Running head: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 1

Building Teacher Classroom Management Self-Efficacy Through Meaningful Training

Experiences: Final Paper

Eric Zachary

California State University, Monterey Bay

April 17, 2018

IST 624 Research Design Methods

Dr. Sarah Tourtellotte

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 2

Table of Contents
Background ............................................................................................................................... 3
Problem ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 8
Voice ........................................................................................................................................... 8
Goals of the Project ................................................................................................................... 9
Limitations ............................................................................................................................... 10
Literature Review ......................................................................................................................... 10
Guiding Theory ....................................................................................................................... 17
Methods ........................................................................................................................................ 19
Participants .............................................................................................................................. 19
Materials .................................................................................................................................. 19
Design and Procedure ............................................................................................................. 20
Results........................................................................................................................................... 20
Discussion..................................................................................................................................... 23
References .................................................................................................................................... 25
Appendix A ................................................................................................................................... 28
Appendix B ................................................................................................................................... 28
Appendix C ................................................................................................................................... 31
Appendix D ................................................................................................................................... 36
Appendix E ................................................................................................................................... 37
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 3

Building Teacher Classroom Management Self-Efficacy Through Meaningful Training

Experiences

Background

The first days of school as a new teacher are perhaps some of the most difficult on-the-

job training days in any profession. The only experience most beginning teachers have is from

their teaching credential program where they are taught some broad educational theory. With this

limited knowledge, a teacher is hired and then thrown in on the first day of school to figure the

rest out on his or her own. The situation is growing even worse with the current teacher shortage

in California. “Increasingly, districts facing the biggest teaching challenges are turning to lightly

prepared candidates holding non-standard credentials” (Noguchi, 2017). This means that college

graduates without teaching experience, are being hired to teach full-time while they attend their

credential program.

School districts need a way to better prepare new hires for success as they begin their

careers. The target audience for this training will be newly hired teachers and existing faculty at

Sitting Bull Academy, and the stakeholders are plentiful; students, parents, administrators, and

co-workers will all benefit from better-equipped new teachers. Although there are many areas

that could be covered through instruction such as this, this training will focus on classroom

management procedures.

Problem

There are realities facing teachers that many people in other professions may never

understand. There is constant negative news coverage regarding the failing American public

education system, politicians routinely criticize education, and with the increase in social media,

parents can make their opinions known to mass audiences with relative ease. From an outsider's
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perspective, the job of a teacher appears to be quite simple and straightforward. It would seem

that all a teacher has to do is plan the lessons, teach students, and grade the papers. It is because

of this oversimplification that many critics find it so hard to believe standardized test scores are

low.

The reality is, teaching is only half the job of being a teacher. Teachers’ rights are being

taken away while the rights of their students are being bolstered at an alarming rate. Traditional

disciplinary measures for disruptive or inappropriate behaviors in the classroom are becoming

increasingly regulated, and they are often not even an option. Interventions like detention,

suspension, campus clean-up, and Saturday school are said to infringe on the rights of the

students and are only employed in extreme situations.

Due to these difficult conditions, all teachers, especially new teachers are faced with

intense pressure from administrators, parents, politicians, and the news media to show student

performance growth and at the same time manage their classrooms while many of the

disciplinary tools used by their predecessors are being taken away. With all of this pressure, one

can understand why the teacher attrition rate is so high, and why there is such high rate of

teacher burnout.

Public education is structured like many other large organizations. There is a parent

company (the district office) that oversees several smaller subsidiaries (school sites). Each

school site operates independently, however, this operation is done with enforced mandates from

the district office. Due to this independence, each school within a district operates differently.

Each school’s uniqueness creates a challenge for new teachers regardless of their previous

experience. Furthermore, within a school, the different departments tend to keep to themselves.
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Although there is interaction between these groups, teachers primarily interact with teachers,

administrators with administrators, and support staff with support staff.

To identify the major areas that needed to be addressed, three focus groups were created.

The first group was made up of three of the school’s administrators. The second group included

several of the beginning teachers. The third group was composed of other more senior teachers

who work directly with the new hires. The newly hired teachers were asked, “What do you wish

you had known prior to the first day of school?” The question posed to the more senior teachers

was, “Based on your experience, what gaps typically exist between what beginning teachers

usually do and what they should do to achieve quicker success?” To administrators, I asked two

questions. What areas do beginning teachers typically struggle with the most? The second

question was, “What types of trainings do you wish you were able to conduct with beginning

teachers, but do not have the time or resources to do?” To allow for information to be organized

efficiently, respondents were asked to submit their responses on sticky notes. A photo of

organized sticky notes is included in Appendix A.

