CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to thank the participants in this study. Without you, I would have nothing to write about. Thank you for taking the time to participate, even though spending 90 minutes after school learning can be torture, and for writing up the valuable data I was able to utilize in this paper. You are the best of colleagues, and good friends to boot. I am very lucky to have worked with all of you. I would also like to thank all the professors I have worked \vith throughout my years at Weber completing this program. Your influence has shaped me as an educator and has significantly impacted my future. I would especially like to thank my graduate committee members for all the time they have spent making this project into what it is now. I would like to specifically thank my committee chairperson, Dr. Peggy Saunders, for the countless hours she spent reading, rereading, and editing all the drafts of this project. Thank you for your time, your support, and your timely nudging reminders to keep me on track. Thank you for doing a lot of the heavy lifting to make this a piece of genuinely publishable work. I would like to thank my family and friends. The support from all of you through these years of work, the kind words of encouragements, celebrating with me when I met my goals, gave me the boost I so often needed to finish. A special thanks to Chester and Kimber, for the countless hours they have sat up with me while I typed late into the night. And to Keanu, for walking across my keyboard dozens of times, making sure I was staying focused. 2 Above all, I'd like to thank my parents. It is because of what you have done for me I have been able to survive the last four years at all, let alone finish this degree process. Considering all that I have accomplished here, I could not have done any of it without your selfless support. I love you, and I thank you. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS NATURE OF THE PROBLEM ........................................................................................... 7 Literature Review ..................................................................................................... 8 Identifying Motivation behind Exhibited Behavior ..................................... 9 Classroom Management Strategies .............................................................. 11 Clarifying expectations and rules ..................................................... 11 Ownership of behavior and consequences ....................................... 13 Improving teacher-student relationships .......................................... 17 Professional Development Strategies .......................................................... 19 Induction programs .......................................................................... 19 Strategies for engaging teachers in professional development ........ 20 Follow-up coaching as a necessary element .................................... 22 Summary .................................................................................................................. 23 PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................ 24 METHOD ............................................................................................................................ 25 Participants ............................................................................................................... 25 Researcher as Participant ............................................................................. 26 Instruments ............................................................................................................... 27 Procedures ................................................................................................................ 27 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................................... 29 Strengths of an Ongoing Professional Development Support Group ...................... 29 Safe Environment ......................................................................................... 30 Teacher-Specific Needs ............................................................................... 30 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 4 Collaboration ................................................................................................ 31 Ongoing Support and Training .................................................................... 32 Weaknesses of an Ongoing Professional Development Support Group .................. 32 Impact of Ongoing Professional Development on Classroom Management ........... 34 Improved Metacognition and Student Responsibility ................................... 35 Improved Teacher-Student Relationships ..................................................... 38 Providing Choice and Engagement.. ............................................................. 45 Questionnaire Likert-Scaled Data ............................................................................ 4 7 Summary .................................................................................................................. 48 Limitations ................................................................................................... 48 Recommendations for Further Research ...................................................... 49 Conclusions .................................................................................................. 49 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 51 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................... 55 Appendix A: Teacher Support Group Structure ...................................................... 55 Appendix B: Classroom Management Training and Support Group Questionnaire 57 Appendix C: CBM Support Group Lesson Materials .............................................. 59 Appendix D: Institutional Review Board Approval Letter ...................................... 66 Appendix E: Charter School Administration Approval Letter ................................ 67 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING List of Tables Table 1. CBM Training and Support Group Questionnaire Likert-Scale Data ................. 48 5 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING ABSTRACT 6 Teachers too often take over their own classrooms for the first time with little to no support and expected to succeed in the various, difficult responsibilities that the job requires. The purpose of this study was to see if an ongoing, teacher-led, collaborative style of professional development would help teachers increase their self-efficacy in the classroom, specifically regarding classroom behavior management. The study utilized a participatory action research strategy where participants learned new strategies in a support group setting, implemented them, and then reported on successes or failures to the group. Participants in this study were eight teachers at an urban charter school in northern Utah. Data were collected from response journals written by the participants and questionnaires filled out at the end of the study. Results showed that the teachers largely benefit from this method of professional development training. Teachers saw improvements in self-awareness, relationships with their students, engagement in the classroom, and student responsibility. Due to the success of this study, this strategy should be implemented, or adapted for implementation, in other educational environments where teachers need additional support. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 7 NATURE OF THE PROBLEM Classroom management is an essential part of education. Without effective management, teachers cannot present lessons and engage with students in meaningful ways. Undesirable classroom behaviors from adolescent students, such as inattention, disruptive behaviors, and internalized destructive behaviors like self-doubt and anxiety, are difficult for teachers to manage (Harrison, Vannest, Davis, & Reynolds, 2012). Increasing levels of undesirable student behavior issues in the classroom are more likely to occur in classrooms run by teachers who feel unprepared to manage them (Hutchings, Martin-Forbes, Daley, & Williams, 2013). This inability to manage the classroom limits teachers who may otherwise be effective instructors. School-wide training programs can help support individual teachers and improve their classroom management skills. Many teacher-training programs do not adequately prepare new teachers to manage the undesirable behaviors displayed by children and adolescents (Freeman, Simonsen, Briere, & MacSuga-Gage, 2013). After hire, the situation does not improve much for them. Teachers are "often left to their own devices to succeed or fail within the confines of their own classrooms--an experience likened by some to being lost at sea" (Smith & Ingersoll, 2004, p. 682). Ingersoll (2012) found that improving teacher retention depended largely on providing induction programs for new teachers to continue training into the first few years, but that these programs are not widely implemented. So, with pre-service training often lacking behavior management training, and in-service support insufficient or non-existent, teachers are often failing to control problem behaviors in their own classrooms. In order to help teachers to improve teacher self-efficacy, schools need to provide effective professional development support systems. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 8 Teachers are expected to create and implement effective plans and support school-wide discipline without effective, ongoing professional development. Effective classroom management training comes not on! y from attaining knowledge in preservice trainings but also through experience in the classroom (Emmer & Stough, 2001 ). It was suggested that new teachers may need to be competent in management skills before they can develop other areas of instruction (Emmer & Stough, 2001). When tracking teacher attrition, "lack of pedagogical training, school environment, and poor student behavior and motivation are listed consistently among factors that influence teachers' decisions to leave" (Freeman et al., 2013, p. 107). A lack of continued support in behavior management after hire also contributes to more occurrences of disruptive classroom behaviors, leading to more frustration, loss of academic learning time, and possibly higher teacher attrition (Pas, Cash, O'Brennen, Debnam, & Bradshaw, 2015). Beginning teachers who struggled with student behavior often experienced more depressive symptoms than those who had better experiences, and a low efficacy belief in classroom management led to feelings of depersonalization and lack of accomplishment (Emmer & Stough, 2001). Therefore, to combat teacher dissatisfaction and attrition, in-service teachers need ongoing professional development in classroom management strategies. Literature Review Too many teachers go into the classroom unprepared to deal with ever-increasing behavior management concerns. Many teacher-training programs do not have a specific classroom management class (Garret, 2013). "Teachers are reporting increasing levels of behavior problems in the classroom, and children at highest risk of developing conduct problems are more likely to be taught by teachers who are ill prepared to deal with disruptive classroom behavior" (Hutchings et al., 2013, p. 583). Behavior management training should begin with CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING understanding why behaviors occur. After that, the roots of effective management are in clarifying expectations, teaching students ownership of their o\>n behavior and consequences, and working to improve teacher-student relationships. The way to accomplish this training is through effective, continuous in-service professional development. Identifying Causes behind Exhibited Behavior Before discussing motivations and interventions for problem classroom behaviors, it is important to identify what these behaviors are. According to Harrison et al. (2012), the most common problem behaviors for children were internalizing behavior (anxiety manifesting as worry), externalizing behavior (distractibility, hyperactivity, and disruptive behaviors), and academic problems (not following directions, problems with the content areas of spelling, math, reading, and writing) (Harrison et al., 2012). The most common problem behaviors of adolescents were internalizing behavior ( anxiety manifesting as self-doubt, worrying about not reaching perfection, making mistakes, and worrying about what others think), externalizing (distractibility, hyperactivity, and immature behavior), and learning problems (not following directions, making careless errors, and spelling and math deficits). 