EDFN 440 Classroom Management Summary

My Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy is based off of five main principles:
All students have the ability to learn
All students have the right to learn
All students should be given the opportunity and resources needed to
succeed in and out of the classroom
Teachers should inspire students to love learning new information in general,
not just to learn the content presented
If a child cant learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they
learn. Ignacio Estrada
The first principle I fully believe in is the fact that every student does have the ability to
learn. No child should be shut out of a school system because they don't understand a concept
the first time, or twentieth. Every child that comes into my classroom I will have the same
approach with, I will work with them until they understand what I am trying to teach.
Regardless of if a child is on an IEP, has a learning disability, or feels that he or she cannot
succeed, I want to be the one to say, "Yes you can", and then proceed to help them grow as a
student. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a child when a concept finally makes
sense to them; it is that promise of discovering knowledge that makes me want to teach
children in the first place.
I believe that students learn best through hands-on experiences and an interactive
learning environment. Students should be presented with a classroom where there are times
that I give instructional content, a time where we do problems together, and lastly a time
where the students try to accomplish a task on their own. Curwin and Mendler, the writers of
the Discipline with Dignity classroom management theory, believe that teachers should
provide instruction at levels that match student ability, as well as letting the students know
what I expect out of them. That is what I plan to do in my classroom.
The second principle I believe in is that all student have the right to learn. It does not
matter to me the race, gender, socioeconomic status, or past history of my students, everyone
has the right to an education. All children deserve to be taught the joys of learning, or at least
be given the option. No child should be kept out of the dark for any reason.
We, as a society and especially those of us in the education system, need to make sure
that the students we teach have the resources to help them succeed. Teachers do not just
educate students; they help to shape young individuals into the adults they will someday
become. We can't expect much from the future generations if we do not give them the
resources they need to learn from the very beginning. Teachers need to know how to best
serve their students so that every day when the students enter into the classroom they can get

the most out of every lesson. In order for this to happen, teachers must be prepared and we
must be willing to think outside of the box with the resources we are given so that we can work
efficiently and use every minute of our day wisely.
I want to be the type of teacher that not only teaches the content, but inspires my
students to love learning in general. I want my students to leave my classroom wanting to know
more about the world and to have them excited for their years to come in the school system. I
never want a student to come to my class and hate it. I realize that we all have bad days, but I
hope that if a student does "hate" school that by the time he or she leaves my class at the end
of the year he or she has come to enjoy learning so much to the point that they want to ask
questions and find out more. I want to be the type of teacher that my students remember for
making learning fun.
Lastly, I believe that it is the teachers job to cater to the needs of the students when it
comes to how that year's class learns. I strongly feel that multiple intelligences should be
utilized throughout lesson planning and classroom time. If a student does not understand one
way the information is taught, I want to find another way that might make more sense to them.
I want every child to succeed in my classroom, and for this to be done I have to be able to step
back and look at how I present information and constantly reevaluate what I am doing in the
classroom. I want to utilize differentiated instruction and get my students out of their desks and
doing hands-on activities. If my students are not understanding a concept I will take the time to
look at how that specific lesson was taught and see where I could improve to change my
instruction accordingly. It is the teachers job to motivate the students to do their best at all
times, and it is my promise to do the same for my future students.

Theory of Classroom Management

In order for me to achieve my goals in the classroom, I will need to have good class
room management. I believe that good classroom management starts from day one. An
effective classroom management is not only for my benefit, but for the benefit of all my
students. I agree with Thomas Gordon, and his Teacher Effectiveness Training, when he states
that setting classroom rules as a class and being considerate of the students feelings is a good
idea. If the students have some say in what the rules are, they will be more likely to abide by
them. Or course, I will have specific rules that must be followed, but if I allow the students the
chance to voice their opinions it could help resolve problems down the road. Dr. Rudolf
Dreikurs, writer of the Logical Consequences theory, says teachers and students should take
joint responsibility for maintaining a classroom. If we both decide on rules and consequences it
will make our classroom feel like we are a joint team working towards a common goal, a great
school year.
Offering choices is something that I would like to implement in my future classroom.
The theory, Discipline with Dignity says that when you offer choices to students, it makes
students feel as if they have some say in the manner. If I establish an environment that
students feel safe in, and one where there is mutual trust and respect between myself and my

