Theories of

Management
EDUC 4128

Management Theories
Theorists

Skinner

Rogers
Kounin
Kohn
Gibbs
Brophy
Wong

Jones
Mendler and Curwin
Glasser
Gordon
Hewitt

Canter
Dreikurs
Bennett

Classroom Management as Reacting

to Discipline Problems

Skinners
Behavioural
Management
Theory

Skinner Behavioural
Management
Definition: The practice of providing
consequences for both positive
and negative behaviour.
The teacher develops a process of
systematically applying rewards
(reinforcements) and
consequences for behaviour.

Skinner Behavioural
Management
This model of classroom management
is also known as:
behaviourism
behavioural techniques
behaviour modification
social-learning theory

Classroom Management with

a Preventative Approach

Carl Rogers
Jacob Kounin
Alfie Kohn
Jeanne Gibbs
Jere Brophy
Harry Wong

Carl Rogers
Experiential Learning and SelfActualization
Experiences need to be relevant, nonthreatening and participatory
Teachers need to be real, prize students,
empathetic and understanding
All students strive for self-actualization
and self-fulfillment

Jacob Kounin
Effective Teaching includes group
alerting and accountability, high
participation and smooth transitions
Effective teachers are withit, use
the ripple effect, overlapping and
they dont dangle, flip flop or get
distracted

Alfie Kohn
Beyond Discipline: From Compliance to Community
There is a difference between working with and
doing to classes
Doing to classes include compliance, punishment
and rewards, grading and reliance on marks or test
results
Working with classes include active participation,
high interest, discovery, and love of learning

Jeanne Gibbs
Tribes theory includes an emphasis on active
listening, appreciation, mutual respect, the right to
pass, a helping attitude, setting goals, monitoring
progress and celebrating accomplishments
Tribes focus is on learning, a caring culture, a
community of learners and student-centredness
The curriculum includes social learning skills
Tribes training includes various school groups
including parents and administrators

Jere Brophy
Classroom Strategy Study
Good teaching includes enthusiasm, instructional
goals, organization, and teacher as problem-solver
Good teachers present the concepts, include
discussions and activities and give assignments to
practice new knowledge
Assessments are used to provide feedback, to note
the zone of proximal development and to
develop/revise the curriculum
Students need to see the purposefulness of the
curriculum

Harry Wong
The Effective Teacher videos and The First
Days of School book
The first impressions are lasting
Classes need only 3-5 rules and the size of
groups is determined by the roles to be
assumed
Important aspects of a class are teacher
readiness, meeting students, a seating plan,
bell work and immediate feedback

Preventative and Reactive

Strategies

Richard Mendler and Allen Curwin

William Glasser
Fred Jones
Thomas Gordon
Jean Hewitt

Mendler and Curwin

Motivating Students Who Dont Care
Discipline with Dignity
To motivate students: be a role-model.
nurture responsibility not obedience, be fair,
give natural and logical consequences, be
private, try for win-win situation, control
anger, diffuse power struggles and develop a
plan

William Glasser
Reality Therapy -Control/Choice Theory
All humans have a need for love a feeling of selfworth
Steps: build a relationship, focus on behaviour not
person, give student responsibility and evaluation,
develop a plan, student commits to plan, follow-up
and follow-through, move beyond class if necessary
Emphasize effort ( redo, retake, revise), create hope,
respect power, build relationships and express
enthusiasm

Fred Jones
Positive Classroom Discipline:The teacher
systematically strengthens desired
behaviour while weakening
inappropriate behaviour by using
proximity control, negative reinforcement,
incentives, body language and peer
pressure.

