. At the middle school level, rules help to establish classroom
climate as well as manage behavior. When setting rules for the secondary school
classroom, keep it short and simple! There should be as few rules as possible, but
those established should focus on observable behavior.
Consistency is also key. In an elementary school classroom, it can be in the
form of daily routines. Consistency helps students know what is expected of them
and they feel comfort from the stability in their day. In upper grade school,
consistency can help to eliminate confusion and help students to accomplish tasks
quickly. Consistency is important at any level so students know what is expected
and understand that you mean what you say.
Finally, our most important point was relationships. Forming relationships
with your students shows them that you care about their lives beyond doing well in
the classroom. A teacher needs to think about how they can show their students that
they care about them as people, too. Elementary school teachers often form parentlike relationships with their students, which can really make a difference in a
rambunctious students behavior. Middle level teachers often need to show their
students appropriate dominance. A survey of middle school students shows that
they prefer teachers who are firm and structured rather than permissive. Secondary
education teachers tend to emphasize order and teaching rather than interpersonal
skills in their classrooms. By showing their students empathy, respect, and
understanding, they can greatly increase the respect that students show them as
well as productivity in the classroom.

After our presentation, we went back to the activity we started with. This
time, however, we gave them rules and guidelines. We posed several discussion
questions for them to talk about while coming up with their classroom management
strategies. We let them know how much time they had to complete this task, and
reminded them throughout the activity so that they could keep the pace. We also
monitored and asked questions so we could make sure they were on task, and so
that they knew we were invested in their work. Finally, we instructed them to write
their answers on the board so that we could have a class discussion. It was evident
that they felt much more comfortable and that the process ran much more smoothly.
We set out to inform our classmates on just how important classroom
management is for maintaining an efficient and effective classroom environment.
But we also found it important to show them what happens if they do not implement
these strategies. By demonstrating this through the first activity, our classmates not
only heard what the repercussions are, but experienced them. They found a reason
to hear what we had to say. It was also very important to us to focus on each grade
level. Our class consists of teachers in every level and every subject. It was vital that
our information was personal to each and every one of them. We wanted them to
walk away with a better understanding of how to implement rules, consistency, and
relationships in their classrooms in order to have an enjoyable and successful school
year.