When the information was analyzed, these three groups identified many areas of need. In

fact, there were far more needs than time available to address all of them. Three distinct

categories were formed. All three groups of respondents listed needs in each area. The first

category involved interaction with students and parents. The second category focused on needs

existing outside of the classroom that involved the greater school site. The final category

included various areas of technology on campus.

When analyzing the responses from administrators, many of their thoughts fell into

subcategories that focused more on managerial issues. In the area of student and parent

interaction, the administrators wanted training in appropriate level of parent contact, including
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proactive versus reactive contact. (N. Aguilera personal communication, September 6, 2017)

They also expressed a desire for instruction in developing a classroom discipline plan as well as

how and when to write a referral. The category of school site is where administrators contributed

the most input. Administrators recommended training on basic procedures including adjunct

duties, as well as to whom staff members should seek out for different needs. (J. Harrison

personal communication, September 6, 2017). Administrators also expressed a need for

instruction in safety measures regarding fire, earthquake, bomb threat, and active shooter

situations. (N. Aguilera personal communication, September 6, 2017)

The beginning teachers expressed some of the same needs as the administrators;

however, many of their suggestions were focused on areas that related more to the classroom.

Under the subject of student and parent interactions, respondents indicated training in basic

classroom management procedures would be beneficial. (J. Webb personal communication,

September 6, 2017). They also indicated, they would benefit from training to prepare them for

interactions with parents at Back to School Night and during parent teacher conferences. (J.

Webb personal communication, September 6, 2017). The new hires didn’t express a need for

training on school site matters. The area of technology was by far where these respondents

showed the greatest desire for training.

Interestingly, the more senior teachers’ responses were an aggregate of the other two

groups. Like the new hires, the senior teachers felt direction involving classroom management

would be essential. (C. Reinwand personal communication, September 6, 2017). This group of

respondents also put emphasis on the area of parent interaction. They thought training new

teachers on the expectations for Back to School Night and parent teacher conferences was

important. The respondents also thought training on when and how to handle parent contact was
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important (N. Gaines personal communication, September 6, 2017).

Numerous documented research studies also show notable emphasis being placed on

developing stronger classroom management skills in teachers. Professional development is

needed to provide effective and acceptable alternatives to traditional classroom management

strategies. Professional development will provide classroom management tools for new and

struggling teachers alike. With increased knowledge in this area, said teachers will have more

positive classroom experiences leading to greater professional self-efficacy.

Due to teacher contract constraints, teachers are only given two campus work days prior

to the start of the school year. Administrators are permitted to use one of the two workdays to

hold meetings, which could include training, the remaining day is required to be set aside for

classroom preparation. (Apple Valley Unified Teachers’ Association (AVUTA), 2017). In most

cases, administrators use the allowed meeting day for delivering whole staff information.

Because of this, conducting an on-campus, in-person training even if possible, would be

challenging and rushed.

Due to time constraints, as well as the limited human resources available to deliver

training, a blended learning method with a heavy emphasis on asynchronous e-learning would be

the most logical way to design instruction. Through the use of three Adobe Captivate self-guided

learning modules, learners will have the opportunity to complete the training at their own pace

without the need for a live instructor. Although administrators and other teachers aren’t available

to deliver the full training module, it would be foolish not to have them available to answer

questions or clarify concepts when issues arise. Based on administrator recommendations, a

mentor team will be formed to serve in advisory roles to assist the new teachers when needed.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 8

The high-level organizational goal of this training module is to increase beginning

teacher retention by reducing burnout caused by a challenging working environment and an

overall feeling of isolation. The learning module will focus on providing beginning teachers with

a better understanding of classroom management procedures including classroom operations and

student interaction.

Research Questions

 What types of classroom management strategies have been effective for different

populations of students?

 What are some positive motivators for students who are prone to disruptive classroom

behavior?

 Regarding classroom management, what do successful teachers do differently?

 What are common gaps in skill or understanding that beginner teachers struggle with?

