Module One

In this module we’ll look at definitions of classroom management, and explore some of the different
classroom management approaches.
CONTENT:
 Definitions of classroom management
 List of Key Measures
 Why do students misbehave?
 Types of Discipline
 The Culturally Responsive Classroom
Objective: Build knowledge of classroom management methodologies for the purposes of practical
application and strategy development
Definitions of Classroom Management
Every teacher will have their own idea of what ‘Classroom management’ means. These ideas can be
drawn from formal training, or from personal experiences in the classroom. We may also have
impressions from our time as learners. We all recall the lessons that were well run, and those that
seemed somewhat out of control! There is no single definition of classroom management, however
it’s helpful to explore a few theories to help us form a strategy that works for us.
DISCUSS:
What do you think is meant by ‘Classroom Management’. In small groups, discuss your ideas and
then write your definition below:
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Thinking Point:
Think back to when you were at school. How did you feel about the poorly managed lessons?
Compare this to how you felt about the well-run lessons?
‘Poorly managed lessons not only affect how learners feel about that particular teacher or topic,
but can affect our attitude to school in general’
If learners feel happy at school they’re less likely to be drawn to environments that promote
substance abuse. Classroom management is central to this.

Classroom management – Sample Definitions

1. ‘Classroom management is a combination of how teachers regard their learners, the set-up
of the classroom environment, how well the subject is taught and how the address learner
behaviour’. Robert DiGiulio
2. ‘The actions taken to create an environment that supports and facilitates academic and
social–emotional learning’. Evertson and Weinstein

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 3. ‘Ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly without disruptive behaviour from students
compromising the delivery of instruction’. Wikipedia
4. ‘Classroom management refers to the wide variety of skills and techniques that teachers use
to keep students organized, orderly, focused, attentive, on task, and academically productive
during a class’. The Glossary of Educational Reform
5. ‘Classroom management can be defined as the actions teachers take to establish and sustain
an environment that fosters students’ academic achievement as well as their social,
emotional, and moral growth’. Oxford Bibliographies

Which definition do you most agree with? Write the number here …………………………….
From the above definitions, what concepts do you think are most important? Put them in order of
priority by writing numbers 1 – 4.
Teaching the subject well ……………….
Making sure learners produce work ……………….
Fostering social and emotional growth ……………….
Minimising disruptive behaviour ……………….
List of Key Measures
We’ve looked at some definitions of classroom management, but what about practical steps you can
take? Below are some actions to ensure that your lessons are orderly, successful and encourage
learner buy-in.
 Have clear expectations and lesson goals.
 Inclusive Classrooms – Cater for individual needs, abilities and backgrounds.
 Set targets that are challenging but also realistic for your learners.
 Develop appropriate rules, procedures, and routines for the classroom. These can be done
as a class. They should also be linked to whole school codes of conduct.
 Have a clear system of discipline and be consistent in its application.
 Have a system of rewards and recognitions. Remember to praise as well as correct!
 Incorporate hands-on, interactive activities in which students can be active and take the
lead.
 Foster good relationships with your students by getting to know them and taking in interest
in them as people
 Encourage students to take responsibility for their own behaviour with personal goals.
 Be flexible in your classroom. If learners show an interest in a particular topic that’s not on
your lesson plan, or the method you’re using is not engaging them – don’t be afraid to
change tactics.
 Watch your teacher-talk time. If teachers talk too much during a lesson they risk the learners
switching off or feeling they are not part of the learning process.
 Admit when you’re wrong or that you’re unsure. Tell learners that you’ll do some more
research so you’ll have a better answer next time.
 Model good behaviour by being punctual, organised and well prepared.
 Be consistent in your expectations and application of discipline.
 Set realistic and achievable targets for your learners. - Motivate your learners through
awards and encouragement. - Create positive learning experiences for your learners by
presenting well prepared and interesting lessons.
 Vary the content of lessons with a mix of activities and exercises. Bring in technology where
available.

