THE ROLE OF INTERACTION IN

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

KÜBRA OKUMUŞENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING,

ATATURK UNİVERSITY

Key terms: interaction / classroom management

Interaction is the collaborative exchange of thoughts, feelings, or ideas between two or more people, resulting in a reciprocal effect on each other.

" Telling is not teaching; listening is not learning.”

“Teaching is listening, learning is talking.”

What is classroommanagement?

• Creating a safe, inclusive environment for all students

• Building strong, positive relationships with students

• Understanding the unique adolescent body and mindset

• Understanding the multi-cultural and individual differences within a classroom

• Promoting a love for learning and success

• Presenting engaging instruction

• Consistent and fair discipline

• Well-practiced routines

• Stating simple and clear expectations for rules

• Staging appropriate interventions

What classroom management is NOT...

• Telling students what to do to make your life easier

• Unengaging

• Teaching lessons in the style you want to teach because it's easiest for you

• A power struggle between teacher/student

• Overlooking of adolescent needs

• Inconsistent discipline or overlooking of problems

• Classroom favoritism

• Unplanned

• Full of numerous, illogical, overbearing rules and consequences

What is effective classroom management?

• It involves effective teaching, an engaging teacher-student relationship andpractical strategies.

• For an effective classroom management, students need to «perceive schoolas a good place to be», which is accomplished through effective teachingand positive teacher-student relationship.

Relationship between teacher-student interactionand classroom management

• The quality of teacher-student relationship is the keystone for all aspects ofclassroom management. ( Marzano & Marzano, 2003)

• Teacher-student attachment is inherit in the learning process and teachersshould leverage it to accomplish learning and discipline goals. It is importantto be proactive in this attachment and it is teacher’s responsibility forbuilding relationship. (Jones, 2007)

• If you solve the relationship problem, you solve the misbehavior problem.(Gordon, 2003)

• “If a teacher has a good relationship with students, then students will morereadily accept the rules and procedures and the disciplinary actions thatfollow their violations.”

• The more teachers demonstrated relationship-building responses, children’sexternalizing problems were reduced as part of a reciprocal relationship»(Helker & Ray, 2009).

• Teachers who foster an engaging positive teacher-student relationshipreport reduced stress and student misbehavior. (Conley, nd.)

Two key interaction skills in classroommanagement

• Empathic listening- is the skill of recognizing children’s feelings andconveying understanding and acceptance to them. It allows the child to staycalm enough to solve the problem.

• Limit setting – is using a specific and succinct model of responding tomisbehavior without sacrificing the relationship.

Three steps: set the limit, give a warning and enforce the consequences.

Specific teacher behaviors that characterizeeffective student-teacher relationship

• Exhibiting appropriate level of dominance

• Exhibiting appropriate level of cooperation

• Being aware of high-needs students

Appropriate Level of Dominance

• Dominance is the teacher’s ability to provide clear purpose and strongguidance regarding both academics and student behavior.

• Teachers can exhibit appropriate dominance by establishing clear behaviorexpectations and learning goals and by exhibiting assertive behavior.

Establish clear expectations and consequences

Teachers can establish clear expectations for behavior in two ways: byestablishing clear rules and procedures and by providing consequences forstudent behavior. Some strategies that can be used to achieve this:

• Using a wide variety of verbal and physical reactions and cues

• Cuing the class about expected behaviors through prearranged signals

• Providing tangible recognition of appropriate behavior

• Employing group contingency policies

• Employing home contingency techniques

Establishing clear learning goals

Appropriate level of dominance can be also showed by providing clarity aboutthe content and expectations of an upcoming instructional unit. In order toachive this, some strategies include:

• Establishing and communicating learning goals at the beginning of a unit ofinstruction

• Providing feedback on those goals

• Continually and systematically revisiting the goals

• Providing summative feedback regarding the goals

Exhibiting assertive behavior

Assertive behavior is the ability to stand up for one’s legitimate rights in waysthat make it less likely that others will ignore or circumvent them. Teachersdisplay assertive behavior when they

• Use assertive body language

• Use of an appropriate tone of voice

• Persist until students respond with the appropriate behavior

Appropriate Level of Cooperation

• Appropriate level of coopeartion can be fostered some strategies such as providing flexible learning goals, taking a personal interest in students andusing equitable and positive classroom behaviors.

Providing flexible learning goals

• Giving students the opportunity to set their own objectives at the beginning of a unit or asking students what they would like to learn conveys a sense of cooperation. Giving students choice, in addition to increasing their understanding of the topic, conveys the message that the teacher cares about and tries to accommodate students' interests.

