Critical Analysis Writing Process 

While writing the critical analysis, I felt that I improved the most. Not only was it my highest grade (18/25), I just felt more confident in this essay than the rest. I could see the way my writing had improved from the beginning of the course. I maintained a constant verb tense throughout my essay, rarely used “this” in my essay, included relevant information, and added transition words to make my writing smooth. When it came to the organization of my paragraphs, I had to ask myself “what would be the most effective way to organize my information in a way that allows my audience to fully understand my argument?” Overall, I feel like this essay really showcased my improvement in my writing.

What I Learned:

• How to cite in ASA style
• Subject/ Verb agreement
• How to find credible/reliable sources
• Punctuation goes inside quotation marks
• Classroom Management Styles

Critical Analysis Final Draft

There are many different ways a teacher manages his or her classroom. All teachers work to answer the same question, how can I manage my class in a way that allows my students to fully grasp all the information they need? A teacher may decide to manage their class in a more controlled, focused manner or they may think that being more lenient allows students to interact more and build team working skills. In regards to student achievement and creating a stimulating environment, the most effective class management style a teacher should follow is the authoritative management style.

There are many variations of learning, which is why teachers often struggle on how to best project their lesson. In addition, students might have different learning styles. For instance, some kids might learn better through a hands-on approach, whereas others might learn visually. Because of this, teachers find it difficult to choose a classroom management style. Some components of classroom management include time, activities, student behavior, and space (Djigic 2011:820). For example, the teacher has to consider how to keep students engaged within a certain time range, how to handle unwanted behavior, get students to actively contribute to the class, and also encourage student achievement. This emphasizes that classroom management is important because it leads to achieving positive educational outcomes. Classroom management enables teachers to work diligently and continuously to maintain a positive classroom atmosphere. A classroom without routines and expectations makes it difficult for the teacher to do his or her job.

There are four types of classroom management styles–authoritative, authoritarian, laissez-faire and indifferent. In an authoritative managed classroom, the teacher places limits and controls on the students, while also encouraging independence (YŦlmaz 2009:158). The major goal of the authoritative approach is to sustain an orderly and productive classroom that promotes quality education. In an authoritarian managed classroom, the teacher places firm limits and controls on the students (YŦlmaz 2009:158). The objective of this approach is to establish rules and regulations that should be obeyed by the students. On the contrary, a laissez-faire managed classroom, the teacher places few demands or controls on the students (YŦlmaz 2009:158). The goal of laissez-faire management is to enhance the personal growth and freedom of the individual. In an indifferent managed classroom, the teacher places few demands, if any, on the students and appears generally uninterested (YŦlmaz 2009:159). In other words, the teacher is not very involved in the classroom and often feels that class preparation is not worth the effort.  

Students and classroom environment are affected depending on the classroom management style being implemented. When the authoritative classroom management style is being used, students are self-motivated and focused on completing their work. The classroom environment demonstrates an organized and safe learning space. When the authoritarian classroom management is enforced, students follow the teachers’ instructions and are not given the chance to use their creative thinking. The classroom environment is very quiet and strictly dominated by the teacher. When the laissez-faire classroom management is implemented, students are given the chance to collaborate with their peers with minimal control from the teacher. As a result, students may either gain knowledge through collaborative work or they can become ineffective and lack self-control. The classroom environment is disorganized and noisy. When the indifferent classroom management is used, students are not mentally challenged by the work given and become disruptive. The classroom environment can be characterized as chaotic and loud.

For my research project, I encountered two different types of classroom management styles, authoritative and laissez-faire. When I observed Ms. Diaz’ class she was very inclusive in her teaching methods. In other words, she used both individual and collaborative work with her students. Ms. Diaz’ classroom environment was organized and interactive amongst peers. This management style enabled students to listen to each other and receive constructive feedback from the teacher. If a student went off topic, Ms. Diaz would guide them back to what they were originally discussing and was assertive when handling unwanted behavior. However, when I observed Ms. Perez’ science lab, the classroom environment was disorganized and disruptive. The students did not work collaboratively on their experiments. I also noticed that Ms. Perez was often ignored when she tried to bring the class back together to discuss the experiments.

