Chapter 1: Introduction
In general, the purpose of the study is to identify the relationship between classroom management and effective teaching techniques to improve student learning development. In particular, the research will address the benefits of technology and teaching to improve academic learning. Specifically, the frame of study will explore the phases of learning by focusing on past and present learning experiences of middle-school level students in an academic year through the development phases of understanding the key concepts and skill development in Math and Reading. For the most part, the direction of the study will include effective teaching principles of a diverse population students in today’s world influences learning behaviors based on social or economic background. Based on the selected research questions, I will be able to gain in depth knowledge of different teachers' techniques in which impacts classroom management and student learning outcome. One method could be used by administrators is developing an assessment tool in, which provides constructive feedback to raise academic learning. Also, the identified categories relating to the culture's economy, demographics, particularly in education, family involvement and the environment will reveal learning strategies to actively engage students in high-interest lessons geared to meet their interests, needs and activities.
The reduced effects of instructional methods by teachers in a middle school is often viewed as a similar learning technique associated with junior high schools. Also, classroom management strives to link classroom environment and student motivation. In the study presented by Kelly (2007) sampled 16 3rd graders and 15 5th-6th graders in a classroom found one-dimensional classrooms increased proportion of students reporting below average ability levels and higher peer consensus on ability judged by students, their teachers, and peers. The formula for connecting a student-teacher relationship is to explore the effective approach to initiate new ideas and programs to engage student learning. The central phenomena of the study will investigate how teachers attitudes and effective instructional strategies affects classroom management.
Background
Teaching as a practice is constantly undergoing improvements, changes and alterations to determine the proper strategies and behaviors required of educators to best handle their classrooms and provide appropriate education outcomes for their students. According to research, the actions of teachers in their classrooms are twice as important and impactful on student academic achievement than the involvement of the community, assessments, curriculum development, and education of teachers and staff (Marzano, 2003a). Effective management of the classroom has been shown to be one of the most important duties a teacher can have.
Management has long been associated as a strong learning support, with ideal classroom environments involving everything from a minimum of class disruptions to the preferred scenario of student rules being active engagement in learning activities that help to fulfill learning goals (Brophy, 2013). The pre-empirical era of the early 20th century saw management principles as a general practice being developed from the work of William Changler Bagley, who observed the practices of successful, efficient teachers, and added his own experience and basic psychological principles to his work in order to establish the first classroom management strategies (Brophy, 2013). Bagley advocated for teachers to pay conscious attention to their classroom environment in order to limit routine and judgment factors that would limit student engagement in classrooms (Brophy, 2013).
Bagley’s principles in the early 1900s continued into the 1950s, as Brown’s work on classroom management “emphasized Christian values, school as preparation for democratic citizenship, and child-centered, progressive educational methods” (Brophy 2013, p. 22). As more educational research focused explicitly on classroom management, behavioral research was performed in order to further study the proper principles for regulating student behavior and managing the classroom, focusing in “reinforcing packages of behaviors” rather than keeping track of each individual student (p. 26). Ecological studies began to be performed in individual classrooms, to see how different classroom settings worked and functioned, revealing the efficacy of teaching strategies such as ‘withitness,’ overlapping, group alerting and accountability, and others (p. 28).
These kinds of studies have persisted since the 1970s, offering a rich body of findings to support behavioral techniques in a number of management systems (Brophy, 2013). Among the consensus achieved by this large body of work involves the need to match management systems to instructional systems; teachers must determine exactly how they plan to teach their students, so they may cater their management strategies to more accurately fit these principles (Brophy, 2013). Grade levels are another important factor in matching management systems, as different priorities and expected personalities can be found in classroom populations depending on grade level. Ultimately, strategies should follow instruction goals, which then inform the learning activities desired by the instructors to bring about ideal student behaviors and academic achievement and engagement. These existing principles and the body of work that created them maintain a persistent role in the creation of classroom management strategies by instructors and researchers alike.
The inability of teachers to effectively manage classroom behaviors often contributes to poor student development. The ineffectiveness of instructional strategies will spill over Into classroom learning leading to students' lack of classroom participation. The lack of effort to maintain effective classroom management teachers will show lack of student's response and support. A teacher's accomplishment makes up both student learning and teacher efficiency, can frequently be traced to the ability of the teacher to manage the classroom. A teacher ineffective classroom management contributes to slow learning goals and less motivational student learning. The lack of teacher's management skills and student attitudes will result into teachers finding solutions to create a positive learning environment. The problem is teachers often fail to sufficiently engage students, instructionally creating an unproductive environment.
Figure 1. Logic Map
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this qualitative study is to determine effective classroom management strategies necessary to facilitate student learning. The goal of the study to investigate extraordinary interventions and behavioral treatments used to go beyond the typical resources available in the classroom. The research questions will unfold possible classroom management solutions including appropriate management strategies influencing the dynamics of the classroom to build a stronger teacher-student relationship supporting student learning. The participants will answer a variety of open-ended questions concerning the methods used to encourage student learning outcome. After receiving permission from the school to conduct the research, 56h, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teachers in a Middle School District of Virginia will complete a written document with a series of questions. The information will be recorded from the documents by utilizing a Word file to code each response. Possibly, file folders, computer files or index cards will be used to organize the data to properly develop a matrix or table that can be used to help organize the material. An SPSS software will store responses to easily compile and analyze data properly.
Research Question
The research questions in the qualitative study will guide the purpose statement to explore the concept of the research. The research questions will identify the most appropriate methods for collecting data for the purpose and the questions. The type of data collected will determine the methodology and design.
Q1. What classroom management strategies facilitate student learning, as perceived by public middle-school teachers in their classroom environment?
Hypothesis
If a teacher an implement effective instructional strategies in a public school classroom context, then it will lead to improved student learning, greater teacher/student engagement, and other positive learning outcomes.
Definition of Key Terms
Classroom Management
Classroom management can be defined as a series of strategies used by teachers in practical classroom environments to facilitate better student engagement and participation in classroom activities (Marzano, 2003a). Classroom management strategies can take a number of forms, from systematic punitive action against misbehaving students to cognitive and behavioral approaches to make students more inclined to be engaged and interested in classroom activities. Classroom management can also be considered the ultimate status of fully and efficiently managing one’s classroom, offering high engagement and participation, as well as more positive academic outcomes for students within the classroom (Marzano, 2003a).
Constructive feedback
Constructive feedback is an incredibly important component to classroom management, as it provides teachers with the ability to change their methods in order to become more effective at their duties. Constructive feedback can be rare when coming from students, however, given many students’ predilections toward delinquent and inappropriate behavior (Dudek et al., 2013). Teachers who hope to facilitate effective classroom management must be able to negotiate methods of receiving constructive feedback from students, faculty and staff alike.
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