Abstract:

Many recently certified teachers march off to the first day of school armed with portfolios brimming with beautiful lesson plans and cross-curriculum core activities, yet many report that their best crafted lessons can be easily disrupted by a lack of discipline in their classrooms. Anxious to please and to serve, many young teachers have little to no experience in the confrontational environments they may greet in their new classrooms.

What practical, research-based strategies can teacher education programs offer to complement the focus on school curricula? This presentation will offer practical suggestions for crafting a discipline system that represents possibilities for teachers and students to learn and grow together. A climate of mutual respect for each other's learning represents the best starting place. It is up to the teaching professional to design the classroom ecology she or he wishes to nourish.

Keywords:

Research, based, classroom management.