ED930 Classroom Management
Unit Description
Pre-requisites
None.Co-requisites
None.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:
Critically analyse and demonstrate advanced knowledge of a range of teaching strategies that respond to individual differences, across the full range of abilities, interest, and learning profile (linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds), and enable effective and inclusive learning environments.
Apply advanced knowledge and strategies, including a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies, to support student engagement, safety (physical, emotional and academic) and learner well-being within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
Plan for the management of students’ behaviour and apply expert judgement in response to challenging student behaviours informed by Christian perspectives and current research.
Research and critically evaluate strategies for differentiation in teaching and learning, including multi-tiered frameworks.
Critically analyse current developments in and established theories to discern and clarify factors essential to establishing and managing effective learning environments that promote inclusive student participation and engagement including the use of ICT.
Critically apply reflexive practice on their own learning process and ongoing development as a teacher including their understanding of the Christian faith in the context of Christian worldview, Scripture and broader vocation.
Demonstrates advanced knowledge of the substance and significance of positive relationships, structure, goal setting and reinforcement in Classroom Management.
Unit Description
Preservice teachers will examine the learning environment focusing on the interactions and relationships between the key elements of the classroom - the teacher, students and the physical environment - and how factors related to these elements contribute to, and impact on the learning environment. They will critically engage with theory and research on best practice, and apply these and Christian perspectives in order to examine the role and responsibilities of teachers in creating an effective and inclusive learning environment that supports students’ learning, and their physical, social and academic safety and well-being, and incorporate and synthesise these into a personal philosophy of teaching.
The significance of knowing and understanding your students and developing positive relationships is foundational to creating effective, supportive and inclusive learning environments. Strategies to build and maintain relationships that maximise learning will be explored and developed. Classroom management includes rules and routines that recognise the individual nature of students whilst building a community of learning.
Through this unit preservice teachers will develop their understanding of students at the class and individual level. They will examine variance among students and teaching strategies that respond to the learning strengths and needs of diverse learners, including students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, in order to support inclusive student participation and engagement, and create a safe, vibrant, challenging learning environment, that promotes learning and well-being for all students. The unit covers the principles and strategies for a multi-tiered framework where teaching occurs in response to the learning needs of students with diverse abilities, including a range of communication strategies and relevant ICT. As a part of this process, students will develop a classroom management plan appropriate to the expected developmental stages and diverse needs of a group of students.
The unit will also focus on understanding student behaviours, including theories and practices that promote desirable behaviours, as well as examining the influences on and triggers for challenging behaviours, and practical approaches to manage and respond to them. It will address the need to set high-expectations and achievable personalised goals.
Topics
- Define Classroom Management - key elements of Classroom Mananagement and the significance of the relationship between teacher and student.
- Incorporating Biblical principles into Classroom Management.
- Proactive practices - modelling, direct instruction, questioning and feedback, non-verbal and verbal responses that are consistent and proportional.
- Designing Safe and Effective Physical Spaces.
- Knowing the Students and Responding to Student Variance through Differentiated Practices, Communication Strategies and Learning Experiences.
- The use of a Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS). (Key Research: AERO User guide – Multi-tiered system of supports resources retrieved at https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2024-03/mtss-user-guide_aa.pdf )
- The importance of high-expectations and setting personalised goals for achievement and engagement (including the role that reinforcement plays in realising goals.)
- Making connections between whole school behaviour programs, system, and legislative requirements that underpin practice.
- Classroom Values, Rights, Responsibilities and Rules, including evidenced-based examples that can be used in various situations.
- Classroom Management with ICT Integration.
- Understanding our students and engaging with parents/carers to build a learning community.
- Forming a Philosophy of Teaching and Developing Reflective Practices.
Learning Experiences
Topic 1: Relationships (cc 3.3.2)
Key Readings:
Primary Area of Learning -
https://www.edresearch.edu.au/guides-resources/practice-guides/encouraging-belonging-and-connectedness-primary
Secondary Area of Learning -
https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/aero-sense-of-belonging-and-connectedness-secondary.pdf
Choose the document (above) that relates to your area of learning (Primary or Secondary). Using this document identify recommendations that you would/could use in your classroom. Research and find one piece of research that addresses the need for positive relationships between teacher and student. Summarise this research and bring it to class to share.
