Positive Greetings at the Door: Evaluation of a Low-Cost, High-Yield Proactive Classroom Management Strategy

Abstract

Externalizing behaviors undermine learning environments, yet many teachers report receiving inadequate preservice training to manage these behaviors in the classroom (Christofferson & Sullivan, 2015). Disruptive, aggressive, and noncompliant behaviors constitute the majority of externalizing problems that negatively affect classroom learning environments (E. Little, 2003; E. Little & Hudson, 1998). These problem behaviors interfere with instructional delivery, contribute to an unproductive learning atmosphere, and compromise students' ability to stay focused and learn (Walker, Ramsey, & Gresham, 2004). Students who exhibit classroom problem behaviors are likely to experience negative short-and long-term outcomes, including poor grades, absenteeism, exclusionary discipline, conduct problems, school dropout, and incarceration (e.g.,

Meta-Analysis and Common Practice Elements of Universal Approaches to Improving Student-Teacher Relationships

“…Future research needs to determine which of these practices are active ingredients and which have the largest effects on the STR. Some studies have already began looking at the effects of these discrete practices (e.g., greetings at the door; Cook, Fiat, et al, 2018); however, more extensive research evidence needs to be completed before our suggested practice implications can be fully realized.…”

“…Although this study identified STR programs and distilled them, this study did not systematically identify all studies empirically testing discrete STR practices, such as positive greetings at the door (Cook, Fiat, et al, 2018). Future research should build off the findings from this study by conducting a comprehensive review of studies examining the effects of discrete relationship practices.…”

The Effect of Collegial School Management on Improvement of Students’ skills

“…The behavior-specific praise of students, high-probability request sequence, precorrection activity, active supervision, instructional choice, and teaching feedback, as well as good behavior game, can be resulted in a decreased number of student disruptive behaviors (Freeman, 2018: Groves, & Austin, 2019Rubow, Vollmer, & Joslyn, 2018). The positive teacher behaviors, as well as professional development, produced significant improvements in reductions in disruptive behavior (Cook et al, 2018;Bradshaw et al, 2018). In conclusion, the investigation of the relationship between school management and the prevention of disruptive behaviors, as resulted in previous research, is important.…”

Through the looking glass… into wonderland and beyond!

“…According to John Hattie & Klaus Zierer (2018), we should keep the following aspects in mind whenever we interact with our staff and students: our general demeanor, our posture, our gestures and facial expressions, our tone of voice, our smile and our eye contact. A recent study has shown that 'greeting your students at the door helps set a positive tone for the rest of the day, promoting their sense of belonging, boosting their academic engagement, and reducing disruptive behavior' (Cook, C.R., Fiat, A. & Larson, M., 2018).…”