Classroom Management, Management of Student Conduct, Effective Praise

Guidelines, and a Few Things to Know About ESOL Thrown in for Good Measure

Dr. Bob Kizlik

Updated June 22, 2012

The evidence is irrefutable, Surveys of graduates of education schools and colleges indicate that the #1
area of concern of new teachers is their feelings of inadequacy in managing classrooms. Despite clinical
experiences, practicums, student teaching, and other observations in classroom settings, this problem
has persisted for decades. There is no magic elixir that will confer skill in this area of professional
responsibility. We only wish there were.

Classroom management and management of student conduct are skills that teachers acquire and hone
over time. These skills almost never "jell" until after a minimum of few years of teaching experience. To be
sure, effective teaching requires considerable skill in managing the myriad of tasks and situations that
occur in the classroom each day. Skills such as effective classroom management are central to teaching
and require "common sense," consistency, a sense of fairness, and courage. These skills also require that
teachers understand in more than one way the psychological and developmental levels of their students.
The skills associated with effective classroom management are only acquired with practice, feedback,
and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Sadly, this is often easier said than done. Certainly, a part of this
problem is that there is no practical way for education students to "practice" their nascent skills outside of
actually going into a classroom setting. The learning curve is steep, indeed.

As previously mentioned, personal experience and research indicate that many beginning teachers have
difficulty effectively managing their classrooms. While there is no one best solution for every problem or
classroom setting, the following principles, drawn from a number of sources, might help. Classroom
teachers with many years of experience have contributed to an understanding of what works and what
doesn't work in managing classrooms and the behavior of students. The following information represents
some of the things that good classroom teachers do to maintain an atmosphere that enhances learning. It
is written in straightforward, non-preachy language, and will not drive you to distraction with its length. I
think most students appreciate that. With that in mind, I truly hope this information is useful to you.

An Effective Classroom Management Context

(these four things are fundamental)

1. Know what you want and what you don't want.

2. Show and tell your students what you want.
3. When you get what you want, acknowledge (not praise) it.
4. When you get something else, act quickly and appropriately.

CLASSROOM ARRANGEMENT
While good classroom arrangement is not a guarantee of good behavior, poor planning in this area
can create conditions that lead to problems.
The teacher must be able to observe all students at all times and to monitor work and behavior. The
teacher should also be able to see the door from his or her desk.
 Frequently used areas of the room and traffic lanes should be unobstructed and easily accessible.
Students should be able to see the teacher and presentation area without undue turning or movement.
Commonly used classroom materials, e.g., books, attendance pads, absence permits, and student
reference materials should be readily available.
Some degree of decoration will help add to the attractiveness of the room.

SETTING EXPECTATIONS FOR BEHAVIOR

*Teachers should identify expectations for student behavior and communicate those expectations to
students periodically.

* Rules and procedures are the most common explicit expectations. A small number of general rules that
emphasize appropriate behavior may be helpful. Rules should be posted in the classroom. Compliance
with the rules should be monitored constantly.

* Do not develop classroom rules you are unwilling to enforce.

* School-Wide Regulations...particularly safety procedures...should be explained carefully.

* Because desirable student behavior may vary depending on the activity, explicit expectations for the
following procedures are helpful in creating a smoothly functioning classroom:

- Beginning and ending the period, including attendance procedures and what students may or may not
do during these times.
- Use of materials and equipment such as the pencil sharpener, storage areas, supplies, and special
equipment.
- Teacher-Led Instruction
- Seatwork
- How students are to answer questions - for example, no student answer will be recognized unless he
raises his hand and is called upon to answer by the teacher.
- Independent group work such as laboratory activities or smaller group projects.

Remember, good discipline is much more likely to occur if the classroom setting and activities are
structured or arranged to enhance cooperative behavior.

MANAGING STUDENT ACADEMIC WORK

* Effective teacher-led instruction is free of:

- Ambiguous and vague terms

- Unclear sequencing
- Interruptions

* Students must be held accountable for their work.

