by Robert J. Marzano, Jana S. Marzano and Debra J. Pickering
An ASCD Study Guide for Classroom Management That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher
This Study Guide is designed to enhance your understanding of Classroom Management That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher, an ASCD book written by Robert J. Marzano with Jana S. Marzano and Debra J. Pickering. This book describes and illustrates the management strategies that research suggests can have a major positive impact on student achievement. The questions that follow are designed to enhance your understanding of the book and to help you make connections between the text and your personal experiences.
The study questions provided are not meant to cover all aspects of the book; rather, they are intended to address selected ideas we believe might warrant further reflection. Most of the questions contained in this study guide are ones you can think about on your own. But you might consider pairing with another colleague or forming a group of people who have read (or are reading) Classroom Management That Works.
Chapter 1: The Critical Role of Classroom Management
On page 4, the following statement is made: ". . . a strong case can be made that effective instructional strategies and good classroom curriculum design are built on the foundation of effective classroom management."
Explain why many feel classroom management is the "foundation" on which curriculum and instruction are built.
How do effective instructional strategies and good curriculum design, in turn, influence classroom management?
In the section on the history of the research on classroom management, a great deal of evidence emphasizes the relationship between classroom management and student achievement. However, sometimes people do not trust research and statistics. If you were talking to someone who dismissed this body of research as untrustworthy, how would you explain, from a logical point of view, the relationship between classroom management and student achievement?
Spend some time studying Figure 1.4 and the accompanying explanation. To test your understanding, see if you can explain that figure to a colleague.
This chapter offers an answer to the question, "Are good classroom managers born or made?"
Apparently, teachers can learn to be good classroom managers, even when only given information about the techniques. What type of training have you received in classroom management and what was most effective for you?
Chapter 2: Rules and Procedures
Before reading this chapter, describe your own strengths and weaknesses related to establishing rules and procedures in your classroom.
Describe the differences between rules and procedures. Why do you think making this distinction is important?
The concept of "confidence interval" is explained on page 15. Take some time to make sure you have a general understanding of how this is applied to research data.
There are a limited number of studies on the effect of rules and procedures in middle school classrooms; however, other evidence suggests that the effect is there. Even if we had no evidence, how would you persuade a new middle school teacher of the importance of rules and procedures?
A strong case is made for involving students in establishing rules and procedures. To what extent do you or others involve students? What might be some pitfalls to avoid when involving students?
Action Step 1 includes a discussion of six areas for which rules and procedures might be established. Rate yourself as to how well you feel you or others address each of these areas.
Chapter 3: Disciplinary Intervention
Evidence presented in the introduction indicates that teachers spend a large portion of classroom time disciplining students. To what extent is this consistent with what you have observed? Describe some mistakes you or others have made that you believe resulted in constantly disciplining students.
Examine Figure 3.1 and read the explanation on pages 28 and 29. Do any of these findings surprise you? Why do you think an approach to discipline that includes a combination of punishment and reinforcement seems to have the most positive effect on students' behavior?
In Figures 3.4 and 3.5, parents and students were asked to rank both negative and positive consequences according to their beliefs about the effectiveness of each. Notice the consequences that parents ranked as No. 1 and that students ranked as No. 2 in each of the figures. What does this suggest to classroom teachers?
Action Step 1 explains five categories of techniques teachers use to acknowledge and reinforce positive behavior and to acknowledge and provide negative consequences for unacceptable behavior. For each category, reflect on how effectively you or others use these techniques. In addition, try to remember specific teachers from your past who were particularly skilled at any of these techniques.
Chapter 4: Teacher-Student Relationships
Examine Figure 4.2 and read the explanation on pages 42–44.
Try to give specific examples of behaviors of teachers that are high, but not extreme, in the areas of dominance and cooperation.
Reportedly, teachers often start out as highly cooperative and then develop high dominance over time. However, it was also reported that as some teachers develop appropriate dominance, they decrease the tendency toward being cooperative. Why do you think that might happen? How can teachers maintain both high cooperation and high dominance throughout their years of teaching?
When reading Figure 4.4, what is your reaction to the number and varieties of problems with which so many students must cope and and that they bring with them to school? The assertion is that teachers are most effective when they learn how to respond differently to students, always with sensitivity to the unique problems of each student. Accepting this daunting challenge means continuously building a repertoire of strategies. What are some resources that teachers must seek out to build this repertoire?
Action Steps 1 and 2 make specific recommendations for establishing both dominance and cooperation in your relationship with students. Reflect on how these recommendations describe you as a teacher, or describe other teachers with whom you are familiar.
Action Step 3 provides a valuable resource for descriptions of types of behaviors students might be exhibiting and offers some insights into the types of interactions that could work with each type. Make a commitment to reading, reflecting on, and adding to this list in order to heighten your awareness of and ability to relate to these types of behaviors.
