Nerlyne St. Pierre Wilberta William Education 702.22 – Fall 2010

1. A combination of Teacher-centered and Student-centered classroom management approaches will improve students’ reading and writing skills. Nerlyne St. Pierre Wilberta William Education 702.22 – Fall 2010

2. Table of Contents Introduction • Statement of the Problem • Review of Related Literature • Statement of Hypothesis Method • Participants • Instrument(s)

3. Introduction • Classroom management has received a great amount of attention in recent years. When one thinks about the term classroom management, one immediately assume negative behavioral issues. Although, negative behavior is the main part of the issue, any type of disruptive behavior and classroom structure should be factored when mentioning classroom management. • In order for teachers to successfully teach and students to academically succeed; an orderly classroom environment with minimum disruption to bring behavior under control is needed. There must be a carefully planned technique system of procedures, rules and routines that creates an atmosphere to learn.

4. Statement of the Problem • Inner-City Public schools are failing our students, particularly minority students from low-income backgrounds. • Teachers need to consider whether they have eliminated all instructional impediments and distractions in the classroom. • It has been argued that establishing classroom procedures/routines and utilizing actionable techniques, such as non-verbal cues and positive framing, is extremely vital to an efficient and academically successfully classroom. • Are students more prone to academic success in a structured classroom environment, unstructured classroom environment or a hybrid of the two? • This study will examine the progressive ideology that student should be able to govern themselves and the conservative ideology of a structured classroom environment and the hybrid approach.

5. Review of Related Literature The Three Approaches to Classroom Management • Structured teacher centered approach Teacher tends to take control of the situation by implementing immediately a disciplinary tactic to control behavior. Disciplinary tactics used by interventionist teachers to control the environment may include isolation, physical restraints, modeling, and reinforcement. The personal power and authority of teachers through displays of power, demanding students to listen, starting out strict and the use of punishment to keep students behaving well • Unstructured student centered approach The goal is for the teacher to demonstrate empathy toward students to devise compromises in an effort to provide opportunities for students to self correct inappropriate behaviors and learn to manage their own behaviors. The teacher plan fun lessons and let students decide, at the expense of classroom order. • Hybrid approach The teacher combines structured and unstructured approach to effectively run the classroom. Emphasis is placed on the importance of establishing and consistently enforcing class rules; well-planned, well-paced lessons; and monitor student to prevent misbehavior from occurring.

6. Review of Related Literature Maria Montessori Doug Lemov I. Pros: Supporters of an Authoritative Teacher-Centered Approach to Classroom Management. Arguments • Increase Academic achievement • Safe learning environment • Decrease drop out rate • Stop teacher attrition • Theorists/Practitioners: Allen (2010); Clement(2010); Martin, Mayall, Yin (2006); Lewis-Palmer, Merrell, Reinke (2008); Walker (2009). II. Cons: Supporters of Progressive Student-Centered Approach to Classroom Management Arguments • Restricts students ability to self-direct and self-discipline • Fails to create a balance between the wants of the teacher and the efforts of the students • Not culturally responsive • Students have little or no voice • Theorists/Practitioners: Montessori(1912); Dewey (1916); Kilpatrick, (1918); Freiberg & Lamb (2009); Doyle (1916); Milner & Tenore (2010). III. Hybrid: Supporters of a combination of Teacher-centered and Student-centered Arguments • PBS • Teach like a champion - 49 techniques to classroom management • Theorist/Practitioners : Lemov (2010); Trussell (2008).

7. Statement of the Hypothesis HR 1: • Over a period of 6 weeks, Ms. St. Pierre and Ms. William will plan and deliver a series of lessons to a first grade class in two different settings (charter school and public school). • For the first 2 weeks, the teachers will implement a progressive, student-centered classroom management approach; where the students are allowed to govern themselves. • During the second half of the study the teachers will implement a conservative, teacher-centered classroom management approach where a military style of discipline will be enforced. • During the final 2 weeks the teachers will implement a hybrid of teacher-centered and student-centered classroom management; where the students have procedures to follow and the teachers utilize actionable techniques to manage the students’ behavior. • Comparative study to determine if their findings were similar. HR2: • Using classroom management procedures and techniques during three-four 30 – 45 minute lesson a week for a 2 week period will increase academic success in reading and/or writing for 1st grade students at PS X in Manhattan and X Charter School in Brooklyn.

