Classroom Management Profile

The Center for Adolescent and Family Studies (CAFS) is a research center in the School of Education at Indiana University. Through community-based research projects and collaborations with other universities, CAFS identifies and disseminates information regarding the effective treatment of at-risk adolescents and their families. CAFS is a resource to practitioners, teachers, and families by providing information through this website, professional papers, presentations, and other print media.

What is your classroom management profile?

One of the resources made available by CAFS is a device for teachers to ascertain their "classroom management profile." This simple self-scoring test might be an interesting tool for a principal working with a teacher's classroom management skills, or for a teacher working to improve some aspect of handling student behavior problems.

Answer these 12 questions and learn more about your classroom management profile. The steps are simple:

Read each statement carefully. Write your response, from the scale below, on a sheet of paper. Respond to each statement based upon either actual or imagined classroom experience. Then, follow the scoring instructions below. It couldn't be easier!

1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Neutral
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly Agree

1. If a student is disruptive during class, I assign him/her to detention, without further discussion.
2. I don't want to impose any rules on my students.
3. The classroom must be quiet in order for students to learn.
4. I am concerned about both what my students learn and how they learn.
5. If a student turns in a late homework assignment, it is not my problem.
6. I don't want to reprimand a student because it might hurt his/her feelings.
7. Class preparation isn't worth the effort.
8. I always try to explain the reasons behind my rules and decisions.
9. I will not accept excuses from a student who is tardy.
10. The emotional well-being of my students is more important than classroom control.
11. My students understand that they can interrupt my lecture if they have a relevant question.
12. If a student requests a hall pass, I always honor the request.

To score your quiz,
Add your responses to statements 1, 3, and 9. This is your score for the authoritarian style.

Statements 4, 8 and 11 refer to the authoritative style.

Statements 6, 10, and 12 refer to the laissez-faire style.

Statements 2, 5, and 7 refer to the indifferent style.

The result is your classroom management profile. Your score for each management style can range from 3 to 15. A high score indicates a strong preference for that particular style. After you have scored your quiz, and determined your profile, read the descriptions of each management style. You may see a little bit of yourself in each one.

As you gain teaching experience, you may find that your preferred style(s) will change. Over time, your profile may become more diverse or more focused. Also, it may be suitable to rely upon a specific style when addressing a particular situation or subject. Perhaps the successful teacher is one who can evaluate a situation and then apply the appropriate style. Finally, remember that the intent of this exercise is to inform you and arouse your curiosity regarding classroom management styles.

The classroom management styles are adaptations of the parenting styles discussed in Adolescence, by John T. Santrock. They were adapted by Kris Bosworth, Kevin McCracken, Paul Haakenson, Marsha Ritt er Jones, Anne Grey, Laura Versaci, Julie James, and Ronen Hammer.

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