Every teacher knows the moment. A lesson is going to plan when a student disengages, a disagreement flares up between classmates, or a quiet learner begins to fall behind unnoticed. Initial teacher education and professional development courses offer valuable principles of classroom management, yet the decisions that shape a lesson are made in seconds, under pressure, and rarely in the neat conditions a textbook describes. Knowing what good classroom management looks like is not the same as knowing how to apply it when the situation unfolds in front of you. 

This gap between knowledge and practice lies at the heart of the ClassPRO project. 

Why scenarios? 

Scenarios turn abstract principles into concrete situations. Instead of reading about de-escalation or inclusive questioning techniques, teachers encounter a specific classroom moment, such as a student refusing to participate or a group dynamic excluding one learner and must decide how to respond. They then see the consequences of that decision unfold. 

This approach offers four clear benefits for teachers. 

A safe space to practise. In a real classroom, a poorly judged response affects real students. In a scenario, teachers can test different strategies, make mistakes and try again without consequences for learners. This freedom to experiment builds confidence, particularly for early-career teachers and those facing unfamiliar classroom dynamics. 

Learning from consequences, not only from instructions. Scenarios show teachers how their choices shape student behaviour, emotions and engagement. Following a decision through to its outcome builds the kind of practical judgement that written guidance alone cannot provide. 

Recognising the emotional dimension of learning. ClassPRO places particular emphasis on students’ emotional responses and their link to achievement. Scenarios make these responses visible. They ask teachers to notice frustration, anxiety or disengagement, and to respond in ways that restore motivation within the context of their own subject. 

Rehearsing inclusion. Inclusive practice depends on noticing who is being left out and adapting in the moment. Scenarios drawn from diverse classroom realities allow teachers to rehearse responses to learners with different needs, backgrounds and levels of confidence before meeting similar situations in their own classrooms. 

Why gamification? 

Combining scenarios with game-based design adds motivation and depth. Branching choices, feedback and progression keep teachers engaged and encourage repeated play, which allows them to compare approaches and reflect on what works best. With Ludicius contributing its long experience in applied games, the ClassPRO scenarios are designed as learning experiences that teachers will want to return to, rather than as one-off exercises. 

Grounded in real classrooms 

Scenarios are only valuable if teachers recognise themselves in them. For this reason, the participation of two partner schools, Latsia Gymnasium in Cyprus and ELTE Radnóti Miklós Practice Secondary School in Hungary, is central to ClassPRO. Working with practising teachers ensures that the situations reflect the everyday realities of secondary classrooms, and the research partners anchor each scenario in sound pedagogical principles.  

Looking ahead 

ClassPRO’s gamified scenarios will complement the Virtual Learning Labs and the Handbook. Together they offer a pathway from understanding classroom management principles, to reflecting on students’ emotional responses, to practising effective responses in realistic situations. The aim is to help teachers build classrooms where every student feels seen, heard and supported.