In two weeks I will start teaching a class on Classroom Management to undergraduate, pre-service teaching candidates. What would you suggest as an essential learning or an essential element to include in a course on classroom management?
Thanks in advance for your help with this!
The Better Plan . . 
First of all, I think it is important to recognize that the only person you can control is yourself. And really, when it comes down to it, self control is the fruit of the Spirit.
I found that submitting myself to God first makes it possible to resist the devil. James 1:5.
I ask my students to submit too. I do it in a compassionate way. “Would you like to be happy? Would you like this problem solved?” When we both are submitted, finding a solution is so much easier. This concept is from Parenting Your Child by the Spirit.
I try to practice preventative discipline. I do this by teaching my students how to be respectful to each other and me. I teach this as explicitly as I teach addition of fractions. I have them do role modeling of how to relate to each other. They can use puppets or do skits. I also do this by differentiating instruction so each child is working in his or her Zone of Proximal Development. This avoids the problem of students acting out because they are bored or helpless. I try to give students as much choice as possible. They know that we all need to work towards the standards. But I solicit their input on how we will learn and demonstrate mastery of the standards. This gives them buy in and motivation to do what they planned to do.
If there is unresolved conflict, I stop everything else until it is resolved. It is very ineffective to teach angry or frustrated students. So I have them work with whoever they are frustrated with to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution. Maurice Elias has some excellent books on this.
In my opinion, discipline should be redemptive rather than punitive whenever possible. Even if I give them a time out, it isn’t to punish. It is to give them an opportunity to find a better way. As soon as they find a better way, they can get up. In other words, they determine how long their time out will be. If two kids are fighting, they can’t go back to playing until they have solved their problem. They learn conflict resolution very quickly that way. That skill is something they will take with them for life.
As much as possible, I try to position myself on the student’s side. I don’t want an adversarial relationship. I try to understand what is motivating the child to do whatever. I do this by listening, observing, and researching. Then I try to help the child find an acceptable way to get his or her needs met.
I encourage my students a lot. They need to know that I value them, but one or two things need to change. After they choose a better way, I ask them how it is going several times to reinforce in their own minds that the better way is more effective. I try to give positive feedback 7 times more frequently than negative feedback. This is absolutely life-changing for some kids who have lived with mainly negative feedback.
Researching classroom management and social emotional skills can help a teacher a lot. The more social skills the teacher has and models, the more the student can learn and the better the classroom culture.
Thank you for these thoughts. You have really described not only the WHAT, but also the WHY. What you have shared is very helpful.
You mentioned that “If there is unresolved conflict, I stop everything else until it is resolved. It is very ineffective to teach angry or frustrated students. So I have them work with whoever they are frustrated with to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution.”
Is this always practical? What if it’s just one student who has an issue? Do you suggest stopping the whole class’s progress to resolve the issue with that one student. Is there ever a time to defer dealing with conflict?
Or what about when two students have an issue and they refuse to come to terms or are too upset to think rationally in the moment and need a good period of time, maybe as much as an hour, before they have regained composure and the clarity of mind necessary to address the problem and reach a amicable solution? I think time, distance, and thoughtful contemplation of an issue are often the best means of dealing with it permanently, and not reaching some slipshod, make do solution.
Sorry, I didn’t look back until now to see your questions. When I was referring to “unresolved conflict” that would be one of those days that everyone is out of sorts. The whole class has a feeling of unresolved conflict. Certainly if it were only one person, I wouldn’t have the whole class stop to deal with that. I would give that person space to figure it out. I might even spend some time helping that person brainstorm for solutions.
I agree with you that time and distance can help children to solve a problem. I think that the challenge for the teacher is to figure out which thing the child actually needs in order to solve the problem permanently. I am totally with you on solving the problem permanently. That is why I have them work on a solution while they are on a timeout. In most schools they would get the timeout and not even try to solve the problem. A majority of times, the solution is very simple and they can quickly agree on the obvious solution. For example, a student accidentally says something that offends another student, they can apologize. The other student can learn to say “Please don’t say that,” instead of getting ballistic about it. Other times it is more emotionally intense and they need time and distance to arrive at a state of mind where they can resolve the problem. I guess you could say that this is the art of classroom management – knowing what a child needs when in order to make a beneficial lasting change. The child doesn’t know or he or she would have already done it. Our job is to walk them through the conflict resolution process until they can do it themselves.
