An authoritarian classroom management style is restrictive and focuses on order in the classroom rather than learning (Willems 2013). It limits verbal exchange since the teacher is seeking compliance over comprehension. This style ends up being a detriment to students. The students become passive learners and fail to initiate activites or ask many questions. According to Dr. MacKenzie, some students may respond to authoritarian management with rebellion and actively clash with the teacher (MacKenzie 2003).
The permissive classroom management style is characterized by the instructor giving the students considerable leeway in how they conduct themselves and setting few limits. The students end up with little support and inadequate academic skills. The style reinforces immediate gratification and promotes low self control (Willems 2013).
Even worse is a style best described as flip-flopping. If a permissive teacher gets "fed up" with the behavior of the students they may attempt to "crack down" on the class as a whole or by choosing a student to set an example upon. This style also incites student rebellion as their normal mode of operation is with every freedom until the teacher suddenly switches gears. The students may attempt to bait the teacher to find the limit of patience. This style is associated with teachers who set rules but frequently "make exceptions" or give too many warnings without concrete repercussions. The students learn what they can get away with, instead of learning the curriculum (MacKenzie 2003).
An authoritative classroom management style is the most effective and desirable of management styles. The teacher sets firm rules that are clearly presented and reminded. They display a caring attitude towards the students and promote academic success without being "easy" (MacKenzie 2003). These teachers advocate teacher-student interaction. The students learn to be self-reliant and well-adjusted. They understand that the teacher has high expectations but will help them to achieve those goals. They culture high self-esteem and learn to delay gratification (Willems 2013).
Teacher "with-it-ness" is described as a teacher's ability to keep students cognitively engaged in learning tasks and aware of all the important happenings in the classroom (Willems 2013). To be an effective teacher one needs to be able to notice misbehavior from across the room and have a system in place to desist those behaviors with as little class disruption as possible. Effective teacher "with-it-ness" is characterized by a smoothness and momentum of instruction: being able to address several topics or level of comprehension at one time in order to maximize scaffolding for all students. These teachers can keep students focused and their students enjoy minimal distractions, task variety, and personal accountability (Willems 2013).
A classroom's physical space should be organized to maximize efficiency and promote a positive mindset. If the students usually engage in group activities in the middle of the classroom, setting the desks up in rows that needed to be moved before and after each class session would use up precious class time and invite diversion. The area where teachers are mostly likely to interact with students is the "action zone". In a row-style setup this area is typically the students seated "front and center", literally, the students in the front and center rows (Santrock 2011).
In personalizing a classroom's arrangement the teacher can involve the students decide on the most effective arrangement style. An auditorium style fan of desks gives each student an equal view of the board, inhibits face-to-face student contact, and is ideal for lectures (Santrock). Seminar, offset, and clustered desks promote student interaction and cooperation, though sacrificing some teacher accessibility and view. Most "face-to-face" style arrangements have the same benefits and limitations as the previous three but can be arranged around a center space for the teacher. This substyle mimics the regular "rows" setup while grouping the students into smaller sections to promote cooperation, but still sacrifice a comfortable view of the blackboard.
Behavioristic strategies of classroom management rely on behavior modification and the use of reinforcement or punishment (Willems 2013). A contingency contract is a mutually agreed upon contract that outlines the consequences of student behavior (Willems 2013) and can easily be distributed with the syllabus. The students are made aware of what is expected of them and can be reminded of their contract throughout the school year to reinforce the sense of duty. Positive reinforcement such as an economy system of tokens or cumulative free time offers something every student can work towards. It is probably best not to use extra credit as the reward token to keep average-performing students from complaining that "the ones who do not need the points are the ones that get it". If the tokens benefit the whole class, however, there may be less incentive for every student to participate and result in "coat-tailing".
To desist misbehavior the most effective system for high school is probably the "Punishment I", aversion stimuli (aka negative consequence) behavior modification. Serious downsides are inherent in this method. Punishment can satisfy a need for attention and model aggression (Willems 2013). Punishment does not teach correct behavior and it only a temporary solution with the possibility of long-lasting negative emotions.
Minor interventions of negative behaviors can be as simple as the teacher shaking their head or pressing a finger to their lips (Santrock 2011). Moderate interventions include punishments such as withholding a privilege or isolating the student (Santrock 2011). It is important to "make the punishment fit the crime", at least in scope. Punishing a student with lunch detention for talking out of turn in class could be seen as "lashing out" and overall promotes hurt feelings without actually correcting any behavior.
To guard against over-reacting in the classroom a teacher should work on developing a sense of high self efficacy, or the belief that one can master a situation and produce positive outcomes (Santrock 2011). Teachers with high self-efficacy tend to see themselves as good teachers and promote high self-efficacy in their students. However, teachers with high self efficacy are at risk for believing that other teachers are generally less effective than themselves, perceiving them with low general efficacy (Willems 2013). Teachers with low self efficacy may see every minor problem as a major problem, miring themselves in classroom management corrections and detracting from the curriculum (Santrock 2011). Therefore, how a teacher perceives their efficacy can have serious consequences on classroom management and student achievement.
Parents are a valuable resource when it comes to finding ways to motivate students and keep them on track. Teachers can use parent-teacher-conferences to correct major misbehavior or serious academic problems, but students may feel as if they do not have any control over what happens to them if the teacher goes straight to the parents without trying to work out issues with the student first. Parent involvement is not without its drawbacks. If a parent is authoritarian in the home they may persist in trying to control the student while at school, through frequently emailing the teacher or or even disagreeing with methods used by the teacher to correct behaviors in class. Making parents feel welcome in the classroom and feel a part of their student's education (because they are) can help alleviate stress for both the student and their family. By involving the parents from the beginning through an open-house day or even asking for a parent signature on the syllabus the parents become part of the learning and classroom management process. Attempting to keep an open communication with the parents through email or newsletters helps keep abreast of student assignments without having to hound their child. Communication can also help parents set aside anxieties about their teacher and the curriculum by seeing the teacher be actively involved and caring for the child.
References:
Epstein, J. L. (2000). EpsteinÃs Six Types of Parent Involvement. Retrieved from http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprevention/download/pdf/Abreviated%20Epstein.pdf
MacKenzie R. J. (2003). Setting Limits in the Classroom: How to Move Beyond the Dance of Discipline in Today's Classrooms. Three Rivers Press.
Microsoft Free Clipart. Retrieved from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=angry&ex=1#ai:MC900441568|
Willems P. (2013). Classroom Management (Slides). Retrieved from www.Blackboard.com
No comments:
Post a Comment