Effective Classroom Management Essays

Effective Classroom Management Essays Effective Classroom Management Essay Effective Classroom Management Essay Effective Classroom Management When I was an undergraduate, I looked to strengthening my mathematics skills so I could know as much as possible about the subject area I was going to teach. I also knew that I would need other skills to teach in a high school classroom as well. In fact, I felt that in order to be an effective teacher, I needed to have good classroom management skills. The article I read on the subject is titled Effective Classroom Management: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development written by Regina M. Oliver and Daniel J. Reschly from Vanderbilt University. The paper starts out stating that classes with economically disadvantaged students tend to have disruptive behavior as a problem. This is why teachers need to have effective classroom management techniques. Without this, not only do the students described above have low achievement in the classroom but at-risk students fall prey to this as well when the teacher does not have firm control of his or her class. The article goes on to say that ongoing professional development is important for improving classroom management skills. This is a good way to help new teachers get some good ideas for their classes, as well as seasoned teachers who need to improve on their current management skills. There were two recommendations to schools that in theory would best help new teachers with much needed classroom management skills. The first is to provide teachers with instructional approaches through coursework and guided practice with feedback. This involves developing instructional material that students will find educationally relevant, a logical order related to skill development and immediate feedback to the student and to correct any errors the student has during the process of learning in the class. The second recommendation is to address those challenges that teachers face and to create a positive classroom context. This involves clearly stated rules for the classroom that are kept at a minimum, are positively stated, simple and appropriate to the developmental level of the students, and are aligned with school policy. With these rules in place, it is something that students know from the beginning and as long as they are constantly and consistently enforced, the students know exactly whatâ„ ¢s expected of them. They will know the consequences of their actions should they decide to break the rules. In conclusion, this article offered some interesting comments on effective classroom management. It also provided some recommendations for providing new and experienced teachers with professional development to help with their existing ideas on how to have a firm hold on classroom behavior. Another thing I liked about this article was that classroom management did not focus strictly on student behavior, but on the fact that the material being taught as well as the way it is being taught is key to keeping the students involved in the learning process rather than on other distractions. Reschly, Daniel J. Effective Classroom Management: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development. National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality Dec. 2007: 13.