Classroom management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Classroom management - Research Paper Example Interviews conducted with Asian teachers who had migrated to the United States revealed rampant discipline problems inside the classroom. These problems include students arriving late, yawning too loud, sleeping during lectures, bullying, and putting feet up on desks, among others. These classroom discipline problems are not confined to the United States alone, as they are beginning to spring up in the Singaporean school system, where discipline problems have in the past been extremely rare. Previously, discipline problems have existed in schools to a minor extent. However, in the past ten years, survey results show the condition escalating, thereby necessitating the development of new classroom discipline methods in order to keep the focus on learning (Tan & Yuanshan, 1999). Discussion Because all behavioral problems, and bullying in particular, have harmful effects that can undermine the learning process, some sectors suggest that teachers should be strict in implementing school ru les and regulations in order to curtail the persistence of bullying and other disruptive behaviors in the classroom. However, often behavioral problems first arise in the home, and therefore enforcing discipline at school does not address the whole problem. There is also the possibility of teachers misunderstanding the limitations of strict discipline, and abusing the power they have been given by being aggressive and causing physical and verbal abuse. Psychological research shows that children learn best in a safe and supportive environment; therefore, enforcing strict rules may not be the solution to behavioral problems. Instead, a discipline solution should be developed based on the principles of understanding and encouragement. Children need stability and structure; therefore, rules should be made and enforced consistently but fairly. Students must be aware that bullying or any kind of disrespect towards others will not be tolerated, and must be informed of the consequences in a dvance. Teachers can also emphasize team building within the classroom by placing students into groups (or families), thereby encouraging students to be supportive of each other and work together to achieve common goals. Collaborative learning entails utilizing human relationships to promote safety, accomplishment, and mastery (Bruffee, 1999). Others suggest teachers should be equipped with skills to create their own strategies to resolve whatever behavioral problems they may encounter in the classroom. This applies particularly to immigrant teachers. In a study conducted by Oriaro (2007), it was revealed that teachers from Kenya struggled to resolve discipline problems due to a lack of formal training in the area of classroom discipline. These teachers did not necessarily understand their school’s policies and procedures, and tended to rely on their past experience to manage their classroom. However, sometimes past experience is not enough, and specific training must be give n to assist teachers in classroom management skills, although there is no guarantee that such training will eliminate all classroom discipline problems. Teachers must have an intuition about which behavioral