Taking a personal interest in students

Teachers can

• Talk informally with students before, during, and after class about their interests.

• Greet students outside of school—for instance, at extracurricular events or at the store.

• Single out a few students each day in the lunchroom and talk with them.

• Be aware of and comment on important events in students' lives, such as participation in sports, drama, or other extracurricular activities.

• Compliment students on important achievements in and outside of school.

• Meet students at the door as they come into class; greet each one by name.

Using equitable and positive classroombehaviors

Teachers can

• Make eye contact with each student. Teachers can make eye contact by scanning the entire room as they speak and by freely moving about all sections of the room.

• Deliberately move toward and stand close to each student during the class period. Make sure that the seating arrangement allows the teacher and students clear and easy ways to move around the room.

• Attribute the ownership of ideas to the students who initiated them. For instance, in a discussion a teacher might say, “Cecilia just added to Aida's idea by saying that . . . .”

• Allow and encourage all students to participate in class discussions and interactions. Make sure to call on students who do not commonly participate, not just those who respond most frequently.

• Provide appropriate wait time for all students to respond to questions, regardless of their past performance or your perception of their abilities.

•

Awareness of High-Needs Students

• Classroom teachers meet daily with a broad cross-section of students. In general, 12–22 percent of all students in school suffer from mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders, and relatively few receive mental health services. The Association of School Counselors notes that 18 percent of students have special needs and require extraordinary interventions and treatments that go beyond the typical resources available to the classroom.

Category Definitions & Source Characteristics Suggestions

Passive

Behavior that avoids the domination of others or the pain of negative experiences. The child attempts to protect self from criticism, ridicule, or rejection, possibly reacting to abuse and neglect. Can have a biochemical basis, such as anxiety.

Fear of relationships: Avoids connection with others, is shy, doesn't initiate conversations, attempts to be invisible.Fear of failure: Gives up easily, is convinced he or she can't succeed, is easily frustrated, uses negative self-talk.

Provide safe adult and peer interactions and protection from aggressive people. Provide assertiveness and positive self-talk training. Reward small successes quickly. Withhold criticism.

Aggressive

Behavior that overpowers, dominates, harms, or controls others without regard for their well-being. The child has often taken aggressive people as role models. Has had minimal or ineffective limits set on behavior. Is possibly reacting to abuse and neglect. Condition may have a biochemical basis, such as depression.

Hostile: Rages, threatens, or intimidates others. Can be verbally or physically abusive to people, animals, or objects.Oppositional: Does opposite of what is asked. Demands that others agree or give in. Resists verbally or nonverbally.Covert: Appears to agree but then does the opposite of what is asked. Often acts innocent while setting up problems for others.

Describe the student's behavior clearly. Contract with the student to reward corrected behavior and set up consequences for uncorrected behavior. Be consistent and provide immediate rewards and consequences. Encourage and acknowledge extracurricular activities in and out of school. Give student responsibilities to help teacher or other students to foster successful experiences.

AttentionProblems

Behavior that demonstrates either motor or attentional difficulties resulting from a neurological disorder. The child's symptoms may be exacerbated by family or social stressors or biochemical conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorders.

Hyperactive: Has difficulty with motor control, both physically and verbally. Fidgets, leaves seat frequently, interrupts, talks excessively.Inattentive: Has difficulty staying focused and following through on projects. Has difficulty with listening, remembering, and organizing.

Contract with the student to manage behaviors. Teach basic concentration, study, and thinking skills. Separate student in a quiet work area. Help the student list each step of a task. Reward successes; assign a peer tutor.

Perfectionist

Behavior that is geared toward avoiding the embarrassment and assumed shame of making mistakes. The child fears what will happen if errors are discovered. Has unrealistically high expectations of self. Has possibly received criticism or lack of acceptance while making mistakes during the process of learning.

Tends to focus too much on the small details of projects. Will avoid projects if unsure of outcome. Focuses on results and not relationships. Is self-critical.

Ask the student to make mistakes on purpose, then show acceptance. Have the student tutor other students.

Sociallyinept

Behavior that is based on the misinterpretation of nonverbal signals of others. The child misunderstands facial expressions and body language. Hasn't received adequate training in these areas and has poor role modeling.

Attempts to make friends but is inept and unsuccessful. Is forced to be alone. Is often teased for unusual behavior, appearance, or lack of social skills.