9 Gender also affected the most common cognitive and behavioral aspects in the classroom (Bugler, McGeown, & St. Clair-Thompson, 2015). This study showed that maladaptive cognitions seemed to affect academic ability with girls and boys, but that they displayed different maladaptive behaviors. While girls had higher academic motivation, they also showed higher anxiety. Boys, however, showed more negative classroom behaviors overall, possibly tied to a lack of motivation. Consistent predictors for negative classroom behavior for boys were lacking focus, self-sabotage, and uncertain control, or feeling they lacked control with problems \>1th focus being the most significant. Girls generally had less overt negative classroom behaviors, but CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING they showed higher levels of uncertain control and anxiety, which is negatively associated with the ability to achieve academically (Bugler et al., 2015). 10 Another major impact on student behavior is peer acceptance (Tierno, 1991). Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to peer influence. The social development of early adolescents impacts their extraordinarily heightened self-consciousness that comes from increased cognitive ability. Tierno (1991) reminded teachers, " ... behaviors which seem to be silly, obnoxious, or even antisocial are often attempts by the adolescents to establish themselves ,vithin the peer group" (p. 572). Dursley and Betts found that peers influence the behavior of adolescents more than peers of younger children (2014). They connected how well students understood disruptive behaviors and the likelihood of increase when behaviors are seen as less serious. They found that secondary students tended to engage in more disruptive behaviors, partly because "as children get older the disruptive classroom behaviours may have become more frequent and more visible to others which may in tum increases the acceptability of these behaviours as normative" (Dursley & Betts, 2014, p. 425). Understanding that peer influence is a key motivator for adolescents will help direct a teacher when responding to undesirable behaviors in the classroom. Children of primary school ages are also susceptible to peer influences over their behavior, but it is less likely to lead them to negative behaviors (Dursley & Betts, 2014). Primary age students, when asked what their peers thought about disruptive behaviors generally saw them as serious and, when perceived that way, were less likely to engage in them. These age groups are more reactive to teacher acceptance and praise and, conversely, more responsive to teacher disappointment. These differences between adolescents and primary school children mean behavior management in secondary education classrooms must be handled differently than in elementary schools (Dursley & Betts, 2014). CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 11 Classroom Management Strategies Classroom management is a broad, proactive approach that teaches practices, procedures, rules, and consequences. The importance of classroom management has been supported through many sources (Marzano & Marzano, 2003). Teachers who effectively use research-based strategies are more successful in classroom management (Pas et al., 2015). "Of all the variables, classroom management had the largest effect on student achievement. This makes intuitive sense-students cannot learn in a chaotic, poorly managed classroom" (Marzano & Marzano, 2003, p. 6). However, classroom management can be a complex concept to train. Teachers need to develop their own management style to fit the needs of their students, the teachers' instructional goals, and the types of activities in the classroom (Emmer & Stough, 2001 ). Effective managers know to utilize the most effective strategies with different types of students, instead of treating all students the same (Marzano, Marzano, & Pickering, 2003). So, while specific tips and tricks can be helpful, teachers would do well to understand the broader concepts behind the strategies. These strategies include (a) setting clear expectations and rules, (b) teaching students ownership of their behaviors and consequences, and ( c) improving teacher-student relationships. Clarifying expectations and rules. Mundschenk, Miner, and Nastally (2011) used the analogy of an air traffic controller to show effective classroom management. The first part they outline is clarification of expectations. "It is crucial for an air traffic controller to set clear limits for what pilots can do and where they can go. The same is true for a teacher in an inclusive classroom; setting limits is an essential strategy for managing behavior" (Mundschenk et al., 2011, p. 99). The research they conducted showed that disruptive and disengaged student behaviors were decreased by that step alone. Along with setting clear limits, establishing CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 12 consequences and rewards and clarifying procedures are also important components of· classroom management (Marzano & Marzano, 2003). Teachers who provided strong guidance by establishing clear rules and procedures, as well as consequences for student behavior, were found to be preferred by students (Marzano & Marzano, 2003 ). Gable, Hester, Rock, and Hughes (2009) explored the effectiveness of rules, praise, ignoring, and reprimanding. In explaining how to create and use classroom rules, they synthesized broad, expert knowledge into basic understanding. They explained that the general consensus about classroom rules is that they should be few, positive, age-appropriate, necessary, reasonable, easy to understand, and enforceable. Teachers also must impose consequences for violation of rules fairly and consistently. They even reference anecdotal evidence that suggested "inconsistent enforcement of classroom rules is a major source of teacher/pupil conflict" (Gable et al., 2009, p. 197). Expectations and behavioral routines can be more specific and modified to fit each teacher and classroom. Teachers should establish behavioral expectations through discussions with students, to help them understand and participate in creating these expectations. Routines and procedures, such as what students do upon entry, restroom use, transitions, etc., need to be established, clearly taught, and reinforced regularly (Gable et al., 2009). Enforcing rules, expectations, and routines can be done through praise, planned ignoring, and reprimands. While praise goes a long way to building positive relationships, it is also an important way to reinforce appropriate behavior. Praise, however, seems to be more effective \\ith younger students than older and too much praise can be viewed somewhat negatively with older students (Gable et al., 2009). Planned ignoring is another way to use behavior conditioning by removing any sort of reinforcement for undesirable behaviors. This strategy is effective if peer influence is not involved. It is also less effective if a student is getting out of established consequences. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 13 Therefore, planned ignoring should be used carefully. Reprimands, like ignoring and praise, need to be used carefully. The most effective reprimands are quiet, private, brief, and accompanied by reminders of appropriate behaviors. Reprimands are also reactive, and the best classroom management focuses on proactive measures (Gable et al., 2009). Ownership of behavior and consequences. Strategies for encouraging student ownership of, or responsibility for, their own behavior were found important (Mundschenk et al., 2011). A study found that helping students develop this responsibility, also kno\\TI as discipline, could improve classroom management, while micromanaging and taking away students' responsibility, hindered it (Marshall, 2005). "When teachers take on the role of disciplining students, they deprive young people of the opportunity to become more responsible" (Marshall, 2005, p. 51 ). When teachers imposed consequences or punishments, rather than teach students responsibility, students took on a victimhood mentality. This mentality created negative feelings towards the imposers and got in the way of positive teacher-student relationships. Three practices that promoted responsible behavior were (a) positivity: using positive language to promote desired behaviors, (b) choice: providing options as often as possible to engender o\\nership and reduce resistance, and ( c) reflection: teachers engaging in self-reflection to recognize situations and language that are coercive versus encouraging, being more aware that people change themselves, control is only temporary. Marshall (2005) explored how teaching and maintaining high expectations for students' ownership of their o\\n behavior and using a responsibility hierarchy system were more effective tools than teachers using direct disciplinary methods. This responsibility hierarchy system was a useful tool in differentiating classroom management instruction to teachers of differing age groups and abilities. Student discipline should be their own responsibility. Teachers who use positivity, choice, and prompt self-reflection support CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 14 students in this ownership. Teachers can use a leveled, hierarchical system, such as the Raise Responsibility System, by teaching it to students and helping them recognize where they want to be and where they are. The system gave four levels of social development in the hierarchy: (D) democracy (highest level), students displayed