This study examined the classroom practices of five pre-service teachers from three secondary schools in a large southeastern state. Through classroom observations, survey responses, reviews of refection logs, and focus-group interview responses, we centered on the issue of developing classroom authority as a means to effective classroom management. Max Weber's three types of authority were used as the conceptual framework. Although the literature indicated Weber's legal/rational authority development was preferable as a means to establish authority within a sociological capacity, these student-teachers frequently employed traditional or charismatic authority in their classrooms, often resulting in mismanagement of classroom behavior and an unproductive learning environment. Throughout their student-teaching experience, the participants utilized some management skill recalled from college coursework, advice from mentor teachers, and the university supervisor. However, all participants invariably returned to traditional or charismatic authority as a primary component of classroom authority. (Contains 1 table.)