* The focus is on academic tasks and learning as the central purpose of student effort, rather than on
good behavior for its own sake.

MANAGING INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR

* Address instruction and assignments to challenge academic achievement while continuing to assure
individual student success.
* Most inappropriate behavior in classrooms that is not seriously disruptive and can be managed by
relatively simple procedures that prevent escalation.

* Effective classroom managers practice skills that minimize misbehavior.

* Monitor students carefully and frequently so that misbehavior is detected early before it involves many
students or becomes a serious disruption.

* Act to stop inappropriate behavior so as not to interrupt the instructional activity or to call excessive
attention to the student by practicing the following unobstructive strategies:

- Moving close to the offending student or students, making eye contact and giving a nonverbal signal to
stop the offensive behavior.

- Calling a student's name or giving a short verbal instruction to stop behavior.

- Redirecting the student to appropriate behavior by stating what the student should be doing; citing the
applicable procedure or rule.

Example: "Please, look at the overhead projector and read the first line with me, I need to see everyone's
eyes looking here."

- More serious, disruptive behaviors such as fighting, continuous interruption of lessons, possession of
drugs and stealing require direct action according to school board rule.

Assertive Discipline has been used by many schools, and is an effective way to manage behavior. Find
out more by clicking here.

PROMOTING APPROPRIATE USE OF CONSEQUENCES

* In classrooms, the most prevalent positive consequences are intrinsic student satisfaction resulting from
success, accomplishment, good grades, social approval and recognition.
* Students must be aware of the connection between tasks and grades.
* Frequent use of punishment is associated with poor classroom management and generally should be
avoided.
* When used, negative consequences or punishment should be related logically to the misbehavior.
* Milder punishments are often as effective as more intense forms and do not arouse as much negative
emotion.
* Misbehavior is less likely to recur if a student makes a commitment to avoid the action and to engage in
more desirable alternative behaviors.
* Consistency in the application of consequences is the key factor in classroom management.

SOME ESOL PRINCIPLES

(A FEW THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT L.E.P. STUDENTS):

* They are not stupid and they can hear what is being said.. They just don't necessarily understand the
language or culture, yet.
* They come from a variety of backgrounds, even in the same country. For example schooled,
unschooled, Americanized, etc.
* It is easy to misunderstand body language and certain behaviors. For example, eye contact, spitting,
chalk eating, etc.
* Don't assume they understand something just because it seems simple to you. Simplify, boil down.
* Even when they have lost their accent, they often misunderstand common words and phrases.
* Correct repeated patterns or mistakes.
* Good E.S.O.L. strategies are good teaching strategies.

GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE PRAISE

(Applies primarily to praise associated with instruction and student performance)

Effective Praise Ineffective Praise

1. Is delivered contingently upon student 1. Is delivered randomly and indiscriminately

performance of desirable behaviors or without specific attention to genuine
genuine accomplishment accomplishment

2. Specifies the praiseworthy aspects of the 2. Is general or global, not specifying the
student's accomplishments success.

3. Is expressed blandly without feeling or

3. Is expressed sincerely, showing spontaneity,
animation, and relying on stock, perfunctory
variety and other non-verbal signs of credibility.
phrases.

4. Is given based on comparisons with others

4. Is given for genuine effort, progress, or
and without regard to the effort expended or
accomplishment which are judged according to
significance of the accomplishment of an
standards appropriate to individuals.
individual.

5. Provides information to students about their

5. Provides no meaningful information to the
competence or the value of their
students about their accomplishments.
accomplishments.

6. Helps students to better appreciate their 6. Orients students toward comparing

thinking, problem-solving and performance. themselves with others.

7. Attributes student success to effort and

7. Attributes student success to ability alone or
ability, implying that similar successes can be
to external factors such as luck or easy task.
expected in the future.

8. Encourages students to appreciate their 8. Encourages students to succeed for external

accomplishments for the effort they expend and reasons -- to please the teacher, win a
their personal gratification. competition or reward, etc.