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8/9/2019 32 Strategies for Effective
1/5
Strategies for
Effective
Classroorm Management
in
the
Secondary
Setting
PAUL
PEDOTA
Abstract: Over
the years,
researchers have
written many
books
and
articles about
the
lack of
discipline or lack of
respect
students
have
toward
their
teachers. This image
is
enhanced
by the daily accounts
in movies,
newspapers, televi-
sion,
and
radio or
in
speaking to
students, their teachers, or
parents. In this article, the
author provides
working strategies
that
can
be used by
new and veteran
teachers that
will provide
educators
with procedures
to maximize
classroom instruction
by incorporating effective
classroom
management techniques
into their daily
routines.
Keywords:
classroom
management, effective teachers,
sec-
ondary
setting,
strategies
veryone
concedes
that there
is a
severe
shortage
of qualified teachers
in the
United
States and
that
one
of
the most
frequent reasons
cited
in
the literature
regarding
the problem of staffing
and retaining
quali-
fied
individuals
is
the
lack of
student
discipline
(Mac-
donald
1999;
Tye
and O'Brien
2002). In speaking
to
new and veteran
teachers who
have
left the profession
primarily
due
to
discipline
problems in
the
classroom,
many
have commented
that although
they felt
that
during
the preteaching training
period sufficient
time
was spent on classroom
management,
they were
not
truly
prepared
for
the realities
of the classroom,
which
contributed
to
feelings
of frustration, anger,
and
help-
lessness
(Miech
and Elder 1996).
In
reviewing
the
research,
one
can
see
that
effective
teachers-those
who
have
fewer
discipline
problems
in
the classroom-spend
a
good deal of
time on planning
(Brown
1998); take
into
account
diversity
as well as
the
preference
of individual
learning styles (Daniels,
Bizar,
and Zemelman
2 1;
Dunn and
Dunn 1993; Sleeter
and
Grant 2003);
provide activities
that get
students
to begin
work
immediately
and
ensure
there is a suf-
ficient
amount
of work
that will
have students working
the
entire
period (Omstein
and
Lasley
2004);
and
are
consistent
in
classroom
management
techniques
with .
.. a
healthy
balance
between rewards
and
punishment
(Miller,
Ferguson,
and Simpson 1998, 56).
Establishing,
explaining, reviewing,
and
modifying
(as needed) rules, routines,
and
procedures that
are
cearly
understood to
handle the daily
recurring
activi-
ties
as well as
developing
procedures
for unpredictable
events
that may
occur, will
help you
to
devote
the
maximum
amount
of
time available for instruction
and
enhance
classroom
management (Marshall 2001).
The following
is
based
on
my beliefs, my
personal-
ity, and thirty-seven years of experience
as
an educator.
Individuals
should use
this
article as
a
guide
and
not
as a
complete
list
of
strategies
or techniques
that
can
be
used
for
effective classroom
management.
Your per-
sonality
and philosophy of
education will dictate
those
ideas you
will or will not
use in dealing
with develop-
ing, setting
up, and using
an effective
strategy
to ensure
maximum
instruction
with
few
classroom
discipline
problems.
First
Things
First
As a teacher,
ensuring
that
all
students can
learn in
a safe environment
is your prime
objective. Before you
can begin
to
teach, you
must
devote
time
to
preparing
your
classroom
and
developing procedures
that
will
help
you
maximize
instruction
in
a positive climate,
such
as the following:
Seating
lans
Permanent seating
arrangements
will help you
to
learn
students names quickly,
take attendance,
and
perform any
other
administrative task while
students
are
involved in some
instructional
activity. The use
of
Paul
Pedota
is
a ormer
principal
n
a New
ork
City
secondary
school
and
is currently
the
directorof alternative
certification
programs
at
St. John s
University,
New
York
Copyright ©
2 7 Heldref
Publications
163
8/9/2019 32 Strategies for Effective
2/5
The
Clearing
House
a
Delaney book
or
seating
chart
can
help to make
this
task
a
simple one.
In
addition,
you should
think
about
how
your seating
arrangements
can
be
modified
to
support
different
types of instruction,
such as whole
group
instruction,
small
group
instruction,
or
students
working
individually.
PhysicalSurroundings
The room
should
be
arranged
to ensure
that al l
students
can see
well, there
are no
obstructions,
the
lighting
is adequate,
and if
and when
students
move
around,
they
do not interfere
with
other
students.
Your
desk should
be
positioned
so that
you
can monitor
the
activities of
all
students
as well as
not
interfere
with
movement
within
the
class.
ousekeeping
Procedures
Procedures
for the
storing
of equipment
and
other
material,
the distribution and
collection
of
student
material,
keeping
the
chalkboard
dean,
the location
of
the
wastepaper
basket,
using
the
pencil
sharpener,
and
so on,
must
also be
developed.
