Johnson, Laura Beth

Keywords:  proactive classroom management, student behaviour, communication

Abstract

Classroom management issues have been documented as one of the leading causes of teacher burnout and departure from the teaching profession. As a beginning teacher, I was inspired to investigate this topic due to my previous challenges with the prevention of student misbehaviour. This study aims to answer the question “What are exemplary practices in proactive classroom management for the junior grades?” and draws upon expert advice from two acclaimed practitioners in the field. The participants were chosen based on their experience in the profession, and one in particular for his involvement in classroom management consulting. Detailed analysis of data suggests that two of the key components in the implementation of effective proactive classroom management strategies are teacher reflection on expectations for their students, and overt teaching of these expectations. Furthermore, the results revealed that when teachers can avoid taking student misbehaviour personally, and understand the root cause of misbehaviour, they become better equipped to prevent behaviour issues in the future.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to each and every individual who has helped me throughout the course of this journey. Your guidance and support have been instrumental in shaping my beliefs as an educator and my personal growth in the field. To my research participants, I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to tap into your wealth of knowledge and will continue to look to you as sources of inspiration. A special thank you goes out to my research supervisor Jackie Eldridge for her continued support and to Shayan Rahnama for the countless hours he has put in to help shape this project. Finally, thank you to all of the MT program faculty, staff and students who have made my two years a truly memorable experience.