Effective Classroom Management
04 September 2013Advanced planning, organization, preparation, creativity, flexibility and solid content knowledge are all necessary to challenge students and let them know what is expected of them.
By Bradley J. Ware, Ph.D., and C. Lévesque Ware, Ph.D.
Effective classroom management is possible when strategies that facilitate learning and reduce disciplinary problems are implemented. Solutions that can positively contribute to reaching this goal include: preparing a well-thought-out syllabus that carefully delineates student accountability; using a system of evaluation that de-emphasizes individual grading; and including course work that is both relevant and challenging.
The Course Syllabus
A syllabus is a document that explains a course in detail. It provides students with precise information concerning what must be done to successfully complete a course. An organized syllabus sets the tone of the course and relays that the instructor is prepared and in control. A good syllabus clearly spells out the instructor’s expectations and should therefore be presented on the first day of class. When reviewing the syllabus with students it is important to make sure that they understand the rationale behind each rule, regulation and policy, and the reasons why these are critical to the overall success of the lab/class. A well-worded, clear syllabus can greatly reduce the occurrence of disciplinary problems.
De-emphasizing Individual Grades
In most colleges and university courses, instructors use quizzes, midterms and final exams as their primary evaluative criteria. Unfortunately, individual graded exams often cause fear and anxiety among students and create a competitive atmosphere that divides excellent students and marginal students. Using hybrid forms of these instruments can reduce test anxiety and provide greater opportunities for student success. A midterm or final exam might include a section that contains essay questions that are prepared at home prior to the in-class portion of the exam. “Take home” exams allow students to plan, prepare and organize their essays in advance, reducing the pressure of time constraints. The inclusion of a collection of essays from which students select a predetermined number and develop these is another option. Students might be asked to select and develop three essays from the five presented.
In addition to more traditional ways of grading students individually, there are a number of other less-threatening tools that can be used to assess student performance. Assigning students the task of producing a particular food item that is later combined with items prepared by other members of a team to generate a daily menu can prove to be very effective.
In an academic classroom, presentations can be made by teams of two or more students, as can “in class” group projects that allow students to share responsibility in earning a grade. When students work in groups they are provided the support of their peers, which allows them to gain confidence in their chance to successfully complete a course.
De-emphasizing individual grading promotes learning and motivates students to succeed. When students are engaged, energetic and enthusiastic, they want to come to class/lab, and are less prone to become disciplinary problems.
Relevant and Challenging Material
It is also important to make sure that course work is relevant and challenging. When presenting material, make sure that the content has significance and purpose with which students can identify. Students are more likely to be motivated to do what is expected of them when they understand why material is included in a course/lab. Inviting guest speakers or distinguished visiting industry guests/chefs to discuss how their educational or professional backgrounds have contributed to their current success can bring a new and fresh perspective that students might appreciate. These individuals can also reinforce what instructors have said during lectures and can inspire students to set goals for their own success.
The level of difficulty of lab/academic class activities is important and should proportionately increase as the class progresses. Courses that are too difficult can discourage students, dampen their enthusiasm for success and promote disciplinary problems. Courses that are too elementary can cause students to become bored, disengaged and prone to disruptive behavior. Instructors must carefully weigh where the fine line falls between course material that is too difficult and too easy. Conferring with colleagues concerning successes and failures on particular activities and assignments can help.
Student success relies in good part on an instructor’s ability to effectively manage a class. Advanced planning, organization, preparation, creativity, flexibility and solid content knowledge are all necessary in achieving this goal. To succeed, students must know what is expected of them, have a variety of opportunities for success, and believe that the course work is relevant and reasonably challenging.
Bradley J. Ware, Ph.D., is a professor in the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. C. Lévesque Ware, Ph.D., is a professor in the John Hazen White School of Arts and Sciences at Johnson & Wales University in Providence.