Key Theorists on Classroom Management
There is no one, clear, universal explanation of how we learn or a subsequent guidebook as to how we should teach. Rather, there are a range of theories, each with their background in a different psychological and epistemological tradition. To understand learning then, we have to understand the theories and the rationale behind them. Following are some of the key theorist that have influenced the discipline of education.
Fredrick Jones (2000): theory is a non-adversarial method which requires that teacher’s help students learn to develop self-control. By employing appropriate body language, making use of an incentive system and efficiently assisting pupils, teachers help students control themselves. Learning self-control empowers students and prepares them for the future.
Albert Bandura (1997): developed the Social Learning theory based on the theory of personality. He posits that people learn from one another, via observation, imitation, and modelling. His theory has often been called a bridge between behaviourist and cognitive learning theories because it encompasses attention, memory, and motivation. He defined self-efficacy as the "beliefs in one's capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations". Self-efficacy is a central component in managing classrooms today.
William Glasser (1997): His Reality and Choice theories state that students need to have an awareness of their responsibility and to make their own decisions about their learning and behaviour in the classroom, students must have a choice and that if they help choose their curriculum and decide on the rules in the classroom, they will then have ownership of their learning, have pride in their participation, will have higher self-esteem and will exhibit greater levels of self-confidence and higher levels of cognition. This approach to classroom management creates a safe space to learn, as mainly it is their space.
Edward Ford (1994): Responsible Thinking Process (RTP) if properly used, is designed to teach educators how to teach students to develop a sense of responsibility for their own lives and to respect the lives of everyone around them. This unique classroom discipline process is both non-manipulative and non-punitive. It creates mutual respect by teaching students how to think through what they are doing in relation to the rules of wherever they are. This gives students personal accountability for their actions. The key component of this classroom discipline process is its focus on how students can achieve their goals without getting in the way of others who are trying to do the same thing. In short, it teaches students how to respect others.
Jean Piaget (1983): Constructivist Learning Theory surrounds the cognitive development of children. Piaget believed children undergo stages of cognitive development that allows them to grow and develop as individuals.
Lee and Marlene Canter (1976): theory on Assertive Discipline states that rules and behaviour expectations must be clearly stated and enforced. Teachers are never to threaten students, but to promise fair consequences for improper behaviour. For this model to work, the teacher must use a firm voice and constant eye contact. This model places responsibility for bad student behaviour on the teacher.
Gordon Thomas (1974): Teacher Effectiveness Training (TET). What makes the difference between teaching that works and teaching that fails? The factor that contributes the most is the quality of the teacher-student relationship. It’s more important than what the teacher is teaching or who the teacher is trying to teach. T.E.T., offers teachers the essential communication and conflict resolution skills they need to have high quality relationships with their students so there will be less conflict and more teaching-learning time. This model has worked for hundreds of thousands of teachers around the world.
Jacob Kounins (1970): determined that the mastery of classroom management must include the ability to teach to the learning style of the group instead of the individual, and organizing of lessons and teaching methods. The goal of classroom management is to create an environment which not only stimulates student learning but also motivates students to learn. Kounin’s approach is in line with both Glasser and Kohn as he also posits that the keys to successful classroom management is in preventing management problems from occurring in the first place by putting into place good organization and planning.
Applied Behaviour Analysis (1968): previously known as Behaviour Modification is the science of human behaviour and became widespread use in 1968. The best definition available is still the one written about in 1968 by Baer, Wolf, & Risley: “Applied Behaviour Analysis is the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviours to a meaningful degree, and to demonstrate that the interventions employed are responsible for the improvement in behaviour“.
Rudolf Dreikurs (1972): believed that discipline is based on mutual respect, which motivates students to behave constructively because of their high sense of social interest and that all humans have a primary need to belong and feel part of a group and that all students desire to feel they have value and to feel they can contribute to the classroom. He called this need to belong the genuine goal of human social behaviour. Dreikurs believed that when students are not able to gain their genuine goal of belonging they turn to a series of mistaken goals. Mistaken goals are defined as attention, power, revenge and inadequacy. This is when students misbehave.
Alfie Kohn (1957): says, grades and praise, kills intrinsic motivation and the desire to learn, and this concept is, of course, in opposition to what teachers have always been taught. The punishment/praise grade system explains why the system has failed so many students as the competition norms of most classrooms indicates that for every winner/top of the class, there will be thirty-nine losers dealing with the inherent self-esteem issues surrounding their constant failure. He states that rewards destroy a student’s inherent motivation and reduces their natural interest in a subject. Helping students tap into and develop their inner authentic selves where they think, feel and care on a deeper level is the teacher’s primary responsibility; arousing students’ interests in learning is another. Thinking deeply and critically should be the first goal of education; the second goal is the desire for more education and a lifelong affair with learning.
B F Skinner (1954): relied on the assumption that the best way to modify behaviour was to modify the environment. He was a proponent for many instructional strategies that modern day "progressive” educational reformers advocate for: scaffold instruction, small units, repetition and review of instructions, and immediate feedback. Skinner did not approve of the use of punishments in school, or as a behavioural modification technique in general. He posits that punishments were ineffective and he advocated for the frequent use of reinforcement (i.e. rewards) to modify and influence student behaviour.
