ABC Project Part II

Name: Sarah Emmott

Date: April 27, 2015
How does this project contribute to your understanding of how behavioral analysis
and collaboration can work together?

On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received

unauthorized aid on this academic work.
Signature____________________________________

Classroom Management:
Taking control of a classroom can be very difficult for teachers. Fortunately, there are
many strategies that cut down on disruptions and improve a childs chances for learning. The first
management style is classroom management, which focuses on a childs surroundings to help
ensure their success. The first change to the environment that is likely to foster growth is
preferential seating. By deciding where the students are placed, many unnecessary interruptions
are halted before they have a chance to develop. The easiest application for preferential seating is
placing students in certain areas based on need. If a student is having difficulty seeing the board
clearly, they may seem disinterested or frustrated during a lecture. Placing them closer to the front
can not only engage the student, but also alleviate their stress in that subject. Vision is not the
only sense that is affected. Certain areas of the classroom can get noisy due to the acoustics of the
room or the students in the area. If a student has trouble hearing clearly, placing them away from
these noisy spots can better their chances of comprehending the material. Another way
preferential seating can help quiet the class is by placing students that enjoy conversing with one
another on separate ends of the class. Not only will those two students be forced to pay attention,
but also the rest of the class will not be distracted by their outbursts.
Another problem that ails many classrooms is transitioning from one activity to another.
When the students have been forced to stay with a certain task for an extended period of time,
they will leap at the chance to let loose. Usually these chances are presented when said task is
over and instructions are being handed out for the next item of the day. One of the easiest ways to
prevent these time wasting disturbances is by precorrection, another classroom management
technique. Precorrection is the act of stating the desired behavior for an activity before the
students begin. This gives the children a reminder as to what is expected of them, and also what
possible consequences lie ahead for those that do not follow these guidelines. During
precorrection it is vital to by specific and engaging with the class. It does no good to set
expectations if no one is listening to them. Making eye contact will help the students take the

instruction to heart. Some transitions will be easier than others, and usually the rockier transitions
are foreseeable. Students tend to get antsy right before lunch or recess, but can be very
disengaged afterwards. Setting clear expectations when approaching lunch or recess can remind
the students that their time for fun has not begun yet. After said activities, it is always good to
remind students that their attention is required at all times. Laying these rules down beforehand is
where the name is derived from: you are attempting to correct a problem prior to its occurrence.
By stating these behavioral guidelines, the students have no excuse for misbehaving.

Instructional Management:
At times, students can seem like they are learning when their retention is actually
nonexistent. It is possible to teach a group of 20 students the same material, but have each one of
them on different levels of understanding. While passive learning is a very vital part of the
education process, active learning is what leads to a better understanding of a concept. There are
special ways to increase active learning, such as using instructional management. Instructional
management focuses on setting students up for success. If students are put in an environment that
inspires learning and growth, they will be much more likely to have academic success. The first
way to help increase active learning through instructional management is increasing the amount
of group work in a class. More often than not, students will want to discuss things with their
classmates. Less often than not, their discussions will have nothing to do with school. By giving
the students a chance to work together, they have not only satisfied their desire for interaction, but
they will also be more likely to retain important information. There is a saying, Out of the
mouths of babes, oft times fall gems. This means that children can give unique interpretations to
problems, as their minds see things much differently than an adults. By putting them in a
situation that inspires freethinking, the students can help each other in ways that a teacher may
not have thought of. Of course, any time children are given the ability to speak freely they will

trail off on other subjects of thought, but keeping them in line can lead to greater and more
innovative ways to cover the material.
The second instructional management technique that benefits active learning is lowering
the skill level of the material that is being taught. If a student is having trouble in math, but all
their other grades are normal, the student may not have the necessary skills to do well in the math
that they are learning. Unfortunately, the lessons must go on. This can cause the student to get so
far behind in their skills that they virtually give up on ever fully comprehending the subject. By
taking the time to understand where the root of the problem is, a teacher can give the student the
tools they are lacking for success. This will increase their active learning by setting the stage for
new learning. Once they are comfortable with the old material, they will be able to understand the
new material that is given to them.

Implementation:
Implementing the aforementioned management styles into a classroom can be
challenging, but the outcomes will be well worth the planning. Two of the techniques mentioned
were preferential seating and working in groups. Although these two techniques are parts of
different management styles, they can be used together to maximize their potential. Rather than
using individual desks, I would use long tables that seat 3-4 students or desk pods consisting of
4 individual desks (in rows of 2x2, with students facing each other). This would allow me to put
any visually impaired students in a group close to the front, as well as separating any children that
talked too much during class. Another benefit to this style of seating would be the ability to place
students that needed their skill levels lowered together. I would place students that struggled in a
certain subject together, possibly with a student that excelled in the subject. This would allow me
to consolidate where I was lowering the skill level, as well as give the struggling students other
options when asking for help. Since the students in need would be asking each other, or the
student that excelled, this would emphasize active learning. With the students in group styles of

desks, the transition from teaching to group work wouldnt involve any movement, which would
keep the disruptions to a minimum. I would precorrect students upon entering a group discussion,
reminding them what was expected of them. With the students arranged by their foreseeable
needs I would be able to put most fires out before they got started. Personally, I would use
clusters of individual desks. The only materials that would be