GLA Classroom Management Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student repeatedly calls out answers without raising their hand. Which strategy should the teacher use FIRST?
- Send the student to the principal immediately
- Privately remind the student of the hand-raising rule and redirect positively (Correct answer)
- Ignore the behavior to avoid drawing attention to it
- Remove the student's participation privileges for the day
Correct answer: Privately remind the student of the hand-raising rule and redirect positively
A private, calm reminder paired with positive redirection addresses the behavior without embarrassing the student or escalating the situation.
Question 2: Which seating arrangement is BEST for small-group collaborative activities?
- Rows facing the board
- U-shaped arrangement facing the teacher
- Clusters of desks grouped together (Correct answer)
- Individual carrel desks separated by dividers
Correct answer: Clusters of desks grouped together
Clustered desks allow students to face each other directly, facilitating discussion and collaboration during group tasks.
Question 3: A teacher notices several students looking confused during a lesson but no one raises a hand. What classroom management approach addresses this?
- Continue the lesson and assign homework to clarify
- Use formative check-ins such as exit tickets or thumbs up/down signals (Correct answer)
- Call on random students to test their understanding publicly
- Stop the lesson and re-teach the entire unit from scratch
Correct answer: Use formative check-ins such as exit tickets or thumbs up/down signals
Formative check-ins give the teacher real-time data on comprehension without putting individual students on the spot.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of establishing classroom routines at the start of the school year?
- To reduce the amount of curriculum content needed
- To create predictability that minimizes disruptions and maximizes learning time (Correct answer)
- To ensure students follow directions out of fear of consequences
- To limit student autonomy and keep them dependent on the teacher
Correct answer: To create predictability that minimizes disruptions and maximizes learning time
Predictable routines reduce the cognitive load of decision-making for students, decreasing off-task behavior and increasing instructional time.
Question 5: A student with ADHD frequently leaves their seat during independent work. Which accommodation is MOST appropriate?
- Assign the student detention each time they leave their seat
- Provide scheduled movement breaks and a flexible seating option (Correct answer)
- Seat the student in isolation away from peers
- Require the student to complete work during recess
Correct answer: Provide scheduled movement breaks and a flexible seating option
Scheduled movement breaks and flexible seating address the sensory and motor needs of students with ADHD without punishing natural behavior.
Question 6: Which response to a minor classroom disruption best demonstrates the 'least intrusive intervention' principle?
- Stop the lesson and lecture the class about behavior
- Make sustained eye contact or move closer to the disruptive student (Correct answer)
- Send a note home to the student's parents immediately
- Issue a formal written warning in front of the class
Correct answer: Make sustained eye contact or move closer to the disruptive student
Nonverbal cues like proximity or eye contact correct behavior with minimal interruption to instruction, honoring the least-intrusive principle.
Question 7: A teacher wants to reduce transition time between activities. Which strategy is MOST effective?
- Eliminate transitions by keeping students in one activity all period
- Use a consistent countdown timer and teach transition procedures explicitly (Correct answer)
- Allow students to choose when they are ready to switch activities
- Assign a different student to manage each transition each day
Correct answer: Use a consistent countdown timer and teach transition procedures explicitly
A visible countdown timer paired with explicitly taught procedures gives students clear expectations, speeding up transitions consistently.
A student repeatedly calls out answers without raising their hand.
Which strategy should the teacher use FIRST?