The authoritative teacher places limits and controls on the students but simultaneously encourages independence. This teacher often explains the reasons behind the rules and decisions. If a student is disruptive, the teacher offers a polite, but firm, reprimand. This teacher sometimes metes out discipline, but only after careful consideration of the circumstances.

The authoritative teacher is also open to considerable verbal interaction, including critical debates. The students know that they can interrupt the teacher if they have a relevant question or comment. This environment offers the students the opportunity to learn and practice communication skills.

Ms. Smith exemplifies the authoritative teaching style. She exhibits a warm and nurturing attitude toward the students and expresses genuine interest and affection. Her classroom abounds with praise and encouragement. She often writes comments on homework and offers positive remarks to students. This authoritative teacher encourages self-reliant and socially competent behavior and fosters higher achievement motivation. Often, she will guide the students through a project, rather than lead them.

A student reacts to this style:

I like this teacher. She is fair and understands that students can't be perfect. She is the kind of teacher you can talk to without being put down or feeling embarrassed.

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This document was last updated 6/1/97 by Chandra Hawley.
Copyright1996 Indiana University - Center for Adolescent Studies, all rights reserved.
Kris Bosworth - Director
seem to want to give his students a fair chance. He seems unfair, although that's just his way of getting his point across. Return to What is your classroom management profile?

This document was last updated 6/1/97 by Chandra Hawley.
Copyright1996 Indiana University - Center for Adolescent Studies, all rights reserved.
Kris Bosworth - Director
situations come up.

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A key to hooking the students is to relate the content to their lives. Personal connections to the subject matter need to be found, instead of teaching content without the kids in mind-we are building kids, not refrigerators! For example, when looking where things went wrong in U.S. History, the connections with today can be made; we are still vulnerable to these mistakes.

At Tri-North, we teach an 8th-grade humanities approach to English, including social studies, math, and other areas. We pool our teaching resources and help students to reflect on some basic questions they need to understand, such as"What does our country stand for?" We have students examine symbols which represent America (i.e. the Statue of Liberty and the bald eagle) and then create their own symbol which they feel is representative of America.

There must be a sense of reality in what they are studying, where we say "This is important" because there are implications for their future employment. They have to learn these kinds of things in order to succeed as life-long learners.

The students need to have something they enjoy too. I try to get the kids to read each evening and have some positive experiences reading what they want. We are journaling as well. This affords students the opportunity to interact with a book, to question, respond, disagree, or celebrate.

Assessment

I utilize portfolio assessment, which allows me greater flexibility in structuring my classes. For example, my students create portfolios and assess them at the end of each semester so they see their own growth.

Classroom Management

Extend yourself and they will know it. If you just shout to stay in control, it doesn't help. Teachers have to be respectful toward students, and leave sarcasm out. Also, I tell my students how hard I work and I try to get papers back within a week. I have high expectations for all my students. Bad papers are not acceptable, so I allow them to make revisions until they are done right. It takes a lot of effort to be an effective teacher, yet being able to make a positive impact on students' lives makes it all worthwhile.

Ms. DeLuce can be reached at Tri-North Middle School, 1000 W. 15th St., Bloomington, IN 47404

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Using Democracy in the Classroom

In our classroom, there are three principles which guide us in our work together: maintaining dignity, honoring diversity, and democracy. To operationalize these ideas, we build our curriculum around questions kids have about themselves and their world. This approach empowers them to find answers to their own questions and presents a very different classroom atmosphere where students direct their own learning.

At the start of the year, we ask the students, "We will be working together for a year. How can we get to know each other?" Students decide on the activities and we do them. For example, one class wanted to do a survey of each other's interests, which led to an exploration of how to make a survey. So their ideas are translated into classroom learning. Then students begin to think of the questions they have about themselves and the world, and the class identifies the common ones. A committee of students goes through the lists and tries to find themes which connect the questions. Eventually, the students vote on them and pick the first theme (i.e. the environment or conflict).

Another committee is formed to find the original questions which fit under this theme "environment". Later the class works together to brainstorm for activities to answer their questions. The students then go through a process of deciding on activities, re-identifying questions they have (or changing them), and actually planning out the activities. Students find this very engaging. After an activity, we go back to the initial questions and ask, "How are we doing?"

The entire school day is not devoted to this at first, as it would be too much, so we do work on other things. The point is students are involved in a process where classroom learning is student-directed and democratic. We also allow for re-evaluating of the questions, themes, and activities.

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