Observation Task 4 Classroom Behavior

Management: An Overview
Focus: Classroom Management Strategies
Objective
The objective of this task is for student teachers to begin to understand the
importance of being proactive in order to manage the classroom behavior
effectively so that learning can take place. An effective teacher uses many
strategies to manage the behavior in the classroom so that learning can take
place. This week we are taking a very general look (overview) at these
various strategies. In the weeks to come, we will focus on some of the most
important behavior management strategies.

Task
Look and listen for the Classroom Management
Strategies we discussed in class. Make a note in
the table below.
Management Tactic

1. Organizing a productive
classroom

Can students all see the board?

Does the teacher move children to
different seats if they are noisy or
disruptive?
Is it easy for everyone to walk
around the classroom

2. Classroom Rules and

Procedures

Examples of what you saw or heard

Bouncing Bunnies class is organized in

way that all students can sit together
on the mattress, and see the teacher
so they can participate and learn.
When a student misbehaves, Miss
Mahrin or her assistants take the kid
to sit alone on the Time Out chair, to
think of what he have done.
Teachers and students can easily
move around the class, due to its well
organized planning.

I have noticed that class rules,

especially Circle Time rules, are stated
Are rules stated in the positive
in a positive way. This makes kids
accept and follow rules, due to nice
form?
Are there no more than 5 rules
photos drawn beside them.
There are more than five rules for kids
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Are rules clear and everyone

understands?

3. Positive Greetings at the

door

My MST is always smiling to her

students, especially when they arrive
at morning. Praise their nice shoes or
hairstyle. As well as asking them how
they are doing.

Reading Time is the only independent

time that kids have. Kids like to pick a
story by their own and start reading,
without getting help from anyone.
Teachers always have clear
instructions about what we are going
to do next. She always use short and
simple words which students can
understand.
Mostly some students finish before
others. So Miss Mahrin allows them to
have some free play time until the
rest of students finish.

How does your MST greet the

students when they arrive?

4. Managing independent
work
Is there some independent
seatwork throughout the day
Does the teacher give clear
instructions?
Does the teacher have extra work
for the kids who finish early?

5. Communication

to follow. Actually rules are divided in

to three parts. First is the Circle Time
rules. Socialization skills are second.
Finally there are the classrooms rules
in general.
All rules have only one or two words,
where students can read quickly and
understand. Also, with each rule there
is a photo that describes it. This
makes it easier for students who cant
read yet, to understand and follow
rules.

Does the teacher praise often?

What does she say?
If the teacher reprimands
(opposite of praise), is it very
short and not many words?

What I liked in My MST that she

always praises and encourages her
students. For example she says Good
job, well done, good boy/girl. These
praising statements make students
feel good and more confident.
In other hand, if a student had bad
manners, she tells him that this is
wrong, and this is hurting others.

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Teaching Practicum Booklet 1a 2015

Then, she teaches him the right way

to behave, and asks him to apologize
to his friend. When the student does
it, she praises him by saying Thank
you, you are a good boy/girl, you
made me happy.

6. Teach and Model Behavior

7. Teacher Proximity
(closeness)

If you visit our class one day, you will

notice that no teacher is sitting for a
long time. Teachers are moving
around for the whole day. Maybe
because students are moving due to
their young ages.

When students well behave, Miss

Mahrin sing with them songs they like,
and dance with them. Which always
make students enthusiastic to behave
well.

Of course she does that. For example,

at the beginning of each day, at the
Circle Time, she says Who will help
me count and match numbers? So
students are very excited to
participate in the activity.

Due to students young ages, there is

no visual schedule that students can
see. In fact, they cant read yet. So
the schedule is only posted on the

Is there a reward system in the

class?
Is it effective?

9. Goal Setting

Miss Mahrin is a very good model for

these students. When she wants a
student to do something, she says
Please. Later, you can notice that
when a child wants to ask about
something, he says please. Also, when
she talks to someone, she doesnt
allow anyone to interrupt him. These
behaviors teach students how to
socialize with others.

Does the teacher move through

out the classroom?
Does she stand near those who
are not focusing?

8. Motivation System

Does the teacher teach and model

the behavior she expects? (for
example, if she wants the
students to listen while others are
speaking, does she do the same?)

Does the teacher set goals for the

classs behavior? (Does she say
something like, OK, today we are
all going to get smiley faces?)

10.
Visual schedule
posted?

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Teaching Practicum Booklet 1a 2015

wall where teachers can see, and

students cant reach and tear.

11.
Cuing system to gain
control of the classroom.

If students were too noisy, she rings a

bill, or plays a music they love, and
starts dancing with them. After few
seconds, she closes the song, and
asks them to tidy up , line up, etc.

Most comments I hear in Bouncing

Bunnies class are positive. In fact, no
student gets negative comment
unless he made something wrong.
Otherwise, all comments are positive;
which encourage students to behave
well.

There is a nice rule in my TP class,

which says that you should always
smile. For example, when a student
cries or gets angry, teachers tell him
We dont have angry or sad students
in our class, please give us a smile.
This makes students smile the whole
time. As well as teachers are always
smiling. Which made me smile, too.

Miss Mahrin knows all students

weakness points. So in all activities,
she asks all students to participate,
especially kids who have some
problems in a certain number, or
color. For example, we have Mark who
is always confusing between number
3 and 4, which makes the teacher
letting him answer questions related
to these two numbers. On the other
hand, she also allows him answer
other questions, so he will feel proud
when he knows the answer. This
means, she makes all students

Does your teacher clap her hands

or sing a song to get the students
attention? How does she get their
attention at the beginning or end
of an activity?

12.
5 to 1 ratio of positive
to negative comments and
interactions?

Does your MST say many more

positive things than negative?

13.
Smiling?
Does your MST smile at the
children often? How do the
children react?

14.
Student answering
questions

Does your teacher give everyone

a chance to answer questions?

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Teaching Practicum Booklet 1a 2015

participate, and focuses on their

power and weakness points.

Observation
This week, observe two children: one who has excellent behavior and one who does
not.
Write a paragraph comparing the two. Notice how the teacher interacts with both of
them.
Watch how the children react when they are praised or reprimanded.

Watch how they both act when they are learning or working in groups.
What is the effect on the entire class when a child misbehaves?
Write several sentences about what you observed and what you think about
it.
Which strategies does your teacher use with these children that you think are
most effective in managing the behavior?

Reflection
Answer the following questions.
Why is it important to be PROACTIVE when trying to manage the
behavior in your class?
What is the effect on the students if there is a lot of misbehavior in the
classroom?
Which of the behavior management strategies do you think are the
most important ones? Why?
Which classroom management strategy do you think you will do
particularly well? Why?
Which one do you think will be difficult for you to do?
Which one does your MST do really well?

HCT Bachelor of Applied Science EDUCATION

Teaching Practicum Booklet 1a 2015