The problem under study was that even with training, teachers have difficulty implementing behavior management programs. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore middle school teachers' perceptions of the challenges they encounter in implementing behavior management programs to encourage positive student behavior. The theory of…

Student behavior is a major concern for all teachers as classroom management is key to improving educational outcomes. Despite many schools utilizing punitive strategies, research suggests that positive behavior intervention supports (PBIS) are more appropriate and effective at improving student behavior. One such intervention, the Good Behavior…

Problem behaviors are prevalent in schools and may result in negative effects for the students exhibiting those behaviors, teachers, and other students. Increasing on-task behaviors has been shown to minimize disruptive behaviors. The current study utilized an interdependent group contingency-based intervention, Class-Wide Function-related…

Classroom management is a common challenge in middle schools. Class-wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a multi-tiered intervention designed to decrease problem behaviors at the classroom level (Wills et al., 2010). It is comprised of evidence-based practices such as teaching classroom expectations, increasing teacher praise, and…

The purpose of this study was to determine variance in mean levels of teacher self-efficacy (TSE) and its three factors--efficacy in student engagement (EIS), efficacy in instructional strategies (EIS), and efficacy in classroom management (ECM)--based on participation and time spent in professional learning communities (PLCs). In this…

The research on classroom management systems has provided a comprehensive evidence base for effective classroom management strategies for teachers to adopt in their classrooms. The most common strategies found in the literature are rules, reprimands, and praise. Reprimands and praise are used by the teacher as part of the reinforcement schedule to…

Many authors recommend various praise to reprimand ratios for teachers to use to manage their classrooms (e.g., Flora, 2000; Nafpaktitis, Mayer, & Butterworth, 1985; Wheldall, 2005); however, these recommendations are based on correlational data or secondary findings from studies not directly manipulating the praise to reprimand ratio. The…

Much demand remains for teacher education programs to produce highly qualified teachers. Current trends show that almost half of today's preservice teachers are considered nontraditional in terms of age and life experience. The purpose of this study was to determine whether secondary education teacher preparation programs should differentiate…