Webster 1

Kallie Webster
Dr. Ryan T. Miller
Education 1010
17 November 2014
Classroom Management Philosophy
In creating an effective and positive learning environment, the way you manage
your classroom is very important. You need to make sure your students feel safe, and
comfortable, as well as keeping them on task. I hope to go into secondary special education.
Some things that are included in classroom management systems are first, creating a positive
learning environment, second planning and procedures, third how you will involve parents in
teaching, and forth the classroom rules, and consequences if those rules are broken. Within each
subject I think in learning so much from my mentor and seeing her success my classroom will be
modeled closely to hers.
For a positive learning environment I believe that students should have as much engaged
and academic learning time as possible throughout the class (Kauchak and Eggen Pg.313).
Although in a special-needs classroom this may be harder to achieve because the students learn
differently, and each student has their own personalized education plan that they must meet the
requirements of as decided by their teacher and guardian. As they all learn at a different pace and
in a different way this can be hard. Also some disorders make it hard for some to stay actively
engaged and focused on the task at hand. I hope to be able to either hire Para educators to help
individually with each student, or have a peer tutor program. This program allows students from
the general education system to come into the special needs classroom and work one on one as a
tutor for those with special needs.

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With any student a positive environment promotes learning, in order to achieve this you
need to gain the respect of your students and give them respect as well. This starts day one. In
respecting the student and making them feel like they are included in the classroom I believe that
the teacher should show confidence in the students abilities, and a confidence that each student
is able to succeed in the class and in life. Positive feedback is a big way to make your student
feel as though they are doing well in the class, this will in turn create a more positive drive to do
well in school. Also a feeling that the student can participate in the classroom as well and share
their own beliefs without fear of ridicule is something that is also very important in making them
feel safe and included. The very first day you should get to know each student and know the
names of each student. Another way you can show appreciation for your students is hanging up
their work in the classroom so that they and others are able to feel accomplished of good work
that they've done.
In my mentors program the focus is on 4 subjects. These include Language arts, Math,
Science, and transitional skills (Weiler para.3). Creating lesson plans for the special need
program can be hard at times because each student learns at a different pace. So in creating
personalized goals within each subject, each student is able to learn a pace that is comfortable
and in a way that they are able to best understand what they need to learn. As these students have
special needs, and function at different levels, there are different ways to handle the procedures
in class. In my classroom as well as in my mentors program open communication between the
student and teacher will be encouraged. When they student is in need of something they will
raise their hand and ask, they will either be taken care of by a teacher, or guided in the way they
should do it for themselves by a teacher. Such as sharpening a pencil, or getting a drink of water.
The main daily procedures are, be on time when the bell ring, ready to work with basic materials
at your work area, start work within 3 minutes of directions, complete task and put away

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materials when finished, respect of self and others, and work with a positive attitude and
cooperation on assignments (Weiler Para. 5). These are monitored by data sheets that award the
student with points for the day, and allow us to see how the student is doing in class.
Communication between teacher and parent is very close in the special needs program, as
there are needs and concerns that often come up and are addressed in open and frequent
communication. This is something established by parent and teacher, usually in the form of
phone calls, emails, notes home, and meetings. Something that my mentor does that helps the
parents to see what the students are learning is she created a blog and website that she posts a
weekly update on. I have heard may comments by the parents of how they like to see what their
student is actually learning.
One of the most important aspects, if not the most important aspect of managing a
classroom are your rules and expectations. These are set on day one. There are times when
students with special needs will test you to see if they can get around the rules, so it is imperative
that everyone that interacts with these students know and can enforce the rules. In modeling my
mentors classroom management system the rules are as follows, when entering the classroom
find a seat, wait for directions then begin when you understand, work at your best speed, when
finished turn in work, put away work and have a break with your partner, then repeat (Weiler
para.6). The consequences for breaking these rules are, first a verbal warning, second a loss of
daily points, third involvement of teacher, then fourth involvement of administration and parents.
In becoming an educator, being able to control ones classroom is something a lot of new
teachers fear, but as you create an effective and positive learning environment, plan and prepare
for future situations, involve parents, and set rules and consequences for broken rules on day one,
you will be ready for your students and be able to teach them more effectively.

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Work Cited
Kauchak, Donald P., and Paul D. Eggen. Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional.
Fifth ed. N.p.: Pearson Education, 2014. Print.
Weiler, Heather. "ECC Students." Extended Core Program. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.