Discipline+&+Classroom+Management+Sec+1

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One of the biggest concerns for a teacher, especially a first year teacher, is classroom management and discipline. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information on these issues available for teachers. Often this topic is avoided or glossed over very quickly in teacher materials such as textbooks, journal articles, and manuals. Due to this, it is necessary for a teacher to have knowledge of how the approach to classroom management and discipline has changed over the years in order to understand what works, what does not work, and how to create his/her own plan.

Violence was (and still is) used as a way to manage a classroom. The traditional classroom involved mostly face-to-face work with the teacher and a student or a small group of students, usually involving the student(s) repeating or reciting a lesson back to the schoolmaster. This left the rest of the class basically unsupervised. This large amount of unsupervised time is what led to the schoolmasters using fear tactics to keep their students under control. The traditional classroom was a hierarchy in which the school master was the “king” and the students were inferiors. Physical violence was used to keep this order (Butchart 4). Although corporal punishment was one of the main methods of discipline used in the past (and in some school it is still being used), many urban schools had limited it in the eighteen twenties and many of this schools had banned corporal punishment by the late nineteenth century.

The nineteenth century, the time of enlightenment and change, was a time of reform in the classroom. The first major reform in the classroom was Joseph Lancaster’s “bureaucratic discipline.” The classroom management style was impersonal, internalized, and with bureaucratic authority. The students were now a part of a large group which was monitored by the teacher. The surveillance of the students was constant and each teacher (or monitor) was in charge of a small group of students who were all of more or less the same learning abilities. The teachers looked for posture, carriage, and deportment in the students to ensure that they were paying attention.

Instead of physical punishment, Lancaster’s system used rewards. Bureaucratic classroom still kept the whips, paddles, and other tools used for physical punishment in their classrooms, but these were rarely used. One of the rewards was that a student could be promoted to the rank of the “monitors” and this student was given a badge to wear around their neck. Instead of using violence, humiliation was used. The students were ranked against each other in the classroom and were often seated according to his/her rank. Lancaster used these methods because he wanted to teach children at an early age that the “achievers” are the ones who will find opportunity in the world while the “slackers” will not.

The second major reform in classroom management during the nineteenth century was “soft pedagogy” or “New England pedagogy.” Discipline was based on emotional ties, guilt, and interiorized self-surveillance. The ideal school was similar to the ideal family; there was love, affection, and emotional dependence on the authority figure. Students did not have a fear of pain, but instead there was a fear that the love and affection would be withheld from the students and the teacher would be disappointed if they misbehaved. This style of classroom management is what led to the “feminization” of the teaching profession since woman, typically, are more emotional and affectionate than males. Corporal punishment was only used in extreme cases. The teachers also began trying to make learning a pleasurable experience for the students so that they would not misbehave and would be attentive. Extrinsic motivation, such as rewards, was replaced with intrinsic motivation. The first form of report cards were being issued to students as way to motivate the students. Supporters of soft pedagogy were usually trying to protect Christian values and were afraid that materialism would get in the way of the spiritual and moral values of the students.

During the progressive years, educators took a more scientific approach to classroom management. Instead of being related to affection, authority was now based on expertise and there was now a professional/client relationship between the teacher and student. Teachers were to keep their personal feelings towards students separate from their professional judgments. Instead of asking student to recite lessons, teachers allowed students to move more, have a sense of self-direction, and “learn-by-doing.” Educations thought that misbehavior was a result of asking students to do things that were unnatural for children such as remain silent, remain still, and remain attentive to a single task. Lighting, seating, comfort, and anything that would fatigue the students were taken seriously. There was not constant instruction, so the teacher was able to watch the students better. Schools were now hiring guidance counselors. Standardized tests were used to group students according to race, class, and ability because educators felt that these would be the best learning environments for the children. Report cards, promotion or retention, age grading, and attendance laws were now used as ways to discipline the student.

The Post-Progressive period of education mostly relied on rewards and penalties as ways to manage the classroom. Since the society became one of consumerism, students became interested in only the present. This is why rewards and penalties were relied on so much. Students, as well as adults, expected instant gratification or dissatisfaction.

Most behavioral issues in the classroom, as the educators of the progressive time began to realize, can be avoided by having a classroom management plan at the beginning of the year. Classrooms today are much more diverse than in the past. Because of this, a teacher needs to have a strong classroom management plan. The topics that a teacher should think about when creating his/her own classroom management plan are: structure, classroom layout, classroom décor, rules, routines, and maintaining and monitoring behavior. Since every classroom has different students and an overall different attitude as a group, a classroom management plan should be at least annually. One document that a teacher might find useful when evaluating his/her own classroom management is called a Plan Appraisal Worksheet.

The authoritarian teaching style is a style in which the teacher has a strict and firm role. Teachings who practice this style of management are serious about rules and discipline students quickly when these rules are broken. Often times an authoritarian teacher can give their students the impression that he/she does not care about the students.

Although it may sound like a dictatorship, an authoritarian teacher maybe be better suited for certain classrooms than teachers who practice different styles. The African-American culture is one example in which an authoritarian teacher would be successful. In many urban African-American cultures, a strict teacher is firm because he/she cares about her students. Certain students need to have a teacher with high expectations in order to push the student out of his/her current situation.

The most recent trend in classroom management is the idea of democracy in the classroom or judicious discipline. The concept of judicious discipline revolves around a student-centered classroom where students and teacher embrace the concepts that make up our own nation: “individual freedom, equality, and justice, balanced with the common good and interests of society” (Nimmo). Students are co-leaders with their teachers and help form the atmosphere they want in the classroom. This includes helping to decide classroom rules and expectation, deciding how to go about certain classroom activities, participating in classroom meetings (where individual concerns within the class are addressed), and given opinions are respected with the weight they deserve.