I am really glad to see that you do want to solve problems permanently. Just having that mindset will go a long way. It is easier to punish and repeat. But it is so much more beautiful to help the student grow so he or she will be able to manage his or her own life better. I have seen students go from belligerent and rebellious to respectful and helpful almost every year that I teach. They go from never having a friend at school before in their entire life to making friends with every student in the school. You too will probably see those kinds of changes.
The two thoughts that impacted me the most from this comment were that the only person you can control is yourself and also giving positive feedback 7 times more frequently than negative feedback. I really like how much positive feedback you try to give because in my current placement, I have struggled with giving my students the positive feedback they need. Thank you so much for your thoughts!
I love how you started with, “the only poerson you can controll is yourself”. That seems to me to bbe one of the most crucial pieces of the puzzle in understanding good classroom management. Also I really agree that discepline should be redemptive. If behavior is to truey be corrected and aa change made then punative discepline is not the way to go.
I love that you started with saying that the only person you can controll is yourself. I think that is a huge piece of the classroom management puzzle that ofter gets overlooked. Also speaking of discepline in a redemptive way instead of punative, I feel is the only way to cause true heartfelt change in a student.
The line saying discipline should be redemptive and not punitive really resonated with me. I always feel that if students are given trust and respect they will rise to uphold it. And i also think that putting yourself on a student’s side as much as possible is important and is key to building that trust between you and your students.
Thank you for sharing your style of discipline and adding helpful pointers. I am completely on board with practicing preventive discipline rather than coming down with a heavy hammer and readily dishing out negative feedback. Children respond better to adults who believe in them and show them how to do things the correct way instead of waiting for them to make a mistakes.
Sometimes, it is best to stop and take a moment to put ourselves (the child that is acting up) in that child’s shoes before jumping to conclusions and assuming we know the best punishment. By encouraging children to make the right choices from the start, and having them help to create the rules gives them a sense of control. When children have some control in their lives, it empowers them and makes them feel important.
I like that you teach respect at an in depth level. People say respect each other so much that sometimes I wonder if students actually understand what that entails
Always discipline with a smile on your face and in your heart. They are just kids being kids.
Good to hear from you, Chris, and thank you for weighing in on this. “Always discipline with a smile on your face and in your heart.” I like that a lot.
That’s such an insightful and easy idea to remember. I will do my best to implement that as a future teacher. The relationship with the student does not weaken when you can bring a positive mindset like a smile in those situations. Thank you for your comment!
That is an aweseome and easy tip that seems like it will apply to all ages while also helping us not keep students held to a really high standard.
This is an easy tip that could go a long way. Teaching in a PE classroom, I want my kids to have fun with physical activities. Kids are generally going to misbehave in a PE classroom because this is a class where they don’t have to be sitting all the time and they can let loose, but I don’t want to lose this by bringing a negative mind to my classroom management. Thank you for the insight.
Jim
I taught final year teacher education students for 14 years. We spent the majority of the time focusing on making the classroom a place where students wanted to be as this is your best tool for managing the classroom. The final part of the course had some activities which used the concepts of Choice Theory Reality Therapy to find ways to work with students in the classroom to have them self evaluate their own behaviour.
I would love to replicate what you created in your class!
Yes it was a great course Jim in a B Ed program on the Gold Coast in Australia. I had been involved with Choice Theory at that stage and so these students left with a lot of understanding about Choice Theory. How lucky I was to be able to have that opportunity for that amount of time. I taught them about cooperative learning and one of their assignments was a presentation of activities that would build cohesion in the classroom. I had them set goals for their randomly selected groups in terms of group process before they started. They self evaluated half way through the course to see where they were at in achieving their goal. The final mark for the assignment was given as a three part piece. Self evaluation against a rubric, co verification by me and peer evaluation. This included evaluating their participation in the group presentation. It was so much fun.