After observing Ms. Diaz’ ELA/Literacy class and Ms.Perez’ Science Lab, I have concluded that the authoritative managed classroom was the most effective in terms of student achievement and creating a stimulating environment. Under this style, authoritative teachers are able to control and establish a thinking space for students while not being strict. For instance, Walker (2009) states, “Okay, pair up. One of you is going to be the problem-solver and the other one is going to be the problem checker. If you are the checker you need to explain how to get the right answer” (126). The teacher shows dominance over the students, while also giving students control by assigning them a task. This example of compliance is similar to Ms. Diaz’ class because she gives students roles. For instance, she assigns table leaders who set up their table with the necessary items for that class before they start their daily announcements. Table leaders set up without being told by the teacher and without causing disruption to the class. They also call on their table members to participate in class discussions. This illustrates how Ms. Diaz uses compliance and demands for self-management by allowing her third-grade students to take on important class roles while also keeping them under control. The teaching style Ms. Diaz’ implements allow for an engaging classroom environment that enables the students to move around and do different activities. As a result, students become more motivated to finish their classwork.

Cook’s (2015) journal further justifies why the authoritative style is the most effective in terms of student achievement and creating a stimulating environment. In the journal, Cook states, “to engage with [active learning]…instructors need to plan classroom exercises that encourage students to think about the meaning of a concept in multiple different contexts” (39). In other words, teachers need to create engaging ways in which students will be able to remember the lessons. Similarly, in Ms. Diaz’ class, she engages with active learning during the rewards section, a learning program that requires the students to work within a literacy workbook. Students are encouraged and tasked by Ms. Diaz to follow along with the workbook by pointing their finger to the proper vowel combination. Pointing allows the students to recognize the vowel combination and memorize how it looks and sounds. Knowing this comes in handy when the students have to identify the vowel combinations, they just learned, within different words. Ms. Diaz’ application of pointing allows students to remember concepts and apply them to other scenarios, which results in a stimulating learning environment. Through pointing, students are able to grasp various vowel combinations and their sounds.

On the other hand, others may argue that the laissez-faire class management style is the better choice. They claim this because it allows students to explore their minds without teacher interruptions. The laissez-faire style can be effective in situations where group members are highly skilled, motivated, and capable of working on their own. For example, “when teachers use interactive teaching strategies in class to stimulate multiple intelligences, the students understand that they are intelligent, gain more trust in their own abilities, become more aware of their strong points and weaknesses as well, which they can compensate for with personal ways of dealing with information” (Boaca 2014:94). Children can grasp more information through learning from their mistakes. In Ms. Perez’ science lab, for example, the students were given four experiments that they were to complete during that period. Students worked within their tables on each experiment. I noticed that tables who were faced with a challenge, went back to read the instructions, and were able to figure out where their group went wrong. Although not all of the tables got to complete all four experiments, almost all were able to get up to experiment three. Students were able to communicate with their peers and take leadership roles within their table. This shows why some may argue that the laissez-faire management style allows their children to take control of their own work and build social skills.

However, the benefits of an authoritative management style far outweigh the laissez-faire management style because it allows students to communicate clearly and effectively learn through mutual communication. Authoritative teachers are able to assess activities and give pupils feedback. For example, “In this style, teachers take pupils’ views, suggestions and questions into consideration” (YŦlmaz 2009:58). The authoritative classroom environment is open to verbal communication and criticism. Pupils know they could have a discussion when they make suggestions or ask questions. During the collaborative reading time, students were to read a text on the geography of Africa and then answer a question on the smart board. Using their participation cards, students raised the corresponding card to the letter choice of their answer. There was great disparity amongst the students’ answers. Both Ms. Diaz and the students questioned their answer choices and worked together to narrow down the correct answer choice. Through this, students are able to actively problem solve and understand readings better. Because of this, the authoritative management style is the most effective.

