Classroom Management Philosophy
In order for my classroom management philosophy to be effective, it is essential that it aligns with my personal beliefs and values as well. For this reason, I will discuss the theories and practices I see best suit myself. This plan is still “a work in progress” and it will be modified as I gain experience and new beliefs as a teacher. I believe some important aspects of having an effective classroom management philosophy would be: setting a clear set of rules and procedures, building a community in your classroom while building personal relationships with your students, creating a safe and effective learning environment, and having well designed and engaging lessons while being knowledgeable of your curriculum.
The first essential piece in developing your classroom management plan is setting clear rules and procedures. “The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines” (Wong, 1998). Students cannot follow procedures they do not know, therefore beginning on day one, I will outline the expectations of my students. They will know exactly what is expected of them when the bell rings and we begin class. According to Marzano in Classroom Management that Works, research indicates that across the various grade levels the average number of disruptions in classes where rules and procedures were effectively implemented was 28 percentile points lower than the average number of disruptions in classes where that was not the case (Marzano, 2003). Below, I have outlined a set of classroom rules.
Class Rules List:
Consequences for Rule Violations:
1st-offense: Verbal warning
2nd-offense: Brief talk after class
3rd-offense: 15-minute detention at lunch or after school
4th-offense: 30-minute detention and a call home to parent
5th-offense: Parent-Teacher conference
6th-offense: Office Referral
The class rules, procedures and consequences will be displayed in the front of the classroom to remind students what I expect from them. It is also important to be consistent while enforcing these rules. There are always exceptions to the rules for extreme circumstances and/or behaviors that require immediate administrative attention and it is the teacher's responsibility to identify such circumstances and/or behaviors.
According to foundational classroom management theorist Thomas Gordon, empathic understanding, in which a teacher learns about individual students, is one of the best ways to correct or prevent misbehaviors (Manning, 2013). Getting to know your students on a personal level not only makes your job more enjoyable, but makes the student’s learning experience more memorable. I want to learn as much as I can about my students so I am able to make connections to their own experiences and lives. An effective teacher must be able to make every student feel like they can succeed in any subject and provide them with every opportunity to do so. I plan to learn as much as I can from my students’ diversity in learning styles and adapt in preparing and organizing lesson content so it connects with all types of students on all types of levels.
Another crucial factor in managing the classroom includes the learning environment itself. The classroom should be arranged in a way which supports student learning and should include a strategic seating plan. I plan to have my students seated in groups of four since science often involves collaboration with others. I want a smooth flow of traffic in my classroom where the students can easily move around and they know where materials are located that they may need. The teacher’s tone can also affect the classroom environment, so it is important to have a positive mindset and model the attitudes/behaviors that you expect to see from your students.
Every day I plan to come to class prepared to teach an engaging and dynamic lesson. I will try to include a variety of activities in my lesson plans such as: reading, writing, discussions, experiments, lectures, group work, presentations, videos, reflections, games, etc. I plan to use many interactive techniques that get my students up and moving around the classroom in order to keep their blood flowing and their brains awake. I will also try to set a time limit on classroom activities in order to keep students engaged and learning. Teachers can never be over prepared for a lesson, so plan, plan, and plan! (Koch, 2014). Part of being prepared with your lesson plan includes knowing your subject matter well. Students will ask a lot of questions; therefore, I want to be best prepared to answer them. I want my students to know that I have an open door policy which means, if a student ever needs additional help or has questions, they can always come to me for help. Whether it before or after school, during recess, or via email, I am available to assist anyone in need.
References:
Koch, J. (2014). Teach 2. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Manning, M.L. & Bucher, K.T. (2013). Classroom Management: Models, Applications, and Cases. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Marzano, R.J., Marzano, J.S., & Pickering, D.J. (2003). Classroom Management that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (1998). The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Mountainview, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.
The first essential piece in developing your classroom management plan is setting clear rules and procedures. “The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines” (Wong, 1998). Students cannot follow procedures they do not know, therefore beginning on day one, I will outline the expectations of my students. They will know exactly what is expected of them when the bell rings and we begin class. According to Marzano in Classroom Management that Works, research indicates that across the various grade levels the average number of disruptions in classes where rules and procedures were effectively implemented was 28 percentile points lower than the average number of disruptions in classes where that was not the case (Marzano, 2003). Below, I have outlined a set of classroom rules.
Class Rules List:
- Be respectful. This includes to your classmates and your teacher. Also cleaning up, putting materials away, and not talking while others are talking, etc.
- Silence and put any cell phones/ Ipods/ and any other electronics away during class and keep them put away unless asked otherwise.
- Come to class on time and prepared to learn. This includes having materials needed for class: eg. notebook, pencil, assignments.
- Participate in classroom discussions.
Consequences for Rule Violations:
1st-offense: Verbal warning
2nd-offense: Brief talk after class
3rd-offense: 15-minute detention at lunch or after school
4th-offense: 30-minute detention and a call home to parent
5th-offense: Parent-Teacher conference
6th-offense: Office Referral
The class rules, procedures and consequences will be displayed in the front of the classroom to remind students what I expect from them. It is also important to be consistent while enforcing these rules. There are always exceptions to the rules for extreme circumstances and/or behaviors that require immediate administrative attention and it is the teacher's responsibility to identify such circumstances and/or behaviors.
According to foundational classroom management theorist Thomas Gordon, empathic understanding, in which a teacher learns about individual students, is one of the best ways to correct or prevent misbehaviors (Manning, 2013). Getting to know your students on a personal level not only makes your job more enjoyable, but makes the student’s learning experience more memorable. I want to learn as much as I can about my students so I am able to make connections to their own experiences and lives. An effective teacher must be able to make every student feel like they can succeed in any subject and provide them with every opportunity to do so. I plan to learn as much as I can from my students’ diversity in learning styles and adapt in preparing and organizing lesson content so it connects with all types of students on all types of levels.
Another crucial factor in managing the classroom includes the learning environment itself. The classroom should be arranged in a way which supports student learning and should include a strategic seating plan. I plan to have my students seated in groups of four since science often involves collaboration with others. I want a smooth flow of traffic in my classroom where the students can easily move around and they know where materials are located that they may need. The teacher’s tone can also affect the classroom environment, so it is important to have a positive mindset and model the attitudes/behaviors that you expect to see from your students.
Every day I plan to come to class prepared to teach an engaging and dynamic lesson. I will try to include a variety of activities in my lesson plans such as: reading, writing, discussions, experiments, lectures, group work, presentations, videos, reflections, games, etc. I plan to use many interactive techniques that get my students up and moving around the classroom in order to keep their blood flowing and their brains awake. I will also try to set a time limit on classroom activities in order to keep students engaged and learning. Teachers can never be over prepared for a lesson, so plan, plan, and plan! (Koch, 2014). Part of being prepared with your lesson plan includes knowing your subject matter well. Students will ask a lot of questions; therefore, I want to be best prepared to answer them. I want my students to know that I have an open door policy which means, if a student ever needs additional help or has questions, they can always come to me for help. Whether it before or after school, during recess, or via email, I am available to assist anyone in need.
References:
Koch, J. (2014). Teach 2. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Manning, M.L. & Bucher, K.T. (2013). Classroom Management: Models, Applications, and Cases. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Marzano, R.J., Marzano, J.S., & Pickering, D.J. (2003). Classroom Management that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (1998). The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Mountainview, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.