Five Basic Principles for Effectively Managing the Classroom

Abstract

Introduction Valuable lessons about good often come from spontaneous experiences in the classroom. According to Eble (1988), good teachers are knowledgeable, organized, and possess certain personal qualities and attitudes considered useful for working with students. These teachers are singled out as enthusiastic, energetic, approachable, concerned, imaginative and have a good sense of humor. Some argue that good is an art while others see it as a skill that can be developed (Brookfield, 1990; Galbraith, 1990; Wlodkowski, 1990). Significant classroom events can occur accidentally and those moments challenge even the most gifted teacher's abilities. Consider delivering a difficult lecture and in the middle of a complicated point, one of your students arrives late and disrupts the moment. How do you respond? One single experience with a student will neither determine the qualities of a skilled teacher nor how to manage the classroom environment. Instead, it is the policies and procedures we create and the related behaviors we exhibit that communicates our approach to students. Conti (1998) defines this as teaching Teaching style can be conceptualized on a continuum ranging from being teacher-centered to student-centered. In practice, the instructor usually reflects an eclectic combination of the two ends of this continuum. Informed by one's educational philosophy, style is shaped by the cumulative result of a set of interrelated experiences sustained over an extended period of time (Zinn, 1998). Teaching style serves as a guide to dealing with the interpersonal aspects of the student-teacher dyad. Responding to the disruptive student described above requires one's full attention and is certainly not the time to ponder educational philosophy Insight about how one views the classroom can help the instructor move through those critical incidents like the disruptive student described above. Consistency in style improves student outcomes and the teacher's professional-self (Conti, 1998). This article describes a series of principles aimed at helping the instructor manage the classroom. Taken together, these principles characterize a particular style. They are based on a view of education as active, cooperative, and demanding. The principles presented here are by no means an exhaustive list but, hopefully will help the instructor to gain insight into his/her own style. The principles include timely and regular attendance, the quality of assignments, learning tasks, class participation, and class process. Based on the authors' analysis of their course syllabi, classroom observation of their teaching, and student course evaluations, three distinct styles emerged ranging on a continuum from teacher-centered to student-centered characterizing the instructor's involvement in the classroom. The three points along this continuum are: * Autonomor--The instructor style characterized as an autonomor offers each student complete autonomy over classroom policies and procedures bound only by institutional constraints. * Facilitator--The facilitator encourages students to develop their own classroom policies and procedures. * Dictator--The dictator imposes classroom policies and procedures on students. Each point along the continuum allows the teacher to make adjustments to accommodate each individual students' needs and interests. It is widely understood that adult learners balance work, family, health, social, religious and other responsibilities with school. Adult learners have multiple interests that compete for their time; however, each student is different. Principles Reflecting Teaching Style We offer strategies for each principle anchored within the three identified points along the continuum. The advantages and limitations of each principle are presented. In practice, the instructor will probably use a combination of styles and therefore the specific strategies presented are not mutually to be considered as inclusive but presented as best practices. …