I have been thinking a lot about what classroom management looks like in a time when we want students to direct their own learning; creativity and collaboration are imperative; projects and performance assessments are the center of instruction; and technology is ever present.

Many of the strategies we have used to manage classrooms from the past will still be relevant.  The structures and routines will look different, but students will still need those structures to be successful.  Although students may be more self-directed in their learning, they will still need support in making choices and finding resources.  They will need special structures to deal with more flexible spaces, schedules, and timelines.  Students will need protocols, structures and routines to manage collaboration and project management.  Is classroom management in the 21st century really that much different?

I wonder if Alfie Kohn and William Glasser would argue that with increased self-direction and student centered classrooms, behavior will be less of an issue? I tend to believe that with increased intrinsic motivators in the school structures, behaviors will be less of an issue.  Where I struggle is in the “in between” stage.  As teachers adjust to project development, self-direction, devices, more flexible timelines, and as the system adjusts, how can we meet students in the middle?  Will there come a time when we don’t need any behavioristic tools? How do tools like ClassDojo fit into 21st century (and beyond) learning?  While I love the vision of a chaotic, yet productive open classroom, how do we deal with students who still need quiet work spaces? As we implement personal learning plans and consider proficiency based graduation requirements in Vermont, these issues become even more important.  Please share what and how you are dealing with, in terms of classroom management, as we adjust our instruction to these new times.  Go to the fearlessteachers facebook page and post your thoughts in the feed so we can share ideas and solutions to classroom management issues in the 21st century (and beyond, of course).