Management style should reflect the values and principles underpinning the new curriculum.

Overall, the classroom management style should reflect the values and principles underpinning the new curriculum and, ultimately, the South African Constitution.

Time invested in effective planning can go a long way towards making classrooms more conducive to learning. You also need to think about how to make the best use of the classroom space and resources that are available to you.

All of the above can contribute towards establishing and maintaining an appropriate culture of learning and teaching. However, when discipline problems do arise, it is best to address them early, using the techniques of positive and negative reinforcement.

We hope that you also noted that at different times Sarah, Thabiso and Mokete each provided some leadership in their school around various issues and that Sarah, as the formal school leader, encouraged this open discussion and sharing of ideas.

How open are you to your colleagues taking the lead in situations where they have greater wisdom or experience? It is our hope that you will take some of the case studies and activities in this unit and use them as a catalyst for discussion with your colleagues (Prinsloo and Van Schalkwyk, 2008:155).

Effective planning can go a long way towards making classrooms more conducive to learning.