John Dewey (1916): believed that classroom management should be guided by democratic practices with consequences and offered the theory of experience through social learning. Dewey believed that children were capable of learning, behaving cooperatively, sharing with others and caring for one another with the teacher as a facilitator. He believed that instructional management included a natural approach involving direction and guidance and that behaviour management included the sequential behaviour development of students. Many teachers practice this technique today as a central component of classroom management
Fredrick Jones (2000): theory is a non-adversarial method which requires that teacher’s help students learn to develop self-control. By employing appropriate body language, making use of an incentive system and efficiently assisting pupils, teachers help students control themselves. Learning self-control empowers students and prepares them for the future.
Albert Bandura (1997): developed the Social Learning theory based on the theory of personality. He posits that people learn from one another, via observation, imitation, and modelling. His theory has often been called a bridge between behaviourist and cognitive learning theories because it encompasses attention, memory, and motivation. He defined self-efficacy as the "beliefs in one's capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations". Self-efficacy is a central component in managing classrooms today.
William Glasser (1997): His Reality and Choice theories state that students need to have an awareness of their responsibility and to make their own decisions about their learning and behaviour in the classroom, students must have a choice and that if they help choose their curriculum and decide on the rules in the classroom, they will then have ownership of their learning, have pride in their participation, will have higher self-esteem and will exhibit greater levels of self-confidence and higher levels of cognition. This approach to classroom management creates a safe space to learn, as mainly it is their space.
Edward Ford (1994): Responsible Thinking Process (RTP) if properly used, is designed to teach educators how to teach students to develop a sense of responsibility for their own lives and to respect the lives of everyone around them. This unique classroom discipline process is both non-manipulative and non-punitive. It creates mutual respect by teaching students how to think through what they are doing in relation to the rules of wherever they are. This gives students personal accountability for their actions. The key component of this classroom discipline process is its focus on how students can achieve their goals without getting in the way of others who are trying to do the same thing. In short, it teaches students how to respect others.
Jean Piaget (1983): Constructivist Learning Theory surrounds the cognitive development of children. Piaget believed children undergo stages of cognitive development that allows them to grow and develop as individuals.
Lee and Marlene Canter (1976): theory on Assertive Discipline states that rules and behaviour expectations must be clearly stated and enforced. Teachers are never to threaten students, but to promise fair consequences for improper behaviour. For this model to work, the teacher must use a firm voice and constant eye contact. This model places responsibility for bad student behaviour on the teacher.
Gordon Thomas (1974): Teacher Effectiveness Training (TET). What makes the difference between teaching that works and teaching that fails? The factor that contributes the most is the quality of the teacher-student relationship. It’s more important than what the teacher is teaching or who the teacher is trying to teach. T.E.T., offers teachers the essential communication and conflict resolution skills they need to have high quality relationships with their students so there will be less conflict and more teaching-learning time. This model has worked for hundreds of thousands of teachers around the world.
Jacob Kounins (1970): determined that the mastery of classroom management must include the ability to teach to the learning style of the group instead of the individual, and organizing of lessons and teaching methods. The goal of classroom management is to create an environment which not only stimulates student learning but also motivates students to learn. Kounin’s approach is in line with both Glasser and Kohn as he also posits that the keys to successful classroom management is in preventing management problems from occurring in the first place by putting into place good organization and planning.
Applied Behaviour Analysis (1968): previously known as Behaviour Modification is the science of human behaviour and became widespread use in 1968. The best definition available is still the one written about in 1968 by Baer, Wolf, & Risley: “Applied Behaviour Analysis is the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviours to a meaningful degree, and to demonstrate that the interventions employed are responsible for the improvement in behaviour“.
Rudolf Dreikurs (1972): believed that discipline is based on mutual respect, which motivates students to behave constructively because of their high sense of social interest and that all humans have a primary need to belong and feel part of a group and that all students desire to feel they have value and to feel they can contribute to the classroom. He called this need to belong the genuine goal of human social behaviour. Dreikurs believed that when students are not able to gain their genuine goal of belonging they turn to a series of mistaken goals. Mistaken goals are defined as attention, power, revenge and inadequacy. This is when students misbehave.
Alfie Kohn (1957): says, grades and praise, kills intrinsic motivation and the desire to learn, and this concept is, of course, in opposition to what teachers have always been taught. The punishment/praise grade system explains why the system has failed so many students as the competition norms of most classrooms indicates that for every winner/top of the class, there will be thirty-nine losers dealing with the inherent self-esteem issues surrounding their constant failure. He states that rewards destroy a student’s inherent motivation and reduces their natural interest in a subject. Helping students tap into and develop their inner authentic selves where they think, feel and care on a deeper level is the teacher’s primary responsibility; arousing students’ interests in learning is another. Thinking deeply and critically should be the first goal of education; the second goal is the desire for more education and a lifelong affair with learning.
B F Skinner (1954): relied on the assumption that the best way to modify behaviour was to modify the environment. He was a proponent for many instructional strategies that modern day "progressive” educational reformers advocate for: scaffold instruction, small units, repetition and review of instructions, and immediate feedback. Skinner did not approve of the use of punishments in school, or as a behavioural modification technique in general. He posits that punishments were ineffective and he advocated for the frequent use of reinforcement (i.e. rewards) to modify and influence student behaviour.
John Dewey (1916): believed that classroom management should be guided by democratic practices with consequences and offered the theory of experience through social learning. Dewey believed that children were capable of learning, behaving cooperatively, sharing with others and caring for one another with the teacher as a facilitator. He believed that instructional management included a natural approach involving direction and guidance and that behaviour management included the sequential behaviour development of students. Many teachers practice this technique today as a central component of classroom management