Establishing authority
For a practical and constructive guide to classroom and behaviour management, see:
- Cowley, S. (2001) Getting the Buggers to Behave, London: Continuum.
Further sound advice deriving from an empirical study of the issues may be found in:
- Wragg, E. C. (1993) Class Management, London: Routledge.
- Wragg, E. C. (1993) Primary Teaching Skills, London: Routledge.
Positive teacher-pupils relationships are an important factor in classroom management, pupil achievement, positive relationships, motivation and social inclusion in school. For an examination of relationships within and outside school, see:
- Vitto, J. M. (2003) Relationship-Driven Classroom Management: Strategies That Promote Student Motivation, London: Sage Publications Ltd.
- Miller, A. (2003) Teachers, Parents and Classroom Behaviour: A Psychosocial Approach, Berkshire: Open University Press.
- Ross, D. M. (1996) Childhood Bullying and Teasing: What School Personnel, Other Professionals and Parents Can Do, San Francisco: University of California.
The last book focuses specifically on how professionals and parents can work with children to increase the quality of relationships in school.
For a comprehensive and very practical guide which explores the relationship between effective teaching, behaviour management and colleague support, see:
- Rogers, B. (2003) Effective Supply Teaching: Behaviour Management, Classroom Discipline and Colleague Support, London: Paul Chapman Publishing.
- Rogers, B. (2002) Classroom Behaviour: A Practical Guide to Effective Teaching, Behaviour Management and Colleague Support, London: Paul Chapman Publishing.
There are now a huge number of books which offer practical advice on managing classroom behaviour. A selection of these which have stood the test of time include:
- Fontana, D. (1986) Classroom Control: Understanding and Guiding Classroom Behaviour, London: Routledge.
- Haigh, G. (1990) Classroom Problems in the Primary School, London: Paul Chapman.
- McNamara, S. and Moreton, G. (1995) Changing Behaviour: Teaching Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Primary and Secondary Classrooms, London: David Fulton.
An important management skill for teachers is related to self-presentation. Teachers who are able to project themselves so that children expect them to be ‘in charge’ have a valuable ability. There is a very large element of self confidence in this and student teachers, in particular, may sometimes find it difficult to enact the change from the student role to the teacher role. Perhaps this is not surprising for a huge change in rights and responsibilities is involved. An important first step is to believe in oneself as a teacher. For a slightly zany but fun study of professional identity which offers suggestions as to how you might investigate, reinterpret and reinvent your own teacher identity, see:
- Mitchell, C. and Weber, S. (1999) Reinventing Ourselves as Teachers: Beyond Nostalgia, London: Falmer Press.
Teachers can increase their effectiveness and enrich the learning climate in their classroom by developing their own management skills and resources. For practical strategies to enhance the personal development and self-esteem of teachers, see:
- Hook, P. And Vass, A. (2001) Teaching with Influence, London: David Fulton.
Another accessible summary of effective classroom management, with a good section on teacher stress and how to cope with it, is provided by:
- Laslett, R. & Smith, C. (1992) Effective Classroom Management: A Teacher's Guide, London: Routledge.
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