Displays
The
classroom
should
be
a
showcase for
student
work,
as
well as
posters,
magazine
covers,
charts,
maps,
and
pictures.
It
is important
to let
students
know
that
their
work is important
as
well as
let others
know
what
students
are learning.
Your
material,
as
well as
student
work, should
be
changed,
at
least
every month
or
when
you
begin
a new
unit.
This will
allow for
all students
to
have the opportunity
to
have their
work
displayed,
which
will give
them
a
sense of ownership.
School
and
class
rules
should
also be
posted as
a
reminder
to stu-
dents of
the
code
of behavioL
Instruction
Plan for
a
variety of instructional
experiences
and
keep
students
actively
involved.
You
will find
that by
avoiding
the
sameness
of daily
classes,
you will
help
prevent
discipline
problems.
One
way
that
this
can
be
accomplished
is
by allowing
students
to be
active par-
ticipants
in learning
rather than
passive
listeners.
Setting
Classroom
tandards
for Behavior
and
Work
Students,
just
like adults,
prefer
to be
in an
environ-
ment
that is
structured
and
predictable.
In school,
where
students
have individual
teachers
who
hold dif-
ferent
beliefs
as
to how
to handle
certain situations,
it
is important
that
you
make your
expectations
perfectly
clear. To
this end, it
is
extremely important
that
proce-
dures
are in
place that
are consistent
with
schoolwide
policy
and
that
both
students
and
their
parents
know
what
is
expected
in terms
ofbehavior
and class
work.
If
rules
are
firm, fair,
and
followed consistently,
you
will
be able
to handle
most situations
that may infringe
on
the use
of instructional
time.
Developing
a
written
syllabus
or
contract
that
includes
the subject
material,
subject
class
requirements,
and class
and
individual
code
of conduct
helps all
to understand
their
responsi-
bilities Brophy
1986;
Curwin
and
Mendler
1988).
The
following
provides
some
examples
of
what
should
be included
in a code
of conduct:
Student
attendance
The importance
of
daily class
atten-
dance
must
be
emphasized.
Students
should
know
what
are
considered
legitimate
reasons for being
absent,
procedures
to follow
when
absent
as
well
as
when
returning
from
an absence,
and
the impact
recur-
ring
absences will
have
on
grades.
Student lateness
and
dismissal:
Students
must under-
stand the
importance
for
being
on
time for class.
Being
late
causes
students
to not only
interrupt
instruction
for
others,
but
also
causes
them
to miss
work.
In
addi-
tion,
procedures
for
dismissal should
be
in
place
at the
end of
the instructional
period
and
students
should
be
reminded
that
only
you
dismiss
the class.
Classroom
intemrptions
Procedures
should
be
developed
to handle
classroom
interruptions-such
as
intercom
announcements,
visitors,
and
fire
drills.
In
all of these
situations,
students
must
know
that
you alone
give
direction
on
student
actions.
Students
leaving
classroom:
What
are
the
procedures
for
leaving
the
room?
Are
you
going to use
a
sign-out
book, issue
a pass,
write
the names
of students
on
the
chalkboard, or
restrict the
pass
at
certain
times?
Student
work: You
should
make
students
aware of the
subject
manner
to be studied;
instructional
objectives
you
hope that
students
will
obtain;
skills that
will
be
developed;
their responsibility
regarding
class
work
homework,
or any
other assignments;
the number
and
types of
tests;
and a
review
of how
you
will arrive
at
a
grade
for
each
student.
Recognizing
students
in
class:
Students
should
not shou
out
questions,
answers,
or comments
without
firs
being
recognized
by
you.
Moving
around
the room
a
you
call on
volunteers
as
well as
nonvolunteers
wil
ensure
that
all
students
are on task as
you
build
a cli
mate
for
learning.
Instruction
Policies
should
also be
developed
to
take
into
account
how
students should
act
and
interact with
each
other during
different
types
of instruction.
Fo
example,
when
working
in
groups what
is
the
expected
behavior
of students?
How
is this
behavior
differen
from
behavior
exhibited during
other
types
of
instruc
March/April 2007
64
8/9/2019 32 Strategies for Effective
3/5
Effective
Classroom Management
tion? If during
group
work
students are speaking to
one another how
do
you control
the
volume?
Recognitionof accomplishments:
It is important
to see the
glass
as
half
full
not half
empty,
that
is, try to accentu-
ate the positive
over the
negative.
To
establish
a posi-
tive
classroom
environment, students must
feel
that
you recognize their accomplishments.
Inappropriatebehavior:
Ignoring inappropriate
behavior
until it
reaches
a
point
that you
have no
choice
but
to
give
a harsh punishment
should be avoided.
