Theory into Practice in Classroom Management

• In Event: Poster Session 6
  In Poster Session: Classroom Management Posters

Abstract

Educational theory is a critical knowledge base, which could help pre-service teachers learn to manage classrooms in ways that cultivate caring community. As teacher educators, we developed an assignment focused on starting with educational theory to design classroom management to prepare teachers to apply this knowledge. The pre-service teachers transformed structures they experienced in their practicum and designed new processes with ends-in-view of caring community. Without the requirement to explain their purposes and draw on theory the preservice teachers said they would have repeated what they observed in their practicum. The findings suggest the promise of theory to prepare teachers who can manage classrooms in ways that better meet the needs of culturally diverse students.

Authors

• Colette Rabin, San José State University

• Grinell Smith, San José State University