Torey Hayden’s teacher lore: classroom behavior management of children with emotional and behavioral disorders

Torey Hayden’s portrayal of classroom behavior management in her teacher lore, autobiographical writings about teaching children with emotional and behavioral disorders, is examined. Five of her books were sampled: One child, Somebody else’s kids, Just another kid, Ghost girl and Beautiful child. Each of these books unfolds within the space of an elementary age, self‐contained classroom for children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Each technique Hayden used to respond to her students’ problem behaviors in the five books was categorized according to Fritz Redl’s theory on managing behavior problems. Redl identified five strategies educators can use to handle their students’ behavior problems: changing, managing, tolerating, preventing and accommodating. The methodology used to categorize Hayden’s techniques was analogous to constant comparative analysis of documents. Hayden is portrayed through Redl’s strategies as a teacher who relies on managing without consequences and changing techniques. Narrative passages illustrating these techniques are presented. The roles of altruism and student empowerment in Hayden’s storied model of classroom management are presented. Implications for Hayden as a role model for teachers of children with emotional and behavioral disorders are discussed.     

Iconoclastes: Poor pedagogy

This article describes the teacher lore of Torey Hayden, its emphasis on a pedagogy of caring, and its use in preservice teacher education to address affective outcomes. Eight concepts that make up caring relationships and are reflected in Hayden's wisdom of practice are discussed. Four separate studies are then described examining the outcomes of reading Hayden on preservice and inservice teachers' affective understandings and skills. In the first two studies reading Hayden was more effective than reading professional texts in promoting positive attitude changes toward children with disabilities. In the third study decreased punitiveness toward classroom behavior management was associated with the therapeutic impact of reading Hayden. In the fourth study inservice teachers, who had read Hayden in preservice coursework over a 10‐year period, rated her stories as a strong influence in preparing them to teach and in shaping their current teacher practices, attitudes, and identity. Reasons why Hayden's teacher lore had a positive influence on teachers' affective development are offered. Hayden's philosophy of attachment and loss in forming relationships is discussed.     

Teachers' experiences of effective strategies for managing classroom misbehavior in Hong Kong

This study interviewed twelve teachers to examine their perceptions of effective strategies for managing classroom misbehavior in Hong Kong. Results showed seven effective strategies (rules-setting, hinting, directive statements, punishment, after class talks, relationship building, and instructional engagement) to (i) control student behavior while nurturing students' responsibility for managing one's behavior, (ii) forge a good relationship conducive to cultivating student trust and positive behavioral changes, and (iii) engage the students in learning which in turn thwarts misbehavior. The findings reflected the deeply-rooted Chinese Confucian values, and highlighted an integration of discipline, guidance and teaching strategies for effective classroom management.     

Classroom management and students' mathematics achievement: The role of students’ disruptive behavior and teacher classroom management

Establishing a well-organized classroom conducive to learning is a key element of high-quality teaching. However, less is known about the degree to which the classroom management process is affected by the specific students in the classroom. Using two large-scale datasets of German secondary school students, the present two studies examined the effectiveness of teachers' classroom management in mathematics while taking into account students' disruptive behavior in the classroom. When controlling for the average level of disruptions in the classroom, both students' disruptive behavior and teachers' monitoring activity were negatively associated with students' mathematics achievement, whereas no associations occurred for teachers' structure and rule clarity. The results suggest that teachers' monitoring activity needs to take into account students’ disruptive behavior in the classroom, highlighting the complexity of effective classroom management.     

