The situation given was Puan Rokiah, a new teacher had been

assigned to be the class teacher for year four students and having a problems
in teaching them. The students had misbehaved in her class. The main
problem that she faced was the students are not giving attention to the lesson
given by her. There are many factors that might be the reason for the students
to misbehave in the lesson. The students might have different learning styles
and the teachers lesson also might be boring to the students. However, there
are many models that can be used by the teacher to overcome this problem.
The teacher could apply the models of classroom discipline in her lesson in
order to control the students. The teacher can use the behavior modification
model, assertive discipline model, logical consequences model and the group
management models in managing the classroom.

The first model that Puan Rokiah can use is the behavior modification
model that was introduce by Skinner. This model emphasize on shaping the
students through reward and punishment. consequences and rewards on
the other can foster the development of positive relationships between
students and teachers and create a productive learning environment in the
classroom. (Barbara B. and Maria C., 2005) This indicates that there are
effects that can be seen through reward and punishment. Puan Rokiah could
use this model to control the class. Puan Rokiah first could provide
reinforcement to the students by giving them rewards. The rewards can be
anything. Puan Rokiah can provide a real rewards to the students or she
could provide an abstract rewards such as praises to the students. For
example, Puan Rokiah could give the students candy or chocolate for the
students who are able to answer the questions given by her. This indirectly
will motivate the students to involve in the lesson thus making them to focus in
the lesson as the answers is based on what Puan Rokiah is teaching. In
contrast, Puan Rokiah could also use punishment in order to make the
students to focus in her lesson. Puan Rokiah could punish the students by
asking them to stand until they are able to answer the question. The aim of
the punishment was not to make the students to injured physically, but it is
aimed to make them focus in the lesson. By doing this, the students will
indirectly maintain their focus towards the lesson given by Puan Rokiah. By
doing this, the teacher actually is forcing the students to focus in the lesson by
punishing the students. This will also make sure the students to stop the
behavior of not focusing in the lesson, as they did not want to be punished
again. This shows that this model is suitable for Puan Rokiah in order for her
to control the classroom.

Next, Puan Rokiah could also apply the assertive discipline model in
order to control the classroom thus stopping the students from the act of not
focusing in the classroom. Assertive discipline is a model introduce by Canter,
which emphasize the role of the teacher in a classroom. According to Canter,
there are three levels of teacher behavior in a classroom and it is important for
the teacher to be at the assertive level. Assertive level is the optimal level of a
teacher as it is in balance with the aggressive type of teacher and passive
type of teacher. Robert T.(2007) mentioned that it is important to feel assertive
and acting assertive in order the teacher to develop an assertive attitudes.
Firstly, since it is a new school session, Puan Rokiah need to set some
ground rules for the class. Puan Rokiah could for example set the ground
rules such as No talking when the teacher is teaching and introduces the
consequences to the students. Puan Rokiah must take note that this ground
rules need to be discussed and produced together by the students and Puan
Rokiah itself. Then, Puan Rokiah will have the power to punish the students
as the rules were agreed by both of the teacher and students. The students
needed to accept the consequences when they had disobeyed the ground
rules of the class. For examples, the teacher could punish the students when
the students disobeyed the ground rules by standing at their own place until
the teacher ask them to sit down back. By doing this, the teacher will be able
to control the focus of the students as they will be needed to be silent in the
class. If they did not obeying the rules they will be punished. Puan Rokiah
also must take note that it is important for her to apply the rules and
punishment to the students, as it will be resulting the fear of the students if
they did not obey the ground rules. This clearly shows that assertive discipline
model is applicable to be used by Puan Rokiah in order to maintain the
students focus towards her lesson.
 The next model that can be used by Puan Rokiah in maintaining the
students focus in her lesson is by using the logical consequences model. This
model was introduced by Dreikurs and the model is depicting on the students
choices. This model was applicable to be used in Puan Rokiah condition
because this model actually focusing on punishing the students but aimed to
make the students realize on their consequences of their own decisions. This
was supported by this statement that mentioned, logical consequences
should never be viewed as retribution but as the result of the students
decision not to comply. After all, it is the students reluctance to change
misbehavior that leads to consequences. (Ming-Tak H. and Wai-Shing L.,
2008) Puan Rokiah could use this model by first telling the consequences that
will be faced by the students if they continue to misbehave in the lesson.
Then, if the students still misbehave, Puan Rokiah could punish them based
on the consequences told earlier. During the next lesson, before she even
started her lesson, she could ask the same student that was punished in
previous lesson whether he wanted to continue misbehave in the lesson or
not. This actually allowing the students to make their own choices and
accepting the consequences made by their own choice. Puan Rokiah could
use this in her lesson towards the students who are playing in her lesson or
towards the students who are not focusing in the lesson. She could take the
students chair and make them stand in the lesson or she could make the
students to sit in front if they did not focusing in the lesson. During the next
session, Puan Rokiah could ask the students whether they wanted to
misbehave again or not. This will directly make the students to focus on the
lesson as if they are not focusing in the lesson they will be punished and
faces the consequences of their own choices. This clearly shows that logical
consequences model is appropriate and suitable to be used by Puan Rokiah
in making the students to pay attention during her lesson.

