Philosophical Approaches to Classroom Management

1. Philosophical Approaches to Classroom Management

2. Introduction • Classroom management is not a bag of tricks 1) Teachers need to understand their own basic beliefs about CM. 2) based on their beliefs, a plan for promoting positive student behavior.

3. Teacher power bases • French and Raven (1960)identified 4 different types of power • Teachers’ beliefs and behaviors need to be congruent • A mismatch between the two can influence student misbehavior

4. Referent power • Students behave as a teacher wishes because they like the teacher as a person • The teacher is perceived as a good person who’s concerned about them and demands a certain type of behavior because it is in their best interest • Not an attempt by the teacher to be the students’ friend • The teacher is an authority figure

5. Expert power • The teacher is viewed as a good, knowledgeable teacher • Professional competence • Competence is expressed through mastery of content material, the use of motivating teaching techniques, and clear explanations

6. Legitimate power • Students are influenced because the teacher has the legal and formal authority in the classroom. • The stereotypical image of teacher such as dress, speech and mannerisms are important • Teachers are supported by the administration and teachers enforce school rules

7. Reward/Coercive power • The teacher must be consistent in assigning and withholding rewards and punishments • Students see the connection between their behavior and reward or punishment • Rewards or punishments actually must be perceived as such • Potential negative effect on intrinsic motivation

8. Pitfalls of extrinsic motivation • Tangible external rewards undermine students intrinsic motivation • Verbal rewards that are linked to success on a task do not negatively affect intrinsic motivation • Verbal rewards that convey information about how well students have performed on a task are less likely to affect intrinsic motivation negatively • Discounting principle-if powerful extrinsic rewards are provided, students will explain their engagement due to this.

9. Theories of classroom management • Who has primary responsibility for influencing student behavior? • What is the goal of classroom management? • How much choice we give students within your management system? • What is your primary goal in handling misbehavior? • What interventions will you use to deal with this behavior? • What teacher power bases are most compatible with your beliefs?

10. Student-directed management(non-interventionist) • The primary goal of schooling is to prepare students for life in a democracy that require citizens to control their behavior, care for others and make good decisions • Students must have the primary responsibility for controlling the behavior • Students are capable of controlling their behavior if given the opportunity to do so

11. Student-directed management(non-interventionist) • Student ownership • Student choice • Community • Conflict resolution • Problem solving Allow students to experience the natural consequences of their behavior. A student who was offended can demand “an apology of action.”

12. Teacher-directed (interventionist) • Students internalize the rules and guidelines for behavior that are given to them by adults. • Teachers develop a consistent system of rewards and punishments. • The teacher assumes primary responsibility for managing student behavior.

13. Collaborative ( interactionalist) • Due to the large number of students and a class and the size of most schools it is impractical to have a student directed philosophy. • Teacher retains primary responsibility for influencing student behavior Students are: • Engaged in learning activities • Usually successful • Respectful of the teacher and fellow students • Cooperative and following classroom guidelines due to the rationale of the learning situation

14. Make the following chart on your laptop or on a piece of paper Give each top choice 3 points, each middle choice 2 points, and each lowest choice 1 point – when done. Add them up! Adapted by from: Levin J. & Nolan J.F. (2004). Principles of Classroom Management: A professional decision-making model, 4th edition. pp. 98-101

15. Consolidation • Why is it important for teachers to know their power base? ?

16. Do you prefer a teacher-directed, collaborative or student-directed theory? • You will see three statements about classroom management. • Read each statement • Rank these three statements by putting the corresponding number in the chart. The statement you agree with gets a 3, the least a 1. Taken from: Levin J. & Nolan J.F. (2004). Principles of Classroom Management: A professional decision-making model, 4th edition. pp. 98-101

17. Responses to Questions – Row A • As the adult, the teacher must have primary responsibility for controlling student behavior. • Responsibility for controlling student behavior is a shared responsibility of student and teacher. • The student alone must have primary responsibility for controlling his/her behavior.

18. Responses to Questions – Row B • The goal of classroom management is the development of a caring community of self-directed learners. • The goal of classroom management is an efficiently run classroom in which academic learning is maximized. • The goal of classroom management is the development of an environment in which the students feel respected and academic learning is the focus.

19. Responses to Questions – Row C 7. The goal with dealing with misbehaviour is to minimize the loss of learning time. 8. The goal in dealing with misbehaviour is to find a way to help the misbehaving student while minimizing the loss of learning time for others. 9. The goal in dealing with misbehaviour is to identify the unmet need that led the student to misbehave and to find a productive way to get that need met.

20. Responses to Questions – Row D • Above all, students must learn to really care about each other as people. • Above all, students must learn not to interfere with each other’s right to learn. • Above all, students should learn to respect each other as well as the teacher.

21. Responses to Questions – Row E • Students should be given freedom and choices about classroom activities within options defined by the teacher. • Students should be given lots of freedom and choices about classroom activities. • Given their limited experience, students should not be given much freedom and choice. The teacher must make the decisions.

22. Responses to Questions – Row F • Since students are different in terms of their needs, it is okay for teachers to handle discipline problems in different ways for different individuals. • Consistency is crucial. Misbehaviour must be dealt with in the same way for all individuals. • In dealing with individual differences, the teacher must find a way to balance the need for consistency with the need to meet individual needs.

23. Do you prefer a teacher-directed, collaborative or student-directed theory? Teacher-directed Collaboration Student-directed Give each top choice 3 points, each middle choice 2 points, and each lowest choice 1 point – when done. Add them up!

24. Philosophical Approaches to Classroom Management Teacher-powerTheories ~ Referent ~ Expert ~ Legitimate ~ Reward / Coercive -Students like the teacher and perceive the teacher to like them -Not to be confused with friendship where the teacher is trying to meet their own needs Student-directed Student-directed Collaborative - Students perceive the teacher as helping them to learn, sharing a knowledge-base they have which students value • Teacher has the authority • Teacher must accept responsibility as well as power • Image of teacher in dress, manner, etc. & must be supported by the principal Collaborative Teacher-directed -Teacher must consistently reward, withhold, and punish -Students must see a cause and effect -Rewards are rewards; Punishments are punishments Teacher-directed

25. Structuring the Environment

26. Physical Classroom Environment • Heating • Lighting • Ventilation • Noise level

27. Use of Space • Seating arrangements • Group work • Rows of desks • Placement of lower-ability students • Learning centers, computers, storage cabinets, large work tables • Class needs to be uncluttered, neat and organized

28. Bulletin boards and display areas • Publicly recognize students’ efforts • Display students’ work • Classroom guidelines

29. Establishing classroom guidelines • Provides clear expectations of normed behavior • Procedures – routines that call for specified behaviors at particular times/activities a) passing out and turning in materials, headings b) entering and leaving room c) taking attendance, fire drills

30. Natural Consequences • Outcomes of behavior that occur without teacher intervention Logical Consequences • Outcomes of behavior that occur but require teacher intervention

31. Classroom rules • Rules focus on appropriate behavior • Increase on-task behavior • Limited amount of rules • Framed in positive terms (what to do) • Clearly seen in the classroom • Taught to students

32. Cultural Differences • Be aware of cultural background differences that can cause conflict • Schools need to learn more about students’ cultural background • Need to incorporate students’ cultural backgrounds and expectations in the clasroom • Provide rationale for rules