The classroom environment is the atmosphere of learning that is created by interactions between the teacher and students. However, the teacher must be the one who establishes this environment. When rules exist to curb misbehavior, and disciplinary actions are used as back-up when behaviors get out-of-hand, the students feel safe and the learning environment becomes much more productive. Teachers want students to learn and a relaxed, orderly classroom will help them meet that goal. Always keep in mind, though, that "orderly" does not have to mean silent.
Teachers want respect, but they only deserve respect when their classroom management is fair. Maintaining a consistent and equal system of rules and disciplinary actions sets a good rapport between the teacher and students, because it shows students that those are the rules everyone must follow, with no exceptions. That is consistency, and consistency leads to respect for the teacher. That respect, in turn, decreases the amount of behavioral problems that occur.
Laws such as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) make good classroom management a necessary skill. At-risk students, as defined by NCLB and IDEA, require more attention due to outside factors such as socio-economic status and learning disabilities. When a teacher is busy dealing with behavior issues in the classroom, at-risk students could remain unfocused and possibly add to the disruptions. Even if they are managing their own behavior, distractions can keep those students from succeeding.
Many teachers, early in their careers, opt to leave the education profession because they want to avoid having to deal with inappropriate student behaviors. According to Oliver and Reschly, it is one of the main reasons teachers stop teaching. Just because a teacher's classroom management is ideal does not guarantee a classroom with no behavioral problems. Bad behaviors can occasionally occur in normally well-mannered students, as a result of family problems, illnesses and outside influences. However, proper management will cut down on those occurrences, helping teachers to feel more confident in their abilities -- and retaining them in their positions for a longer time.