Chapter 11 page 259
Student-Student Relationships. It is important to encourage positive student-student
relationships. One way to accomplish this goal is to use community building activities and collaborative
academic tasks.
Teacher-Parent Relationships. Teachers can use a variety of specific methods to encourage
strong teacher-parent relationships. Teachers should strive to have many positive interactions with parents,
not just negative interactions in response to a student problem.
PLANNING ENGAGING, WELL-ORGANIZED INSTRUCTION
Effective classroom managers develop instruction that is both engaging and well-organized.
Developing Engaging Instruction. When instruction is engaging, students are focused on learning
tasks and are less likely to misbehave. All of the instructional strategies that promote student engagement
(discussed in Chapter 10) will also promote better student behavior.
Developing Well-Organized Instruction. Teachers develop well-organized instruction to make
sure that students spend their time on learning tasks rather than wasting time on transitions. In developing
well-organized instruction teachers (1) organize the instructional activities and materials carefully before
the lesson, (2) provide the students with any needed training to make sure they know how to carry out the
activities, (3) provide clear instructional signals during the lesson, (4) monitor students’ behavior during the
lesson, and (5) follow up appropriately on the lesson.
PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
Discipline includes both preventing and responding to behavior problems.
Preventing Behavior Problems. Effective classroom managers exhibit withitness, overlapping,
and signal continuity and moment. They also plan for variety and challenge in designing assignments, and
they teach students to regulate their own behavior by encouraging them set goals for their behavior and to
monitor how well they are doing in achieving their goals. Conflict resolution programs are designed to help
students learn to regulate their own behavior when conflicts arise.
Responding to Behavior Problems. Teachers should respond to behavior problems in a way that
preserves the dignity of the students and minimizes disruption to the lesson. Teachers should respond to
minor misbehaviors using the Principle of Least Intervention. Teachers will need to apply consequences in
the case of more serious misbehaviors. Using the criteria of the three R’s, consequences should be related
to the child’s misbehavior, respectful to the student, and reasonable in that they help students correct their
mistakes.
EXTENSIONS
Developmental Changes. The principles of classroom management discussed in this chapter apply
generally to classes at all age levels, although there are some differences in the details of how elementary
versus secondary teachers will apply some of the principles.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Effective classroom managers take students’
different cultural and family backgrounds into account when managing their classrooms, including the
development of rules and methods of giving verbal responses and directions. In multicultural classrooms,
teachers will be more successful in building effective interpersonal relationships if they understand and
value the cultural backgrounds of their students and their families.