Effective Classroom Management: Strategies To Create and Capture A Cooperative Classroom

Effective Classroom Management:
Strategies to Create and Capture a

Cooperative Classroom
Lynn Kirby (UT Austin)

[email protected]
u
Scott Fray (NAU)

[email protected]
“Classroom
management is the
most important factor
governing student
learning”
• Harry Wong in “The First Days of
School”
What does typical student
“behavior management” look like?
Scenario  Student Teacher
“As always, the ongoing challenges are along the
lines of disciplinary and other issues related to
classroom management.” This one boy in
particular is driving me crazy, he won’t do any
work and disrupts class every chance he gets. I’m
constantly trying to get him to do some work…
With your table partners write down you first

thoughts, what do we do?
What does “Classroom Management”
actually mean?
(Write definitions on response sheets)

Fray’s definition based upon years of
experience observing real teachers,
handling real problems, with real
students, in real classrooms…
“Classroom management is a
system of bribes and threats used
to manipulate student behavior.”
Student responses to scenario?

Common responses
• Call the parents
• Send to principal’s office
• Tell him you will give him a zero
• Make him come in during lunch
• Make him sit by himself during class
• Offer 10 minutes of recess if he does
his work.
• Give him “class cash” (or other token)
used to buy rewards
• Suggested rewards (bribes)
“If there is not an inherent attracting power
in the material then the teacher will… make a
bid or offering a bribe for attention by
‘making the lesson interesting’; or else will
resort to… low marks, threats of non-
promotion, staying after school… But the
attention thus gained… always remains
dependent upon something external.”
~ John Dewey 1915
A return to basics…
What do we know about how
students learn?
What is “inquiry-based
instruction”?
Why do we advocate teaching
through inquiry? What are the
benefits?
We believe students learn about the world
they live in through experience and
reflection…
But, we expect them to learn to manage

their own behavior by telling them what to
do…
Problem???
If we want to inspire our students to do
their best, what does research
demonstrate is most beneficial for
human motivation?
Most harmful?
Business/Management…
• Merit pay doesn’t work.
• “Compensation systems often act as barriers
to achieving productivity, quality, and intrinsic
motivation…”
~ Frederick Herzberg
• “Money is not a motivator.”
~ W. Edwards Deming
• Changing the way workers are treated may
boost productivity more than changing the way
they are paid.”
~Alan S. Blinder (Paying for Productivity: A Look
At the Evidence)
Economics Research
While it works (up to a point) for
menial tasks, the more you pay
someone the poorer performance
you get for cognitive tasks.
“Larger rewards inhibit creativity.”
That sounds like it might be important for educators 
Criminology
Harsher punishments:
• Three strikes
• Death Penalty
• Minimum sentencing
The United States has the most prisoners

of any developed country in the world in
raw numbers and as a percentage of the
population.
Public opinions on Education?
“We need to crack down on discipline…”
Haven’t we?
• Zero tolerance laws
– Kindergartener expelled for kiss on the cheek
– Student expelled for pretending a pencil was a gun
– Maryland 7-year-old suspended for chewing his Pop-Tart
into the shape of a gun (2013)
– Michigan senior expelled in October for forgetting the
pocketknife in her purse.
– Seven teenagers arrested and charged with “disorderly
conduct” for an end-of-the-year water balloon fight
(2013)
• School to prison pipeline
Other interesting facts about
changing human behavior…
Recidivism: 68 percent of prisoners released
were arrested for a new crime within three
years of release, and 77 percent were arrested
within five years.
Least effective at reducing recidivism?
Intensive supervision: surveillance-oriented
programs  “We’re watching you!” (0% success)
Most effective?
Intensive supervision: treatment-oriented
programs  focus on helping the person.
How about juveniles?
As an alternative to Juvenile hall:
• Caseworkers focused on improving juveniles’
skills, including relationships, school issues,
employment, and free-time.
• Led to a 10% reduction in juvenile recidivism.
• The threat of punishment (going back to Juvi)
leads to a higher rate of getting into trouble
than talking with them.
Drug addiction
What causes heroin addiction?
• Studies on rats in cages demonstrated they
choose heroin water over regular water.
• Bruce Alexander  rat park.
• Negative behaviors are the result of the
environment.
• We are punishing people (students) for
having been abused…
…if you want to reduce self destructive
behaviors, “Change the cage”.
What do you think is the goal
of effective classroom
management?
The best classroom

management gets
students to
cooperate!
Classroom management strategies
vs.
Classroom management philosophies

This means our Classroom
Management Philosophies need to
be intertwined with our
Philosophies of Education…
rather than a separate focus on

classroom management strategies.
What does work to motivate people and
change behavior?
1. Autonomy
2. Mastery
3. Purpose
Google: Dan Pink + Motivation

Three Principles to help students
develop intrinsic motivation
1. “I” statements
2. Empowerment Through
Choice
3. Compassionate Consequences
(3 principles handout)
The 5-Point System
• This is only one example of how I used
this. Tailor it to make it your own.
• It’s spreading, and has been
implemented in multiple classrooms at
this point, to much success.
Practicing “I” statements…
• Take out your lab sheets. • I’ll start going over the lab
sheet in 30 seconds.
• Don’t go to your locker while • I allow people to go to their
I’m talking. lockers when I’m not giving
directions.
• Will you please be quiet! • I welcome everyone to stay
with us as long as class isn’t
being interrupted.
• Put your name on your • I grade papers that have
paper! students’ names on them.
• Turn your work in on time or • I give full credit for work
you’ll get a lower grade. turned in on time.
• Sit down or I’m putting your • I’ll let everyone get started
name on the board! once we are all in our seats.
In conclusion…
Rewards (bribes) and punishments
(threats) are detrimental to student
learning and motivation.
Intrinsic motivation comes from

autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
“Change the Cage”

Who would like to share their
questions & comments?
(and please fill out a feedback form before leaving)

Effective Classroom Management, Part 2:
A Day at the Improv
Lynn Kirby (UT Austin) Scott Fray (NAU)

[email protected] [email protected]
Role playing
• Each group number off and lets practice
using the 3 specific principles we went
over for each scenario.
• Determine who plays the teacher,
student(s), etc.
• Start at your tables and then we can
share some examples in front of the
class.
– Practice is not “this is what I would do”, but
actually acting it out.
1. “I” statements
2. Empowerment Through
Choice
3. Compassionate Consequences
Read the final scenario, which is another
reflection from a student teacher.
How might developing a principled approach

to classroom management help with these
types of scenarios?
Who would like to share their
questions & comments?
(and please fill out a feedback form before leaving)

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Effective Classroom Management:

Strategies to Create and Capture a

Lynn Kirby (UT Austin)

Scott Fray (NAU)

With your table partners write down you first

(Write definitions on response sheets)

Student responses to scenario?

But, we expect them to learn to manage

The United States has the most prisoners

The best classroom

Classroom management philosophies

rather than a separate focus on

Google: Dan Pink + Motivation

Intrinsic motivation comes from

“Change the Cage”

(and please fill out a feedback form before leaving)

Lynn Kirby (UT Austin) Scott Fray (NAU)

How might developing a principled approach

(and please fill out a feedback form before leaving)

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