ABSTRACT
Inherent in discussions of classroom management is a belief that teachers hold the potential to influence their students’ classroom behavior and engagement in learning activities. Most often, specific disciplinary practices, interaction styles, and instructional strategies of teachers are identified as critical factors that determine the quality of classroom climate and individual student accomplishments; when students encounter effective classroom managers, they conform to the demands and constraints of teachers’ rules and requests. Often missing from these discussions, however, is why certain management practices are effective. Moreover, the role of students themselves in creating positive classroom environments is rarely considered. If teachers are able to implement specific practices and conditions that result in socially competent students, what is it about these practices that motivates students to participate willingly in classroom activities and even contribute in positive ways to the overall climate of the classroom? Are there ways in which students enable each other to adapt to the demands of the classroom?
