Importance of Classroom Management

Harry and Rosemary Wong, authors of the "The First Days of School," note that effective teachers manage their classrooms with procedures and routines while ineffective teachers use threats and punishments. Learning to manage a classroom requires diligence and careful planning, but it is worth the effort. Once your classroom is running smoothly, you will spend less time disciplining and much more time teaching and positively interacting with your students.

Consistent Routines

The Wongs, define a procedure as something "the teacher wants done" and a routine as something "the students do automatically." Routines and procedures are not rules that come with consequences if broken. They are the way a classroom runs. For example, the teacher might begin each class with the same procedure, putting a starter activity on the board, for example. The students follow the routine every day. They enter the room, get out paper and a pencil and complete the starter activity. Because they know what's expected of them, they are likely to begin the class quietly and on-task.

Effective Time Management

When students understand the procedures and routines of a classroom, they can get to work quickly, usually without extra instruction. Instead of beginning class by sitting passively in their seats, talking to each other and waiting for their teacher to make announcements, they are actively learning the minute they sit down. While the students do their starter activity, the teacher has time to take attendance, using a seating chart. After the starter activity, the students know what to do next because the teacher will post instructions and the day's agenda in the same place each day. No time is wasted in an effectively-managed classroom.

Positive Atmosphere

In a well-managed classroom, students know that their teacher is their coach and biggest cheerleader. The teacher welcomes them to class each day at the door with a smile. Because there is order in her room and a system for everything, students feel comfortable in her class and know that their teacher is approachable if they have questions.

High Test Scores

The purpose of tests is not to catch students making mistakes. A teacher who effectively manages her classroom tells the students on the first day of a new unit what they will be learning. Expert teacher Julie Johnson says that she demonstrates what she wants them to do. They practice the skill together and "then I test them the same way we practice . . . In my class, test is not a bad word." When students grow in confidence, their test scores reflect it.

Student Impact

The Wongs argue that ineffective teachers produce a negative impact on students over the year in their relative achievement. Teachers who practice effective classroom management skills, who clearly communicate with the students and who work proactively, are the single-most important factor in a student's growth. In a well-managed classroom, students have a favorable environment in which to learn.

References

• Effective Teaching Principles
• Getting Students to Do Assignments
• Improving Student Achievement