In conclusion, in regards to student achievement and creating a stimulating environment, the most effective class management style a teacher should follow is the authoritative management style. It is important to gain knowledge about the effectiveness of classroom management because without it teachers would not be able to educate students. The role of a teacher is to provide the necessary support to ensure that students become lifelong learners. In the future, educators must realize that in a typical classroom with students from a variety of families with different values, and socioeconomic statuses, an appropriate learning environment can only be maintained by effective classroom strategies.

 

References

Boaca, V., Gavrila, C., & Marghitan, A. L. (2014). Harnessing Multiple Intelligences by Interactive Teaching Strategies in Specialty Classes. Research Journal of Agricultural Science, 46(3), 90–95. Retrieved from October 26, 2018 http://ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=114889974&site=ehost-live  

Cook, D. B., & Klipfel, K. M. (2015). How Do Our Students Learn? Reference & User Services Quarterly, 55(1), 34–41. Retrieved from October 26, 2018 http://ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=110350329&site=ehost-live

Djigic, Gordana and Snezana Stojiljkovic. 2011. “Classroom Management Styles, Classroom Climate and School Achievement.” Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences 29:819–28. Retrieved October 26, 2018 (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Snezana_Stojiljkovic/publication/275541811_Classroom_management_styles_classroom_climate_and_school_achievement/links/555527ea08ae6fd2d821bd82/Classroom-management-styles-classroom-climate-and-school-achievement.pdf).

Walker, Joan M. T. 2009. “Authoritative Classroom Management: How Control and Nurturance Work Together.” Theory Into Practice 48(2):122–29. Retrieved October 26, 2018 (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232817897_Authoritative_Classroom_Management_How_Control_and_Nurturance_Work_Together).

YŦlmaz, KürƔad. 2009. “Primary School Teachers’ Views about Pupil Control Ideologies and Classroom Management Styles.” Primary School Teachers’ Views about Pupil Control Ideologies and Classroom Management Styles 4(3):157–67. Retrieved October 26, 2018 (https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/doaj/13059076/2009/00000004/00000003/art00002#Refs).   

 

Critical Analysis Self Reflection

The critical analysis served to analyze a specific position related to my research topic while using credible sources to support and expand my claims. With completing this essay, I was able to reflect upon my writing process and learn a few course learning outcomes.

There were many components I had to consider in my essay. One component I had to consider was the genre. Since the genre of my essay was argumentative, I had to find an effective paragraph structure that the audience would be able to follow. I wouldn’t have been able to argue my research topic with a descriptive essay because then I would not have been able to back up my claims with credible sources. Because I wrote a critical analysis essay, I followed the instructions for this assignment and wrote about my research topic, classroom management and its effect on student achievement and their classroom environment. Another component I had to consider was my purpose. Throughout my essay, I think I did a good job of stating the purpose of why classroom management is important. I started with a general introduction on my research topic, then went into the background of classroom management, the four types of management, and then into how students are affected as a result of each management style. As a result, I think my essay flowed naturally in the sense that the paragraphs were organized neatly to lead into my analysis of my research. While writing, I had to move some ideas into other areas of my essay so that it could make logical sense. An example of where I moved some ideas would be when I separated my analysis into two paragraphs in order to elaborate further on my observations and support my claims with research journals. As a result, the essay made more sense in that it fit into the topic. The audience would also find this most effective because now they can fully understand my research topic and my claims. I also had to consider the design and exigence of my essay.

