Unlikely research pairing at St. Mike’s brings different perspective to classroom management

At first glance it may seem like an unusual union – applying business management theory to classroom teaching. But for Aidan Hall ’27 and Business Administration Professor Karen Popovich, the pairing, like their friendship, just made sense. 

For his summer research project, Hall, an Education Studies and Anthropology double major, is studying classroom management in a post-COVID world. He and Popovich, discovered the teaching styles Hall was analyzing directly corresponded with leadership styles described in Business Management theory. 

It was then that Hall decided to embark on a project that crosses disciplines and allowed him a chance to collaborate with Popovich, who he has never had as a professor but describes as “kind of like ‘Auntie Karen,’” because of a friendship forged outside the classroom. 

Business Administration Professor Karen Popovich and Aidan Hall ’27

Authoritarian/Theory X: Same thing, different names 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have shown that students have been less regulated and possess lower emotional intelligence, on the whole, than their counterparts a decade prior, Hall explained. In his research, he’s found that teaching style is one area that could contribute to student behaviors and outcomes.  

Authoritarian (also called Theory X in organizational management) is an approach with a clear power hierarchy in which the instructor or leader sets up rigid rules and systems and expects strict compliance in order to achieve success. This contrasts with the Authoritative style (referred to as Theory Y in business) which prizes mutual respect, models expected behaviors and encourages creativity and autonomy to reach one’s potential. 

For the project, Hall is reviewing secondary sources to consider best practices to employ in classroom management – including management style – and is also talking to educators and parents to understand what their experiences have been and what has worked or not worked. He is asking questions like, “How do you balance firmness and empathy?” and “How do you balance structure and autonomy?” 

Popovich said this project melds a lot of his and her interests into one and demonstrates the interconnectedness of disciplines. 

“He’s building on and applying what he’s learned in education, he’s taking what he’s learned about anthropology and applying that,” she said. “He’s also seeing the relationship of these theories to business and to psychology because a lot of organizational behavior just stems from psych.” 

Aidan Hall ’27 interviews an educator for his summer research project on classroom management.

‘The best professor I’ll never have’ 

Hall met Popovich – who was manning the grill at a First-Year Orientation event – on his first day at St. Mike’s. The pair, along with Hall’s mom, who was nervous about his entering college and what his experience might be, hit it off. After that, the two would run into each other in Alliot during lunch and take the time to catch up.  

Hall took to calling Popovich “the best professor I’ll never have,” owing to the fact that his academic classes in education, anthropology and music (minor) did not cross with hers. 

This is the first opportunity they have had to work together. 

“I’m relishing the fact that I get to work with a student that’s outside my immediate discipline but someone that I met on their first day to campus – that for the last year and a half we’ve just really built a good relationship,” Popovich said. “I think that’s something also special about St. Mike’s – and it talks about how community is formed and how relationships go beyond the classroom walls.” 

Self development as a means to student development  

Hall is working toward a teaching career and hopes to be a special educator in a public school or a teacher’s aide or classroom teacher in an independent school one day. He would like his research to help other teachers, but his goal is more personal – to prepare himself to be the best educator he can be to meet the specific needs of Gen Alpha students and to understand himself a little better.  

“What kids are lacking and what education and management really is – it’s all about understanding self and others,” he said.  

Hall is neurodivergent and describes himself as an autistic empath. He said much of his life’s focus has been manually learning how to interact socially. 

“My life has been about that principle of understanding myself and others, which will help me with any student – definitely with neurodivergent but really any student – especially knowing that what we’re seeing [with recent classroom challenges] is a lack of that understanding,” he said.   

Aidan Hall ’27 and Business Administration Professor Karen Popovich discuss Hall’s summer research project.

Feeding each others’ passion  

Hall has been able to see how what he’s doing can impact others – and that is one of the most valuable life lessons, Popovich said. She is proud of how he has flourished. 

“Saint Michael’s is a place for every single young person to thrive and to learn and to be safe outside their comfort zone,” she said. 

The research also has a reciprocal benefit for Popovich.  

“My passion feeds on their passion,” she said. “I love research, and I get to share that with Aidan, and then that, in turn, gets me excited for my research. And my research informs my teaching.” 

She is excited to see how this project will shape her own teaching in the coming semesters.  

In the meantime, Hall can consider whether or not to change how he refers to Popovich – perhaps his “favorite summer research mentor.”