Preservice Teachers’ Classroom Management Training: A Survey of Self-Reported Training Experiences, Content Coverage, and Preparedness

Many teachers report that their preservice training in classroom management was inadequate or ineffective, but little is known about the types of training they receive. In this exploratory study, 157 preservice teachers from throughout the United States were surveyed about the training sources through which they obtained knowledge and skills in classroom management as well as the content and their attitudes toward the training. A majority of students took stand-alone courses in classroom management, which were reported to provide the most comprehensive content, but the most frequently reported sources were mentoring and fieldwork. Participants reported that a combination of didactic coursework and hands-on training were associated with the highest sense of preparedness to use classroom management strategies. Implications for future research and school psychological services are discussed.