‘Shoot for the moon!’ Students' identities as writers in the context of the classroom

A study of students' identities as writers was carried out in the classroom of a New Zealand primary teacher who had been formally identified by a national body of teachers as having excellent practice in supporting literacy acquisition. The researchers, Professor Janice Wearmouth, from the University of Bedfordshire, Mere Berryman, from the University of Waikato, New Zealand, and Lisa Whittle, from the Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand, aimed to compare high and low literacy achievers' identities as writers within the context of this teacher's pedagogy and the learning environment of her classroom. The researchers concluded that all students, both high and low achievers, were developing very positive writing identities in a context where the teacher's method of supporting her students' writing was very well planned through a process‐writing approach. This teacher had a very high degree of subject and pedagogical content knowledge and an acute awareness of her students' literacy learning needs. Her approach had an immediacy of responsiveness in relation to every student's learning and, above all, had recognition of the overwhelming importance of positive relationships in the classroom, teacher to student and peer to peer.     

Collaborating to enhance student reasoning: Frances' account of her reflections while teaching chemical equilibrium

Many researchers report that teachers' pedagogies often reflect non-constructivist referents, however less research reports on means of assisting teachers to become more constructivistly oriented. This paper reports on a teacher's changing perceptions during collaborative, two-year interpretive research involving two researchers, herself, and her students. The researchers collaborated with the teacher to promote students' theory-evidence coordination and use of word explanations, with an emphasis on developing and critiquing chemical equilibrium theory using experimental data. As the collaboration proceeded the teacher's beliefs and practice became increasingly focussed on students' reasoning and their discussion of ideas related to experimental data. The teacher reported benefits for herself and for her students as a consequence of this change. Key factors in relation to this change included researchers' modelling of target practices, and changes in the teacher's (a) perception of her students' abilities, (b) beliefs in relation to constructivism, and (c) understanding of chemistry concepts.     

The defining features of teacher talk within autonomy-supportive classroom management

Classroom management practices were studied in middle school classrooms with positive interpersonal classroom climates, high levels of student engagement, and high levels of autonomy support. Students' motivational responses to autonomy-supportive instructional interactions were explored to understand variability within classroom management practices identified and described in this study as providing autonomy support. Our findings suggest proactive classroom management is enacted through instructional interactions wherein teachers scaffold students' autonomous self-regulatory capacities that sustain student engagement in classroom activities by supporting students' strategy use, transferring responsibility to students, encouraging students' to structure physical and social contexts to support learning, and promoting prosocial behavior.     

Basic Principles in the Education of Environmentalists

Abstract

A computer based simulation model that traces the recreational use patterns within park and wilderness areas has been employed as a teaching tool in a recreation management course at the University of Vermont. Use of the Wilderness Travel Simulation Model in the classroom reduces the complexity of the system under study, allows students to act as managers (devising and testing their own management strategies), and increases the students' exposure to the characteristics of an actual park or wilderness area. The value of the model as a teaching tool was supported by the students' high degree of interest and enthusiasm in the class.     

Using a whole‐class token economy and coaching of teacher skills in a preschool classroom to manage disruptive behavior

The Level System is a whole‐classroom approach for managing disruptive behavior that utilizes behavioral management strategies such as a token economy, response cost, stimulating rewards, and strategic attention. Using an ABACC′ treatment comparison design with follow‐up, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the Level System in a preschool classroom compared to (a) strategies already employed by the teacher, and (b) coaching the teacher in the Child‐Directed Interaction (CDI) and Parent‐Directed Interaction (PDI) phases of Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Teacher‐ and parent‐report measures were administered, and behavioral observation data were collected for child and teacher behavior using videotapes. Results suggested that the amount of inappropriate behavior exhibited by children decreased when the Level System was implemented. Additionally, inappropriate behavior decreased further during the CDI and PDI conditions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 351–361, 2004.     