Voice

Classroom management has been a constant area of struggle for me. For six years I

worked in low socioeconomic schools where dealing with negative student behavior was a

constant challenge. Instead of completing student teaching, I worked as an intern teacher, I never

had a master teacher to show me the basics, and I had to learn a lot on my own. I’ve studied

classroom management theory consistently throughout my career and it has been very beneficial

for me. I feel that it would be very helpful to take all of the research that has been done and

compile it to provide beginning teachers with a plan to implement right from the beginning of

their careers

Hypothesis

Increased effectiveness in classroom management leads to greater teacher self-efficacy.

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Goals of the Project

The needs assessment showed many gaps that are routinely shown between what a

beginning teacher knows and what they need to know to be successful. The path to becoming a

highly skilled, knowledgeable teacher is a long one, that will quite literally take years. All that a

new teacher needs to know to be successful cannot possibly be squeezed into an hour-long

training module. Because of this, the portion of the training that will be discussed in the context

of this paper will involve an in-depth analysis of classroom management techniques. Based on

the research gathered for the development of this training, lack of effective classroom

management was a dominant cause of teacher burnout, often leading to educators leaving the

profession.

To analyze the content for the module, I consulted with the dean of students at SBA who

is in charge of discipline and school safety. We discussed the most crucial concepts that need to

be understood in the area of classroom management. Furthermore, I researched scholarly articles

and other books on the topic of classroom management, and school discipline to include

research-based strategies in the module.

Due to the variety of educational backgrounds of our learners, the training module must

be designed assuming the learners have no prior knowledge or experience. The training content

will focus on three areas of classroom management as discussed by Dicke, Elling, Leutner and

Schmeck, (1) minimizing verbal and physical classroom disruption, (2) developing effective

rules and procedures, (3) building positive relationships with students, (2015, p. 4).

Learners will show mastery for the learning modules when (a) they can identify, and

design appropriate classroom management plans based on researched backed practices, and (b)

successfully implement said plans into their own classrooms.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 10

The high-level organizational goal of this training module is to increase beginning

teacher retention by reducing burnout caused by a challenging working environment and an

overall feeling of isolation. The learning module will focus on providing beginner teachers with

a better understanding of classroom management procedures including classroom operations and

student interaction.

Limitations

The greatest constraint that will be faced in the design of this instruction is lack of time

for both the learners and those who would be administering the content. The beginning of the

school year is a stressful time for all parties involved and when it comes down to it, there simply

are not enough hours in the day to complete everything. This project will be utilized annually

just prior to the start of the new school year which provides approximately eight months for

development. Following development, the learning module will be implemented and evaluated

quickly over the course of just a couple of weeks.

Literature Review

The attrition rate of beginning teachers is a persistent issue in the realm of public

education. Statistics show us that approximately ten percent of beginning teachers leave after the

first year, and around twenty percent will leave the profession before completing five years

(National Center for Educational Statistics, 2015). There are many factors that contribute to this

high level of turnover. Aloe, Amo, and Shanahan (2013) suggest that teacher burnout is a major

contributor to the early departure of beginners from the teaching field and explain that a leading

cause of burnout can be attributed to poor classroom management self-efficacy (CMSE).

Aloe et al.’s (2013) summary article, reviewed sixteen studies comparing the relationship

of CMSE and the three dimensions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Aloe et al., (2013)
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 11

found there were negative relationships between CMSE and emotional exhaustion,

depersonalization, and lowered personal accomplishment. Based on results of the review, the

authors recommended greater emphasis on traditional classroom management training in teacher

preparation programs.

Elling, Leutner, and Schmeck (2015) study the effects of varying levels of classroom

management training for new teachers. The authors conducted a research-based study in which

teachers were separated into two groups, the first receiving a two-and-a-half-day training course

on classroom management which included: “(1) classroom organization, (2) rules and

procedures, (3) the importance of the beginning of the school year, (4) maintaining the classroom

management system, (5) problematic behavior (6) interpersonal relationships, and (7)

communication” (Elling et al, 2013). The second group received a two-and-a-half-day stress

management course which included time management and progressive muscle relaxation. The

article concludes that a relatively short classroom management intervention still provided a

significant effect on beginning teachers. These results coincided with Aloe et al.’s (2013)

findings that greater emphasis needs to be placed on classroom management training for new

teachers.

Hoglund, Klingle, and Hosan (2015) studied the levels of teacher burnout in high needs

elementary schools over the course of a school year. The authors conducted their study using

observation and surveying the teachers and students. Like Aloe et al. (2013), teacher burnout was

assessed based on the three levels of the MBI. The study focused on two main areas: the

relationship between burnout and classroom quality and the relationship between burnout and

teacher interaction with students that demonstrated externalizing behaviors.

