A University of Missouri study shows that providing students a more positive boost not just lessens the unruly classroom behavior of students but can also enhance their social and academic outcomes.
When teachers face troublesome or disobedient students in class, their response is usually by focusing on that adverse behavior.
In a Phys.org report, University of Missouri College of Education professor Keith Herman said, as educators, more often than not, they focus on communicating what they do not want their students to do in class.
The researchers have found that it is not an effective strategy for the students to improve their classroom behavior.
There is a need to set clear expectations instead of what behaviors teachers do not want to be seen, especially inside the classroom, explained Herman.
Implementing CHAMPS
To help educators offer a nurturing and structured classroom setting for students, Herman implemented a classroom behavior management training intervention called CHAMPS into a school district middle school classroom of the St. Louis County over a five-year period.
As a result, the intervention led to a reduced disruptive classroom behavior as well as student concentration problems.
Such an intervention enhanced both the completed work in class and the standardized scores in tests. It also increased the time spent by students to stay on task with classroom activities and assignments.
Explaining their study, Herman said, this intervention is "is based off principles and practices research has shown to be helpful" when it comes to developing successful management inside the classroom like communicating to students, teachers' clear expectations, offering more positive encouragement. This could be seen in the Houston Independent School District's YouTube video below.
Coaching and Mentoring Teachers
One of the coaches who helped in the implementation of CHAMPS was Hazelwood School District's former assistant superintendent for student services Julia Burke.
She led classroom observations to help in coaching and mentoring the teachers getting the training. Burke noticed that the intervention helped improve student engagement and enhanced the confidence of teachers in their ability to handle negative behaviors.
The educator said that strong teachers could help students prepare for their future if they are equipped with the knowledge and skills and tactics to provide them with the best instruction possible in a respectful, involved classroom environment.
As a former instructor of special education, Burke underscored the necessity of connecting with students of all types, no matter what their educational background is.
Improvement in Mental Health of Students
There is a wide range of student demographics, Burke said, and teachers cannot just meet all these students' needs. She added, there is also a need to connect with students who may not have had the chance to grow up or who might not be handling other struggles and challenges outside the classroom.
Lastly, CHAMPS ties into the overall research objective of Herman, which is to enhance the mental health of students who may be suffering with numerous issues including anxiety, depression and stress.
Elaborating her research objective, the educator said she wants to help children develop a positive vision of themselves and see their own worth as the society's contributing members.
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