Organization and Management of the Classroom

Unit 3: Organization and Management of the Classroom

The classroom learning environment can either support or detract from the efforts of the teacher, the paraeducator and students. When teachers and paraeducators consciously develop a plan for setting up the classroom and consistently apply this plan, classrooms become more effective. This unit discusses a number of factors which may be included in this plan.

When making decisions regarding the classroom environment it is helpful to keep in mind what it is that you would like to promote. Goals of a quality learning environment include:

maximizing the amount of learning
minimizing the frequency of behavior problems
creating a positive and safe environment

As you look at the elements of classroom organization, you should keep these goals in mind. When making decisions about such things as scheduling, arrangements, classroom procedures, and classroom rules, reviewing these goals may help you evaluate your options. You may also find that you do not always want to promote the same behaviors. At times it may be important to promote positive student interactions (such as during cooperative learning activities). At other times, such as when the teacher is talking to all the students in the class, you may be interested in limiting student interactions and promoting only teacher-student interactions.

As teachers and paraeducators try to meet the needs for individualized and flexible instruction, the management of classroom time and resources becomes more important. Each lesson in the unit is designed to help you think about critical factors in the classroom environment and ways that the paraeducator contributes to a positive and effective classroom environment. You might want to start the unit by taking the pretest.