Child Behavior Problems,Teacher Executive Functions,and Teacher Stress in Head Start Classrooms

Research Findings: The current article explores the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of child behavior problems and preschool teacher job stress, as well as the possibility that teachers’ executive functions moderate this relationship. Data came from 69 preschool teachers in 31 early childhood classrooms in 4 Head Start centers and were collected using Web-based surveys and Web-based direct assessment tasks. Multilevel models revealed that higher levels of teachers’ perceptions of child behavior problems were associated with higher levels of teacher job stress and that higher teacher executive function skills were related to lower job stress. However, findings did not yield evidence for teacher executive functions as a statistical moderator. Practice or Policy: Many early childhood teachers do not receive sufficient training for handling children's challenging behaviors. Child behavior problems increase a teacher's workload and consequently may contribute to feelings of stress. However, teachers’ executive function abilities may enable them to use effective, cognitive-based behavior management and instructional strategies during interactions with students, which may reduce stress. Providing teachers with training on managing challenging behaviors and enhancing executive functions may reduce their stress and facilitate their use of effective classroom practices, which is important for children's school readiness skills and teachers’ health.     

Effective classroom management and the development of subject-related interest

This article examines the effect of classroom management strategies on students' interest development in secondary school mathematics classes. Two studies using student questionnaire data (one cross-sectional, with data from 400 students; the other longitudinal, with 1900 students) are reported. Results show that students' perceptions of rule clarity and teacher monitoring are positively related to their interest. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the effect of classroom management on interest development over one school year, revealing that only individually perceived classroom management strategies and none of the class-level teaching characteristics (aggregated student data) affected interest development.     

Mentoring Effects on Protégés' Classroom Practice: An Experimental Field Study

Abstract

The classroom practices of protégés assisted by mentors who participated in a formal mentoring program were compared with protégés mentored by experienced teachers with no formalized mentoring preparation. Forty-six protégé-mentor pairs (23 treatment; 23 comparison) participated in this study conducted in 2 large school consortia in a mid-western state. Data include ratings and narrative records from classroom observations, weekly summaries of mentoring activities, and ratings of students' classroom behavior. Results indicate that protégés of mentors participating in the mentoring program could more effectively organize and manage instruction at the beginning of the year and establish more workable classroom routines. Also, their students had better behavior and engagement. Findings are discussed in light of the possible relationships between particular mentoring practices and protégés' learning to teach.     

Teachers as Designers of Learning Environments

Abstract

This study examined how six Singapore teachers approached the design and implementation of a unit of work (topic) to demonstrate exemplary classroom practices that engage learners and use ICT in knowledge-generative rather than presentational activities. After a reflection and feedback session on the first lesson observation involving the researcher and the teacher, the teacher redesigned the lesson to enhance ICT use and involve students more actively in their learning. Our study revealed that there is a difference between students' physical engagement and cognitive engagement in a task and that the teacher, as a designer of the learning environment, needs to make explicit the cognitive processes involved in using the tool to ensure students' effective use of ICT. The teachers' understanding of what constitutes effective learning and their roles in students' learning determine how they design the learning environment. In essence, it is the teacher's skill in managing the “tripartite” partnership of IT tool, learning task, and teacher support that brings about higher levels of student engagement.     

Environmental Education for Behaviour Change: Which actions should be targeted?

One aim of environmental education is to enable people to make informed decisions about their environmental behaviour; this is particularly significant with environmental problems that are believed to be both major and imminent, such as climate change resulting from global warming. Previous research suggests no strong link between a person's general environmental attitudes and knowledge, and his or her willingness to undertake pro-environmental actions, so this study focuses on some specific issues. Using survey methods to produce quantitative data about students' beliefs concerning the usefulness of specific actions and their willingness to adopt them, novel indices have been constructed that indicate the potential of education to increase students' willingness to undertake those actions. The findings imply that altering a student's belief about certain issues will have little effect on their willingness to act. This can be because most students, even those with only a weak belief in the efficacy, are prepared to take action anyway. Conversely, it can be because a majority, including those convinced about the efficacy, are not prepared to take action. Education about such actions, where there is only a weak link between believed effectiveness and willingness to act, may be ineffective in terms of changing practice, because other factors such as social norms and situational influences dominate. For such actions other strategies may be required. For another set of actions, however, the benefits of education in changing practice seemed more positive; increasing recycling, reducing the use of artificial fertilisers and planting more trees are examples.     