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Hoglund et al. (2015) describe classroom quality in a way that is similar to what other

studies refer to as classroom management, in that it refers to classroom organization and student

engagement. Furthermore, externalizing behaviors are described as students who are often

disengaged and disruptive. The results of the study showed a greater degree of teacher burnout in

classrooms where there were more instances of externalized behaviors. In relationship, the study

also found that there were more cases of disruptive behavior in classes that had lower classroom

quality. This indicates that although teacher burnout stems from dealing with difficult behaviors

in the classroom, the difficult behaviors were a direct result of poor management by the teacher.

Hoglund et al. (2015) suggest that schools should provide pre-service and ongoing training to

assist teachers with classroom organization strategies.

Martin, Sass, and Schmitt (2012) conducted a study to determine the relationship between

instructional management, burnout, student stressors, and teachers’ intent-to-leave the

profession. Martin et al. (2012) describe a pattern that shows predictability in a teacher's eventual

intent-to-leave. Student stressors, which include negative behavior, lack of interest, and poor

performance lead to emotional exhaustion. The emotional exhaustion led teachers to plan

instruction that limits stressors and creates classroom control through assignments and activities

that are monotonous. This causes teacher depersonalization and ends up having the opposite

effect by increasing problematic behavior. All of these components contributed to lower job

satisfaction, which consequently, led to burnout and ultimately, intent-to-leave.

Brouwers and Tomic (1999) also studied the effects of perceived self-efficacy in

classroom management in relation to teacher burnout. The study revealed that poor classroom

management is the first link in a chain that eventually leads to teacher burnout. Teachers who

ineffectively deal with classroom disruptions lose confidence in their ability to manage their
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 13

classrooms and often give up on trying to fix the problem. The decreased feeling of self-efficacy

causes teachers to doubt their ability to do their job. This in turn causes emotional exhaustion,

which leads to depersonalization. Brouwers and Tomic (1999) describe depersonalization as a

negative attitude towards work and the people with whom the worker interacts. Based on the

result of the study, once teachers have reached the depersonalization stage, they give up and

often stop trying to solve the problem.

Brouwers and Tomic (1999) offer more specific suggestions than some of the other

studies to reduce the effects of teacher burnout. In order to counteract the effects of burnout,

teachers must believe that they are able to make a positive impact. The authors suggest that these

teachers need to have experiences of success. This success may come through providing strategic

skills with training, providing positive feedback, and practicing in a simulated environment.

Once teachers feel a sense of mastery, and feel more confident in their ability, they will be more

apt to implement the classroom management methods into their classrooms.

Lewis, Romi, and Salkovsky (2015) review the coping styles of different teachers in

terms of the gap between the way they would like to manage their classes and the methods they

are forced to use based on the current classroom conditions. Lewis et al. (2015) state classroom

management can be broken down into three different approaches. The first approach involves

minimal teacher control and assumes students' responsibility for their behavior, the second

approach views student behavior as the combined and cooperative responsibility of students and

teachers, and the third approach is based on the assumption that students are not capable of

realizing what is best for them, leaving decisions to the teacher. Like Brouwers and Tomic

(1999) this article discusses the challenges teachers face in dealing with difficult students

including increased stress, burnout, and emotional distress.

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Lewis et al.’s (2015) research concludes that the most commonly used coping mechanism

was social problem solving. Furthermore, it was found that female teachers were more likely to

use social problem solving to cope and were more likely to support each other compared to their

male counterparts. This study indicates that there needs to be an increased effort to provide

beginning teachers with time and access for collaboration with more experienced teachers. In

many educational settings, beginning teachers may feel isolated, this research shows a need to

ensure these teachers have a mentor or teammate that they can go to for guidance.

Bear, Doyle, Osher, and Sprague (2010) in their study examine three approaches to improve

school discipline practices and student behavior. The main ideas expressed are Ecological

Approaches to Classroom Management, School-wide Positive Behavioral Supports and Social

Emotional Learning, and Positive Youth Development. It concluded there needs to be emphasis

on collaboration with families, cultural and linguistic competence and responsiveness, and ways

to respond to the needs of students with substantive mental health needs. The authors focused on

these points as challenges in improving school discipline. A major issue that teachers face in

dealing with student disruption is a lack of preparedness to appropriately meet the emotional

needs of the disruptive student. Bear et. Al (2010) show through research the necessity for

teachers to learn about cultural and linguistic differences, collaborating with parents, and

positively promoting desired behaviors.

