One of the biggest reasons to spend time introducing the concept of power and authority to students is so they understand the key role that they play in developing a healthy classroom. Students should feel that they have an active role in keeping students safe, comfortable and at ease. The educator should remind the students throughout the year that they will work together to ensure that this system runs smoothly. If desired, the teacher can assign jobs to give the students an even greater sense of empowerment. Everyone involved in the classroom will appreciate the power they are given in creating an effective classroom. Students will enjoy having responsibility.
Establishing appropriate power-handling and authoritative roles ensures that the teacher is able to effectively lead the class. The educator is able to maintain a leadership role while sharing responsibility with the students. If she notices a problem developing, she may ask the students for ways to fix the problem. For example, if several students do not return a homework assignment, the teacher could say, "Class, I need your help deciding what to do. I need help deciding on an appropriate consequence when someone does not bring his homework assignment in. Can we also discuss some ways to help students remember to bring their assignments back?" Giving the students a way to discuss the problem and solution will help them view the situation from a different perspective. Students enjoy listening to their teacher and develop a strong respect for someone who understands the roles of power and authority.
Educators who truly understand and implement classroom management techniques are able to increase the amount of learning that goes on in their classrooms. As everyone in the classroom begins to work together, the teacher is able to spend more time working on the curriculum and all of the many things that students are required to learn and less time correcting student behavior or keeping students on task. When this system is carried out, students take control over their actions and have a sense of pride over the way that they act. For this system to work, the educator must relay the idea to students that he trusts them and knows that they will make the right decisions concerning their personal choices. Both educators and students will see the benefit of following this classroom management system.
When students have more responsibility for their actions, they become more invested in the outcome. This motivates them to do better, to come to class and to be receptive of their teachers' authority. In classrooms where good behavior is exhibited, students seem to demonstrate a high motivation for learning and attending school.