Jones Four Step Model

1. Classroom Structure: setting up classroom
rules, routines and the physical environment
2. Limit Setting: rule reinforcement through the use
of body language, and low-key responses
3. Responsibility Training: establishment of group
rewards or incentives to create group
responsibility and accountability for behaviour
4. Back-up System: hierarchic organization of
negative sanctions, a) Private with Student, b)
Public within Classroom, c) Public with Two
Professionals

Thomas Gordon
Teacher Effectiveness Training (T.E.T.)
Based on the philosophy of Carl Rogers-children are inherently
rational and if directed and forced teachers by teachers, they
will be stifled
Assumptions: student is internally motivated to be good, should be
supported by an accepting relationship and is capable of
solving own problems
Teachers are taught to: observe the behaviour, identify who owns
the problem, demonstrate understanding, be understood,
confront if necessary and use win-win problem-solving
Curriculum design involves structured activities, student
ownership, communication and analysis of learning

Jean Hewitt
Playing Fair
Based on the societys concept of fair behaviour
Steps: create positive environment, support student
efforts for self-control,deal with problems
immediately and monitor the class
All consequences should create learning
Have specific rules that consider safety and wellbeing of others
Avoid confrontations, power struggles or rumours

Reactive Strategies

Lee and Marlene Canter

Rudolf Dreikurs
Barrie Bennett and Peter Smilanich
B.F.Skinner

Canters Assertive
Discipline
Definition: The teachers response style
sets the tone of the classroom as well
as impacting on the students selfesteem and success.
The Canters identified three basic
response styles used by teachers when
interacting with students

Canters Assertive
Discipline
Nonassertive Teachers
These teachers fail to make their needs or wants known. They appear indecisive
which confuses students. They threaten but students know there will be no
follow through.

Hostile Teachers
These teachers respond in a manner that disregards the
needs and feelings of students. Their response to
students are negative, condescending, sarcastic or
hostile. They often make unprofessional comments
about students and their peers. Consequences are
overly severe.

Canters Assertive
Discipline
Assertive Teachers
These teachers clearly and firmly
express their needs. They have positive
expectations of students. They say
what they mean, and mean what they
say. They are consistent and fair.

Dreikurs Logical
Consequences
Definition: The teacher considers the motivation and
goals of the student behaviour in the development of
a management plan.
A more humanistic approach than just focusing on
discipline.
The teacher then applies Logical Consequences to
assist students in taking responsibility for their
actions and behaviours.

Dreikurs Goals of
Misbehaviour
Based on Alfred Alders concept that all
behaviour had a purpose or goal, Dreikurs
identified 4 student goals of misbehaviour:
1. To seek attention
2. To gain power
3. To seek revenge for some perceived
injustice
4. To avoid failure

Dreikurs Logical
Consequences
Logical Consequences:
Must be tied directly to the misbehaviour
Must not involve moral judgments
Must distinguish between the deed and
the doer
Must be applied in a non-threatening
manner
Must present choice for the student

Barrie Bennett and Peter

Smilanich
The Bumping Model of the teachers
responses to student misbehaviour
Increasingly severe responses by the
teacher based on the degree of the
students BUMP.
Implies that teacher must take more
drastic measures as behaviour persists

The Bumping Model

Bump1:Prevent misbehaviour by low-key response

Bump 2:Square off Response
Bump 3: Give choice
Bump 4: Implied choice
Bump 5: Diffuse the Power Struggle ( ignore, use
humour)
Bump 6: Informal Agreement
Bump 7,8, 9,10: Informal contracts with other
persons involved

Common Elements of
Theories
What do the theories have in common
as prerequisites to good classroom
management?
What are the features that differ among
the theories?

Ultimately
The teacher is responsible for establishing a community and for
maintaining classroom control
The teacher is the difference between a chaotic or caring
classroom
Effective classroom management includes: planning and
implementing teaching strategies thoroughly , keeping students
actively engaged in meaningful learning, and preventing
disruptions through proactive management strategies.
When a teacher needs to react to misbehaviour, careful thought
should be applied to the situation to ensure that the self-esteem
of the student is respected and to ensure that the
consequences are realistic and appropriate

Good luck in your practice

teaching and your second term
courses!