Nelson, Olivera, and Wehby (2015) studied the long-term implementation of classroom

management tactics. The authors state that often teachers complete professional development and

implement the practices for a while, but slowly revert back to their old style of teaching over

time. Like Hoglund et al. (2015) this demonstrates the need for initial, as well as ongoing,

classroom management training. Furthermore, this article emphasizes the need for continual self-
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 15

monitoring to maintain the positive practices over the long-term. In completing the study, the

authors implemented the use of what they referred to as the Good Behavior Game (GBG), which

focused on positive reinforcement rather than punishment. Nelson et al. (2015) found that the use

of a teacher self-monitoring checklist assisted in a more long-term implementation of the GBG

method.

Oberly and Schonert-Reichl (2016) studied the connection between a teacher’s stress

level and higher levels of stress felt by their students. The study focused on the effects of feeling

overworked, teachers experiencing a lack of support and resources, and dealing with challenging

and disruptive students. Furthermore, Oberly and Schonert-Reichl’s (2016) research focuses on

how a teacher’s stress level impacts the cortisol levels in their students. Cortisol levels are the

natural indicators of levels of stress within an individual.

The findings of this study were that in classrooms where the teacher was experiencing a higher

level of teacher burnout, the morning cortisol levels of their students were elevated indicating

increased stress levels. This research shows that beginning teachers will have needs beyond

training. Administrators and staff must focus on providing the necessary support and resources

that beginning teachers require.

Way’s (2011) research describes how stricter discipline policies are effective in reducing serious

offenses on school campuses, but also lead to classroom teachers losing the role of an authority

figure on campus. The research shows that due to increased demand for student’s rights, free

speech, due process, and student privacy in conjunction with school discipline becoming

increasingly litigious, school discipline matters are generally handled by school administration,

rather than the classroom teacher.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 16

Way’s (2011) research included 10,000 respondents. Respondents included teachers,

administrators, parents, and students. The findings of the study were that schools with stricter

discipline experienced similar levels of disruptive behavior as those with more lenient policies.

Similar to the findings of Bear et. Al (2010), the study found students were more likely to be

compliant when they felt their school’s rules and expectations were fair, and students were less

likely to be disruptive when they had a positive relationship with their teacher.

Kennedy (2011) researched effective teacher behavior when working with disruptive students.

The active research for this study took place at a continuation school in Southern California

where the student population was made up of middle and high school students who had been

expelled from their traditional public schools. The article focused on three types of teachers who

the author dubbed rapport builders, subject matter experts, and blamers. The rapport builder

focused on building relationships with their students and modifying curriculum to meet their

needs. The subject matter experts were consistent in their classroom management and focused on

subject matter, leaving the personal issues of the students for the school counselors to handle.

The blamers were inconsistent in both their instruction and classroom management, often yelled

at their students and blamed them for not performing.

Through observation and interviews with teachers, students, and administrators, similar to the

findings of Bear et al. (2010) and Way (2011), Kennedy (2011) found that the teachers under the

title of rapport builders were most successful and experienced the lowest levels of student

disruptions. Although the research for this article took place with a very small group in a single

school setting, the article provides beneficial information to be researched further.

Milner and Tenore (2010) conducted a study over the course of two years at an urban

middle school. The goal of the study is to ascertain a better understanding of why a
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 17

disproportionate percentage of minority students are reported to be disruptive in the classroom

and referred to administration for discipline. Similar to Bear et al. (2010), Milner and Tenore

(2010) highlight the cultural misunderstandings that occur between a teaching population, that is

often primarily composed of white teachers, teaching classrooms of culturally diverse students.

The authors attempt to identify the classroom management strategies of teachers who are

effective in teaching diverse populations.

There is a clear connection between CMSE and teacher burnout. These studies provide

insight as to the importance of a teacher’s ability to view his or her job as impactful and

important. This research shows the importance of quality training in the area of classroom

management and effectively handling disruptive classroom behavior. Understanding a teacher’s

overall self-efficacy directly relates to attrition, allows for greater efforts to be made to prevent

it. By better preparing educators to manage their classrooms, progress can be made toward

increased teacher longevity.

