Article of Interest - In The Classroom Printer-friendly Version

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Teaching Style and Classroom
Management
Dr. Thomas W. Phelan, ParentMagic
Newsletter, Special Teachers' Edition,
July 2005
For more articles like this visit http://www.parentmagic.com/§.

The process of maintaining a calm and productive classroom environment starts with the teacher. The
action and attitudes of a teacher toward a student who is misbehaving can make the situation better or
worse. Have you ever noticed that on a day that you are not feeling well, the students are more poorly
behaved? Students look to the teacher for consistency and safety in the classroom. Some kids will
become anxious and withdraw if it appears that a teacher cannot handle behavior problems. Other
students, however, will retaliate if they feel a teacher is overreacting to a situation in a hostile and
unnecessary way.

Effective Teachers are Both Warm and Demanding

Teachers manifest different personalities and teaching styles in the classroom and it is helpful to
categorize these approaches in terms of some basic dimensions. It has been said that good teachers
are both warm and demanding. Being warm means caring and emotional support for students. Being
demanding—in the good sense—means expecting something from your kids, both in terms of academic
work and behavior. Depending on whether the warm and demanding switches are in the “OFF” or “ON”
positions, we can describe four fundamental teaching styles.

Authoritarian: Demanding ON, Warm OFF

Teachers in this category are quick to “jump” on every behavior that is not acceptable in the
classroom. Support and positive reinforcement, however, are rare. The authoritarian teacher may use a
loud voice to get the attention of her students. She may act shocked and angry when students don’t
follow her directives. The “benefit” of this style is that the teacher frequently gets the immediate
compliance from her students. The cost of the authoritarian style includes student anxiety and minimal
long-term positive effects. No student enjoys a teacher’s yelling. Although kids may comply out of fear,
this teaching technique rarely produces behavioral changes that last over time.

Permissive: Demanding OFF, Warm ON

Teachers in this category are often “too nice.” They want students to like them and they want to be
helpful, so they are warm and supportive but not very good at setting limits. Permissive teachers may
focus on effort while de-emphasizing the quality of students’ productions. Disruptive behavior may be
ignored or handled with weak, soft-spoken “reprimands” or pleading. While warmth and support are
good qualities, students still appreciate discipline even if they don’t show it. The cost of the permissive
style is a classroom that is out of control. Constructive learning does not flow well. While students may
describe a permissive teacher as “nice and easy”, when push comes to shove they do not feel that they
can trust her to take care of problem situations.

Detached: Demanding OFF, Warm OFF

The detached teacher tends to be neither warm nor demanding. She may sit at her desk when
students are working or grade papers when “supervising” the playground. Students who need extra
emotional support do not get it from her, and students who need firm behavioral limits do not get that
either. The detached teacher may miss important “warning signs” from students who are having
trouble, academically or behaviorally. Other students may withdraw and feel unimportant. And still other
kids may increase acting-out behavior.

Authoritative: Demanding ON, Warm ON

The authoritative teacher is the ideal, though this approach is easier said than done! This teacher has a
positive, kind and supportive relationship with her students, but they know when she “means business.”
Because she has an effective discipline plan and her classroom is orderly, the students trust her and
respect her. There is more time for academics. This teacher feels empowered and energized because
she sees positive growth and development in her students. Her students feel safe as well as capable.

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