Week+2+-+Classroom+Management

 Classroom rights relate to the rights that both the students and teacher have within the classroom. There are two types of responsibility within the classroom for each activity; Personal and Communal. Personal - I do the right thing towards others, and Communal - I encourage others to do the right thing within the classroom. Teachers have a personal responsibility to express their views and to do the best they can to help all the students. Students have a communal responsibility to work well with their classmates and be well behaved in the classroom when learning, and try and stop bullying. Responsibility relates to behaviour of both teachers and students towards everyone in the classroom, good behaviour can also be rewarded. Encouragement relates to the encouragement given and received within the classroom. Teachers need to encourage good behaviour, studies show that 45-50% of the student's learning outcomes relates to what happens within the classroom. Within the classroom there are 4 different kings of students. Some students discipline themselves to learn what the curriculum contains, others may on occasion be distracted or can be disruptive to others. Some students need to be managed away from large groups of students. There are a few ways to manage students that can only be managed away from their peers:
 * //Lecture Review by Svetlana Spaseska //**
 * Coercive - teachers may give the students an ultimatum in order to avoid punishment.
 * Legitimate - teachers use their power to make students do what they are told.
 * Referent - when teacher has the students trust they may use this trust to get the student to behave.
 * Reward - teachers may reward students for good behaviour, as long as the teacher continues to reward students, they will be able to use this at an advantage.
 * Expert - when student's believe that the teacher will pass on skills and knowledge and by cooperating they will be better off.

**//Dreikurs' Theory on misbehaviour in the classroom//**//. Reviewed by Alison Harvey// Classroom management is one of my biggest concerns in teaching. How //do// you control a class of up to 30 individuals, all needing equal time and attention? I can only hope that I get most of the type 'A' students referred to in Prof Lewis' lecture rather than the type 'D's! I think Dreikurs' theory is interesting: as it refers to students' perception of themselves within a group. Those children who feel confident within themselves and among their peers generally do not exhibit antisocial behaviour in class. They are interested in co-operating with others and readily face all the demands school presents. Children who are less sure of themselves and their place within the group are more likely to misbehave as they believe it will give themselves a sense of status and a sense of group recognition. As teachers it is our job to separate the behaviour from the child and not to 'play the game' i.e. breaking the cycle where a student acts and the teacher reacts. I have observed some of these behaviours through my children and their peers: the 'cool' kids don't misbehave as they have enough status, it is the children on the fringe of these groups whose behaviour is variable. //(Image from: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/images/2009/01/14/bart_simpson_at_the_board_2.jpg)//

//**A Person-Centered Approach to Classroom Management, H. Jerome Freiberg (2007).** Reviewed by Svetlana Spaseska// For the past 50 years classrooms have been structured by compliance and obedience. Studies have provided evidence that shows that a prosocial approach to teaching creates an organised learning environment, and children that are taught in these environments are known to be better adjusted, healthier academic learners. I believe that when students enjoy going to school and are active in classroom activities, then they will enjoy learning. When teachers use a social approach to teaching the students will get more involved and gain more from their experience. At least 5 factors are known to support a prosocial teaching approach. There are: Moving Beyond Discipline; Caring and Trust School Connectedness; Positive School and Classroom Climate; and Measurable Gains in Student Achievement. I believe that all 5 factors are important in conducting a prosocial classroom. Having a teacher that you can trust is very important for the students. Positive schools and classroom promote a healthy learning environment, and students that learn in a healthy environment benefit more that those that don’t.

 **Teachers’ classroom discipline in Australia, China and Israel by Professor Ramon Lewis, Shlomo Romi, Xing, Qui & Yaacov J. Katz (2005).** //Reviewed by Michelle Lotriet// This article focused on perceptions of class room discipline strategies used in Australia, China, and Israel. The influence of discipline used was compared with other variables across the three countries. It was found that Chinese teachers appeared less punitive and aggressive than those of Israel and Australia, and more inclusive and supportive of of students ideas. Australia was seen as least discussion and recognition orientated and most punishment orientated. From this research the implications for teaching are that Australian teachers need to be more supportive and give more recognition for students efforts and be less punishment focused. However form a personal perspective I do not think that Australian teachers are that punishment focused, having been to school in another country as well as in Australia I feel that Australian teachers are far more supportive of class discussion. However I guess this varies from school to school, and from country to country and as I have never been to school in any of the countries that were focused on in the paper I guess it is possible that China and Isreal may not be so punishment focused, however overall I feel like Australia has a rather relaxed classroom atmosphere that lends itself to discussion.

//**Classroom Discipline in Australia, Ramon Lewis (2006)**. Reviewed by Richard Gay // Classroom management is bound to be a steep learning curve when first teaching, so I fully appreciated the lecture by Ramon Lewis plus the allocated references. This article by Lewis (2006) was backed up the lecture and melds with the approach I anticipate using. Lewis reported on the contradiction between teaching students to be critcal thinkers and good citizens and the use of verbal aggression in the management of difficult students. This can also create a chasm between the student and teacher and be a distraction to the class. The difficulty to overcome though is that it is a base human reaction to be angry at an injustice. However a more appropriate, constructive and mature method is to use '....Reward and Referent power manifested in such strategies as Hinting, Discussing, Recognising and Involving'. Also a good method to model to students.