Studies, teachers, and administrators that have looked at and worked in schools and classrooms that employ judicious discipline and democratic classroom management have found that they have been more easily been able to work with students and help control negative habits and behavior. When students feel as though they are actively participating in the classroom not just as student, there for the sake of making the grade, but as true community members who are important to the community in some way, students are more likely to contribute positively to a class rather than not. Judicious discipline counts on the same fact that our own government counts on with its citizens: that people want to participate in a positive way and will do so given the tools and opportunities to do so.

One of the biggest components of judicious discipline is respect. Tools used in other classrooms and schools to get students under control such as humiliation, reward/punishment, and guilt are no longer viewed as “good” ways to work with students. Teachers are encouraged to take a breath and actually think about his/her student before reacting to a student’s behavior. For example, if a teacher has a student who is being particularly disruptive, to the point where s/he needs to be removed from the classroom, the teacher can ask the student to remove themselves to an appropriate location (rather than demanding the student leave and then escorting them to the office) and then speaking with the student after class about appropriate repercussions (Nimmo). Of course, this course of action can only be taken if the situation allows—if things escalate to point where you actually do need to escort a student out of the room, do so. But the point is, teachers, while still obviously the main leader of a classroom and a person whom students look to, need to look at their students as equals and worthy of their respect and time, not as subjects to be ruled.

The final point to be made in regard to judicious discipline is that this is an everyday sort of thing. Teachers shouldn’t stand before their class and declare, “This is a democratic classroom!” then lay out the rules and call it good for the rest of the year. The concepts behind this form of classroom management are meant to be taught right along with a class’s particular content. However, it can be much more subtle than when you teach a lesson on algebra. It can be as simple as the teacher becoming the example for her students in the ways that she reacts to student behavior, listens to their opinions and statements, and talks about (or doesn’t talk about) her colleagues.

The [|Laissez-faire] teaching style follows the general idea that anything goes. On the surface, it may seem like a low stress, fun environment for learning. Most often, the reverse is true. Students who need regular, consistent structure in the classroom will not find comfort in this type of environment. The laissez faire teacher can be either [|permissive], or detached altogether. Some teachers may have deep compassion for students and have trouble enforcing rules and giving discipline. Others may have little concern for providing emotional support or don’t seem to care at all. Either way the only consistency for the students is that there will likely by some level of chaos every day. This classroom environment is very easy to find, often you simply have to follow the noise.

Often, first year teachers may lean toward this type of teaching style because they want to keep the peace and establish rapport with students. The laissez-faire method will likely not lead to a successful outcome. Instead, following a few basic classroom management practices will provide better results. In general, if an educator has clear rules, procedures, instruction and organization, the classroom will more likely be manageable and predictable (Emmer 111). There are times when discipline becomes necessary and just as important to the development of the student as any other management tool. When considering discipline, there are basic but effective ways to minimize their impact on the flow of your classroom. First, make eye contact and move closer to the student. This is the old proximity model. Often, this can be enough to quell further misbehavior. You do not need to be threatening, or appear angry. You can do this during a lecture as you move about the room or during group activities. Second, issuing a simple reminder of policies procedures may help. You can ask the student directly if they remember the policies, or simply state them. Third, a direct prompt can be made without sarcasm or frustration can be given. Finally, simply ask the student to stop he behavior. The four steps are listed by degree of impact simply to give the student a chance to save face without a direct, more embarrassing prompt. They steps seem a little textbook, but provide a good place to start.

A vital key to good classroom management and effective discipline is consistency. Again, the problem with a laissez-faire style is that there is no consistency. Discipline does not need to be an entirely negative. The goal of discipline is the extinction of a particular behavior. Often by responding angrily or too quickly, the student gains power. Reacting in an angry manner simply teaches students how to push the right hot buttons and get a reaction. An important point is the distinction between [|discipline and punishment]. Punishment is a belittling way of forcing a student to do what you want. It is punitive and is used as a quick fix approach to problem behavior. There is generally little positive outcome for the student. Discipline on the other hand is geared toward behavioral changes. Ideally, the student leans how to cope in a more effective manner and the problem behavior becomes “extinct.” Punishment is teacher focused, discipline is student/child focused. There are [|other theories and techniques] that can be kept in the teacher’s toolbox for future reference.


 * Jacob Kounin** introduced the idea of “withitness.” [|**Withitness**] simply means knowing what is going on in your classroom at all times. It is often referred to as having eyes in the back of your head. Most seasoned educators admit that this takes time and experience. The strength of being fully aware of everyone in the classroom is that you can preempt bad behavior by responding quickly. Simultaneously recognizing a note being passed along, that so and so keeps whispering to the neighbor, and another is lost on the material shows full command of the environment.
 * Lee Canter** promoted the idea of [|assertive discipline] in the classroom. The teacher who follows this particular model sets clear expectations and rules and is consistent in implementing them. Assertive does not mean overly strict and confrontational however. Canter identifies three styles of response in dealing with discipline issues: non-assertive, hostile and assertive. The non-assertive follows a laissez-faire model of a passive management style. These teachers feel that their own good nature will win students over. Usually the students run the show. The Hostile teacher uses sarcasm, yells, and uses threats to make students conform. This is simply another way of not being in control. Finally the assertive teacher is direct, clear and consistent but not overpowering. Positive reinforcement is given when students behave well. Clear consequences follow unacceptable behavior.
 * [|William Glasser]** believed in meeting student needs for choice, belonging, fun, and freedom. Teachers are supposed to help students make good choices that lead to success. Classroom meetings give a chance for students to learn what good choices are in the classroom. It is a way to give ownership of behavior over to students. The teacher is a facilitator in the process. In the end, rules must be enforced and reasonable consequences still need to occur.