A descriptive analysis of classroom management approach preferences

Consequently, the purpose of the study was two-fold: (1) to design and develop an instrument which would serve as a reliable and valid operational measure of teacher classroom management approach preferences; and (2) to use that instrument to identify and describe the classroom management approach preferences of teachers who differed with regard to a variety of presage factors. The study posited a series of null hypotheses which allowed statistical tests to determine the extent to which the classroom management approach preferences of teachers possessing a particular presage factor differed significantly from those teachers possessing a different presage factor. Given the hypothesis the study was designed to test, the following presage factors were treated as independent variables: (1) sex of the teacher; (2) age of the teacher; (3) teaching experience of the teacher; (4) educational level of the teacher; (5) type of school in which the teacher teaches; and (6) location of school in which the teacher teaches. The dependent variables were teacher perceptions regarding seven classroom management approaches as measured by the Teacher Opinion Questionnaire: (1) the authoritarian approach; (2) the behavior modification approach; (3) the group process approach; (4) the instructional approach; (5) the permissive approach; (6) the socio-emotional climate approach; and (7) the bag-of-tricks approach. The sample consisted of 1035 teachers from nine school districts in the Houston metropolitan area. As an operational measure of teacher classroom management approach preferences, an instrument called the Teacher Opinion Questionnaire was devised and administered to each student. The Teacher Opinion Questionnaire is a self-reporting questionnaire which was used to collect data concerning both the independent and dependent variables. With regard to the independent variables, the questionnaire was designed to give each teacher in the study an opportunity to provide demographic data about himself or herself; with regard to the dependent variables, the questionnaire was designed to provide each subject with an opportunity to express his or her opinion regarding each of one-hundred statements. Each statement was representative of a particular classroom management approach. Using a series of nine-point scales, the subject indicated the extent to which he or she agreed or disagreed with each statement. The scoring procedures yielded a subscale score for each dependent variable. Reliability was established through use of the split-half procedure and the Spearman-Brown prophecy formula; estimates of reliability for the seven subscales ranged from .71 to .85. Each hypotheses was tested using one-way analysis of variance procedures following an Fmax test for homogeneity of variance. In each case where a statistically significant F ratio was found and a multiple comparison was called for, Scheffe's test was applied. In all cases, the five percent level of significance was used as the criterion level for rejection of the null. The results of the study suggested the following conclusions: (1) female teachers are more positive toward the behavior modification, socio-emotional climate, and group process approaches than are male teachers; (2) male teachers are more positive toward the authoritarian and bag-of-tricks approach than are female teachers; (3) teachers of different ages and years of teaching experiences do not differ with regard to their approach preferences; (4) teachers with master's degrees are more positive toward the instructional approach than are teachers with bachelor's degrees; (5) primary elementary teachers are more positive toward the behavior modification, socio-emotional climate, and permissive approaches than are middle school/junior high school and senior high school teachers; (6) intermediate teachers are more positive toward the socio-emotional climate approach than are middle school/junior high school teachers; (7) rural teachers are less positive toward the socio-emotional climate approach than were either urban or suburban teachers; and (8) suburban teachers are less positive toward the bag-of-tricks approach than are either inner city or urban teachers.Education, College o