What Is Your Classroom Management Style?
Written by: Asst. Lect. Huda Abd ALkareem
Classroom management styles vary depending on the individual, understanding classroom management styles can help you effectively provide a positive learning environment for your students. Classroom management styles refer to the methods and best practices that teachers use to maximize student learning and engagement. Classroom management styles can be divided into four categories:
Authoritative
An authoritative classroom management style includes high control and high involvement. This means that teachers with an authoritative style value discipline and order while also valuing student connections and learning more about their lives, hobbies or interests. Authoritative teachers also maintain frequent communication with parents if they notice changes in a student’s learning or behaviors. Authoritative teachers also practice high involvement by letting students have some autonomy over their own learning. While they may deliver lessons, they may also encourage students to collaborate with their peers via group projects. Under this leadership style, a teacher also lets students suggest changes they believe would benefit the classroom environment. Still, authoritative teachers establish clear boundaries and provide students with the necessary guidance.
Authoritarian
An authoritarian classroom management style involves high control and low involvement. Teachers with an authoritarian style typically concentrate more on keeping their students focused on schoolwork and following instructions. Authoritarian teachers usually deliver lessons to teach content rather than allowing students to participate in inquiry-based or project-based learning. They also do not tend to speak with students about their personal lives or form bonds with them that go beyond praise and discipline. For example, a teacher with an authoritarian classroom management style assigns seats and makes classroom rules visible for students to read or reference. They also discipline students for not following established procedures.
Indulgent
An indulgent classroom management style involves low control with high involvement. Teachers with an indulgent style value their students and engage in conversations with them about their interests and home life. They also do not rely heavily on discipline or rule enforcement because they believe it negatively affects students’ development. They rely on their students’ abilities to work independently and incorporate their students’ preferences when deciding on what type of lessons or assignments they complete on a given day.
Permissive
