Effective teachers, according to Scheuermann & Hall set their classrooms up for success by preventing problem behaviours from occurring in the first place. When teachers use positive and preventative management strategies many commonly report undesired behaviour can be avoided.
Kounin’s research was the first high profile, large scale systematic study of classroom management and has been the foundation for future studies on classroom behaviour management.
Kounin identified several critical dimensions of effective classroom management:
- Withitness or a keen awareness of disruptive behaviour or potentially disruptive behaviour and the immediate attention to the behaviour.
- Smoothness and momentum during instruction.
- Letting learners know what behaviour is expected at any given time.
- Variety and challenge of learners’ assigned tasks
…to see more visit SLEUTH Field 3, Section 17.
Visit SLEUTH to read more on how Preventative Approach – Classroom Climate, Organisation & Student Engagement skills can help grow your pedagogy and your learners outcomes.
SLEUTH™ ‘Quick Solutions’
Develop home – school partnerships – Principle 1 of 5 – equality
In a partnership all parties are equal – no one is created more or less equal than the other. Acting as equals means the perspectives of all parties are of equal importance. Whilst there will not necessarily be equality in knowledge, or wisdom (teachers will have more to offer through the teaching & learning lens whilst parents & whanau will have more insights in to their children) equality means all points of view are as important as the others.
Develop home – school partnerships – Principle 2 of 5 – Choice
In an equal relationship people have the right to have a say in what they do and don’t do. If there is no choice there is no partnership; partners have the right to say no because saying no is the fundamental right we have of distinguishing ourselves from each other and when one’s right to say no is removed, saying yes has no meaning. Be strong and say no when you believe doing so is the best way to advance the educational outcomes of learners.
Develop home – school partnerships – Principle 3 of 5 – Voice
In partnership your goal is to learn from each other – to learn together. Push back on parents & whanau should they attempt to assert power over you by not hearing you (e.g. say I’ve heard your perspective and I understand where you are coming from as parents however, you have cut me off on 3 occasions over the last 5-minutes as I have attempted to share with you my thinking through a teaching & learning lens. If we are going to work in partnership and find the best way forward you need to find a way to listen to another perspective which does differ from yours. Are you able to work in this way? If not then we are likely not going to make much progress here and we will probably need to reschedule and have another meeting next week). When parents & whanau do the opposite and take a passive role, invite them in to conversations by asking questions (e.g. Tell me more… a minute ago you mentioned…).
These are 3 of the Quick Find Solutions available on SLEUTH™ in the area of Preventative Approach – Classroom Climate, Organisation & Student Engagement.