Teach the student to keep the appropriate physical distance from others. Teach the meaning of facial expressions, such as anger and hurt. Make suggestions regarding hygiene, dress, mannerisms, and posture.

Effect of T-S relationship on S-S relationship

• Not only is the student-teacher relationship important in and of itself, characteristics of thisrelationship may contribute to the child’s ability to build relationships with peers. Howes etal. (1994) conducted a longitudinal study that examined three aspects of the student-teacher relationship linked to peer relationships: emotional security, dependency, andsocialization. The results of this study indicated that emotional security and teacher-childsocialization predicted aspects of social relationships with peers. It was found thatemotional security with a first teacher provided a child with a positive orientation to peerrelationships, and socialization experiences helped the child shape particular behaviorswith peers.

• Birch and Ladd (1998) studied the link between children’s interpersonal behaviors and theteacher -child relationship and the features of the teacher-child relationship that affectchildren’s behavior. Birch and Ladd concluded that children who exhibited asocial behaviorearly in kindergarten were perceived as being dependent by their kindergarten and first-grade teachers. This dependency may lead to relational difficulty because teachers perceivewithdrawn children as needing more supervision or guidance. Birch and Ladd (1998) furtherconcluded that conflict in kindergarten children’s teacher-child relationships was associatedwith a decline in children’s pro- social behavior over time. Additionally, a child’sdemonstration of less pro- social behavior may negatively affect a child’s ability to developand maintain positive relationships with others, including peers, thus perpetuating a cycle ofbehavioral and relational difficulties

Teacher/Student Relationship

. The following list includes many options for building the teacher/student relationships:

• Give respect to get respect.

• Listen to the students.

• Involve them in class decision making; that is, givevoice and choice; have a class suggestion box.

• Communicate positive expectations.

• Let enthusiasm for teaching shine through.

• Greet students by name.

• Show interest in their interests.

• Remember information about students’ lives

outside of school.

• Chat with students outside of class.

• Celebrate accomplishments.

• Eat lunch with students.

• Recognize students’ birthdays.

• Keep lines of communication open.

• Use a collaborative discipline style.

• Look for and comment on students’ strengths; useaffirmations.

• Send positive messages to students.

• Model kind behavior.

• Be helpful.

• Attend student events.

• Have one-on-one time with the students.

• Focus on successes of all students.

• Display student work; let them choose which work isto be displayed.

• Accept individual differences, and value studentdiversity.

A final question:

What is your own formula foran effective classroom

management? And wheredoes interaction stand in this

formula?

REFERENCES

• Birch, S. H., & Ladd, G. W. (1998). Children’s interpersonal behaviors and the teacherchild relationship. Developmental Psychology, 34, 934-946.

• Conley, C. (nd). The influence of play therapy on classroom management. Retrieved fromhttps://www.google.com.tr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lianalowenstein.com%2Farticleclassroommanagement.pdf&ei=eIr8VM-IN5DdasKjgpAO&usg=AFQjCNGEmi_-dmu9HdcC7yX-NvMql9Ou4Q&bvm=bv.87611401,d.d2s

• Gordon, T. (2003). Teacher effectiveness training: The program proven to help teachers bring out the best in students of allages. New York: Three Rivers Press.

• Heijnen-Maathuis, E. (nd). Effective teaching and classroom management is about whole child-and whole schooldevelopment for knowledge, skills and human values. Retrieved fromhttps://www.google.com.tr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CBsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftoolkit.ineesite.org%2Ftoolkit%2FINEEcms%2Fuploads%2F1088%2FEffective_teaching_and_classroom_management.pdf&ei=wor8VI3tDMnoaK7QgbAE&usg=AFQjCNHy452e5XFUIuaZZ56NdS4C4tuQVQ&bvm=bv.87611401,d.d2s

• Helker, W. P., & Ray, D. C. (2009). Impact of child teacher relationship training on teachers’ and aides’ use of relationship-building skills and the effects on student classroom behavior. International Journal of Play Therapy, 18, 70-73.

• Howes, C., Hamilton, C. E., & Matheson, C. C. (1994). Children’s relationship with peers: Differential associations with aspects of the teacher-child relationship.Child Development, 65, 253-263.

• Jones, F. (2007). Tools for teaching: discipline, instruction, motivation. CA: Fredric H. Jones & Associates, Inc.

• Kottman, T. (2011). Play Therapy: Basics and Beyond. USA: Wiley Publishers.

• Marzano, R. J. & Marzano, J. S. (2003). The key to classroom management. Educational Leadership, 61 (1), 6-13.

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