1. A Guide To Managing the Classroom
Environment: Using the Classroom
Management Instructional Approach
and Motivation
2. Classroom Environment
The Classroom Environment is home away from home for both the
teacher and student. This warm, safe, and caring environment allows
students to “influence the nature of the activities they undertake, engage
seriously in their study, regulate their behaviour, and know of the explicit
criteria and high expectations of what they are to achieve” (Queensland
Department of Education, 2005).
3. Misbehaviour in the Classroom Environment.
Kyriacou defines student misbehaviour as “any behaviour that
undermines the teacher’s ability to establish and maintain effective
learning experience in the classroom” (1997:121). When students
disrupt the learning environment, it takes up teaching time and affects
the quality of the student learning experience. Therefore it is the
teacher’s responsibility to address misbehaviour in order to maintain a
civil environment conducive to productive learning. Examples of
misbehaviour include:
Talking with others or talking aloud.
Late arrival or early departure from
class.
Making physical or verbal threats.
Continually interrupting the teacher, or
other students.
Loud and distracting noises.
Sleeping in class.
Interfering with teaching
activities.
Harassing classmates.
4. Causes of Misbehaviour
The Teacher (attitudes, behaviour, expectations)
Students test to see if teachers will enforce rules
Students experience different expectations between home and
school.
Students do no understand the rules.
Mistaken Goal.
Students feel ill, bored or sleepy.
Home Environment accepts or allows has nurtured a different
behaviour.
Students have been previously rewarded with attention for
misbehaviour.
Personality (low-self esstem) and Health Problems (poor eye sight).
Students are copying the actions of their parent(s).
7. What is Classroom Management
Classroom Management is the process of organizing
and conducting the business of the classroom relatively
free of behaviour problems as well as establishing and
maintenance of the classroom environment so that
educational goals can be accomplished. This approach
brings order and control to the classroom (Moore, K. D.
2012).
8. Instructional Approach
According to this approach, well planned and well
implemented instructions, will prevent most
classroom problems. Assuming that students
would not engage in disruptive behaviour when
lessons are geared to meet their interest, needs
and abilities. The two models for this approach
are:
2. The Jones
Model
1. The Kounin
Model
9. Instructional Approach
The Kounin Model
This model suggest that teachers
are environmentally aware in the
classroom, meaning that they
know everything that is going on at
all times. Secondly teaches have
students involved and doing
something productive at all times.
These teachers are said to have
four basic skills: withiness,
overlapping activities, group
focusing and movement
management.
(Jacob Kounin 1970)
The Jones Model
Jones believes that problems
teachers encounter in the
classroom result from massive
time wasting by students.
However he suggest that the
wasted time can be reclaimed
when teachers correctly
implement four strategies: limit
setting, good body language,
incentive systems and giving
help efficiently.
(Frederick Jones 1979)
10. Practical Instructional Strategies for
Classroom Management
The teacher also known as classroom manager, knows that
effective teaching and learning cannot take place in a poorly managed
classroom. The effective teacher performs many functions that can be
organized into three major roles: (1) making wise choices about the
most effective instruction strategies to employ, (2) designing classroom
curriculum to facilitate student learning, and (3) making effective use of
classroom management techniques (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock,
2001). A list of Practical Instructional Strategies that can be used in the
classroom is as follows:
11. Practical Instructional Strategies for Classroom Management
1. Organizing Classroom and Supplies involves arranging the physical setting of
the classroom for teaching by:
Keeping high-traffic areas free of congestion.
Ensuring students can be seen easily by the teacher.
Keeping frequently used teaching materials and student supplies readily
accessible.
Arranging materials by colour coding everything, using binders and storing items
in boxes.
2. Establishing Classroom Norms and Expectations. Students must understand
and practice the behaviours teachers expect of them in order for appropriate
and cooperative behaviour to become the norm in the classroom. For students to
know of these expectations and begin to adopt them, teachers must;
Make known their expectations to the students and consistently teach and
reinforce the expected behaviours.
Let rules and procedures relate to the expectations regarding behaviour.
Involve students in the democratic process of determining classroom rules.
12. Practical Instructional Strategies for Classroom Management
3. Fostering Student Accountability. The goal of any accountability system is to
help students develop into independent learners. Accountability is fostered by:
Giving as much responsibility as possible to the students themselves.
Giving clear communication of assignments and work requirements.
Monitoring progress on and completion of assignments.
Giving feedback to Students.
4. Getting Off to a Good Start. The beginning of the school year is an important
time for classroom management because students will learn attitudes, behaviour,
and work habits. Teachers can optimize the first few weeks of classroom time by:
Creating a positive climate in the classroom.
Teaching classroom rules and procedures.
Communicating with parents.
Preparing class wok for absences
13. Practical Instructional Strategies for Classroom Management
5. Planning and Conducting Instructions. Well-planned lessons with a variety
of developmentally appropriate activities support the positive learning
environment that is established. Teachers have to;
Plan Instructional Activities (Group work, individual work).
Prevent Misbehaviour (Withitness and Overlapping).
Maintain group focus (Group alerting, accountability, participation).
6. Managing Cooperative Learning Groups
Strategies and routines that support cooperative learning.
