The classroom management approach that you choose to use in your classroom has a direct impact on your effectiveness as a teacher. There are four styles of classroom management: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and indulgent. They range from the teacher having very strong control and less student involvement to the teacher having less control and more student involvement.
But how do you know which approach is best for you and your students? Let’s take a look at the four different types of classroom management styles and how they each impact student outcomes.
Authoritarian
The authoritarian teaching style refers to a teacher who has complete control over their classroom. Authoritarian teachers create a highly structured learning environment with a strong emphasis on the rules. Students are not given the flexibility to be actively involved and responsive. This teacher is most likely to not have formed relationships with their students. This style is not flexible. It is very structured and can be considered overly structured.
In terms of student outcomes, the authoritarian classroom management style does not allow for student autonomy in deciding how they will learn, peer collaboration, or active engagement. In addition, teachers who adopt an authoritarian classroom management style tend to have a low level of involvement with their students. They avoid seeking out opportunities to make connections and know very little about their students’ lives. As a result, children in authoritarian classrooms often feel intimidated, distrusting, and distant from their teachers—making it difficult for them to want to learn. These teachers expect students to simply absorb the information rather than play a role in constructing their knowledge.
Authoritative
Like authoritarian teachers, educators with an authoritative classroom management style do have a high level of control over their classrooms. However, unlike authoritarian teachers, they also have a high level of student participation. Authoritative classroom management style is a balance of teacher control and student involvement. In this style of classroom, students are encouraged to participant and collaborate but also follow the rules. Structure exists but does not overtake student autonomy. The teacher values student input and feedback on how they feel about their learning environment and ideas that can be incorporated to make it better.
This type of teacher expects students to participate and collaborate while respecting the rules. An authoritative teacher encourages students to engage in active discussion and work together, but they communicate their expectations clearly before sending students off on their own. By giving students guidelines as well as the freedom to take ownership of their learning, the authoritative teaching approach fosters autonomy and a strong sense of responsibility.
Permissive
Permissive teachers are the complete opposite of authoritative teachers. They have a low level of both student involvement and control over their classroom. Educators who adopt a permissive teaching style usually does not have passion most educators embody. These teachers interact very little with students and rarely attend to their needs. As a result, students who are subject to a permissive teaching style often do not grow either academically or socially in this type of learning environment.
Permissive teachers do not establish rules or punish poor behavior. Students have too much freedom, resulting in a disorderly and unproductive learning environment. With the permissive classroom being so non-punitive and lacking structure, students often take control over it with little to no challenge from the teacher.
Indulgent
The indulgent classroom management style is described as a high level of involvement but a low level of control. The teacher gives students the freedom to express themselves, but due to the lack of control, the class is taken over by the students and lessons tend to get off task. The indulgent teacher does prepare lessons and attempts to present them, but the low level of control prohibits lesson delivery to be successful.
Unlike permissive teachers, indulgent teachers have a very high level of involvement with their students. They care deeply about their students and what is going on in their lives but tend to be too friendly. Consequently, indulgent teachers are generally well-liked by their students who feel comfortable talking to them. However, these teachers frequently lose their authority as the students see them only as a friend. This leads to an unproductive classroom with little learning taking place.
How Do I Choose a Classroom Management Style?
Choosing the classroom management style that will work for you takes trial and error. When deciding which of the four different types of classroom management styles is right for you, consider which approach aligns best with your teaching philosophy and objectives. Here are a few questions to consider to help guide your thinking:
- What are your goals as a teacher?
- Why do you want to work with students?
- How do you want to be viewed by your students?
- What happens in a successful learning environment?
- Where do you want your students to be (academically/socially/emotionally) by the end of the year?
It’s important to note that no teacher will constantly fit into just one category. Students are all unique, and different situations call for different practices. Try different classroom management strategies and see how they impact your students. Then, ask yourself if the strategy impacts student outcomes positively or negatively. Once you have answered that question, pivot your approach as needed until you find the right balance.
What is your approach to classroom management styles?
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