Using a Web-Based Version of the Classroom Check-up to Support Teachers Toward Using Effective Classroom Management in Elementary School

Introduction: Disruptive behavior in the classroom takes time away from instruction, and disrupts student academic and social growth, making effective behavior management vital to student learning and emotional health. The complexities teachers face in providing effective practices with diverse learners requires evidence-based classroom management training programs that are adaptive to the unique challenges faced by teachers.

The Classroom Check-up (CCU) is a classroom management intervention that combines data-based decision making and evidence-based classroom management practices with ongoing onsite coaching for teachers. It is an assessment-based consultation intervention that addresses the need for classroom level support for teachers struggling with classroom management (Reinke, et al., 2008; Reinke et al., 2011). While the CCU has been shown to be effective in improving teachers classroom management (Reinke, et al., 2008) the model requires a coach with behavioral expertise. Thus, to allow for the model to be disseminated to schools without access to a coach with behavioral training, a web-based version of the CCU has been developed. In this study, we describe the web-based version of the CCU and provide the findings from a randomized pilot trial with 39 elementary teachers.

Method: Thirty-nine elementary school teachers were randomly assigned to receive the web-based CCU or not. Implementation of proactive classroom management was measured using the Brief Classroom Interaction Observation Revised (BCIO-R; Reinke & Newcomer, 2010). In addition, teacher completed the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Checklist (TOCA-C; Koth, Bradshaw, & Leaf, 2009) on student behavior and each student was administered the Woodcock-Johnson IV Achievement Test (WJ-IV ACH; Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2007) pre and post intervention. In addition, data on the amount of coaching each teacher received was monitored.

Results: Pre-post changes in the use of proactive classroom management will be provided. In addition, the impact of the CCU intervention on student academic and behavioral outcomes will be assessed and reviewed.

Discussion: The importance of coaching as a support system for enhancing implementation quality of classroom-based preventive interventions will be discussed. The need for and use of transportable models, such as the web-based version of the CCU in supporting teachers will be highlighted.