Chapter 5: Mental Set
Read the explanations of "withitness" and "emotional objectivity." It is interesting that teachers who demonstrate these two characteristics tend to be the most effective with students. Why do you think it is difficult for teachers to learn how to be "withit" and "emotionally objective" in the classroom?
A new teacher noticed that he takes it very personally when his students misbehave: "I know I shouldn’t, but how can I stop myself?" Obviously, just telling him to maintain "emotional objectivity" would not be very helpful. What would you specifically suggest to him?
The action steps in this chapter make very specific recommendations for developing these two qualities. As you read them, reflect on the extent to which you and others engage in these behaviors. What would you add to these lists?
Chapter 6: The Student's Responsibility for Management
The first pages of this chapter present a dilemma. Although teaching methods of self-responsibility to students is very effective, it often requires much more from the teacher, more classroom time, and sometimes a more intensive teacher-student relationship than other approaches to classroom management. What current characteristics of schools and classrooms make it less likely that teachers will choose this challenging approach to classroom management? What would have to change for more teachers to use this approach?
The recommendations in Action Step 1 are probably the least time-consuming for the teacher. These include holding classroom meetings, using a language of responsibility, generating written statements of beliefs, and asking students to analyze their own behaviors. Which, if any, of these have you used, or seen used? How effective were they and why?
Some teachers report that when they use the types of strategies described in Action Steps 2 and 3, they typically use them early in the year. However, as time passes, they find it difficult to continue using these strategies that shift responsibility to students. Why do you think it is hard to maintain the use of these types of strategies? What suggestions might you make to help teachers sustain the use of these strategies?
Chapter 7: Getting Off to a Good Start
After reading the research and theory section of this chapter, think back to the Chapter 4 discussion on dominance and cooperation. Describe how the recommendations in that chapter are similar to and influence the ideas presented in this chapter about the beginning of the year.
Action Step 1 stresses the importance of arranging and decorating your classroom in a way that supports a positive learning environment. The classroom examples in Figure 7.2 and 7.3 are fairly common arrangements. Some teachers get very creative when they arrange and decorate their rooms. If you have ever seen examples of this creativity, or have demonstrated it yourself, try to describe how the creative elements did or did not allow for smooth traffic flow, a variety of groupings, students access to information important to the rules and procedures, and so on.
Action Step 2 provides specific examples for how to experience a good first day. Describe how these suggestions are similar to and different from the message conveyed in the old adage that used to be communicated to new teachers, "Don’t smile until Christmas."
Time is precious. When teachers feel the pressure of making sure they are teaching all that is required, they may not accept the advice in Action Step 3, which is to spend a good deal of time teaching and reinforcing classroom management. How would you explain to them the reasons for spending time in this way?
Chapter 8: Management at the School Level
On page 105, there is a list of teacher and administrator behaviors that might lead to a school becoming an unsafe, even violent, place. If you were leading a school where these behaviors were evident, what specific steps might you take to begin to change both attitudes and behaviors of the faculty?
Action Step 1 for school-wide management reminds us of the first aspect of classroom management, establish rules and procedures. Reflect on your own school, or schools with which you are familiar, and determine if there are areas of the school, or certain school routines, that are potential problems. Begin to brainstorm remedies for these problems.
There is an emphasis in Action Step 2 on making sure all students are aware of the rules, procedures, and consequences associated with misbehaviors, such as bullying, sexual harassment, drug use, etc. It is often not sufficient to publish such information in a student handbook. Although we might agree, "ignorance of the law is no excuse," schools must take responsibility for helping students maintain an awareness of unacceptable behaviors and consequences for engaging in such behaviors. Only one example of communicating with students is provided. Try to generate additional ways of communicating with students and parents.
Action Step 3 encourages schools to establish appropriate consequences for specific types of misbehavior. Although the studies reviewed in the section indicate that there are some fairly common types of consequences among schools, "the relative effectiveness of these various consequences is not well studied." If you were working with a school trying to identify appropriate consequences, in the absence of research to guide you, how would you decide which consequences to use the most and the least?
Action Step 4 recommends establishing a system for "early detection of students who have high potential for violent and extreme behaviors." Although this can be very effective, what are some cautions that come to mind when trying to identify and support these students?
Classroom Management That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher was written by Robert J. Marzano with Jana S. Marzano and Debra J. Pickering.
This 143-page, 8 1/2" x 11" book (Stock #103027; ISBN 0-87120-793-1) is available from ASCD for $20.95 (ASCD member) and $25.95 (nonmember). Copyright 2003 by ASCD. To order a copy, call ASCD at 1-800-933-2723 (in Virginia 1-703-578-9600) and press 2 for the Service Center. Or buy the book from ASCD's Online Store.
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Copyright © 2003 by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. All rights reserved. No part of this publication—including the drawings, graphs, illustrations, or chapters, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles—may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from ASCD.
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