In
decid-
ing on the appropriate
course to be taken,
you
must
ensure
that
you are reacting to
what
took
place and not
the individual.
It is imperative
to
realize that once classroom
rules
and procedures have
been developed, the worst thing
that
you
can
do
is
act
hastily,
not
enforce a
rule,
or
enforce
it
sporadically.
In addition, you may
not
have
thought of everything and
may
have
to
revise, modify,
add, or disregard a
rule. Do
not be
afraid
to
talk
to a
colleague
or
school official if you are having a
prob-
lem
or to change
something
if what you
had originally
planned is
not working.
You must
model
the behavior
that
you expect from
your students. You
must
avoid
the use
of
insulting,
abusive, or threatening
language. Although it may be
hard at times, you
must learn
to
control your
temper.
Your
words
and/or
actions
can
upset
others
and
may
even
instigate physical actions, which
can cause harm
to the student
other students, or adults. To
get respect,
you must earn it, and by
setting a good
example and
by treating
others as you would like to be
treated,
this
can be accomplished.
Communication
Communication can be
verbal
and nonverbal
and
just as
in everyday
life,
poor communication
can
cause
unnecessary
problems. Table displays
some simple
Dos and
Do
nots in
using communication
effi-
dentiy
and effectively.
If you must reprimand students, use
a normal tone
of
voice,
look
at
the student
do
not
use
gestures
such
as pointing your finger,
and do not insist on
the
last
word (Kerr
and Nelson 2002).
Good communication skills
and being a good
lis-
tener, as well
as a good speaker, can
help in
preventing
problems in
the classroom.
When students
feel that
they are
welcomed into
a
nonthreatening environment
where learning
is
encouraged,
they
usually come
ready,
willing, and able
to
learn.
Strategies to
Help Manage
Your
Classroom
By now you
should be asking yourself, how
can
I
build an environment in
my
classroom
where
there is trust and mutual
respect
among all,
as
well
as
have
rules that are firm,
fair, consistent, and fol-
lowed? Table
2 outlines ten rules to help
manage
a
classroom.
Combining structure
and
fairness
with dear expec-
tations
in a
caring,
nonthreatening environment
are
the
major
elements
of
good teaching
and
effective
classroom
management. Students who
believe
that
you
really
care about them as individuals, that is, academi-
TABLE
2. Top Ten List for Classroom
Management
10. Develop
a
philosophy of we rather than
I and
use
a
personal approach
in
working with your students.
9. Class rules
should
be
reasonable,
fair,
equitable,
and
used
in a
consistent m anner.
8.
Your
actions, words, and deeds should model
the
behavior that you expect from
your students.
7. Remember self-esteem is
as
important
for adolescences
as
it
is
for
you-avoid
sarcasm or actions that belittle
an individual
in front of classmates.
6.
Be proactive. Move around the room
and keep
your
eyes moving.
5
Before
you speak, get everyone's
attention and say
what
you mean and mean what you say.
4.
Keep parents informed.
Parent involvement will
support your role
as a
teacher.
3. Always
give
students hope-make them
feel
that
they
can
accomplish anything.
2. Treat
your
students
as you yourself would
like
to
be
treated.
1. Be
yourself.
Do not
be an
imitation
of
someone
else.
Success
will
follow
if
you
allow your own
personality
to show.
TABLE 1.
Dos
and
Do Nots in Communication
DO DO
NO T
Think before you speak
Say you
will do
something
you cannot do
Speak
only when
you
have
everyone's Speak to individuals and not
pay attention
attention
to
the class
Give
students the opportunity to ask
questions
Be
close minded
Be
specific
in
your
statements,
directions, Take silence as knowing
questions, and so
on
Vol. 80 No. 4
165
8/9/2019 32 Strategies for Effective
4/5
The
Clearing
House
cally,
socially,
and emotionally, will gain status
and
recognition and a sense
of
self-worth and belonging
(Dreikurs,
Grunwald,
and Pepper
1971; Glasser
1990)
as well
as
establish
your
authority and
credibility.
Conclusion
By
following these simple
strategies
you
can
have
an
orderly
dassroom
environment that will improve
stu-
dents
learning
outcomes
while providing for
an
atmo-
sphere
that is
structured
and
consistent
and shows
that
you are
serious
about
teaching and
learning. Motivat-
ing, challenging, and engaging
students
as you strive for
high expectations will
not
only
help
to improve student
behavior
in
school
and
academic
accomplishments but
will also
provide the key for
students to
understand
how to act
in
a moral
and
ethical way
in
society.
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J.
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TITLE: Strategies for Effective Classroom Management in the
Secondary Setting
SOURCE: The Clearing House 80 no4 Mr/Ap 2007
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