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Your Class Management Style



Understanding your score
.
Scoring
Add your responses to statements 1, 3, and 9 refer to the authoritarian style.
Statements 4, 8 and 11 refer to the authoritative style.
Statements 6, 10, and 12 refer to the laissez-faire style.
Statements 2, 5, and 7 refer to the indifferent style.

The result is your classroom management profile.
Your score for each management style can range from 3 to 15.
A high score indicates a strong preference for that particular style.
After you have scored your quiz, and determined your profile, read the descriptions of each management style.
You may see a little bit of yourself in each one.
As you gain teaching experience, you may find that your preferred style(s) will change.
Over time, your profile may become more diverse or more focused.
Also, it may be suitable to rely upon a specific style when addressing a particular situation or subject.
Perhaps the successful teacher is one who can evaluate a situation and then apply the appropriate style.
Finally, remember that the intent of this exercise is to inform you and arouse your curiosity regarding classroom management styles.

The authoritarian teacher places firm limits and controls on the students.
Students will often have assigned seats for the entire term.
The desks are usually in straight rows and there are no deviations.
Students must be in their seats at the beginning of class and they frequently remain there throughout the period.
This teacher rarely gives hall passes or recognizes excused absences.
Often, it is quiet.
Students know they should not interrupt the teacher.
Since verbal exchange and discussion are discouraged, the authoritarian’s students do not have the opportunity to learn and/or practice communication skills. \
This teacher prefers vigorous discipline and expects swift obedience.
Failure to obey the teacher usually results in detention or a trip to the principal’s office. In this classroom, students need to follow directions and not ask why.

The authoritative teacher places limits and controls on the students but simultaneously encourages independence. This teacher often explains the reasons behind the rules and decisions.
If a student is disruptive, the teacher offers a polite, but firm, reprimand.
This teacher sometimes metes out discipline, but only after careful consideration of the circumstances.
The authoritative teacher is also open to considerable verbal interaction, including critical debates.
The students know that they can interrupt the teacher if they have a relevant question or comment.
This environment offers students the opportunity to learn and practice communication skills.

The indifferent teacher is not very involved in the classroom.
This teacher places few demands, if any, on the students and appears generally uninterested.
The indifferent teacher just doesn’t want to impose on the students and often feels that class preparation is not worth the effort.
Things like field trips and special projects are out of the question.
This teacher simply won’t take the necessary preparation time and may use the same materials, year after year. Also, classroom discipline is lacking.
This teacher may lack the skills, confidence, or courage to discipline students.

The laissez-faire teacher places few demand or controls on the students. “Do your own thing” describes this classroom.
This teacher accepts the students’ impulses and actions and is less likely to monitor their behavior.
The teacher strives not to hurt the students’ feelings and has difficulty saying no or enforcing rules.
If a student disrupts the class, the teacher may assume that the student is not getting enough attention.
When a student interrupts a lecture, the teacher accepts the interruption with the belief that the student must surely have something valuable to add.
When discipline is offered, it is likely to be inconsistent.

NB
The classroom management styles are adaptations of the parenting styles discussed in Adolescence, by John T. Santrock. They were adapted by Kris Bosworth, Kevin McCracken, Paul Haakenson, Marsha Ritter Jones, Anne Grey, Laura Versaci, Julie James, and Ronen Hammer.
Copyright 1996 Indiana University



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