complete responsibility and self-discipline, (C) cooperation/conformity, students were compliant and motivated externally, (B) bossing/bullying, students broke standards, bullied others, and had to be bossed to behave, and (A) anarchy (lowest level), students were aimless and chaotic (Marshall, 2005, p. 52). Utilizing this system was more effective in promoting responsible behavior than adversarial approaches because it helped students reflect on their own responsibility in clear language that established an expectation of autonomy (Marshall, 2005). Thompson and Webber (2010) studied the effectivene.ss of student awareness and control over their own behavior and setting goals to make improvements. Their study was conducted with students eligible for special education services under the disability category of emotional disturbance, so regular classroom use of this knowledge should be inferred and adapted. Thompson and Webber used the student and teacher agreement realignment strategy (STARS) to aid students who were attending a public day school for children ½ith disabilities ½ith reintegrating into their regular public schools. One main purpose of this strategy was to "increase student understanding of acceptable school behavior" (p. 72). They continued with this information: Teachers and students met weekly to compare and discuss their perceptions of behavioral achievements in a short (five- to JO-minute) conference with the school social worker. Prior to each conference, the school social worker reviewed with each student how to interpret the graphs, how to direct the conference, and how to compare his or her data CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 15 with the teacher's data. Using a solution-focused approach, the student identified one or two behavioral goals for the following week. Data review meetings followed this format: • identifying positive behaviors and target behaviors, as evidenced by the data; • identifying measurable, observable, and desirable behaviors related to the student's data and the school rules; • framing the behavior as a goal in a positive language that was observable and measurable ... ; and • writing the goal down as a contract, with all parties ... signing the contract, and taping it to the student's desk. (p. 7 4) By allowing the students to discuss their perceptions of the school rules with the teachers and school social worker, this strategy ensured clear understanding from all parties about what was expected and what the consequences were when expectations were not met (Thompson & Webber, 2010). Teachers in one study were encouraged to teach students self-management strategies by recording their own behaviors through a variety of ways in order to bring the focus back on the students' responsibility for their own behaviors (Mundschenk et al., 2011). These practices helped reduce distractions and problem behaviors as well as improved accuracy in academic work. The strategy in Thompson and Webber's (2010) study was to empower students in the behavioral change process. This strategy relied heavily on student awareness and ownership of their behaviors. Using this strategy, putting behavior management back in the students' control, the ten students who participated in this study were all successfully integrated back into their regular public schools (Thompson & Webber, 2010). CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 16 When teachers react to student misbehavior with micromanaging techniques, combining punishments with aggressive and hostile behavior, decreasing rewards and recognition of good behavior, students see these teachers as less effective, not more (Roache & Lewis, 2011). However, as teachers give students more strategies to recognize appropriate behavior and take ownership of behaviors and consequences, undesired behaviors decrease. It is important for teachers to recognize the part they play in increasing students' abilities to take responsibility. This change can make room for better relationships between teachers and students as aggression and negativity are removed (Roache & Lewis, 2011 ). When giving consequences to students, it is a prime opportunity to teach them how to take ownership of their mistakes. Lev.is, Romi, and Roache (2012) studied a specific consequence - students being excluded from the classroom - and what methods best cultivated a sense of responsibility in these students. They found that students were more responsive and accepting of this consequence when teachers provided an explanation for the consequence, gave warnings before, and conducted a follow-up conversation with the excluded student, highlighting the effect their behavior had on other students. It was also noted that perceived tone made a significant difference. If teachers used a calm voice, students were more likely to hear and accept responsibility. If the tone was aggressive, students often perceived hatred and rejection, negatively impacting not only their ownership of behavior but also their relationship with the teacher (Lev.is et al., 2012). Although this study was conducted using a specific consequence of sending students out of the room, the same principles can be applied to all consequences given in order to foster responsibility and ownership of actions as well as im p rove relationships between students and teachers. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 17 Improving teacher-student relationships. Classroom management strategies rely on healthy, supportive relationships between teachers and students. In a meta-analysis of more than 100 studies, Marzano and Marzano (2003) found that "the quality of teacher-student relationships is the keystone for all other aspects of classroom management" (p. 6). One way to maintain these relationships is with calm, clear, positive requests particularly when matched with praise and positive feedback. Continuing the analogy from the previous section, "air traffic controllers use a calm, controlled voice even under stressful conditions. They provide sufficient information, describe the specific action the pilot needs to take, and do not judge or moralize" (Mundschenk et al., 2011, p. 100). This idea applies to teachers in the way they give directives. Because adolescent students do tend to be more motivated by peers than by teacher expectations, an atmosphere of mutual respect between teachers and students is imperative (Tierno, 1991 ). Teachers must create an atmosphere of mutual respect, treating students as individuals. "Teachers carmot expect students to respect them unless they themselves demonstrate respect" (Tierno, 1991, p. 574). Especially when dealing with older students who are nearing adulthood and often desire to be treated as such, respect must be shown in order to be reciprocated. When mutual respect has been cultivated, teachers of adolescents will find their classrooms easier to manage because relationships will improve. When students do not have the foundation of a good relationship, they commonly resist rules, procedures, and consequences (Marzano et al., 2003). In a study of 64 high school students, 84 percent said better teacher-student relationships could have prevented disciplinary problems. Many behavioral problems could be traced back to poor teacher-student relationships (Marzano et al., 2003). One strategy for improving teacher-student relationships is a program called Teacher Expectations and Student Achievement (TESA). This program sought to ensure CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 18 that teachers behaved equitably towards all students, creating an atmosphere where all students felt accepted. The three strands of these teacher behaviors were response opportunities, feedback, and personal regard. Response opportunities addressed giving all students positive types of responses and allowing students time to respond. Feedback addressed praise, affirmation, listening, and accepting feelings. Personal regard addressed courtesy towards students and showing personal interest (Marzano et al., 2003). The researchers also pointed out that the core of good teacher-student relationships was establishing a balance between dominant and cooperative behavior on the part of the teacher. Dominance, in moderation, "is characterized by clarity of purpose and strong guidance," while moderate cooperation "is characterized by a concern for the needs and opinions of others and a desire to function as a member of a team as opposed to an individual" (Marzano et al., 2003, pp. 42-43). When a teacher can find the right balance of dominance and cooperation, it can lead to more positive teacher-student relationships. To show dominance, teachers should be assertive, rather than passive or aggressive, when interacting with students, and establish clear learning goals. However, to show cooperation, teachers should provide flexible learning goals so students can have some control in their academic career; take personal interest in students, which can be shown through engaging outside of class, commenting on important events in their lives, and greeting students by their name each day; use equitable and positive classroom behaviors towards students, allo'Wing students to feel accepted in the classroom; and respond appropriately to students' incorrect responses, being kind and supportive rather than punitive or derogatory when this occurs (Marzano et al., 2003). To build good relationships with students, teachers should show that they are able to control and lead the class while, at the same time, convey to students that they are CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING interested in student concerns and are willing to work with them as needed (Marzano et al., 2003). Professional Development Strategies 19 The majority of teacher training programs address basic classroom management, but continuing support for inservice teachers should be provided by schools and districts (Smith & Ingersoll, 2004). Poor preparation for new teachers may lead to ineffective practices, take away from learning time, and add to teachers' high levels of stress (Flower, McKenna, & Haring, 2017). However, beginning teachers who have mentors and collaborate with other teachers were less likely to move and less likely to quit after one year (Smith & Ingersoll, 2004). Beginning teachers need more support in the schools to which they are assigned. The following research provides support for induction programs, methods for making professional development effective and long-lasting, and information on using coaching to support teachers in building mastery of these skills. Induction programs. An induction program is one of the most effective ways to support new teachers. Ingersoll (2012) synthesized data from multiple studies to show what methods seemed to provide the best support for new inservice teachers. He showed that teachers with five or less years of experience were the largest demographic group of teachers. These beginners also showed a trend of leaving the teaching profession within the first five years, thus perpetuating the group. In order to increase retention, beginning teachers need induction supports. Most beginning teachers were receiving at least some support in the form of time with administrators and/or a direct mentor. However, the most effective support, and also the least utilized, was the comprehensive package of different induction supports including facetime with administrators, a mentor, beginners' seminars, collaboration time with colleagues in one's department, teacher CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING aides, and reduced course load. According to Ingersoll (2012), "the likelihood that beginners who received this package would leave at the end of their first year was less than half of those who participated in no induction activities" (p. 50). Ultimately, any induction support is better than none, but it is obvious that more is better. 