An Interesting View on Classroom Management

The following was a question within the class: How do classroom management and discipline relate to or influence each other? Explain.

I consider the primary difference to be proactive versus reactive. Proactive measures reduce the need for reactive measures (although it's a good question if the former can ever completely relieve the need for the latter). Thus, if the procedures are clear to the students, and if the teacher is constantly engaging the students, then the need to correct problems will decrease. Small corrections can be easily applied, and they will look like proactive engagement instead of reactive corrections. Proactively managing the class means the teacher does not need to overpower the class with super-strict discipline. He/she only needs to guide the class with purposeful engagement.


My mentor teacher likened the process to riding and raising horses. Horses are stronger than humans, as well as lazy and headstrong in natural personality. Given a preference, a horse would rather eat grass 24/7, whether the rider wants to go somewhere or not; Even a well-trained horse in the hands of an untrained rider will not obey, but instead, will stop to eat grass at every opportunity. Even within the herd, there must be a leader, but that leader is often challenged to ensure the most capable horse leads the herd. If the leader is not up to the task, another leader will emerge. So, we have a really close metaphorical parallel to life in a classroom.

Without a good proactive management plan, the class will simply do what they want, metaphorically stopping to munch the grass at every opportunity. Rather than productively trotting down the trail, the teacher must resort to constantly reminding each horse to get going, but in this case, it becomes an exercise in herding cats. Furthermore, the herd of students will test the leader and push boundaries until they find out where those boundaries are, and failing to find boundaries simply means a student will emerge as the class leader to supplant the teacher. It takes a strong will, good management practices, and a lack of tolerance for testing to manage the metaphorical herd. Teachers do not need to saw at the reins of a horse; nor can they beat the herd into submission. Instead, they actively engage all students proactively to control the herd.

Thus, we have a balance between managing proactively and reactively. The better the teacher is at proactive management dictates how much reactive management the teacher must use to maintain control, but there must never be a question about who is in control.