Guiding Theory

Due to the asynchronous nature of this training, it would seem that a cognitivist approach

would be the most appropriate learning theory for the instructional design. In an ideal situation,

this classroom management training would be done in a face to face environment with a live

instructor who would be available to facilitate the instruction and provide rich and immediate

feedback. If this was a possibility, the instructional designers would choose a constructivist

approach to guide the design process as there would be much greater opportunity for growth with

a more learner-centered approach. In reality, however, there are many constraints that prevent

this training from being face to face. Due to the aforementioned constraints, this training will be

asynchronous and online.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 18

As a consequence of the asynchronous environment, it would not be possible to provide

the facilitation and meaningful feedback required of a learner-centered, constructivist approach.

The design of the instruction will follow Gagne’s Nine Events. Learners will be provided with

information through their online interface. Although many of the elements of the training will be

teacher-centered, in an effort to provide a more meaningful learning experience, the design of the

training will incorporate case-based scenarios into the instruction as well as requiring students to

respond to scenarios as knowledge checks throughout the training modules. In addition, the

summative assessments at the end of each module will be problem-based where learners will be

required to gather information and apply their new knowledge to decide on an appropriate

response. By incorporating these constructivist elements into a primarily cognitivist design, a

deeper real-world connection with the learners will be created.

Classroom behavior is dynamic. Teachers must develop the ability to assess individual

situations and use their learned knowledge to determine the correct way to intervene. A cognitive

approach goes beyond memorizing facts or developing automaticity in skills as is the case with

Behaviorism. Through this training, learners will be able take in the learned content and build on

existing schema and use the newly learned knowledge to assess and solve real problems once

faced with similar situations in the classroom. To provide a deeper understanding, the training

will not only focus on how to solve classroom management problems, but there will be deep

emphasis on a variety of reasons why these problems happen. Through this training, learners will

develop a greater understanding of how students’ home life and background impact their

behavior in the classroom. Providing learners with an understanding of the potential drivers of

the behavior will better prepare them to choose the best method of intervention.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 19

Methods

Participants

Participants in this study included (not sure how many yet) Apple Valley Unified School

District teachers. Participants included (not sure yet) females and (not sure yet) males between

the ages of (not sure yet). All participants in this study were volunteers and were selected based

on teaching experience. (not sure yet) participants were non-tenured teachers and (not sure yet)

were tenured veteran teachers.

Materials

Participating teachers were provided with informed consent forms. A copy of the consent

formed can be viewed in appendix b. The consent forms contained information which included:

an invitation to participate in the study, a brief description of the purpose of the study,

notification that participants would be taking part in filling out a survey, the anticipated time

commitment, notification of the participants rights to leave the study at any time with no

repercussions, and that all responses would be kept confidential. Additional materials included a

self-administered online survey. To allow for simplicity in distribution, the survey was created

using Google Forms. A copy of the survey can be viewed in appendix c. The survey required

approximately fifteen minutes to complete and was composed of multiple sections. The first

section, demographics, included three questions regarding teaching experience and educational

background. A fourteen question self-efficacy section was included and incorporated scaled

responses as well as open-ended questions regarding classroom management self-efficacy.

Additionally, a four-question section was included to gather information on classroom

environment. Finally, two additional sections composed a total of eight questions regarding
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 20

training experiences and additional areas of classroom management training that participants felt

would be beneficial.

Design and Procedure

The intent of this study was to ascertain a better understanding of the relationship

between classroom management and teacher self-efficacy in public schools. The variables

measured in this study were teacher perceptions of their own classroom management abilities,

reflection on how discipline is handled in the classroom, as well as teacher impressions of

previous trainings in classroom management. Participants were asked to sign two identical

informed consent forms, one for the participant and one to be kept by the researcher. Using the

send feature in Google Forms, participants’ email addresses were added, and notifications were

sent to the participants’ email addresses. Each notification included directions regarding access

and completion of the survey. Participants were notified that only one completed survey would

be accepted, and they were again notified that participation in the study was strictly voluntary

and they could elect to opt out at any time. Participants were asked to complete the survey within

a two-week time frame. After the surveys were completed, participants received a letter of thanks

for their participation in the survey.

Results

Following administrator approval, the Classroom Management survey was electronically

distributed using Google Forms to ( ) teachers in the Apple Valley Unified School District.