20 Strategies for engaging teachers in professional development. Many teachers struggle with the concept of professional development largely because they often do not see the effectiveness of it (Leahy & Torff, 2013). Mitchell, Him, and Lewis (2017) studied how to make classroom management professional development more effective. They found that to see the most positive change, teachers need to implement practices, "with support, that address a specific challenge they are facing" (p. 142). When teachers see the results and the positive improvements that repetition brings, their philosophy will change. Therefore, if an institution wants to utilize more evidence-based practices, teachers must be allowed to experience the concept with a mentor or administrator checking in and giving feedback. An effective way to do this type of training is to follow a cycle of continuous improvement, utilizing a learning team. The steps are (a) examining student data to determine areas of need, (b) identifying areas where additional educator/adult learning is needed to address student needs, ( c) creating learning experiences to build educator skills, ( d) developing student lessons and assessments aligned with student need incorporating the newly learned strategies in the classroom, (f) reflecting on the impact of newly applied strategies on student learning, and (g) repeating the sequence as new challenges arise. (Mitchell et al., 2017, pp. 142- 143) This strategy allowed the professional development to be driven by student needs as assessed through use of data, and it kept the training relevant to the teachers. It created a cyclical approach CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 21 to teacher learning, allowing for a more systematic implementation of research-based instruction and strategy. It also engaged teachers more effectively, as the learning activities were tailored to teachers' needs and preferences (Mitchell et al., 2017). One study showed that teachers engaged in professional development when they had choice in and control over the content and focus, evidence-based practices were taught, they understood the benefits from studying and working v,ith peers, and teachers applied data collected from students to implement effective changes in their practice (Leahy & Torff, 2013). The findings showed that the most effective professional development experiences require extensive support and ongoing conversations, not simply one-time trainings to be forgotten or ignored as soon as teachers leave the meeting. These experiences should be directed by specific needs, researched for best methods, supported through teams and mentorships, and reflected upon. Professional development requires exactly that-the development of the skills deliberately and over time (Leahy & Torff, 2013). To measure effective professional development, Erickson, Noonan, Brussow, and Carter (2016) developed the Observation Checklist for High-Quality Professional Development Training (HQPD Checklist). This checklist provides a way to align a professional development program with most effective practices. The categories of the checklist are preparation, introduction, demonstration, engagement, evaluation/reflection, and mastery (Erickson et al., 2016). Each category gives steps to fulfill the requirement, as well as examples to illustrate them. It was designed to give feedback to professional development instructors and as a guide to design or revise professional development trainings. This checklist is useful in developing curriculum that is specifically designed for teachers in a professional development situation (Erickson et al., 2016). CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 22 Follow-up coaching as a necessary element. Instructional coaches can be part of the solution for effective professional development training (Mitchell et al., 2017). As teachers learn new skills they, like all learners, run into challenges. Coaching ensures that teachers are able to implement new strategies with fidelity. Instructional coaches also help teachers adapt practices according to their needs in individual situations. They can also catch mistakes when teachers learn a new concept incorrectly or incompletely. Instructional coaches provide support to teachers but also pressure teachers to implement the new system or skill without forgetting or procrastinating (Mitchell et al., 2017). Coaching does not always have to be assigned to individuals. Coaching in the form of collaborative inquiry can be an effective method for supporting teacher learning (Leahy & Torff, 2013). Building strong relationships among teachers is a part of effective and engaging professional development. Collective participation across grade, department, or subject engages teachers in active learning and can be a way to keep trainings focused on teacher concerns. Collaborative inquiry also allows teachers of all experience and ages to share expertise and engage in collaborative exchange. This strategy can lead to relationship-building as well, thus, increasing teacher support systems throughout the school (Leahy & Torff, 2013). Main (2013) explored how to match instructional coaches with teachers. She pointed out how instructional coaches promote and support professional development goals and practices, which is a necessary part of making them effective. Instructional coaches provide individualization that professional learning communities cannot quite attain, although they are important in other ways. Teachers' strengths and weaknesses can be assessed through instruments such as VIEW: An Assessment o f Problem-Solving Style, which can be used to guide coaches in their interactions with teachers they are training. VIEW assessed teachers' problem- CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 23 solving preferences and strengths (Main, 2013). The understanding in this study was that teachers would connect better with instructional coaches if they were carefully matched up based on problem-solving preferences using this VIEW assessment system. This system required support from everyone, from administration to teachers. However, it was seen as helpful in promoting instructional coaching, especially when one considered that instructional coaching is a shift away from a traditional view that teaching is done in isolation (Main, 2013). Summary Classroom management is a skill many teachers are lacking, particularly among beginning teachers. New teachers make up the largest demographic group among teachers in the United States, and they often cite behavior management as a source of stress and, often, a reason for leaving the field. There are research-based strategies for behavior management, such as clear expectations, teaching students ownership of behaviors, and improving student-teacher relationships, which should be taught and implemented by these new teachers to help alleviate that stress. In order to support new teachers, effective induction of new teachers and professional development training need to be implemented (Ingersoll, 2012). CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING PURPOSE 24 One reason many teachers leave the profession is poor classroom behavior management. Classroom management is difficult to implement. Many teachers did not receive sufficient classroom management training in their teacher training programs, and even more do not get proper mentoring in classroom management training on the job (Smith & lngersolJ, 2004). In order for teachers to improve classroom management strategies, effective professional development must be implemented. The goal for this project was to determine if a specific classroom management professional development training system would prove efficacious in a grade 7-12 charter school. An ongoing professional development support group was established to determine if it would help secondary teachers at one charter school improve their classroom management skills. The questions to be answered were as follows: 1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of an ongoing professional development support group program? 2. How does this professional development program impact teachers' perceptions of their own classroom behavior management skills? CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING METHOD 25 This qualitative study addressed the issues surrounding classroom management and school-wide discipline with secondary (grades 7-12) teachers at one charter school using participatory action research (PAR) as its research paradigm. PAR "seeks to understand and improve the world by changing it. At its heart is collective, selfreflective [sic] inquir y that researchers and participants undertake, so they can understand and improve upon the practices in which they participate and the situations in which they find themselves" (Baum, MacDougall, & Smith, 2006). The goal was to discover how the teachers changed their classroom management and school-wide discipline practices during the study time frame. Participants A group of eight secondary teachers participated as volunteers in a teacher-directed professional development learning community. The population was a group of teachers at a charter school in Ogden, Utah, led by me, as a participant-researcher. This support group focused on teachers with varying education levels, subject expertise, and abilities. There were 39 secondary education teachers at this charter school, and eleven participated in the support groups Eight attended at least four of the five meetings. Only the eight with consistent attendance were included in the data. Also, of the 39 secondar y teachers, ten of them fell into the demographic group of new teachers, or teachers ,vi.th five or less years of experience, and six of those new teachers participated in the support group. Six of the eight fell in the "new teacher" demographic-teachers with 1-3 years of inservice experience. Three participants were first-year teachers, three had one to three years of experience, and two had seven or more. From this point on, teachers with three or less years of experience will be referred to as novice teachers, and those with seven or more will be referred to CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 26 as veteran teachers. I, as researcher and participant, was beginning my sixth year of inservice teaching. Four of the participants have not completed or did not participate in a teacher training/licensing program and were brought in to teach at this charter school because of their related degrees and experience in their fields of study. The participants taught a variety of subjects as well. The six novice teachers taught digital studies, health and physical education, orchestra, Spanish and guitar, art, and physics, respectively. The two veteran teachers taught math, statistics, and online coursework. I teach history. One participant was in the 20-24 age group, three participants were from the 25-29 age group, two from 30-34, and two from 35-39. This shows that the group was very diverse in age, training, and subject matter, which were both a benefit and a weakness. All were able to share different types of experiences, but the differences made it a little difficult to apply strategies in varying situations. Researcher as Participant I am a secondary school teacher currently working at a K-12 charter school in northern Utah. I began this study by engaging with my colleagues, many of whom had already expressed interest in participating in this system of professional development. I conducted this study while a graduate student at Weber State University in the Masters of Education program after receiving approval from the Institutional Review Board (see Appendix D). I contacted administration at this charter school and received approval to conduct my research in this environment (see Appendix E). There was a risk of bias in this study. I work closely with many of the subjects and have prior knowledge of their experience. I am invested in each teacher's success because of my relationships with them, but also, because this study was conducted where I am employed. