UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Education
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
TAM2601: Teacher as Manager
Assignment 2 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
TAM2601
Module Code:
Teacher as Manager
Module Name:
Classroom Management Systems, Climate,
Assignment Topic:
Cultural Diversity, and Administrative Prac-
tices
Assignment 2
Assignment Number:
30 June 2026
Due Date:
100
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for TAM2601 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | TAM2601 Teacher as Manager – Assignment 2
Question 1: Integrating the Five Management Functions for Cohesive Classroom
Management
Classroom management is widely understood as an integrated system of managerial functions
rather than a collection of isolated responses to learner behaviour. Coetzee and Van Niekerk
(2019:67) describe the teacher as a manager who must draw on the classical management
functions of planning, organising, leading, monitoring, and coordinating to create an envi-
ronment in which meaningful learning can take place. When these functions work together
seamlessly, they form a cohesive system that supports both positive behaviour and academic
achievement. When one function is weak or absent, the entire system is at risk of breaking
down (UNISA, 2021).
1.1 Planning: Establishing the Foundation for Classroom Order
Planning is the first and perhaps most critical of the five functions because every other func-
tion depends on it. As a teacher, planning refers to deliberately deciding in advance what
will be taught, how it will be taught, what rules and routines will govern the classroom, and
how time and resources will be allocated to serve learners with different needs. Chow et al.
(2024:1) confirm that a teacher’s approach to classroom management, particularly in the plan-
ning phase, directly influences learner engagement rates throughout the school year.
In practice, planning at the start of the academic year involves drafting a discipline policy
aligned with the school’s code of conduct, establishing seating arrangements, designing lesson
plans that accommodate diverse learning styles, and scheduling time blocks that balance in-
struction with rest. For example, in a South African Grade 9 classroom in Gauteng, a teacher
who plans structured transitions between subjects reduces the likelihood of disruptive be-
haviour during those changeover periods.
The question of impact is central here. If planning is weak or missing, lessons become reac-
tive rather than proactive. Learners experience inconsistency, which breeds anxiety and dis-
order. Research by Tshabalala et al. (2024) found that teachers in Gauteng high schools who
lacked structured planning strategies were significantly more likely to report persistent disci-
pline challenges and lower learner motivation.
Page 2 of 23
, UNISA | TAM2601 Teacher as Manager – Assignment 2
1.2 Organising: Structuring Resources, Roles, and the Learning Environment
Organising refers to the deliberate arrangement of the classroom’s physical and human re-
sources in a way that supports learning. This includes the layout of desks, the assignment of
group roles, the organisation of instructional materials, and the setting up of systems such
as attendance registers and homework submission routines. According to Minela (2020), the
physical and social environments of the classroom both carry substantial influence over man-
agement effectiveness; the physical layout shapes movement and attention, while the social
structure shapes interaction and cooperation.
As a teacher, organising involves creating predictable daily routines so that learners know
what to expect. When learners enter a classroom with a visible agenda on the board, assigned
seats, and clearly labelled resource bins, cognitive load related to uncertainty is reduced. This
allows learners to redirect their attention toward academic content more quickly.
If the organising function is weak, the classroom descends into logistical confusion. Learners
spend learning time searching for materials, waiting for instructions, or navigating unclear
group arrangements. Wagner (2019) notes that poor physical organisation of the classroom is
directly associated with lower learner concentration and increased off-task behaviour. In South
African schools where resources are already stretched, poor organisation further compounds
the learning barriers that many learners already face.
1.3 Leading: Guiding and Motivating Learners toward Educational Goals
Leadership is the function through which the teacher influences learner behaviour through
positive relationships, modelling, and motivational communication. The teacher as leader does
not simply command compliance but inspires learners to invest in the learning process. Minela
(2020) identifies democratic leadership in the classroom as particularly effective in the South
African context, as it balances authority with learner voice and fosters a sense of shared own-
ership of classroom norms.
Leading involves making real-time decisions about how to respond to learner needs, how to
handle disruptions without damaging relationships, and how to differentiate instruction so
that each learner is appropriately challenged. It also involves the relational dimension: a teacher
who greets learners by name, acknowledges individual effort, and communicates high expecta-
tions consistently creates a classroom culture of respect and aspiration.