( %) of the respondents were primary teachers teaching grades Transitional Kindergarten

through third grade, ( %) of the respondents were upper elementary teachers teaching fourth

through sixth grade, ( %) of the respondents were middle school teachers teaching grades seven

through eight, The remaining ( %) were secondary teachers teaching grades nine through
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 21

twelve. The respondents average years of teaching experience was ( ) with an average deviation

of ( ). The majority of respondents ( %) held a preliminary teaching credential, ( %) held

only a bachelor’s degree, ( %) held a clear teaching credential, and ( %) held a master’s

degree. No respondents held a doctoral degree.

The majority of the respondents, ( %) thought they were somewhat prepared to begin

teaching on the first day of school, ( %) of respondents thought they were totally unprepared, (

%) felt somewhat prepared, and ( %) thought they were totally prepared. The majority of

respondents, ( %) thought poor student behavior sometimes impacted their teaching, ( %)

thought it never did, ( %) thought it usually did, and ( %) of respondents though it always did.

( %) of respondents felt minimally confident in their classroom management abilities, ( %)

were not at all confident, ( %) felt fairly confident, and only ( %) felt very confident in their

classroom management abilities. ( %) of respondents felt minimally confident in their ability to

make effective parent contact, ( %) were not at all confident, ( %) felt fairly confident, and

only ( %) felt very confident in their ability to make effective parent contact.

In regards to building positive relationships with students, ( %) of respondents thought

that their students didn’t like or respect them, ( %) thought that their students liked them but

didn’t respect them, ( %) thought that their students didn’t like them, but respected them, and

( %) thought that their students both liked and respected them. ( %) of respondents thought

they were not able to effectively stop disruptive verbal behavior, ( %) thought they were not

usually able to, ( %) thought they were usually able to, and ( %) thought they were always able

to effectively stop disruptive verbal behavior. ( %) of respondents thought they were not able to

effectively stop disruptive physical behavior, ( %) thought they were not usually able to, ( %)

thought they were usually able to, and ( %) thought they were always able to effectively stop
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 22

disruptive physical behavior. ( %) of respondents felt minimally confident in their ability to

develop and implement classroom procedures, ( %) were not at all confident, ( %) felt fairly

confident, and only ( %) felt very confident in their ability to develop and implement

classroom procedures.

When respondents were asked what they thought the role of the teacher was in a well-

managed classroom, ( ) was a theme that showed through the majority of responses.

One respondent stated “ “. When asked about the student’s role in a well-managed

classroom, the majority of responses fit into ( # ) categories ( ) and ( ).

When asked about the difference between effective and ineffective classroom managers,

responses fit into (#) categories. ( ). When asked about an area of

classroom management that they could improve upon, responses varied, however, a fairly

common theme was ( ). One respondent stated (“ “).

When respondents were asked about additional areas of struggle, responses included ( ).

Some classroom management techniques that have worked well for respondents include ( ).

When respondents were asked about the amount of instructional time lost daily due to

disruptive behavior, ( %) stated that less than five minutes were lost, ( %) stated that five to

ten minutes were lost, ( %) stated that eleven to twenty minutes were lost and ( %) indicated

that twenty-one minutes or more were lost. In response to the number of referrals written per

week, ( %) indicated zero, ( %) indicated one to two were written, ( %) stated three to

five, and ( %) indicated that more than five a week were written. When asked how often

students were sent out of class for behavioral issues each week, ( %) of participants answered

with zero, ( %) answered with one to two, ( %) answered with three to five, and ( %)

answered with more than five times.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 23

When asked how many classroom rules participants had, ( %) responded with zero, (

%) responded with one to two, ( %) responded with three to five, ( %) responded with more

than five rules. Respondents were also asked to what their rules were. When these responses

were organized, the (#) most common rules were ( ).

In regards to training, ( %) indicated that they had participated in classroom

management training previously, and ( %) indicated that they had not. When asked what

specific trainings they had participated in, respondents gave a variety of answers including:

( ). When asked if they felt the trainings were effective, respondents’ answers were mixed

and several stated that ( ). When asked if they remembered and employed the

learned classroom management techniques, ( %) of respondents answered with often, ( %)

answered with sometimes, ( %) answered with rarely, and ( %) answered with never.

Respondents were also asked to explain which ideas and strategies they found most beneficial,

their responses included:( ). When respondents were asked about interests for

future classroom management trainings, the areas that received the most interest were ( ).

Finally, respondents were asked if there were any additional areas involving classroom

management training that they felt would be beneficial, respondents indicated ( ) were

some areas that might be of benefit.