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING Therefore, I could have been influenced by my colleagues because I want to maintain positive, professional relationships with each of them. Instruments 27 The instruments used in this study were teacher reflection journals (see Appendix A) and the Classroom Management Training and Support Group Questionnaire (see Appendix B). The reflection journals were completed by participants at the end of each support group meeting. To complete the reflection journal entries, the participants were given prompts to help focus their responses on the research questions for this study. These prompts are listed in the teacher support group structure outline (Appendix A). I created a Google doc, a shareable document, for each participant that only I and the participant would have access to with the response prompts copied into them. The participants were instructed to use the list as prompts to help them reflect, they were not expected to answer each question specifically each time. Six of the eight participants submitted their journals, so two were left out of this analysis. The questionnaire, which I developed, included questions that allowed me to collect data based on the research questions. The questionnaire was a combination of Likert-scale responses and open-ended questions. Procedures After approval from the Weber State University Education Institutional Review Board and the administrator of the charter school, a teacher-directed professional development learning community was created with eight secondary teachers from the school. During the week of professional development before students arrived, August 13-17, teachers were recruited to participate in a participatory action research (PAR) study regarding supporting teachers' learning best classroom behavior management principles through continuous professional development support (Baum et al., 2006). They were first contacted through a staff-wide email invitation, then CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 28 asked to meet after the classroom management training scheduled for that week. Those who met briefly after the training chose a time they could all come to the first support group training, which was set for the following Friday. Following classroom management training during professional development week, and at the end of the first week of school, the participants met to discuss successes and failures regarding whether they were able to implement new skills from the training. The group then participated in four more teacher support group meetings over the following six weeks that focused on research-based practices in classroom management and providing support to each other in improving their classroom management. The structure of the meetings is described in Appendix A. I presented research-based classroom management strategies based on topics chosen by participants (see Appendix C for CBM Support Group Lesson Materials), and future topics were discussed and addressed through problem-solving sessions and circles of successes at the end of each meeting. Following the final support group meeting, a survey was given to the participants to provide feedback on the efficacy of continuous professional development support (see Appendix B). CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 29 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Eight teachers from an urban charter school in northern Utah participated in this participatory action research (PAR) study. The support group met five times over a six-week period with each meeting lasting for 90 minutes. The structure of those meetings can be found in Appendix A, and the content from the lessons can be found in Appendix C. Data were collected through reflection journals and the researcher-created Classroom Management Training and Support Group Questionnaire (see Appendices A and B, respectively). Using these teacher reflections from support group meetings, data were analyzed according to the research questions: (a) What are the strengths and weaknesses of an ongoing professional development support group program? and (b) How does this professional development program impact teachers' perceptions of their own classroom behavior management skills? The data from the Likert-scaled questions in the questionnaire are reported in Table I. The open-ended questions were analyzed based on the research questions. Strengths of an Ongoing Professional Development Support Group To answer the first part of the first research question, I analyzed responses from the participants from the open-ended questions in the questionnaire and reflection journals. The most support for the strengths of an ongoing professional development support group came from the questionnaire, while the reflection journals mostly provided data on how the program influenced the teachers' perceptions on their own classroom behavior management skills. The data showed significant positive responses about this style of professional development, which will be discussed in the following section. The open-ended section of the questionnaire allowed teachers to describe the effects of this support group structure of professional development. The responses were overwhelmingly in CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 30 favor of this strategy. Breaking down their responses, four themes emerged that centered on these areas: (a) the support group created a safe environment for the participants to interact; (b) the topics were teacher-driven; ( c) the structure allowed for collaboration with peers; and ( d) the regular meetings provided ongoing support for the trainings. Several participants expressed that they were more comfortable sharing in this environment. Safe Environment Several participants expressed that they were more comfortable sharing in this environment. When answering question 9, "Was conducting PD training in this manner effective? Why or why not?" a few of the answers were: "Yes, due to the environment in which teachers are comfortable to share and ask questions;" "Absolutely! Smaller group - more discussion and more customized;" "Being able to talk about my issues in the classroom without admin present was great!" "Yes, it was a safe place to talk about actual issues;" and "Yes. It gave/provided a safe place for teachers to talk about what they are dealing ,vith in their classes." They attributed the level of comfort to the small group format, that it was easier to share and relate to the group members because there were so few. They also liked the fact that administration was not present, so none of them felt pressured to hide their weaknesses, but rather, share their struggles openly in order to receive support. Teacher-Specific Needs Teachers also reported that they saw this strategy as driven by their specific needs. They felt that the smaller group led to a more customizable experience. They expressed that they felt their needs were met, instead of feeling like their time was wasted. One teacher stated that "this type of PD, selecting a topic and joining a focus group, is far more effective than PD where there is one different topic each week." Another participant stated that "the open discussion allowed CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING for flexibility to address personal needs." These responses support the idea that teachers find professional development more effective if it is teacher-led and addresses individual and small group concerns (Mitchell et al., 2017). Collaboration 31 Responses also showed that participants were satisfied with the level of collaboration and support from other teachers they received in this support group. Many responses expressed that it was helpful to be in a group with teachers from varying levels of experience and disciplines because each were able to share unique perspectives that the group could learn from. In answering question 8, "What helped you improve your CBM while participating in this support group? What was unhelpful?" Several participants responded that it was most helpful learning from each other. The responses included the following: "Hearing the experiences of other teachers;" "Ideas from other teachers;" "Being able to express situations I experiences in my classroom that I was unsure how to handle and getting suggestions;" and "Talking about what other people did in their classes and the strategies they used." One participant found it helpful to see "that others have problems too." Another said, in response to question 9, "I think it was [effective]. I liked the diversity of the classroom management group members. Having new and veteran teachers helped a lot." The group dynamic led to a fount of knowledge that widened perspectives, provided strategies to employ, and engendered a sense of comradery. The responses from these participants showed another area where this strategy was effective: collaborative support systems. Another study on effective professional development showed that sharing in a collaborative exchange and building relationships \Vith colleagues increased teacher support systems (Leahy & Torff, 2013). CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 32 Ongoing Support and Training The support group provided ongoing support and training that allowed the participants to remember, utilize, and reflect on strategies learned. Participants expressed satisfaction with this format because they were able to implement strategies in their ov.n classrooms and then follow up with the group on successes and failures. Participants responded that "I loved following up this often," "Being in a support group helps. Closing the loop - idea, test, come back and look at results," and "This helped a lot and I would like to continue these classes." These experiences were in line with previous studies that showed that the most effective professional development experiences require extensive support and ongoing conversations, not simply one-time trainings to be forgotten or ignored as soon as teachers leave the meeting (Leahy & Torff, 2013; Mitchell et al., 2017). Weaknesses of an Ongoing Professional Development Support Group The second part of the first research question focused on weaknesses in a PD support group. Open-ended question data from the questionnaire and the meeting reflections were analyzed to answer this question. Overall, participants did not describe very many weaknesses, but I have articulated a few from my ov.n observations and interactions with group members in and out of the meetings. As most of the responses expressed support for this method of professional development, very little data regarding its weaknesses were evident. The only weakness described in the free-response section of the questionnaire pointed out that "Some ranting can occur in small groups." This statement is in line with my ov.n observation that some group members took up a disproportionate amount of time talking about their struggles and not all owing as much time for the rest of the participants. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 33 In order for professional development to be most effective, it should be managed in a way that benefits all members, not only a few. This weakness could be addressed in future implementations of this strategy by the group leader being firm about sharing time among the group members and interjecting when one member of the group waxes long in their commentaries. The HQPD Checklist lists specific elements of engagement as necessary for high-quality professional development. The specific elements necessary for successful engagement include opportunities for participants to express personal perspectives, facilitating opportunities for participants to interact with each other related to training content, and to adhere to agenda and time constraints (Noonan, Erickson, Brussow, & Langham, 2015). In a reflection journal, one participant pointed out that the trainings focused too much in one area of behavior management, relationship-building. She said, "I really don't think I can do this whole building relationships thing. I don't think that I should have to be positive with students who are acting out. If students are not working in my class and I don't say anything, I am showing the rest ofmy students that it is ok to just sit around." This same teacher expressed in conversation with me that we focused too much on relationship-building. These statements highlight the weakness of the strategy that, although it is teacher-led, there may need to be more direction given by the presenter to provide more options for the group to focus on. There are other parts to classroom management, such as being consistent with expectations and consequences, showing respect, and being assertive as a teacher that can improve classroom management (Mundschenk et al., 2011; Tierno, 1991; Marzano et al., 2003). As the researcher and leader of this group, I will add my own insights on the weaknesses. Being a participant as well as the researcher, I had a unique perspective of the support group. Being the instructor, it was in some ways easier for me to see the weaknesses than those CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING participating as students. Although group members did not write this concern in their questionnaires, a few members expressed to me after the study had ended that 90 minutes was too long for after-school training and that it might be better as one hour. I also believe that having only one presenter of the research-based strategies is limiting, and that future implementations of this should cycle training responsibility among other members of the group where possible. I also believe there can be better follow-up practices, referring back to specific methods and practices taught, and reflecting more on those specific instances in each participant's classrooms. 34 In order for professional development to be most effective, studies show that it should be directed by specific needs, researched for best methods, supported through teams and mentorships, and reflected upon. Professional development requires the development of the skills deliberately and over time (Leahy & Torff, 2013). Part of that support comes from ongoing group support, as shown in this study and others previously mentioned, but including more instructors could add the important element of coaching. Collaborative inqui ry can be a form of coaching, and it can be an effective method for supporting teacher learning by building stronger relationships between the teachers in the group (Leahy & Torff, 2013). Impact of Ongoing Professional Development on Classroom Management The final question from this study was how did this professional development program impact teachers' perceptions of their own classroom behavior management skills? The participants provided a variety of ways in which their classroom management improved through this professional development, both in open-ended questions in the questionnaire and through their reflection journal responses. The responses hit on a few different topics that supported prior research such as improved metacognition and encouraging student responsibility, improvements CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING in behavior through improved relationships with students, and improvements in behavior by providing choice and better engagement. Improved Metacognition and Student Responsibility 35 The participants outlined in the free-response section of the questionnaire many areas of their personal behavior management skills and strategies that improved during this study. Several responses articulated a level of metacognition that allowed teachers to recognize areas they were weak, ways they could improve, and how changing their methods led to improvements in their classroom management. Participants stated, "I felt I was more readily able to identify and improve poor relationships with students;" "I see where I lack and what I need to work on;" "I bet I could go through [t he study] again and learn things I missed as my ovm awareness has grown;" and "I have learned to recognize when I am in an unproductive argument with a student and either dropping or diffusing it." Responding to the strategies that they will continue to implement in the classroom, question 5 of the questionnaire, one participant explained, "I think learning how to prevent things from being personal will help me keep a level head in my classroom to better manage situations." One novice teacher described ways she overcame struggles from being both new and having a young appearance. After the second meeting, she recorded her concerns: In the classroom, I want to keep my positive presence, but to also keep control by being assertive. I am determined to not be a pushover! ... One thing I am worried about related to conflict with students is that many students see me as a student as well and may not respect me as an authority figure. This teacher was able to see improvements, and recorded these changes after attending more group sessions and practicing more strategies: "I am becoming more comfortable setting CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING expectations and boundaries with students. My classroom has felt more controlled and on task lately." She described how the support group helped her become a more confident classroom teacher. 36 I am feeling more secure which has relieved a lot of anxiety about classroom management. This has also made me a better teacher, because I am able to stay focused instead of becoming flustered once I am distracted by classroom management issues. My lessons go smoother and my students still seem to enjoy class after having to sometimes be on them about behavior in the classroom. Another novice teacher learned from the support group meetings how to recognize some areas of personal weakness: 'Tm a little disorganized in transitions, and I think that sometimes my instructions must not be concise or clear enough, because I got several requests to repeat, or I saw they weren't following directions ... .I feel like I need to work on giving instructions more clearly." She also expressed strategies she learned and wanted to employ: Continue showing them respect, and continue to improve in my ovm teaching so that they benefit from my knowledge. Right now, I need to be better planned so that I'm more confident. When I'm more confident, I'm more relaxed, feel more comfortable branching out and trying new things, and feel more animated and engaging as a presenter of content. Be patient and not get grouchy with them. Give positive, specific feedback even more often. I still need to work on consistency, even when I personally feel frazzled or disorganized. Inevitably, classes don't go as smoothly when I am not prepared. She finished by outlining the strategies she has used successfully: Did a variation of the social contract, establish ground rules, make clear that I do not tolerate cyber or in-person bullying or physical altercations, share things about myself so CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 37 that they feel like the can approach me, icebreakers, use humor when it comes to me and is appropriate, practice my sarcasm, provide clear rules and outline positive/negatives consequences. Consistent about classroom structure and rules. Rewards and positive feedback. Personalized help whenever possible. This list of strategies used and improvements to be made shows a level of awareness and self-reflection that Marshall (2005) showed in his study to be an effective strategy to improved student ownership and student-teacher relationships. Another novice teacher had one class of seventh graders through the school's homeroom period called "Flex Time." In describing interactions 'w-ith this younger group, the participant explains how self-reflection and awareness helped him with managing that specific group. I notice when taking Flex 7th graders to assemblies that I get frustrated with noise very quickly. This is important to me because it helps me understand what I was facing last year. It also helps me understand the difference that all of these efforts can make in the classroom. It is not that I am instantly better, or that I did not understand the differences before, but it is an eye-opening reminder. With further reflection prompted by participating in the support group, he noticed other areas that he could work on. "As management improves, the weaknesses in instructional techniques become more apparent. As my instructional techniques improve, I see where they would be even better with better relationships." Showing self-reflection was an important part of helping students take ownership of their own behaviors, according to Marshall (2005), because it allowed teachers the chance to check in on their own behaviors and evaluate whether they were using micromanaging or nagging techniques rather than choice and clearly defined expectations. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 38 Multiple participants discussed how they were able to identify weaknesses in their relationships with students and improve them using strategies learned in the training, as described and quoted above. This practice of self-awareness and metacognition was sho'\\n to improve student-teacher relationships, increase student responsibility, and improve teachers' attitudes about their classes in other studies as well. Studies showed that students had better ownership of behaviors and better relationships with teachers when those teachers engaged in self-reflection to recognize situations and language that are coercive versus encouraging, became more aware that people change themselves, and recognized that control is only temporary (Marshall, 2005). Allowing students to be responsible for their behaviors in the classroom led to improvements in behaviors and attitudes, while micromanaging and nagging from teachers injured relationships v.ith their teachers (Marshall, 2005; Roache & Le'\\is, 2011). Positive relationships with students is an important part of behavior management, as seen in the next section. Improved Teacher-Student Relationships Some participants described an overall improvement by end of the study, explaining how they began the year with certain behavior management issues but were able to resolve them quickly and build or rebuild positive relationships: "Connecting with students. It improved classroom behavior;" "I see levels of effort growing as relationships grow;" and "All of us had classroom management issues early into the year but were able to resolve them quickly and build positive relationships afterwards." One teacher described her classroom success in engagement through management: "Being a positive energy for students helps, but the management side of relationship building has helped keep my classroom moving and engaged. Engagement has made the other kids [she inserted a side comment explaining, "'other' as in the not naughty ones"] CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING happier too." One participant answered question 7, what they did to build relationships v,rith students, as this: "Relax a bit. Be consistent. Be prepared with lesson plans and instructional strategies." 39 The participants recorded more behavioral compliance and an overall improvement in the atmosphere of their classrooms as these relationships improved. Some strategies applied were connecting with students and providing opportunities for students to have a voice in the classroom. Participants who brought up connecting with students described ways they interacted with students: "I started to acknowledge the skills the students have an aptitude in to show that I see and appreciate their skills. I've noticed they are more willing to listen and cooperate ifI do this;" "Question of the day. Out of classroom interactions;" "I had a heart to heart with them about my attitude and their attitudes at the beginning of the year;" "Did a survey on their interests, better comments/feedback on student work, asking about stuff outside of school. Commenting on sports/academic achievements;" and "Talk to students and find out about them and what's going on in their lives." One participant described how they provided students more opportunities for choice: "I have asked students how assignments should be graded and what they think is fair." In her response journal, one novice teacher noted specific strategies she used and benefitted from, such as the relationship-building she worked on with one seventh-grade bass player: After almost finishing my first quarter of teaching, I have grovvn so much in building effective student-teacher relationships. I have a seventh grader that [sic] is a bassist in my orchestra. He is one that [sic] I am constantly telling to focus or to stop playing out of tum. He was also struggling with learning posture and how to read music while playing, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING so I told him he needed to come to a private after-school lesson. After working for an hour, he improved greatly in his musical skills and was more in line with the rest of the players in the orchestra. I have noticed that rehearsals have gone so much smoother, which has made my other students happier in class as well. Going forward, I have been complimenting him on how awesome he has become as a musician and for staying focused. I don't think we had a negative relationship, but I do think that it has become better. The first reflection journal entry of another novice teacher, following the first meeting, referenced learning students' names as a first week goal. He also pointed out that he seemed to be starting out with more success this year, in comparison to the year before. 40 Most ofmy 'success' has been due to the students, and not to me. I had a very difficult time last year with so many 7th graders. I am having a much easier time with high school students. At the same time, ifl am having students have a harder time bringing the students back to attention on me, more often than not, the students are 9th graders. The older students already know what to do, regardless of me. Acknowledging the difference in behavior management by age groups brings up an area of research not covered in this study: the specific differences in behavior management for pubescent and post-pubescent adolescents, or middle and high school students. These differences would be a good focus for future study. This participant goes on to explain how communicating expectations and creating opportunities for choice helped create "buy-in" from the students in one class: I do feel, however, that I had good success with "class buy in" for my class on Physics of Medieval Weapons (siege weapons). I explained to the class what I wanted the class to CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 41 be, but that we might have a few mistakes on the way of getting there. The students have been very helpful/supportive with working towards getting the class to run the way we want it to. It feels like the students (most of them) are more invested in the class than they might have been expected to. It makes everything feel more like a "team" than a "me & them." One novice teacher focused on improving relationships with students in the first week of school by learning their names, getting to know more about them and sharing more personal details about herself. "I need to learn these kids' names. It is so difficult! But I will keep working on it." "We talked about bullying. I told the kids that I was a mean girl in high school and how I wish that I hadn't been." "Talking to the students about my personal and work goals has improved communication in my class." "I am trying to say hi at the door so students feel that I am a resource if they need to talk (to a point). I am trying to be more open and understanding. I am checking to make sure that I don't have a mean look on my face." She expressed frustration with rule reinforcement, "I really don't want to have to reinforce my rules. I have already had students break some rules and it is such a hassle ... " However, she also described how rearranging the physical layout of her classroom helped with classroom management, a strategy that was not discussed in the support group but could be considered for future research and training. Moving my desk so I can see the students while I work seems to make me more available and approachable ... Facing the students means that I can see when they are working well as well as when they are slacking off. I can also make small talk with them when we are all working. Over the following weeks, she discovered more specific ways she could create a positive atmosphere in her classroom, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 42 I am letting students choose songs for the day. This is really fun especially when the students start requesting songs that they think will make me laugh or cringe. This does tend to get out of control (the kids don't work because they are too busy thinking of songs to request or they are doing those dumb fortnight dances). Ifl can figure out how to keep order while doing this though, I will try to do it more. She also expressed significant concerns that focusing only on building relationships was not always effective for her. This statement was referenced earlier in the "weaknesses" section: I don't think that I should have to be positive with students who are acting out. If students are not working in my class and I don't say anything, I am shov-fag the rest of my students that it is ok to just sit around. When I am having a rough day and I don't want to call students out, my class gets out of control. This teacher expressed frustrations that many teachers experience in classrooms today. In the conclusions section of their study on teacher behavior management and classroom composition, Pas et al. (2015) explained that classrooms with noncompliant or inconsistent behaviors were "likely to result in a higher level of teacher stress. Teachers who report high levels of stress also report having less control of their classroom, lower commitment to the teaching profession, and increased likelihood of quitting" (p. 146). Teaching other management strategies and practices could help round out this teacher's management style and alleviate some of the frustration she expressed. One of the two veteran teachers worked on building relationships by sharing more about herself, building classroom culture creating more opportunities for students to share their opinions in class, and getting to know them. She stated in her journal, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 43 [I will try] telling them about my facial expressions. I think that a lot of times in the past students are put off by my facial expressions and/or misinterpret them. This leads to them thinking I don't like them, think they are stupid, etc. This all leads to them not being comfortable with coming to me for help ... I have had way more success with them coming to me this year than in the past. On building community, she said, I managed the 8th grade class by taking the students who had finished the math space pretest out into the hall to do a clapping activity ... I did this with a class that was super quiet and it really helped them learn to talk about the content as well as learn to communicate with each other ... it allowed me to build rapport with my 8th graders and start building a classroom where they could communicate with each other. Another veteran teacher had unique concerns with engagement and attendance that she was able to address through building positive relationships and following through with classroom expectations. Establishing those expectations at the beginning of the year was very important in her classroom. I have 190 kids talking about 40 different classes during 9 class periods (not counting AP stats). So ... in order for them to all get off to a good start I need to have