Room arrangement for group work.
Talk and movement procedures.
Group attention signals.
Promoting interdependence within the group, and individual accountability.
Monitoring student work and behaviour.
7. Maintaining Appropriate Student Behaviour
Monitoring student behaviour during class time.
Manage inappropriate behaviour (make eye contact, move closer, use a signal).
Use praise, incentives and rewards to help build and improve the
classroom climate.
14. Practical Instructional Strategies for Classroom Management
8. Communication Skills for Teaching
Constructive Assertiveness-Describe concerns clearly, insist that misbehaviour
be corrected and resist being coerced or manipulated.
Empathic Responding-Listen to the student’s perspective and react in ways that
maintain a positive relationship and encourage further discussion.
Problem Solving-Includes several steps for reaching mutually satisfactory
resolutions to problems; it requires working with the student to develop the plan.
9. Managing Problem Behaviours
Minor Interventions- Use nonverbal cues, get the activity going, use group focus,
redirect behaviour, give the student choices.
Moderate Interventions- Withhold a privilege or desired activity, isolate or remove
student, use penalty, assign detention, use a school-based consequence.
More Extensive Interventions- Use problem solving, use the Reality Therapy
Model, confer with parent, create an individual contract with the student.
15. Practical Instructional Strategies for Classroom Management
10.Managing Special Groups. Strategies for Individual Differences include;
Team Teaching-coordination of schedules, transitional routines, reminding
students what they are supposed to take with them, rules and procedures,
maintaining responsibility for work.
Modifying Whole-Class Instruction-Interactive instruction, seating
arrangement, directions, and assignments.
Supplementary Instruction
Coordinating times with other teachers
staying on schedule.
getting returning students involved again.
In-class aides, content mastery classroom, and inclusion.
Individualized Instruction-Cooperative groups, peer tutoring.
Working with Students with Special Needs
Teaching Lower-Achieving Students
Teaching Higher-Achieving Students
18. Motivation
Motivation is defined as the internal and external factors that stimulate
desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to
a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal (BusinessDictionary.com
2014). Classroom Motivation is important, in order for effective teaching and
learning to occur and although students ought to have some measure of
motivation towards succeeding in the classroom, teachers need to be mindful of
their own behaviour, teaching style, design of course, teaching environment,
nature of assignments, informal interactions with students and appearance which
can affect student motivation.
19. Practical Ways to Motivate Students
1. Know your students' names and use their names as often as possible.
2. Plan for every class; never try to wing it.
3. Pay attention to the strengths and limitations of each of your students. Reward
their strengths and strengthen their weaknesses.
4. If possible, set your room in a U-shape to encourage interaction among students.
5. Vary your instructional strategies; use lectures, demonstrations, discussions, case
studies, groups, and more.
6. Review the learning objectives with your students. Be sure students know what
they are expected to learn, do, know, etc.
7. Move around the room as you teach.
8. Make your classes relevant. Be sure students see how the content relates to them
and the world around them.
9. Be expressive. Smile.
10.Put some excitement into your speech; vary your pitch, volume and rate.
20. Practical Ways to Motivate Students
11. Give lots of examples.
12.Encourage students to share their ideas and comments, even if incorrect. You'll
never know what students don't understand unless you ask them.
13.Maintain eye contact and move toward your students as you interact with them.
Nod your head to show that you are listening to them.
14. Provide opportunities for students to speak to the class.
15.Be available before class starts, during break, and after class to visit with
students.
16.Return assignments and tests to students as soon as reasonably possible.
Provide constructive feedback.
17.Be consistent in your treatment of students.
18.Make sure that your exams are current, valid, and reliable. Tie your assessment to
your course objectives.
19.Plan around 15-20 minute cycles. Students have difficulty maintaining attention
after a longer period of time.
20.Involve your students in your teaching. Ask for feedback.
22. References
College of Charleston. (2014, October 13). Retrieved from Classroom Disruption:
http://studentaffairs.cofc.edu/honor-system/classroom-disruption.php
Kurt, E. (2014, October 13). 8 Reasons Why Children Misbehave (With Solutions!).
Retrieved from LIfehack:http://www.lifehack.org/articles/
lifehack/8-reasons-why-children-misbehave-with-solutions.html
McLaughlin, J. (2014, October 14). University of Michigan. Retrieved from
Creating a Positive Classroom Environment: http://sitemaker.umich.
edu/mclaughlin_portfolio/creating_a_positive_classroom_environment.
Moore, K. D. (n.d.). Effective Instructional Strategies From Theorry to Practice.
California: SAGE Publications
23. References
Taken from Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers, Seventh Edition,
Carolyn M. Evertson, Edmund T. Emmer, and Murray E. Worsham,
Pearson Education, Boston, 2006.
Webster University. (2014, October 13). Retrieved from Classroom Disruption:
http://www.webster.edu/faculty/classroom-disruption.html
Young, D. (2014, October 13). Classroom environment: the basics. Retrieved
from LEAN NC: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/734
Yuan, X. (2014, October 13). How to Deal with Student Misbehaviour in the
Classroom? Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/dee%201/Downloads/16609-
52785-1-SM%20(1).pdf
.