Classroom management in the United States: a view from New York City

Source: Teaching Education, Volume 22, Issue 2, 2011, pages 151-167

The current article draws upon data from a larger study of teacher preparation in New York City which is engaged in examining the features of both alternative and traditional pathways into teaching.

This paper uses qualitative data regarding preparation required by 31 childhood teacher education programs and survey data from 460 program graduates, to analyze new teachers' preparation for classroom management in New York City.

The authors found that less than half of the traditional programs required any coursework in classroom management.

Early entry candidates were more likely to have had a course in classroom management.

The article also reports survey findings regarding teachers' reports of their opportunities to learn, which suggest that teachers in traditional programs may encounter more foundational knowledge in such courses, while early entry teachers may have more opportunities to learn practical, concrete strategies.