EDEL
414
3/21/01
(Use only as a reference – using any part of this paper word for word is plagiarism)
My philosophy of classroom management is to allow students to be responsible for their own behavior at all times. I believe allowing students to be responsible for their behavior and actions allow them to have a sense of freedom. When students have freedom, they seem to be more successful and respectful. Classroom management is more successful when the class is student-centered. Students should be included in the planning of classroom rules, room arrangement, and communication should flow smoothly between teacher and student. Although the class is student-centered the teacher should be in control of the classroom. The teacher should know what is going on at all times, plan interesting and informative lessons, and be attentive to and meet every student’s basic needs. If student’s needs are met and they feel they have a trustworthy teacher classroom management can be successful. A teacher who plans has fewer classroom management problems.
Young people learn by modeling, experience, and are taught by parents, teachers, and/ or peers. Young people are externally motivated therefore, everything that they do is done because someone is externally rewarding their action or out of fear that they will lose someone’s approval or rewards. They have not learned that everything they do and learn will benefit them in the future. When they become internally motivated they will do most activities for enjoyment, to feel a sense of accomplishment, and/ or have a desire to learn.
The theorists that best clarify my perspective are Kounin, Canter, and Glasser. Kounin’s theory: Instructional Management and Democratic Teaching helps clarify my perspective because I believe that the way a teacher prepares their lessons and how organized they are plays a large role in classroom management. I believe that his factors of classroom control can reduce student misbehavior. The aspects of withitness, momentum and smoothness, group alerting, overlapping, and challenge arousal are all important when trying to reduce classroom misbehavior. The teacher’s ability to know what’s going on in all parts of the classroom at all times is essential and makes the students pay attention because they never know if the teacher is watching them. The factor of momentum and smoothness is also important because the teacher needs to get lessons started promptly, smoothly, and provide transitions. Other factors such as keeping students alert, actively involve in their learning, and holding students responsible for their learning helps classroom management.
Another theory that
clarifies my perspective is Canter’s Assertive Discipline. The focus of this
theory is to show teachers how to establish a classroom climate in which needs
are met by maintaining a calm, productive classroom environment. To achieve
this goal the teacher must attend to students’ needs, establish understandable
class rules for behavior, and establishing a climate of understanding and
trust. I believe that when students and teachers respect one another the
climate of the classroom is more pleasant than in classrooms where there is no
respect from both the students and the teacher. Canter says that this type of
relationship is developed through speaking respectfully to students, a true
sense of fairness, and giving the students your complete attention when they
speak to you. In most classes where misbehavior constantly takes place are in
classrooms where the students are not having their needs met. Either they are
bored with the lesson, attention seeking, or have a behavior problem for some
other reason. When students misbehave there must be consequences in which the
students understand. Canter also says that the teacher must teach the system to
the students. Teachers must explain why rules are needed and what reward and
consequences there are if these rules are followed are broken.
Glasser’s Reality Theory states that children are rational beings who can control their behavior. Student’s whose five basic needs (survival, belonging, power, fun, and freedom) are met will display appropriate behavior and minor misbehavior. The teacher must establish involvement with the student because students need to know that the teacher cares and can be trusted. The teacher should focus on the behavior, determining what the problem is and help the student assess their own condition and let the student accept responsibility for their behavior. The student should evaluate their behavior and develop a plan. The teacher and students should collaboratively come up with a plan of action that can also act as a contract. The student must make a commitment to following the plan and the teacher must follow up and follow through. Glasser’s view is that the teacher’s role is to make sure school is as need fulfilling as possible for every student. In order to help students succeed in school, teachers must lead students into learning that addresses their everyday lives. In order to do this teachers should make sure that the curriculum being taught satisfies the student’s basic needs.
My expectations of students and
classroom management are for students to govern themselves accordingly and to
follow rules so that everyone can learn. I expect for students to participate
in classroom activities and discussions, be respectful to the teacher and
peers, to turn in homework and assignments on or before the due date, and to
keep their classroom clean. To create positive expectations, I plan to use the
wall to help convey my messages by displaying student’s work, putting statements
or information, and displaying the rules and polices of the classroom. I will
use language effectively and make class expectations as explicit as possible. I
will teach the rules and procedures by describing and demonstrating the desired
behavior, rehearsal, and feedback. Each of the consequences for disobeying the
rules will be inclusive of the last and will be clear and distinct from the
last.