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  Connect with parents for both good and bad learner behaviour.
 Manage yourself as a teacher. Be friendly but professional, control emotions and maintain
boundaries. This involves looking after yourself in terms of well-being, managing stress and
using available support systems. (See Module 4).
RESPOND
Write down two ways of building good relationships with learners.
What is a good way to reward a learner for good work or good behaviour?
Why is it a good idea to admit when you’re wrong?
Why is it helpful to involve parents?
Some learners have higher abilities than others
TRUE 
FALSE 
Justify your answer.
Give an example of how to use technology in the classroom.
REFLECT
How important is ‘being professional’ to you? Tick the appropriate box
Not important 
Fairly important 
Highly important 
Essential 
DISCUSS your choice in groups.

Why do students misbehave? - 3 common causes

Boredom
Learners can become bored for a number of reasons. Every child has a favourite subject in school,
and therefore a least favourite. Therefore they may simply not like the subject being taught. They
may be also become bored with particular activity at the time, finding it too easy or too hard, too
repetitive or not interactive enough.
Solutions
Make the work fun and interesting: if lessons have an element of fun, learners are likely to become
bored, restless and disruptive.
Make the work seem relevant and meaningful: If learner see that the lesson relates to their everyday
lives or a career they want to pursue they are less likely to be bored.

Thinking Point:
How do you feel a presenter arrives late, is poorly prepared or has an unprofessional attitude?
In your classroom it’s important to set the right tone from the very beginning. This means being
on time, being appropriately dressed, being properly
3 organised and appearing calm. Once
students see this, they will be less inclined to challenge your authority. REMEMBER – ONCE
AUTHORITY IS BROKEN IT’S VERY HARD TO GET IT BACK. FIRST IMPRESSIONS LAST!
Use lots of variety in your lessons: Have different types of activity in one lesson. Mix written and
practical work, change groupings, include discussions etc.
Keep the tasks short and focused: Remember that young people tend to have shorter concentration
spans.
Do a deal: Sometimes less exciting work is essential for learning to be absorbed. However learners
understand this if you explain it to them. Ask them to bear with the ‘dry’ part of the lesson for a time
in return for a fun activity later.
Mental processes of teenage years+
During the teenage years there are mental as well as physical changes. Teenagers develop more
complex cognitive abilities which are often accompanied by difficult behaviour patterns. This
includes problems with authority, risk-taking behaviour and susceptibility to peer-pressure. All of
these can lead to ‘acting-up’ or ‘showing off’ in the classroom
Solutions
Set clear boundaries and codes of conduct. Have a fair discipline system that all are aware of and
apply it consistently. Teenagers respond to this structure as a counter-balance to the confusion they
sometimes feel due to the changes they’re going through.
Make peer pressure work for you: Have a team – reward system in your class where good behaviour
or team tasks are rewarded. Learners don’t want to let the side down, and will use positive peer
pressure to discourage bad behaviour that will ‘lose them points’.
Get the ‘ringleader’ on your side: The learners who feels the need to act-up, show off or be the class
clown is actually seeking group approval. While not pandering to rude or disruptive conduct, try to
give this girl or boy positive attention. This can be by giving them a special responsibility in the class
or singling them out for praise. When this learners starts to support you, the others will follow suit.
Rearrange the seating
Where possible, change the seating so that the disruptive class members do not all sit together at
the back of the room. Bring them forward to sit close to your desk, or mix up the groups from time
to time so that rebellious learners sit among classmates who are more focussed and have a calming
influence. Having mixed gender working groups works well for this.

Personal Problems. On occasion, the issue causing poor behaviour may not lie within the classroom.
If a child or young person is disruptive it may be because of problems at home. These may come in
various forms, from neglect or abuse, from the challenges associated with a low income, from
pressures as a carer and so on. These outside causes can often be spotted as more than one teacher
will report issues with the child.

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Solutions.
Deal with behaviour sympathetically in the classroom setting. Avoid harsh discipline, allow the
learner reasonable time out or offer one-to-one discussions or help with work. Often if a learner in
distress recognises that you genuinely care, their behaviour will become calmer in your class.
If you suspect that challenges at home are the cause of poor classroom behaviour, work through the
appropriate school procedures to investigate and support the learner.
Engage with parents and family members to highlight the behaviour. Endeavor to work with them to
implement strategies.
Where necessary, refer the child to specialist agencies, community support groups or mental /
physical health professionals.
Another reason learners can misbehave is that they may be under the influence of drugs or
alcohol. See Module …………. Which deals with this challenge in more detail.

