Factors Contributing to Teacher Choice of Classroom Order Strategies

Abstract

Introduction Classroom order remains an important focus of schools and classroom teachers. Teachers use a variety of strategies to maintain order in the classroom. Each strategy has a distinct impact on children. Some are conducive to quality teaching and learning, others are not. In a previous study (Traynor, 2002), five of these strategies were identified and evaluated for their pedagogical soundness: (1) coercive, (2) laissez-faire, (3) task oriented,(4) authoritative, and (5) intrinsic. Although the reader may refer to this previous study for a more detailed description of these strategies, they will be briefly reviewed here. The coercive strategy was characterized by the use of techniques such as intimidation and student deprecation to control student behavior. However, using this strategy has negative effects on student attributes such as motivation, attitude and behavior (Moore, 1967). The laissez-faire strategy was characterized by the use of positive social interactions between the teacher and students. A teacher using this strategy presents a low risk of student defiance. However, the teacher also gives the students little intellectually challenging material to defy (Cusick, 1983). Hence, the students will not be challenged to grow intellectually. The task-oriented strategy was characterized by the use of material as a device to keep students under control with little or no regard to its educational value. Powell et. al. (1985) point out that in using this strategy a teacher also fails to challenge students intellectually. The authoritative strategy is characterized by the use of rules that are reasonable and whose consequences are humane and consistent. The learning environment is positive, firm and non-hostile. Finally, the intrinsic strategy was shown to be characterized by the use of rewards for desired behavior. The intention in using this strategy is to enable the student to properly control him/herself. Quality, engaging instruction may also be considered as a reward and therefore may be considered to be a possible characteristic of the intrinsic strategy (Gettinger, 1988). This quality instruction may also have the added benefit of positively influencing student behavior in general (Coie and Krehbiel, 1984; Lane, 1999). In Traynor's study (Traynor, 2002), two criteria were used to evaluate the pedagogical soundness of each strategy. The first criterion was the allowance of the development of a desired learning skill. The second criterion was the allowance of the development or maintenance of a student's emotional well-being. According to these criteria, the authoritative and intrinsic strategies were hypothesized and found to be pedagogically sound. The coercive and task-oriented strategies were hypothesized and found to be pedagogically unsound. The laissez-faire strategy was hypothesized to be pedagogically unsound, although it was not observed or evaluated in the study. Although much can be inferred about the pedagogical soundness of the various strategies teacher use to maintain order, little is known about what contributes to a teacher's choice of a particular classroom order strategy. It makes sense that teachers would make great efforts to enact strategies they know to be pedagogically sound. However, under the conditions they find themselves, many may enact strategies they would otherwise avoid. This study answers the question, What contributes to teacher choice of a particular classroom order strategy? The study found that teacher conviction of the pedagogical soundness of the strategies, and the teacher's expectations of (1) rewards derived from the teaching experience, (2) who is responsible for student discipline, and (3) common student behavior all contribute to the teacher's choice. In this investigation, if the teacher's expectations matched the actual classroom context, the teacher was more likely to enact a strategy he was convinced was pedagogically sound. …