Other readings:
AERO (2023) Classroom Management explainer: Positive teacher-student relationships. https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/positive-teacher%E2%80%93student-relationships-aa.pdf
Marlowe, M. (2011) The Relationship-Driven Classroom: The Stories of Torey Hayden. Reclaiming Children and Youth 20 (1) p10 – 15
Topic 3: (cc3.2.2, 3.4.1)
Key Readings:
AERO (2023) How students learn best: An overview of the learning process and the most effective teaching practices (pp24-35) AERO – How students learn best. Retrieved from https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-11/how-students-learn-best-aa_0.pdf
AERO (2023) Effectively managing classrooms to create safe and supportive environments. Effectively managing classrooms to create safe and supportive learning environments. Australian Education Research Organisation pp17 –21. Retreived from https://www.edresearch.edu.au/research/discussion-papers/effectively-managing-classrooms-create-safe-and-supportive-learning-environments
Simonsen, B. et.al (2008) Evidenced-based Practices in Classroom Management: Considerations for Research to Practice.
In response to the readings:
Identify 3 effective ways to respond to student behaviours in such a way that expectations are reinforced and safety is maintained. Write these down in the Topic discussion and justify why you have chosen these.
Learning Experience: Early Intervention Techniques (cc 3.4.3)
The lecturer provides a scenario that includes subject area, age of students and common low-level behaviours that are occurring.
In pairs, preservice teachers preplan responses for 3 scenarios
Joining another pair, preservice teachers role-play their scripted responses with one person being the teacher and the others as students. Discuss the strategies used and provide feedback to the teacher. Allow everyone in the group of four to be “teacher” at least once.
Once this is complete preservice teachers reflect on the following:
- “How did your planned responses reinforce high expectations and expected behaviour?”
- “How will these techniques support your classroom management plan?”
Class discussion: How can early interventions prevent escalation in the class?
Topic 6: Underpinning theory of MTSS and its effectiveness. (cc 2.6.1)
de Bruin, K. (2021). Response to Intervention (RTI) and MultiTiered Systems of Support (MTSS): An Introduction. Learning Difficulties Australia Bulletin; v.53 n.3 p.15-18; December 2021, 53(3), 15–18. https://ezproxy.eastern.edu.au:5344/doi/10.3316/aeipt.230225
Students read the above documents and in groups of 3 create a presentation that outlines:
1) MTSS core components
2) The Tiered Support Structure
3) The significance of Data to MTSS
4) How a team approach is best for the implementation of MTSS
5) How MTSS promotes equity and Inclusivity
6) The challenges to implementing MTSS.
Topic 7: Clear and High Expectations in the Classroom. (cc 3.2.1)
Read the following research:
AERO Classroom managment explainer - High Expectatsions for student behaviour Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/cese/publications/literature-reviews/classroom-management
Based on your reading discuss:
1) Why are clear expectations important for student behaviour and academic achievement?
2) How do high expectations influence academic achievement according to research? Provide examples from empirical studies.
3) How do students’ perceptions of teachers’ expectations influence their sense of responsibility towards their own learning and behaviour?
Topic 9: (cc 3.1.3)
Key Readings:
AERO Classroom management explainer – Establishing and maintaining rules, Retrieved from https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/establishing-and-maintaining-rules-aa.pdf
This reading covers information about the importance of rules as well as strategies to teach and maintain rules. These rules should be aligned to the values of the school to promote consistency across the school. This is a part of the classroom management suite of readings in AERO.
| Teaching routines: Their role in classroom management | Australian Education Research Organisation retrieved from: https://www.edresearch.edu.au/summaries-explainers/explainers/teaching-routines-their-role-classroom-management |
This reading highlights the significance of routines and suggests ways to explicitly teach routines to support learning by providing a safe environment within the classroom
Reflection Question: AERO cites research showing that explicitly taught and reinforced rules and routines significantly reduce off-task behaviour and increase engaged learning time. Reflect on a specific classroom incident (in placement or in your work) where ambiguity in expectations led to disruption. How would you now use the evidence-based “teach–model–practise–reinforce” sequence to establish a single, well-defined routine (e.g., handing in work), and what measurable improvement in student behaviour or learning time do you predict based on the research?
Topic 11 (cc 4.3.1)
Reading:
Australian Insitute for Teaching and School Leadership Ltd. (2024) Spotlight: Strengthening parent engagement to improve student outcomes. Strengthening parent engagement to improve student outcomes Retreived from: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/research/spotlights/strengthening-parent-engagement-to-improve-student-outcomes
Based on the above reading create a one-page summary of the most effective approaches to engage families to promote learning.
Assessment and Indicative Load
Assessment types include Minor Essay, Other, and Major Essay. Indicative study load is 160 hours.
Unit offerings
Please note
The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.
This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.