8. Method Participants • The researchers selected two first grade classrooms, one at a charter school and the other a public school to conduct the action research. X Charter school is located in Brooklyn, NY and PS X is located in New York, NY. Both classrooms have a total of 24-28 students. • The research will take place within a six week period. The first two weeks of the study the teachers will implement a student-centered classroom management approach. The next two weeks of the study the teacher will implement a teacher-centered classroom management approach. The final two weeks of the study the teachers will implement a hybrid approach using the Lemov techniques. After each approach the teachers will assess the students’ academic achievement. Instruments (s) • There will be two surveys one for student and one for teacher. • Reading assessment and writing samples will be analyzed from both schools.

9. References Allen, K. P. (2010). Classroom management, bullying and teacher practices. The Professional Educator, 34(1). Clement, M. C. (2010). Preparing teachers for classroom management: The teacher educator’s role. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 77(1), 41-44, Choi, I. , & Lee, K. (2009). Designing and implementing a case-based learning environment for enhancing ill-structured problem solving: classroom management problems for prospective teachers. Educational Technology Research and Development,1-31. Retrieved from E-Journals database. Capizza, A. M. (2009). Start the year off right: Designing and Evaluating a supportive classroom management plan. Journal of Focus on Exceptional Children, 42 (3), 1-12. Retrieved from E-Journals database. Dewey, J (1916). Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. In F. Shultz, S.O.U.R.C.E.S: Notable selections in Education , pp. 39-44. Downer, J. T., La Paro, K. M., & Pianta, R. C., Rimm-Kaufman, S. E. (2005). The Contribution of Classroom Setting and Quality of Instruction to Children’s Behavior in Kindergarten Classrooms. The Elementary School Journal, 105(4), 377-394. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

10. References Doyle, W. (2009). Situated practice: A reflection on person-centered classroom management. Theory Into Practice, 48, 156-159. Garrett, T. (2008). Student-centered and teacher-centered classroom management: A case study of three elementary teachers. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 43 (1), 34-47. Freiberg, H. J., Huzinee, C. A., & Templeton S. M. (2009). Classroom Management—a Pathway to Student Achievement: A Study of Fourteen Inner-City Elementary Schools. The Elementary School Journal, 110(1), 63-80. Retrieved from E-Journals database Freiberg, H. J. , & Lamb, S. M. (2009). Dimensions of person-centered classroom management. Theory Into Practice, 48, 99-105. Hertzog, N. B. (2007). Transporting pedagogy: Implementing the project approach in two firstgrade classrooms. Journal of Advanced Academics, 18(4), 530-564. Higgins, K., & Moule, J. (2009). “No More Mr. Nice Guy”: Preservice Teachers' Conflict With Classroom Management in a Predominantly African-American Urban Elementary School. Multicultural Perspectives, 11 (3), 132-138. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

11. References Johnson, V. (1994). Student Teachers' Conceptions of Classroom Control. Journal of Educational Research, 88 (2), 109-117. Retrieved from E-Journals database. Kilpatrick, W. H (1918). The Project Method. Teachers College Record Lemov, D. (2010). Teach like a champion: 49 Techniques that put students on the path to college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Lewis-Palmer, T. , Merrell, K. , & Reinke, W. M. (2008). The classroom check-up: A classwide teacher consultation model for increasing praise and decreasing disruptive behavior. School Psychology Review, 37(3), 315-332. Martin, N. K. , Mayall, H. & Yin, Z. (2006). Classroom management training, teaching experience and gender: Do these variables impact teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward classroom management style? Paper presented at: The Annual Conference of Southwest Educational Research Association.Austin, TX. Milner, H. R. , & Tenore, F. B. (2010). Classroom management in diverse classrooms. Urban Education, 45(5), 560-603. Montessori, M. (1912). The MontessoriMethod. Schocken Books, Inc.

12. References Poulou, M. S. , (2009 ). Classroom interactions: Teachers’ and students’ perceptions. Research in Education, 82, 103-106. Rosas, C. , West. M. (2009). Teachers beliefs about classroom management: Pre-service and in-service teachers’ beliefs about classroom management. International Journal of Applied Educational Studies,5(1), 54-61. Trussell, R. P. (2008). Classroom Universals to prevent problem behaviors. Intervention in School and Clinic, 43(3), 179-185. Unal, Z. , & Unal, A. (2009). Comparing Beginning and Experienced Teachers' Perceptions of Classroom Management Beliefs and Practices in Elementary Schools in Turkey. The Educational Forum, 73 (3), 256-270. Walker, J. M. T. (2009). Authoritative classroom management: how control and nurturance work together. Theory Into Practice, 48, 122-129. Weiner, Lois. Why Is Classroom Management So Vexing to Urban Teachers?Theory into Practice, Vol. 42, No. 4, Classroom Management in a Diverse Society (Autumn, 2003), pp. 305-312

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