Proactive Classroom Management

Too often, teachers (especially new teachers) view classroom management as "punishing" students for poor behavior.  Let's first address the notion of punishment.  By definition, punishment is "inflicting suffering, pain, or loss, as retribution."  I would like us to completely take the notion of punishment out of the classroom.  I do not think an effective, compassionate teacher wishes to inflict suffering or pain on their students, regardless of the infraction.  I do not think teachers are in the business of retribution.  I do believe that teachers are often struggling and frustrated by students' behavior.  I know that far too much teaching time is taken up by dealing with student misbehavior.  One study indicates that up to 2.5 hours per week of class time is taken up by student misbehavior.  Proactive classroom management focuses on the classroom management and teacher behaviors that are likely to reduce the occurance of problem behaviors.  These evidence-based practices can prevent problem behaviors while improving academic performance.

​

Proactive classroom management (PCM) focuses on two elements of the classroom that most influence student engagement, problem behaviors, and learning. The first important element in PCM involves instructional time.  That is, how much class time is dedicated to students' learning and doing.   If too much class time is dedicated to class business, lecture, note-taking, rote learning, worksheets, etc., students are far more likely to be off-task, disruptive, or unruly.  The second aspect of PCM is academic engagement.  That is, how much time is actually devoted to students' participation in real academic tasks.  Researchers have found that classrooms with higher rates of problem behaviors are associated with less instructional time and less academic engagement by students.  So, rich, engaging, diverse learning strategies with meaningful student participation contribute not only to student learning, but also to student behavior.

 

View the following articles for characteristics of and tips for implementing Proactive Classroom Management in your classroom.

​

​

​