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Miss Tipton comes to your room and says, “Eureka! I’ve figured out how to manage my classroom…I have the perfect incentive to get kids to follow the rules. You know that kids these days, even elementary kids, have cell phones…well, I decided to use that in my own favor. Even though our principal has said kids’ phones have to be in their cubbies during the school day, I figured out that if I tell the children that they can use their phones once their work is completed and checked, they will work really hard to get the privilege! So now our rule is, ‘Text or play games on your phone only when your work has been completed and checked by your teacher.’ It’s brilliant, I tell you!” As an effective classroom manager yourself, you think

Your next-door teacher, Mr. Dodd, comes in and says, “I can’t believe it! It’s the third day of school and every single student in my class has been perfectly behaved! I’m so happy! You know, my professors in college told me that management is an area that causes many beginning teachers concern, but I’m pretty sure they exaggerated its importance.” In response you

Color-coding is an effective strategy to use when managing student work.

Having students restate directions to the class or small group is an effective way to check for understanding.

When giving students a complex assignment, a teacher should avoid identifying the steps to be taken in completing it because the students will learn more by figuring it out themselves.

Problem solving conferences are usually reserved for chronic situations that have not yielded to simpler remedies.

What is the name of the author of your textbook?

Mr. Blackmore says, “I’ve heard the term ‘active eyes’ before with regard to monitoring student behavior, but I’m not sure exactly what it means. What does it mean to you?”

Making the classroom an inviting space should be the first consideration when arranging the classroom.

Classrooms should be utilitarian and functional in nature; teachers should avoid creating a classroom with a less formal, more personal “feel.”