Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) – Grades 5-9 (5623) Practice Test

Focusing on students' emotional competencies addresses classroom management by giving students the skills to recognize and regulate their emotions, collaborate with peers, and handle conflicts. When students can name what they’re feeling and manage impulses, they’re less prone to outbursts, more able to wait their turn, and better at staying engaged in activities. This creates a calmer, more predictable classroom climate and makes enforcing routines smoother for teachers.

A professional development option that centers on promoting emotional intelligence in the classroom directly builds these abilities, offering practical strategies for teaching students to identify emotions, regulate responses, show empathy, and communicate effectively. With stronger social-emotional skills, students can navigate classroom expectations more independently, which directly supports better classroom management.

Other options might improve content knowledge or general management practices, but they don’t target the emotional skills that often underlie classroom behavior as directly.