GED Essay Example: Classroom Management
GED essay classroom management topics show up regularly on the GED RLA writing section, covering everything from school discipline policies to how teachers should handle challenging student behavior. These essays ask you to think critically about real classroom situations and educational policies while using evidence from the provided sources.
Read the prompt and task instruction below. Your task is to write a well-organized extended response of at least 300 words in 45 minutes, as shown in the Model Response that follows.
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Task Instruction
Task Instruction for GED essay Classroom Management
Analyze the arguments presented in the two speeches. In your response, develop an argument in which you explain how one position is better supported than the other. Incorporate relevant and specific evidence from both sources to support your argument. Remember, the better-argued position is not necessarily the position with which you agree. This task should take approximately 45 minutes to complete.
Zero Tolerance Policies Improve School Climate
Task Instruction for GED essay Classroom Management
By Sarah Mitchell, Principal at Lincoln Middle School
Zero tolerance policies for classroom disruptions are essential for creating effective learning environments. When schools enforce consistent consequences for behavioral problems, all students benefit from reduced distractions and increased instructional time.
Research supports strict behavioral policies. A 2022 study by the Education Policy Institute found that schools with zero tolerance approaches saw 40% fewer classroom disruptions and improved test scores across all grade levels. Students reported feeling safer and more focused when they knew disruptive behavior would be addressed immediately.
Zero tolerance also promotes fairness and consistency. When consequences are predetermined and applied equally, students understand expectations clearly. This eliminates favoritism and ensures that every student receives the same treatment regardless of background or previous behavior.
Furthermore, strict policies prepare students for real-world expectations. In college and workplace settings, disruptive behavior has immediate consequences. By learning self-control and respect for others in school, students develop essential life skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
Critics argue that zero tolerance policies are too harsh, but maintaining order is a teacher’s primary responsibility. When one student disrupts class, twenty-nine others lose learning opportunities. Schools must prioritize the educational needs of the majority while teaching all students that actions have consequences.
Effective education requires structure and discipline. Zero tolerance policies provide the framework necessary for academic success and social development.
Restorative Justice Creates Better Outcomes
By Dr. Michael Rodriguez, Educational Psychology Professor
Maintaining classroom order is important; however, zero tolerance policies often create more problems than they solve. Restorative justice approaches that focus on understanding and addressing the root causes of behavioral issues produce better long-term results for students and schools.
Zero tolerance policies disproportionately impact students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The American Educational Research Association found that students of color and those from low-income families are suspended at higher rates for identical behaviors. This creates an unfair system that pushes struggling students further behind academically.
Punishment alone does not teach better behavior. When students are removed from class or suspended, they miss valuable instruction time and often fall further behind. Restorative justice practices, such as mediation and community service, help students understand how their actions affect others while keeping them engaged in learning.
Research demonstrates the effectiveness of restorative approaches. Schools using these methods report 60% fewer repeat offenses compared to traditional disciplinary systems. Students learn conflict resolution skills and develop empathy, creating a more positive school culture overall.
Additionally, addressing underlying causes of behavioral problems, such as trauma, learning difficulties, or family stress, provides lasting solutions. Simply punishing symptoms without treating root causes ensures that problems will continue.
Schools should prioritize the instruction of positive behavioral expectations rather than relying solely on punitive measures for misconduct. Implementing restorative justice practices fosters opportunities for personal growth, social learning, and meaningful behavioral improvement that benefits the entire school community.
Model Response on GED Essay Classroom Management Topic
Schools are presented with a difficult choice regarding how to handle disruptive behavior in classrooms. Both Sarah Mitchell and Dr. Michael Rodriguez make good points, but Rodriguez’s argument for restorative justice is stronger because his evidence shows better results and is more fair to all students.
Mitchell is right that classrooms need order for learning to happen. Her research about improved test scores and fewer disruptions shows that strict rules can work. She also makes a good point that students need to learn consequences for their actions before they get to college or work.
However, Rodriguez provides better evidence that zero tolerance policies don’t actually solve behavior problems. His research shows that restorative justice reduces repeat problems by 60%, which means students actually learn to behave better instead of just getting punished. This proves that understanding why students act out works better than just punishing them.
Rodriguez also brings up an important fairness issue. He shows that zero tolerance policies affect minority students and poor students more than others, even when they do the same things. This isn’t fair and hurts students who already have challenges. When schools suspend these students, they fall further behind in their education.
The biggest difference between the two approaches is that Rodriguez focuses on teaching students how to behave better, while Mitchell focuses on removing problem students from class. Rodriguez’s method keeps students in school learning while still addressing their behavior problems. This makes more sense because the goal of school should be education, not punishment.
Although Mitchell is correct that classrooms need to remain orderly, Rodriguez demonstrates that restorative justice can establish structure while also ensuring fairness for all students and promoting the development of positive behavioral skills. His approach addresses underlying causes of problems, provides opportunities for meaningful reflection, and encourages long-term improvement rather than relying solely on punishment.
(307 words)
