Classroom Management Models, Applications, and Cases

9780130901248

0130901245

The Growing Challenges of Classroom Management The problems of managing students in classrooms and throughout the school have challenged teachers and administrators since the beginning of efforts to provide formal education to children and adolescents. Our firsthand experiences working in schools and our experiences working with practicum and student teachers have convinced us that classroom management is a major concern of educators. Although most preservice and inservice teachers appear to be well grounded in curricular content and instructional methodology, classroom management continues to be a challenge as educators try to find ways to work with students who lack discipline, disrupt the teaching/learning process, limit teachers' effectiveness, and cause others physical and psychological harm. In fact, problems with classroom management have caused sonic qualified educators to leave the profession. Looking at the realities of contemporary education, we believe that the challenges related to classroom management will likely grow more acute in future decades. Several reasons account for our concern: No indications suggest that the behavior problems that have challenged teachers for centuries are diminishing. Many students talk out of turn, socialize with their friends, goof off when they should be working, walk aimlessly around the classroom, and yell answers without being called upon. Behavior problems appear to be growing more severe. Although at one time behavior problems were more an annoyance than anything else, today teachers and students feel threatened by violence and aggressive behaviors. Behavior problems that should have been addressed decades ago (e.g., bullies who prey on weaker students, psychological abusers) finally are getting consideration, but it will take some time and a concerted effort by educators to reduce or eliminate them. Classroom management models and specific behavior strategies must indicate an understanding of diversity and the changing composition of contemporary classrooms. For many years, educators used the same classroom management strategies for all students, with little or no regard for students' gender, learning styles and abilities, culture, and other differences. Classroom management models need to incorporate instructional management. Rather than working just to make students behave, teachers need to examine their own instructional and personal behaviors. In addition to these basic concerns, numerous other behavior issues contribute to management problems in classrooms. These include violence in the media, poverty, changing home and family life, easy access to weapons, and court decisions that limit educators' rights. We are not downplaying the importance of any causes of behavior problems, but we believe that the most important thing we can do is focus on the actions that educators can take and help them plan and implement a classroom management model that works most effectively for them. What can we do about students bringing guns, knives, and other weapons to school? Current trends and predictions suggest that a definitive answer to these concerns is unlikely in the near future. In fact, the recent violence affecting students and educators, suggests that the need for exemplary responses to behavior problems likely will grow more acute in future years. Rationale for and Premises of This Book We wroteClassroom Management: Models, Applications, and Casesto help preservice and inservice teachers understand foundational as well as contemporary classroom management models and theorists, and use these models to develop their own classroom management model--one that is personalized so it will work for them. This book is based upon several important premises: Premise 1--Preservice and inservice teachers will be challenged by behavior problems for years to c