When approaching the audience, I felt like I did a good job in the sense that I provided relevant background information for the reader to follow. It allowed the audience to gain knowledge of my research topic. For example, by explaining the four classroom management styles and their effect on student achievement and classroom climate, it allowed the readers to distinguish the styles from each other and generate questions on the importance of classroom management. My exigence for writing about classroom management was based on my observations. When I observed Ms. Diaz’ third-grade literacy class and Ms. Perez’ third-grade science lab class, there was a large difference in how much work a student achieved during that class time and the classroom environment. In Ms. Diaz’ classroom, students were calm and focused on doing their work. However, in Ms. Perez’ classroom, students were disruptive and constantly distracted from their work. As a result, I wondered which management style was the most effective for students, and decided to write about classroom management for this assignment. In regards to the design of my essay, I felt that my exigence and purpose should be shown at the end of the second paragraph. I felt this was the best place to put the importance of classroom management so that my essay would flow naturally. This ultimately helped the audience know from the beginning why they were reading my research paper.

Overall, this assignment helped me achieve several course learning outcomes. I learned to explore and analyze, in both my writing and readings, three texts and the five rhetorical situations. I learned to explore my writing by creating a strong thesis statement which I would be able to support with research journals and observations. My thesis was that, in regards to student achievement and creating a stimulating environment, the most effective classroom management style was the authoritative classroom management style. This thesis allowed me to explore my writing in the sense that I was going to be analyzing about a topic I wasn’t that familiar with. I also learned to analyze my writing by completing rough drafts that were peer edited in order to find better ways to improve the essay’s mistakes. Before writing this essay, I read six texts, however, only two out of those six texts assisted me in improving my critical analysis. They Say I Say “So What? Who Cares?” helped prepare me on sentence structures that would allow the audience to engage with my writing. For example, the author states, “This chapter focuses on various moves…the relevance or importance of what you are saying…[and] identifying a person or group who cares about your claims” (89). By asking myself “so what, who cares” while writing, it helped me to elaborate on certain points in my essay where I happened to be vague. This way the audience is able to fully grasp all the information I presented them with.

They Say I Say “As a Result,” helped prepare me on how to connect ideas. For example, “When you write a sentence, you create an expectation in the reader’s mind that the next sentence will in some way echo and be an extension of the first” (103). Through this, I was able to recognize sentences within my essay that didn’t connect with each other. This reading also helped me add transitional phrases to connect ideas. I also learned to locate research sources in the library’s databases and evaluate them. For my critical analysis, I used CCNY’s library database to locate credible and recent research journals related to classroom management. As a result, these research journals allowed me to support my claims and analyze my argument, that the authoritative classroom management style was the most effective, in detail. For instance, in my analysis, I used a quote from a research journal that talked about active learning, which helped support my observation of Ms. Diaz’ literacy class in which she uses active learning during the rewards section.

Not only did I learn how to locate resources, but I also learned how to correctly cite in ASA format. Instead of citing the journal’s name in parentheses after a quote, I would cite the authors last name followed by the year the journal was published and the page number. In addition, I used different techniques to improve the writing in my essay like proofreading, elaborating on ideas, and outlining. I used proofreading when checking over the verb tense I used throughout the essay. I also used the strategy of elaboration when analyzing quotes. Lastly, I used outlining in organizing how my ideas should flow from paragraph to paragraph.

These techniques allowed me to build my essay and expand on the content. I also learned to recognize and practice key rhetorical terms and strategies when writing by considering the target audience, genre of the essay, its purpose, my exigence, and context that would be included. Lastly, I engaged in collaborative efforts during the writing process with peer review and group work. This helped when I had to write the final version of my essay because it allowed me to look at different ways to improve my writing. Peer review was also useful because of the grammatical focus. As a result of peer review, I improved a few sections, like run-ons, in my essay which helped clarify certain points I wanted the audience to remember.

 

Works Cited

Birkenstein, Cathy, and Gerald Graff. “As a Result” They Say I Say, 2005, pp. 101–114.

Birkenstein, Cathy, and Gerald Graff. “So What? Who Cares?” They Say I Say, 2005, pp. 88–97.