I like hearing the excitement in your voice as you recall the class and the value of the activities and assignments you planned. It sounds like the kind of class future teachers would appreciate.
I really appreciate the fact that you are letting your students not only evaluate themselves but having other peers do this as well. This is extremely important because it allows the student to reflect their own work and see how much effort they put into it. Based on this they can change their habits on how much effort they are putting into their assignments because now they have to please themselves as well as the teacher grading. It also allows them to see that the teacher is not the only person to determine how well you did on an assignment.
Although it is good to get the students involved in the grading aspect of the class, I question how honest the students will be with each other. I can personally remember doing some grading in my classes as a student and if someone was good friends they would help each other out. Likewise if somebody didn’t like another student they could give them a worse grade then they deserve. With this being said do you think that even with peer grading the teacher needs to go over it anyways? I would also imagine that with some ages this would work better than others.
I like the idea of having the students be involved in the grading aspect of the class, however I could see some potential problems. I remember doing this as a student and it could bring up some dishonesty. If a few students in the class are good friends than they could use this to help each other out. Likewise if a student does not like a particular student, than they could give them a worse grade than they deserve. With this being said I think that it would be a good idea that the teacher still look over the homework and make grading changes if necessary.
I would second this. I feel that this is a key component to management that I have been missing.
Creating a learning environment and building a relationship by finding out what is important to them. The ability to do this will lay the foundation whereby trust can flourish and learning can take place in safety and acceptance.
Helpful classroom structure wrapped in positive relationships. I love it!
Thank you for pointing this out. I also find this very important- creating a safe learning environment that also takes the students’ interests into consideration. I want my classroom to be a safe place where every student feels accepted and respected. I like how you create this environment by fostering good relationships with your students.
This is another great piece of advice! Finding out what is important to each of the children in your class would definitely make the children feel safe and accepted. I think we as teachers can definitely get so caught up with the deadlines we have to meet and the tasks that must be taught/learned that we forget to actually get to know our students needs Positive relationships with the students can definitely foster a safe classroom that flows and allows children to flourish.
Trust is so key for teachers to have in their students and for the students to feel like the teachers can trust them. I sometimes feel as a student that if the teacher doesn’t trust me, it limits my abilities and the self-confidence I have in what I can and can’t do. If we as teachers limit student opportunities, how can we really do our jobs and expect them to grow under our guidance?
Classroom management in my Quality World is about assessing and striving to meet the needs of students generally and individually. When they realize that they are more important to me than the material I wish to teach them, the dynamics change. In addition, I have found that leading through the Socratic questioning method and allowing them to participate in the elements needed to create the environment necessary for accomplishing “our” goals is extremely beneficial. It changes from my classroom management system to “OUR” Classroom Management System.
And that is why so many of us will always love you, Mr. Amato.
Well said, Megan.
The point you make, captured in the following sentence, is so ridiculously powerful!
“When they realize that they are more important to me than the material I wish to teach them, the dynamics change.”
So true in the classroom, but true in a lot of other environments as well.
I really like how you commented that the perspective in the classroom really shifts from “mine” to “ours” when students are able to feel that we, as educators, genuinely care for them. I hope that when it comes time for me to have my own classroom I start of the school year by showing my students they are valued and encourage them to be a part of improving the management system I will have already have in place to meet their needs as individuals.
I like this a lot. Viewing the classroom as something you share with students and invite students to take part in has always been something I’ve appreciated when working with you in and beyond the classroom, Mr. Amato. And I like that you mentioned the Socratic questioning method as a way of inviting students to involve themselves, but even further then that, as a tool to think critically about how they are taking part in the classroom.
I was going to quote my favorite parts from your post, Mr. Amato, but then I realized I’d be basically quoting the whole thing. So instead I’ll say that I hope I always remember that my students ARE much more important than the subject I’m teaching. There is no class period that I shouldn’t be willing to put on hold for the needs of my students. I think that kind of attitude will naturally lead into good practices elsewhere, like involving the students in as much of the decision-making and the lessons themselves.
