I am so pleased to be able to endorse Suzanne Houff's book, Managing the Classroom Environment: Meeting the Needs of the Student, second edition. In it she provides a very clear explanation of the five basic needs and an understanding of why people, including students, do what they do as promoted by Dr. William Glasser's Choice Theory psychology. With this understanding, teachers are lead to no longer focus on the problem behavior but rather to look at the underlying need that is creating the behavior. Dr. Houff provides practical techniques and strategies that are effective in creating a need-satisfying environment in the classroom for both students and teachers, thus reducing the need for classroom discipline. When teachers read, study and implement the ideas in Managing the Classroom Environment, they will experience the joy of teaching, while inspiring the joy of learning in their students.
Kim Olver, LCPC, executive director, William Glasser International Dr. Houff presents a clear overview of current literature regarding classroom management. Moving from an older model of reactive, consequence-based approach to a proactive stance, she helps both novice teachers searching for strategies as they enter the field, as well as experienced educators searching for more effective ways to build rapport with students. The scenarios and cases presented throughout the text provide opportunities to connect educational theories to the realities of daily work with children in schools. Teachers searching for ways to build cohesive classroom communities and honor the students who comprise these communities will find this book a welcome resource.
Dr. Adria Hoffman, field placement coordinator, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia Managing the Classroom Environment offers teachers clear, practical strategies to an effective management program that encourages student responsibility and promotes student-learning.
Kavatus Newell, Ph.D., school turnaroud consultant As a formal middle level administrator, I highly endorse Dr. Houff's book on classroom management because it promotes prevention first and intervention only if necessary. The solid research component lays a strong foundation to assist educators in designing a classroom or school-wide behavioral system that creates a safe, productive and nurturing learning environment.
Wendy Dzurick, director of K-12 instruction and former middle level administrator