Classroom Management: Approaches of Student Teachers
This conference paper is focused on classroom management approaches of student teachers. Classroom management (CM) can be viewed as a system of strategies employed by a teacher to influence the physical and social space of the classroom to foster an environment where learning can occur (Christofferson, Sullivan, Bradley, 2015) Classroom management skills are crucial for teachers to create classroom settings where students can learn as effective CM leads to student high achievement (Stronge, Ward, Grant, 2011) and contributes to teacher remaining in the profession. The first years of teaching are usually reported to be the most challenging. The aim of the research is to describe in detail CMS of student teachers (pre service teachers) on their long term teaching practice in lower secondary classes. The research is based on an integrated mixed methods design (Creswell Plano Clark, 2011) While this is research in progress, we present only qualitative part. The main, qualitative part of the research is designed as field research based on ethnographic research design. Its aim is to describe conceptions (via interviews and reflective teaching diaries) and use (via observation with video recordings and its transcription) of CMS of student teachers. In this paper we describe a four dimensional structure of classroom management: authoritative approach focused on content knowledge, authoritative approach focused on students, democratic approach focused on content knowledge and democratic approach focused on students. Finally, we discuss why is democratic approach focused on students problematic for student teachers.