Myung-sook Koh

Abstract

A Comparative Study of Elementary Teachers’ Beliefs and Strategies on Classroom and Behavior Management in the USA and Korean School Systems

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-cultural study is to investigate elementary teachers’ beliefs and inter-cultural perspectives in classroom management (instructional environment and behavior management) for students in public schools of the U.S. and Korea. The results supported that the two groups of teachers showed similar beliefs in instructional management styles, but demonstrated significant differences in student management styles. Overall, the Korean and the U.S. participating teachers tended to have slightly more teacher-directed instructional management style, but more Korean teachers believed in teacher-directed student management styles than the U.S. teachers. U.S. classrooms had higher numbers of students with problem behaviors than Korean teachers estimated in their classrooms. A majority of Korean elementary teachers used negative methods, like punishment, as behavior management strategies while U.S. teachers used more preventative and pre-corrective strategies

Keywords

• Elementary Teachers, Teachers’ Beliefs and Strategies, Classroom Behavior Management, US and Korean School Systems