RESPOND
1. Other than the examples above, what other reasons do learners misbehave in class?
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2. Find a partner and tell each other what you’ve written above. Then discuss possible solutions for
each other’s example.

3. Types of negative classroom behaviour:

Talking Rudeness Fighting Will not do the work given
Joking around
Making fun of another learner Using the tablet without permission Sulking
Disengaged
Attention seeking Constantly asking for the toilet Lateness
Pick three words from above and write them in the first column. In groups discuss solutions and
complete column two.
TYPE OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR IN THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
CLASSROOM

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TYPES OF DISCIPLINE
Assertive discipline
This approach frames the teacher as the director in charge of the classroom. Assertive teachers
respond to situations with calm firmness, and do not resort to abrasive, sarcastic or hostile tones
when disciplining learners.
Assertive discipline is one of the most widely used classroom management tactics in the world. It
demands that student comply with rules in a framework of positive reinforcement as well as clear
negative consequences. Often combined with a zero-tolerance approach, assertive discipline suits a
more authoritarian teacher.
Constructivist discipline
This is a more student- centered form of classroom discipline. When a student is disruptive, tasks are
assigned as a form of punishment. The tasks are 1) easy for the student to perform 2) teach a
developmental lesson 3) Can be added to if the learner does not complete as instructed 4) Can mean
the learner misses a more pleasurable activity that classmates are doing. Once the student complies
by finishing the task and expressing understanding of how their behaviour was unconstructive, the
teacher can re-establish normality with praise. Teachers who prize positive relationships over
authority can use this technique.
RESPOND
1. Which of the above types of discipline more suits your teaching style and why?
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Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is defined as the use of physical force causing pain, but not wounds, as a
means of discipline.
Spanking, rapping on the head and slapping are forms of corporal punishment. Occasionally an
implement is used such as a belt. There are two factors to be taken into consideration when
distinguishing between corporal punishment and physical abuse:
• Intensity: the extent to which injuries have resulted from the use of violence.
• Intention: the extent to which the intention is to teach/discipline.

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Corporal punishment is therefore considered very different from abuse as it doesn’t cause significant
physical injury. In addition, the intention of corporal punishment is to discipline which is different
from abuse which has a cruel or criminal intention.
The issue of corporal punishment had caused much dispute between adults. Some believe it is a
necessary part of raising or educating a child. Others believe it is a contravention of children’s rights.
The International convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)is clearly against smacking and beating,
as is the South African constitution:
CRC Article 17 ‘No child shall be subjected to torture, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment’

SA Constitution Section 12: Everyone has the right to freedom and security of the person, which
includes the right to be free from all forms of violence from either public or private sources. Also the
right not to be treated or punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way.

SO TO BE CLEAR – CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IS ILLEGAL AND SHOULD NOT BE ADMINISTERED IN

SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS.
THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM
The culturally responsive classroom is one in which the teacher is aware of the individuality of the
learners. This does not only include racial or ethnic backgrounds, but social and economic
backgrounds, learning styles and the values of the students. Teachers also factor in their own
backgrounds and how this can influence their performance as teachers. Classes are managed with
these considerations at the forefront.
The culturally responsive classroom is particularly important in the South Africa context where the
dynamic and diverse make-up of the population not only means a rainbow nation but a ‘rainbow
school’. South African teachers should inform themselves of cultural differences. For example, a
student who stares at the floor while you speak to him or her would be viewed as defiant in some
cultures and respectful in others. They should also check themselves for stereotyping that will affect
their expectations of learners.
RESPOND
What is meant by ‘the values of the students’?
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How can you adapt your lessons to be culturally responsive?
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DISCUSS

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Think of some cultural stereotypes that exist in South Africa. How can this affect teacher
expectations?

REFLECT
We’ve seen that teachers have a lot to think about when it comes to classroom management. A
handy motto to take away is THE THREE F’S

Firmness implies strength, organization, resilience, and leadership, rather than rigidity.

Fairness implies equal respect for all kinds of learners and learning styles.

Friendliness implies a readiness and joy of learning and association with knowledge,
engagement with the process, and appreciation of each other.

Further Reading
Learner Discipline and School Management A practical guide to understanding and managing learner
behaviour within the school context. Education Management & Development Centre: Metropole
North. Western Cape Education Department.
An Educators Guide to Effective Classroom Management