If I were a teacher, I would teach according to individual abilities to meet student’s academic needs. I would also consider whether the lesson will lead to learning and what kind of learning I want to encourage. I would also consider whether the activity would maintain student involvement. Maintaining student involvement and creating fun and meaningful lessons can helps prevent student’s need to act out. By giving student’s choices also helps prevent their need to act out. When giving them choices, students feel that they are getting over, but they really end up doing what you wanted originally. My assessment would promote my management goals because I would only assess what was meaningful and /or related to what I want my students to learn. I would use authentic assessments as much as possible, meaning as much as possible assess learning over which students have control. I would have explicit targets, communicate a clear purpose for each assessment to my students, and give my students as much control over their own assessment data as possible. By assessing using these methods students will be more motivated and efficient because they are in control of their learning. In order to teach a diverse population of students I would create lessons that all the students could relate to and be able to participate in.
What motivates students is good parenting and teaching. Having parents who support them and encourage them to make the best of their schooling motivates them to learn and have good behavior in school. Good teachers who show that they care, are trustworthy, and empathetic also helps motivate students. What motivates students in the short- term is praise and punishment. Praise is external and can become highly addictive and punishment only motivates the student to do right for a short period of time. Punishment promotes obedience and is also external therefore, the student will go back to their old ways because have not accepted responsibility. What motivates students in the long-term is giving them choices and making them responsible for their learning and behavior. By giving students choices, they feel that are not being made do what they really do not want to do. By giving them choices students are able and made to be responsible for their learning, which motivates them to learn more because they doing work that is interesting to them. I plan to motivate my students by giving them choices, ownership, freedom, and praise when needed. I would characterize my approach as following Glasser’s theory and having my classroom student-centered.
My ideal class would consist of
about twenty second graders. When I walk up to the class the students are lined
up in front of the door waiting for my arrival. We greet one another and walk
into the class. The students go straight to their desk and my attendance helper
begins to take roll. After role is taken my helper and I let him chose a friend
to go take the roll to the office. While they are out I ask the students how
their weekend was and ask them if they have an interesting story about their
weekend that they want to share with the class. I may also give a little self-disclosure
about my weekend. After this the helpers are back and we are now writing the
classroom news and changing the date. I have created a fun lesson so this day
the class can be relaxed. Today’s plan is going to cover the wildlife. I have
chosen an interesting book about wild animals from all over the world with
beautiful illustrations. The class is sitting on the floor around me so they
can hear and see the pictures. After I have read the book I ask the students to
return to their seats so that we can do an activity. I have laid out clay and
paint on the back table. I will give the students directions before engaging in
the activity. First, the students will decide what their favorite wild animal
is, tell why they like this animal, and share it with a friend. After that I
will pass out clay to students and remind them they are not to touch the clay
until I say it is okay. After the clay has been distributed to all of the
students I ask them to mold the clay into their favorite wild animal. After
they have made the shape it is now time to put it into the oven to let the clay
harden. This takes approximately twenty minutes for the clay to harden. I have
access to the cafeteria oven, which is large enough for all twenty or so
figures to bake inside. When they are finished it is now time to paint. I ask
my assistant (you said I can dream) to assist with the painting. I take the
students outside to the tables by the class and let them paint their animals
there. They are left outside to dry and the students come back in class and
wash their hands. We discuss the activity and I move on to the next lesson. It
is now time for math and I am focusing on graphing. In order for us to create
our graph I ask the students to tell me their favorite flavor jellybean. Then I
pass out five different colors to each student and ask them to rate their
favorite flavor. After they have eaten the beans and have the results, I have
the students put their favorite color on the graph with colored paper that I
made prior to class. We figure out which flavor most students preferred and
which flavor most students did not. After this lesson, I ask my assistant to
check if the paint is dry and it is. I have them spray a shine on the animals,
which gives them a beautiful glow. Then they are brought back inside, each
student knows which animal is theirs because I had them write their names on
the bottom of it because some students chose some of the same animals. After
the students are excited and have shared their creation it is now time to dismiss
them for lunch. I also go to lunch and prepare for the rest of the day.
One year from today, my students
know the rules and are still behaving well. My students are involved,
participating, excited, and motivated about learning. I do not have to explain
the rules or remind them of the rules verbally, all I have to do is look or tap
them and they get back on track. I feel like a confident teacher because I have
maintained a positive classroom climate and have developed a good rapport with
my students. My class is the best class that any teacher could have.