Managing STUDENTS and adults
Pupils
A key decision we make is how we choose to organise children for teaching purposes. Our choices must be made with regard to both pedagogical and practical considerations and always with the over-riding principle of ‘fitness for purpose’.
Many believe that class size is a vital factor in effective learning. Headteachers, governors, teachers and parents appear to be consistent in terms of wanting smaller classes and there have been many research studies which support their point of view. However, findings are not entirely consistent. Blatchford draws together some of the arguments:
- Blatchford, P. (2003). The Class Size Debate: is small better? Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Whole-class activities are used with classes of all sizes. These sessions can be highly interactive with a great deal of pupil participation - see Mujis & Reynolds (Reading 8.7), and Mercer & Hodgkinson.
- Mercer, N. and Hodgkinson, S. (2008) Exploring Talk in School. London: SAGE
- Muijs, D. and Reynolds, D (2011) Effective Teaching: Evidence and Practice. London: SAGE. (Reading 8.7)
However, classwork can challenge both the teacher and the listener. For example, whilst some believe that whole class teaching can ‘pull along’ the less able, others recognise that engagement can be uneven, with some students ‘opting out’ even though they retain an apparent ‘listening posture’. Some children may be reluctant to face the risks involved in contributing to the whole-class, whilst there is evidence of teachers addressing questions only to children in a V-shaped wedge in the centre of the room, or to particular groups or individuals:
- Wragg, E. C. (2001). Class Management in the Secondary School (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
‘Groups’ are likely to exist in some form in every classroom. However, their form and function may vary considerably. Although groups are very commonly formed for task allocation, seating purposes and teaching purposes, relatively little collaborative group work has been found by observers.
Meanwhile, Mercer & Littleton illustrate the benefits of group work where there are shared perspectives on how talk will take place:
- Mercer, N., & Littleton, K. (2007). Dialogue and the Development of Children’s Thinking: A Sociocultural Approach. Routledge.
Hopkins & Harris et al. weigh the benefits of whole class teaching and co-operative group work, whilst Ireson & Hallam (with Davies) provide an insight into the efficacy of ability grouping. Gillies and Ashman, in contrast, focus their attention on international research into co-operative learning in groups:
- Hopkins, D., Harris, A., Singleton, C. & Watts, R. (2000) Creating the Conditions for Teaching and Learning, London: David Fulton.
- Ireson, J. & Hallam, S. (2001) Ability Grouping in Education, London: Sage.
- Francis, B., Taylor, B. and Tereshchenko, A. (2020). Reassessing ‘Ability’ Grouping: Improving Practice for Equity and Attainment. London: Routledge.
- Gillies, R. & Ashman, A. (eds) (2003) Cooperative Learning: The Social And Intellectual Outcomes Of Learning In Groups. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
General texts that place the notion of group work in a wider frame of understanding, and look at classroom organisation more generally include:
- Mercier, C., Philpott, C. And Scott, H. (2012) Professional Issues in Secondary Teaching. London: SAGE.
- Jolliffe, W. (2007) Cooperative Learning in the Classroom, London: Paul Chapman.
- Watkins, C. (2002) Classrooms as Learning Communities, London: Routledge.
- Gillies, R.M. (2007) Cooperative Learning: Integrating Theory and Practice, London: Sage
Adults
There are many excellent studies of home-school relations, including that by Rogoff et al. Interestingly, some studies report that both parents and teachers, and perhaps the children, have mixed feelings on the question of parental involvement in classrooms.
- Rogoff, B., Goodman Turkanis, C. and Bartlett, L. (2001) Learning Together: Children and Adults in a School Community. Oxford: Oxford University Press
- Edwards, R. and Alldred, P. (2000) ‘Children’s Understanding of Home-school Relations’, Education 3-13, 28(3), 41-5.
- Crozier, G. and Reay, D. (2005) Activating Participation: Parents and Teachers. Working Towards Partnership. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham.
The number of support staff in schools has continued to increase in recent years:
- Sood, K. (2005) ‘Working with Other Professionals’, in Cole, M. (ed) Professional Values and Practice: Meeting the Standards, London: David Fulton
For evaluative research on the effectiveness of teaching assistants, see Blatchford et al.; this is supported by guidance for school leaders and teachers.
- Blatchford, P., Russell, A. and Webster, R. (2012) Reassessing the Impact of Teaching Assistants: How Research Challenges Practice and Policy, Abingdon: Routledge.
- Russell, A., Webster, R., & Blatchford, P. (2012). Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants: guidance for school leaders and teachers. London: Routledge.
In studies of ‘room management’, it is suggested that the quality of classroom teaching is very greatly enhanced if all the adults in a classroom plan together so that they understand and carry out specific activities in a co-ordinated and coherent fashion - see Lorenz and Vincett, Cremin & Thomas:
- Lacey, P. (2001) Support Partnerships: Collaboration in Action, London: David Fulton.
- Vincett, K., Cremin, H. & Thomas, G. (2005) Teachers and Assistants Working Together, Maidenhead: Open University Press.
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