1. What do you think about the statement, “Certain teacher behaviors can be beneficial while others can be detrimental?”   Discuss your experiences and perceptions of this.

2. What are the paradoxes of classroom management?

3. What building blocks do you envision as being part of your classroom management philosophy?

4. What do you see as dimensions of psychological support for teachers?

5. Why is it important for students to feel that they have ownership in creating a few, simple classroom rules with the teacher at the beginning of the school year?

6. What do you think the statement, “Voice plus choice equals loyalty” means in the classroom? How are democratic classrooms set up to make this a reality?

7. Why is it so important for teachers to contact parents to report the good things happening in the classroom in regards to behavior, academic and progress or effort shown as well as the times when they need parental support on a discipline matter?

8. What is the value of conducting a classroom meeting with your students in regards to problem solving or seeking resolution to a classroom issue?

9. When you walk into a classroom for the first time, how can you tell if it is well-managed or not? What are the key indicators that you look for?

10. How does room arrangement play a significant role in managing student behavior? Are there benefits to not seating the ADHD students near the class pencil sharpener?

11. In what ways can teachers plan ahead to prevent behavioral problems? How are procedures a part of this plan?

12. What strategies do you use now to manage all the paperwork in your life as a teacher candidate? How do you plan to manage it when you are in the classroom? Any streamlining tips?

13. Why is it important to keep correction of student misbehavior private and one-on-one rather than making a scence in front of the whole class?

14. Adults may think that children crave freedom, but what they really crave is a schedule. How can teachers use advanced organizers to help students plan their day and be prepared for what is expected throughout the day?

15. In what ways do teachers communicate care and concern to their students? What does this look like in the classroom? Do you think this is aligned with the old saying, “They don’t care what you know until they know how much you care?”

16. There is a great lesson to be learned for first year teachers, and it is to NOT take you school bag full of things to work on home every night or every weekend. If you are that teacher who stays until late in the evening and drags home paperwork every night, how is  your burn-out rate affected by this?