a system in place so they don't develop bad habits of just sitting and waiting. Her concerns about engagement were another necessary focus, as the students in online classes often lacked engagement, and many had poor attendance. One of her primary concerns in her first journal entry was "Getting online students engaged - starting to have a lot of sluffing [skipping class]." Her early goals included greeting students and checking in with individual students more. Meeting at the door has been a big one for me, but I need to make more effort CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 44 during class time too. I've been making sure to walk around every 10 minutes instead of letting myself get caught up in everything else I'm working on. Then I can see what they are doing and will talk to a couple kids about it each time I walk around the room. After working on building relationships, she did see some success in attendance: I've been able to get some students to start working on class. I think sometimes they stuff so much that they feel embarrassed about starting to show up again. But if I can find them and tell them I don't care that much if they sluff as long as they get their work done (and as long as they are okay making up some U's) then they will often start to get work done and stop avoiding me. She was able to improve these relationships through getting to know them, but also by avoiding personalizing their behavior. "I don't hold grudges against the students. If they are a brat I think of some reason that's not at all related to me so that I can just move on. Meeting their parents often helps with this!" This practice of depersonalizing negative behaviors is an important part of maintaining control of classroom behavior management. Tierno ( 1991) pointed out that "teachers should remember not to take unacceptable behaviors personally" to understand and better deal with negative classroom behaviors (p. 572). Marzano et al. (2003) found that teachers could build good relationships with students by showing that they were able to control and lead the class while, at the same time, convey to students that they were interested in student concerns and are willing to work with them as needed, and that concern for their individual success led to improvements in the relationship. These improvements in relationships led, in tum, to better management. On the other hand, Roache and Lewis (2011) showed that when teachers reacted to student misbehavior with micromanaging techniques, combining punishments with aggressive and hostile behavior, and/or decreasing rewards and recognition of good CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 45 behavior, students had less respect for those teachers. However, as teachers give students more strategies to recognize appropriate behavior and take ovmership of behaviors and consequences, undesired behaviors decrease. This participant showed that, by decreasing negative interactions with the students who were underachieving, she was able to help them reengage with their classwork and meet her expectations. These struggles, strategies, and successes align with results from other studies that have shown that teachers who show personal regard for their students have had more success in building positive relationships, which in tum improved behavior management. This shift was seen when teachers built positive relationships with students and when teachers treated students equitably and with respect (Marzano & Marzano, 2003; Marzano et al., 2003; Tierno, 1991). It also reflects what Marshall (2005) found regarding choice: That providing options as often as possible engendered ownership and reduced resistance. Participants in this study were able to do less micromanaging to keep students on task which, in tum, allowed for more recognition of positive behavior and time for relationship-building. Previous studies showed that students related better to teachers who encouraged student responsibility and ownership of their behaviors (Roache & Lewis, 2011). As teachers improved relationships with students, students were more willing to listen and accept direction (Marzano & Marzano, 2003; Mundschenk et al., 2011 ). Providing Choice and Engagement One veteran teacher described a specific behavior issue with higher-achieving calculus students: this group of students was finishing faster than the rest and using the extra time to chat and distract other students. She worked out a solution to keep them engaged, improving their behavior at the same time. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 46 I have had my stronger students in calculus start working through the examples and homework problems when they understand what they are doing. It keeps them engaged and not bored at the same time. I have thought of actually having them learn a lesson before we do it in class and then teach it to the class. This statement highlights a strategy not addressed in this study: managing behavior through engaging instructional techniques. This idea would be a good direction to take future studies. Finally, this participant described a specific experience with providing choice to the same calculus class helped with engagement: I had my Calculus class take a survey and used the results to direct me to make changes. I asked them how much time they were spending on homework each week, what they were struggling with the most, and what would be most helpful to them. It made them respect me more and feel like their opinions were being heard. I used the results and data from their past tests to make changes to their homework. I added requirements for people who weren't understanding the material and changed homework for those who were so that both sets of students' needs were being met. The importance of choice in management and teaching students' responsibility has already been reviewed in this section. However, this teacher's success highlighted the effectiveness of giving students a voice in the classroom. This teacher and I actually had a conversation about this survey once at lunch. She described the students' improvement in attitude and buy-in because they were given a voice, but also that she was empowered as the teacher to use the results from test scores to show the students where they needed to put in more effort. Overall, this teacher recorded a marked improvement in behavior and engagement after participating in the support group. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 47 Questionnaire Likert-Scaled Data Eight teachers who participated in the support group completed the questionnaire anonymously. The data are reported in Table 1. The four questions addressed different aspects of the research questions from the study: question I related to teachers' perceptions of their o,vn classroom behavior management; questions 2-4 related to the strengths and weaknesses of the support group format. Four teachers did not feel that their teacher training programs prepared them to manage classroom behavior. Two felt prepared to some degree, and two indicated that this question was not applicable to them. One should take into account that four of the participants had not been through formal teacher licensing programs, so their responses to this question were likely among the negative or "not applicable" responses. Still, considering only 50% of the responses, the data follows the trend pointed out in other research, that many pre-service teachers do not received adequate training in classroom management (Freeman et al., 2013). The responses were overwhelmingly in support of the support group style of professional development with only two responses in disagreement ·with the three corresponding questions (questions 2-4). These responses indicate that this style met standards for effective professional development: it was teacher-driven, it provided continuous support, and it allowed for collaboration with peers (Leahy & Torff, 2013). Overall, that data from the Likert-scale questions indicate this was an effective strategy. The two "strongly disagree" ratings were provided by the same respondent. It is difficult to ascertain why this subject responded in this way, because the open-ended responses from the same questionnaire showed a different perspective. This respondent wrote, "This has all been very useful and appreciated .. .I am glad I was at every meeting I could be .. .I think this type of CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 49 relationship I, as the researcher, had with the participants. As I was their colleague, as well as active participant in the study, it is possible their responses were written to avoid providing negative feedback to a peer. Another limitation is that qualitative data are subjective and open to interpretation. Without a strict standard to adhere to, my bias could have influenced the interpretation of the data. I have attempted to address this interpretation by including references to multiple other studies that show similar results. Recommendations for Further Research The support group professional development strategy can easily be replicated in other schools and should be. Despite the limitations, the research showed that this style of professional development is effective in many environments because of the principles of teacher choice, collaboration, and continuous support and training (Leahy & Torff, 2013; Main, 2013; Mitchell et al., 2017). The basic principles of classroom management provided in this study can also be generalized to other professional development trainings in other educational settings. Other areas of classroom management, such as differences in pubescent and post-pubescent behaviors, physical layout of the room, and management through engaging instruction, can be studied and implemented in future reproductions. Conclusions After studying motivations of behavior, classroom management strategies, and effective professional development methods, I implemented this participatory action research project to determine if teachers in an urban charter school would benefit from a support group style professional development. After analyzing the anecdotal and Likert-scale data, I found that this strategy was largely successful. Participants reported increased ability to manage their classrooms, improved relationships with their students, increased engagement in activities and CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 50 assignments, and an increase of students owning their behaviors. Participants overall agreed that professional development that was ongoing, teacher-led, and collaborative was effective for them. Multiple respondents expressed a desire to continue the support group program, even though the research study had ended. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING 51 References Barbetta, P. M., Norona, K. L., & Bicard, D. F. (2005). Classroom behavior management: A dozen common mistakes and what to do instead. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education/or Children and Youth, 49(3), 11-19. doi: I0.3200/PSFL.49.3.11-19 Baum, F., MacDougall, C., & Smith, D. (2006). Participatory action research. 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