Discussion

When considering the three research questions posed (1) What types of classroom

management strategies have been effective for different populations of students, (2) What are

some positive motivators for students who are prone to disruptive classroom behavior, (3) What

do the successful teachers do differently, a review of a portion of the available literature showed

a common theme. Although there were several classroom management strategies that overlapped
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 24

in the literature, developing positive relationships with students was a predominant suggestion. It

would seem that before meaningful learning can take place with a large portion of students, a

relational bond needs to be established.

The stated hypothesis of the research was that increased effectiveness in

classroom management leads to greater teacher self-efficacy. After review of several scholarly

articles, it has been shown, based upon the available research, there does appear to be a close

relationship between classroom management and teacher self-efficacy. There are clear links that

show the connection between classroom management ability and teacher attrition rates,

perceived job satisfaction, and burnout. Taking this information into consideration supports

placing emphasis on the importance of providing basic, fundamental classroom management

training for beginning teachers, as well as providing continual support and review for those who

continued to struggle as they progress through their careers.

In the future, there could prove to be additional benefits from research into methods of

motivating teachers. The current research has shown the connection between classroom

management and teacher self-efficacy, however, understanding the problem and motivating

teachers to embrace the change new training would recommend are separate issues. By

completing further research into teacher motivation, the training modules could potentially have

a greater impact. It is important to understand how to promote application of the new knowledge

as opposed to just participating in the training itself.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 25

References

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resources: Teacher burnout, classroom quality and children’s adjustment in high

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CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 28

Appendix A

To easily gather and organize the information gathered from the participants in the focus groups,
suggestions were collected on

Appendix B
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 29

Copy of informed consent letter gathered from respondents

Informed Consent

Title: Creating a Positive Classroom Learning Environment

Principal Investigator: Eric Zachary

Department: Education

Telephone Number: (222) 333-4444

You are invited to participate in a research study investigating methods for creating a
positive classroom learning environment.

The research will involve the completion of an online survey concerning your feelings
about classroom learning environments. Participants will be asked questions regarding
personal experiences in the classroom, sources of motivation, as well as sources of
discouragement. Furthermore, some personal information will be asked in regard to
gender, age, and professional work history.

The anticipated time that will be required of the participants will be limited to the amount
of time to complete the survey. (approximately fifteen minutes).

There may not be any personal benefit from participating in this study, however,
participants will be contributing toward continued research in creating positive
classroom learning environments.

Participants who choose to participate in this study assume no obligation to continue

through its completion. If at any time a participant no longer desires to be a part of the
study, they are free to stop. There will be no negative repercussions, nor will
professional standing be affected by choosing to withdraw from the study.

There are no risks from participating in this study.

Any personal information gathered through the course of this study will remain strictly
confidential. Any research material reported will be an aggregate of all collected
information. No personally identifying information will be reported within the confines of
applicable law.

If you have any questions about this study or if you have any questions regarding your
rights as a research participant, you can call the California State University Monterey
Bay Institutional Review Board. You may also contact Eric Zachary at (222) 333-4444
Agreement to Participate in Research
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 30

I have read, or have had read to me, the above study and have had an opportunity to
ask questions, which have been answered to my satisfaction. I agree voluntarily to
participate in the study as described.

______________ ___________________________________
Date Participant’s Name

______________ ___________________________________
Date Signature of Researcher

______________ ___________________________________
Date Signature of Witness
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 31

Appendix C
Classroom Management Survey
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 32
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 33
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CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 36

Appendix D
Formative Evaluation Questions
The questions for this formative evaluation were taken from examples presented in Piskurich
(2015)
On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree, rate the following
statements.
Usability:
The course was easy to log in to 1 2 3 4 5
The course controls were easy to use 1 2 3 4 5
The amount of time it took to complete 1 2 3 4 5
the course was acceptable
Engagement:
The content was well presented 1 2 3 4 5
The activities reinforced the content 1 2 3 4 5
The e-learning was engaging and 1 2 3 4 5
interesting
Content
The e-learning met the stated objectives 1 2 3 4 5
The content was logically organized 1 2 3 4 5
The examples helped in understanding 1 2 3 4 5
the content
Overall the e-learning was an effective 1 2 3 4 5
learning experience

Additional comments of suggestions for future trainings?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 37

Appendix E
Summative Assessment
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 38
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 39
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