The Incredible Years Classroom Management Teacher Training Program: Content, Methods, and Process

This chapter describes The Incredible Years Classroom Management Program for preschool and primary grade teachers (kindergarten to grade three). This program is a comprehensive videotape and group discussion training program that has demonstrated effectiveness for helping teachers assist students in their classrooms who have diagnosed conduct problems (Webster-Stratton, Reid, & Hammond, 2000b).  The program is also effective as a school-based prevention program for use by teachers to promote social competence, particularly in those schools that serve children who are at socioeconomic disadvantage (Webster-Stratton, Reid, & Hammond, 2000a).  

The program was designed with the broad goals of: (a) strengthening teacher’s positive classroom management for managing misbehavior, promoting positive relationships with difficult students, and strengthening social skills in the classroom, playground, and on the bus; (b) increasing home-school collaboration; (c) promoting child social competence and academic skills; and (d) decreasing child conduct problems in the classroom.  In addition, teachers learn to prevent peer rejection by helping aggressive children learn appropriate problem-solving strategies and helping their non-aggressive peers respond appropriately to aggression. Teachers also discuss the particular learning needs of children with biological deficits such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (e.g., heightened interest in novelty, need for concrete markers of success) so that they are sensitive to individual developmental differences and the relevance of these differences for enhanced teaching efforts that are positive, accepting, and consistent.  Physical aggression in unstructured settings (e.g., playground and lunch room) is targeted for close monitoring, teaching and incentive programs.  

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