Promoting classroom adjustment and social skills for students with mental retardation within an experimental and control group design

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the “I Found a Solution” computer‐assisted social skills intervention program on students with mild mental retardation. Teachers randomly divided students from two Israeli special schools (58 males, 29 females; aged 10.6 to 17.11 years) into an experimental and a control group. Teachers trained the experimental group using a social skills package including computerized social conflict scenarios and adventure games, group discussions, and homework tasks. Within the same time frame, teachers trained the control group to use various academic computer software programs. Following the intervention process, the research team collected information on students' self‐reported social skills and teachers' ratings of the students' adaptive classroom behavior. The experimental group performed significantly better than controls on posttest criteria. Teachers rated trained students as demonstrating better task orientation and less aggression and behavior difficulties. On subjective self‐reports, trained students reported more cooperation and assertion than the control group, but self‐control and empathy measures did not differentiate between groups. The use of a naturalistic mini‐environment for experimenting and rehearsing effective social strategies appears promising but requires further exploration.     

The “Crime file” drug videotape series

Critics and proponents alike have voiced concerns about the difficulties of practicing multiculturalism in today's criminal justice classrooms. In this essay we present strategies for using the lived experiences of students as a tool for discovering diversity inside the classroom, as well as for finding value in it. We then use our students' discourse to talk about the impact these strategies can have. Our experiences, as well as those of our students, suggest that principles of multiculturalism can be achieved without having to sacrifice the core curricula; and that one of the more valuable resources for teaching multiculturally is the lived experiences that students, teachers and guests bring into the classroom.     

Putting the child first how one student teacher negotiated the moral landscape of teaching

Abstract

One student teacher's moral development process is uncovered, using a case study approach to capture the participant's internal processes and the constructed social context. The participant was in the first eight‐week placement of her semester‐long student teaching assignment, a kindergarten classroom in a rural public elementary school with a diverse student body. The participant believed that her professional moral responsibility was to “put the child first.” She believed this included protecting the child's dignity and autonomy, creating a close classroom community, establishing trust between teacher and child, fostering productive communication among all adults in the child's life, and safeguarding the child's health and safety. The participant maintained these priorities in her daily teaching practice and used them in her decision‐making process. However, the decisions that she was required to make during her early weeks of student teaching led to a modified understanding of her values. Democratic discourse and professional autonomy were associated with the process of moral development in this case. Theoretical and practical implications are described.     

Preparing Preservice Teachers for Success in NCLB's Kindergartens: Learning from Experienced Teachers' Strategies for Managing Professional Relationships with Colleagues and Parents

Kindergarten has undergone dramatic changes since the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2002. The literature on the challenges facing kindergarten teachers as a result of NCLB focuses primarily on curricular and instructional issues; little attention has been paid to NCLB's impact on the relational aspects of kindergarten teaching, such as partnership with parents and collaboration with colleagues. To address this gap, this article presents findings from a recent qualitative study of two veteran kindergarten teachers' challenges managing their relationships with the first-grade teachers at their school and with their students' parents. Participants demonstrated a range of successful strategies for responding to these difficult relational situations. Because many preschool and primary grade teachers are presently facing similar challenges, this study can contribute to teacher educators' ongoing efforts to ensure our programs prepare students to be effective in today's NCLB–influenced classrooms.     

Students and Support for Technology in the Elementary Classroom

Summary

This paper explores the roles of students supporting technology in elementary classrooms. Students' primary role in the classroom is not to support teachers, but with technology, teachers take advantage of support in many forms. This paper classifies the ways in which students were found to support technology in the classroom, taking advantage of their expertise to help the teacher and other students. In some cases, students' efforts provided positive benefits to the teacher and other students, and in other cases, the students' efforts caused more problems than they solved.