All of the above responses are great. From a very basic, in the tenches point of view as a new teacher, I would have wanted to know all of the above. I think pre-service teachers need to know that as they teach some of their philosophies will change, grow, and mature, and that that is a good thing. Do not be afraid to change. That applies in the classroom too. You might think a procedure is really going to work, and then it doesn’t meet the needs of that group of students for that year. It does not make you weak or wishy washy to adapt and change as you go.
Also, ask for your student’s feedback on everything. Find out if school is meeting their needs. They love to feel listened to and important to the structure of the classroom. They love to be part of it.
My last point would be that believing in choice does not mean abandoning procedures. Students need to feel safe and secure. Clear expectations and procedures help meet that need. A basic structure of expectations built on positivity and building relationships will get your students off to a great start.
Thank you for teaching our soon-to-be teachers. I envy them learning these concepts early, rather than struggling through like I had to! Thank you for what you do, and the passion that you put behind it.
I am SO going to have my students check out your response. Great points throughout!
I appreciate how you stated to not be afraid of change. As a future teacher, it would seem difficult to change something important, but I’ve been encouraged that change is okay. I also agree how procedures are important, that the students need to feel safe and secure and a basic structure of expectations is important, I know it was for me.
There are only three things I have found for classroom management at the secondary level-
Relationships, relationships, and relationships!
Once you have built a relationship with students all other classroom issues can flow from that, students will be willing to talk and listen. From building relationships I have only had to send students to the office 22 times in the 7 years I have been teaching, and all have been for serious offences with which the student was suspended for their behavior, and even with that the students were never angry at me for the repercussions of their actions. Instead they understood that their actions had consequences and many apologized that I had to deal with them like that.
Best of luck for the new semester.
Also, if you can send a note to all your followers about this Thursday, September 11th at Lower Lake High School and your speaking engagement. All are welcome!
Glad to see you are still awesome, Chris! 🙂 Your approach is what works best for me too.
Bullseye message, Chris. I agree with you that it is hard to overstate the importance of the relationship piece.
And yes, I will remind people about the Lower Lake event this Thursday evening. Looking forward to it!
I agree with the idea that relationships are key in classroom management. I think that this applies especially to the domain of rules. I remember as an elementary student that I was much less likely to break rules if I understood that they were their for my protection and that the teacher put them in place from a caring heart. Caring for someone usually means that you have a positive relationship with them. In fact, the whole realm of classroom management comes from a place of caring. Good teachers care for their students (and have positive relationships with them) and want them to have a safe environment that is conducive to learning.
I enjoy reading how other teachers think of classroom management.
It is really encouraging. There is an element of teaching though that for the time being is espesially important to me, as I am studying myself, and as I find that it has many corresponding thoughts to Choice Theory. Maybe not exactly what you asked for Jim, but it came to my mind. In a way it influences the whole athmosphere of the classroom. I am not exactly sure what you call it in English, but translated directly it is Assessment for learning. When I as a teacher focuses on how every child should be able to learn in my class, as the person he or she is, it has more to do with my ability to manage learning, than manage students or classrooms. Sometimes I feel that schools focus on how to manage the classes socially, and forget that if they used time to do the learning interesting, authentic,social etc many issues would never come up. This does not exclude, but actually include good relations, classroom meetings,working in groups etc. Quality schools have the same focus.
At the time being, in my country, Assessment for learning, not of learing, is taught at educational universites, I found this surprising, and really encouraging. And politically they want it out to schools. Interesting enough they say that it is so difficult to get the message through, schools still focus on assessment OF learning,and they need this to be implemented in the whole school as a way of thinking, not a method(Assessment literacy(?) Like choice Theory:-)
Don’t be afraid to try new things, or to open discussions even where the outcome may be uncertain.
I think it’s definitely important to try new things. Each year teachers get a new batch of students. Sometimes techniques that worked one year will no longer be effectively applicable the next. Because of that, I think that it is extremely important to try new things in order to get the best “fit” for your students. At the end of the day, it comes down to their needs, after all.
As long as you do those new things in a reasonable and responsible way, I agree! I think that teachers start to become complacent is when they get in a rut of doing the same old things year after year.