Integrating management with instruction : how district aligned curricula has altered teacher thinking

In light of the continual debate among researchers regarding new teachers’ concerns about classroom management and the need to insure that instruction results in positive student learning the focus of this qualitative case study has been to examine how five second and third year teachers planned for and thought about the management of student engagement during instruction. The main purpose of this study was to examine the professional thinking of five second and third year teachers while planning for a lesson in comparison to their actions during the lesson and later how they reflected on that plan. In addition, the teachers’ beliefs about how they learned to integrate management with instruction during planning were examined. The results of this study indicate these five teachers did intentionally think about and plan for the integration of management with instruction during their lessons. District aligned curricula were used in each of these teachers’ districts which caused them to alter the traditional planning model so they could plan for the integration of management with instruction in their lessons. In addition these teachers believed they learned to address management with instruction as a result of their first year(s) of teaching.