Page 3 of 23
College of Education
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
TAM2601: Teacher as Manager
Assignment 2 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
TAM2601
Module Code:
Teacher as Manager
Module Name:
Classroom Management Systems, Climate,
Assignment Topic:
Cultural Diversity, and Administrative Prac-
tices
Assignment 2
Assignment Number:
30 June 2026
Due Date:
100
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for TAM2601 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | TAM2601 Teacher as Manager – Assignment 2
Question 1: Integrating the Five Management Functions for Cohesive Classroom
Management
Classroom management is widely understood as an integrated system of managerial functions
rather than a collection of isolated responses to learner behaviour. Coetzee and Van Niekerk
(2019:67) describe the teacher as a manager who must draw on the classical management
functions of planning, organising, leading, monitoring, and coordinating to create an envi-
ronment in which meaningful learning can take place. When these functions work together
seamlessly, they form a cohesive system that supports both positive behaviour and academic
achievement. When one function is weak or absent, the entire system is at risk of breaking
down (UNISA, 2021).
1.1 Planning: Establishing the Foundation for Classroom Order
Planning is the first and perhaps most critical of the five functions because every other func-
tion depends on it. As a teacher, planning refers to deliberately deciding in advance what
will be taught, how it will be taught, what rules and routines will govern the classroom, and
how time and resources will be allocated to serve learners with different needs. Chow et al.
(2024:1) confirm that a teacher’s approach to classroom management, particularly in the plan-
ning phase, directly influences learner engagement rates throughout the school year.
In practice, planning at the start of the academic year involves drafting a discipline policy
aligned with the school’s code of conduct, establishing seating arrangements, designing lesson
plans that accommodate diverse learning styles, and scheduling time blocks that balance in-
struction with rest. For example, in a South African Grade 9 classroom in Gauteng, a teacher
who plans structured transitions between subjects reduces the likelihood of disruptive be-
haviour during those changeover periods.
The question of impact is central here. If planning is weak or missing, lessons become reac-
tive rather than proactive. Learners experience inconsistency, which breeds anxiety and dis-
order. Research by Tshabalala et al. (2024) found that teachers in Gauteng high schools who
lacked structured planning strategies were significantly more likely to report persistent disci-
pline challenges and lower learner motivation.
Page 2 of 23
, UNISA | TAM2601 Teacher as Manager – Assignment 2
1.2 Organising: Structuring Resources, Roles, and the Learning Environment
Organising refers to the deliberate arrangement of the classroom’s physical and human re-
sources in a way that supports learning. This includes the layout of desks, the assignment of
group roles, the organisation of instructional materials, and the setting up of systems such
as attendance registers and homework submission routines. According to Minela (2020), the
physical and social environments of the classroom both carry substantial influence over man-
agement effectiveness; the physical layout shapes movement and attention, while the social
structure shapes interaction and cooperation.
As a teacher, organising involves creating predictable daily routines so that learners know
what to expect. When learners enter a classroom with a visible agenda on the board, assigned
seats, and clearly labelled resource bins, cognitive load related to uncertainty is reduced. This
allows learners to redirect their attention toward academic content more quickly.
If the organising function is weak, the classroom descends into logistical confusion. Learners
spend learning time searching for materials, waiting for instructions, or navigating unclear
group arrangements. Wagner (2019) notes that poor physical organisation of the classroom is
directly associated with lower learner concentration and increased off-task behaviour. In South
African schools where resources are already stretched, poor organisation further compounds
the learning barriers that many learners already face.
1.3 Leading: Guiding and Motivating Learners toward Educational Goals
Leadership is the function through which the teacher influences learner behaviour through
positive relationships, modelling, and motivational communication. The teacher as leader does
not simply command compliance but inspires learners to invest in the learning process. Minela
(2020) identifies democratic leadership in the classroom as particularly effective in the South
African context, as it balances authority with learner voice and fosters a sense of shared own-
ership of classroom norms.
Leading involves making real-time decisions about how to respond to learner needs, how to
handle disruptions without damaging relationships, and how to differentiate instruction so
that each learner is appropriately challenged. It also involves the relational dimension: a teacher
who greets learners by name, acknowledges individual effort, and communicates high expecta-
tions consistently creates a classroom culture of respect and aspiration.
Page 3 of 23
