Developing a repertoire of pedagogical skills and knowledge takes time. Unfortunately, many new teachers have left the classroom long before this on-the-job skills development occurs. Simply observing veteran teachers isn’t enough because novices don’t necessarily see the extensive and varied planning that goes into teaching, the advance work that sets the context for lessons, the management strategies that promote an effective learning environment in the classroom, or the teacher self-assessment that takes place after class. New teachers must be aware of the framework of skills they need to be successful in the classroom, including organizing, instructing, and assessing strategies.

Essential Skills for New Teachers

H. Jerome Freiberg

School climate—a complex interaction of many factors—has a major effect on teaching and learning, and should play a significant role in any school reform effort, according to the author. He urges educators to seek the student perspective in measuring school climate, and describes three specific measuring instruments—student concerns surveys, entrance and exit interviews of incoming and graduating high school students, and an "ambient noise checklist"—that schools have used successfully. These instruments helped them make simple but meaningful changes that led to healthier educational environments.

Measuring School Climate: Let Me Count the Ways

School climate and culture

Controlling students is out. Trusting and listening to them are in. Consistency Management and Cooperative Discipline helps educators create classrooms based on cooperation, participation, and support. It's a research-based, classroom-tested model, which evolved from the author's teaching experiences. The program—which has been used with more than 10,000 (K–12) Texas students and teachers in both inner-city and rural schools—incorporates five themes: prevention, caring, cooperation, organization, and community. Each theme includes strategies and activities that help make students partners in the classroom. For example, one-minute managers is a strategy that fosters effective classroom organization. By performing necessary but time-consuming functions, like passing it papers or taking roll, students gain ownership in the classroom and free their teachers to work closely with other students. The 40-plus jobs are rotated often to give all students opportunities to hold them.The author concludes by discussing professional development issues and citing positive results from studies conducted on the program—for example, statistically significant increases in achievement scores and fewer classroom problems and discipline referrals in project classrooms. In short, Consistency Management and Cooperative Discipline builds citizenship in the classroom through experience, not just words.

H. Jerome Freiberg

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Expertise

Articles by H. Jerome

Essential Skills for New Teachers

Measuring School Climate: Let Me Count the Ways

From Tourists to Citizens in the Classroom

Master Teacher Programs: Lessons from the Past

Books by H. Jerome

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