The last model that can be used by Puan Rokiah in making the
students to pay attention in class during her lesson is the group management
model by Kounin. This model emphasize on the role of teacher to determine
the class or the lesson that the teacher wanted to have. Firstly, the teacher
needs to ensure that the lesson that was produced by the teacher contains
interesting activities. It was supported by this line Teachers may employ a
variety of procedures and strategies to promote interests of children and
reduce boredom such as making instruction functional and challenging,
basing instruction on the abilities and disabilities of the group, present
information and materials on a multi sensory level, use different modes of
presentation such as laboratories, lecture, role playing, cooperative groups,
and debate groups are to name but a few (George, 2004) This is important
because the type of the lesson and how the teacher is delivering the lesson
affects the students interests in learning. If the lesson is fun, there is no
reason on why they are not engaged with the lesson and lose their focus in
the class. The students will be eager to learn and engaged with the lesson if it
is fun and enjoyable. Since Puan Rokiah is teaching year four students, she
could use songs or videos in order to make the students to enjoy the lesson.
Besides that, she also could produce an interesting activity for her lesson that
involves movement. This was applicable since the students have variety
learning styles and it is the duty for the teacher to cater all the differences of
learning styles of the students. Next, based on this model, Puan Rokiah also
could use the ripple effect strategy in order to maintain the student focus in
the lesson. Puan Rokiah need to give warning to the students so that that the
other students will be affected also by the warning. For example, Puan Rokiah
could warn the students that are not focusing in the class if they are not able
to answer the question given, they will be punished. This will indirectly make
the others students who are not involved in the warning to focus in the lesson,
as they did not want to be punished as warned by the teacher. Lastly, based
on the group management model, Puan Rokiah could also apply the
withitness in the lesson. Puan Rokiah need to be aware on what happen in
the class even though the class consists of thirty students. This is important
as the teacher is aware on what is happening, the students will feel afraid to
do something that is not related to the lesson thus making them focus in the
lesson. The teacher needs to have a wider view in order to apply the
withitness in a lesson. The teacher needs to be sensitive on the surroundings.
Puan Rokiah can apply this when she delivers her lesson. This clearly shows
that group management model is appropriate to be used by Puan Rokiah in
overcoming the problem in her class, which is the students are not paying
attention during her lesson.

In conclusion, there are many things that can be applied by Puan

Rokiah in order to maintain the students focus in class. Puan Rokiah can
implement the model of classroom discipline in order to cater this problem.
This model is also suitable to be used by other teachers in catering other
types of misbehavior in a classroom. It is important for every teacher to
master all the models of classroom discipline as there are many misbehavior
that can be shown by the students.

(1596 Words)

References

Barbara B. & Maria C. (2005). A Handbook for Classroom Management that Works.
United States of America: ASCD

George R. (2004). Practical Application of Classroom Management Theories Into

Strategies. United States of America: University Press of America.

Ming-Tak H. & Wai_Shing L. (2008). Classroom Management: Creating a Positive

Learning Environment (Volume 1 of Hong Kong Teacher Education). Hong
Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Robert T. (2007). Classroom Management: Sound Theory and Effective Practice.

United States of America: Greenwood Publishing Group.