students, then if I do have to discipline at all they will know that I do it because I have to be
consistent with the rules that were agreed upon by the whole class.
I also agree with B.F. Skinner, writer of the Behavior Modification Model, when he
says children cannot learn appropriate behavior on their own; they must receive reinforcers
from adults in order to learn expected behaviors. He goes on to talk about how by rewarding
good behavior and ignoring the bad, good behavior will inevitably increase. During the early
parts of the year, I will work to provide consistent, positive reinforcement so that students can
learn the expectations that are expected in my classroom. I feel that students are motivated
when there is some sort of reward system, whether big or small, but in my class they will have
to work together to receive a reward. It will take the class as a whole to succeed. I agree with
the Canter Model on how to teach positive behaviors, and that is through role play. I cannot
expect my students to know how to act in a positive manner if I do not model for them what I
expect first.
I feel that the teacher to student relationship can make or break a classroom year. I
remember the teachers in my past that took the time to get to know me on a personal level,
and remembered specific details about my life. I have to gain my students respect and trust
before I can expect them to show me the same in return. I like the Canter Model when it talks
about how no student will prevent me from teaching, or another student from learning. This
statement sums up what a good classroom management plan should accomplish. The students
should respect the teacher enough to let them teach, as well as respect their classmates
enough to allow them to learn in a productive environment.
Lastly, I believe that by having effective teacher organization skills a lot of classroom
management problems can be avoided. If I plan well, thought out lesson plans that are
engaging and hands-on when possible, then I will be able to have my students actively
participate within the class day. I feel that often times trouble occurs in the classroom when
there is too much down-time, but if I utilize every moment in the classroom my students will
always have something to keep them busy. Discipline with Dignity adds that teachers must
vary their style of presentation so that students do not become restless, and I fully agree.
In order to have good classroom management in my future classroom I will keep in mind how
my students learn best, what motivates my class, how I can build the teacher-student
relationship, and how classroom organization on my part can help to deter future problems.

Observations of Classroom Management

My current placement in the 4th grade classroom has allowed me to see several
classroom management techniques used. One technique that I have enjoyed seeing in action is
the reward system my mentor teacher has put in place. A token is given to each student every
morning. If a student misbehaviors, a token is taken away. At the end of the day, all of the
tokens are gathered up and placed in the token jar. When the jar is filled, the class has earned a
token party. This system works quite well because all of the students have to work together to
fill the jar. They have realized that when everyone in the class keeps their tokens through the
entire day the jar fills up faster.

I was able to observe a 5th grade classroom at the beginning of the morning, and into
their Language Arts lesson. One of the first things I observed was how fast the transition was
between the morning routine and starting the lesson. It was obvious the teacher had a
management routine put in place because when the students came in they got right to work
preparing for the morning. The teacher stood by the door and welcomed everyone to class by
name. The students got out their supplies and put away their coats/backpacks without a lot of
hassle. When the daily announcements were done, the teacher had what appeared to be a
morning meeting running down the day and getting the day started. The teacher instructed the
first person in each row to pass out the supplies and gather the dictionaries that they would be
using for the Language Arts assignment. This was a great technique to use because supplies
were passed out quickly and it allowed the teacher to keep going with the instruction.
In the 1st grade classroom I observed, I saw a lot of quiet signals utilized. I saw this
teacher use a Give me 5 signal where the students had to put up their hands and count down
to 5. Each number the students were to do a different action: 1-eyes on speaker, 2-lips closed,
3-ears listening, 4-sit up straight, 5-hands and feet quiet. These five actions did not take long to
accomplish, but it was quite effective. During the discussion portion of the lesson, the teacher
pulled Popsicle sticks with the students names on them to come up to the SmartBoard. The
teacher allowed the students to pass if they wished. That was a good idea because some of the
students were scared to come to the front. Another technique I liked was when the teacher
said to the students, Give thumbs up if you like this helped to move the conversations along
and limit the number of stories shared.
In the CARE (Behavior) classroom I observed, it was obvious right away that the teacher
utilized the Corrective Teaching Training method. On the way were signs that instructed the
students how to get the teachers attention, accept no for an answer, make an apology, etc.
The teacher made references to the signs when a student needed a reminder of a behavior. I
liked how the teacher used a countdown method so the students knew when they had only a
couple minutes left to complete a problem. I talked to her about why she did this and she said
because it helps them to prepare for a transition which helps to ease their anxiety. When
students who struggle with behavior problems have less anxiety they have fewer outbursts. The
teacher also had the students put a finger to their mouth when another student was talking to
remind them not to interrupt. If a student was really misbehaving, the teacher gave them a
couple options, one being to enter the calm spot another being to move on. I did see a student
get sent to the calm spot/time-out room and they had to set a timer before they could come
out again. The few minutes the student spent in the calm spot room seemed to help them calm
down.
I was not able to observe the Enrich (Severe Cognitive) classroom very long, but what I
did see was eye opening. I had no idea that the Enrich students were given the opportunity to
join in with the general education classrooms. When I observed a few of the Enrich students in
the general education classrooms I was impressed by how the students accepted those
students into their classroom and the general education teacher adjusted her instruction to

help those students be involved. I give the Enrich teachers a lot of credit for the work they do
with the Enrich students.
Observing in the deaf education classroom was also eye opening. It was educational to
hear how deaf education students can be integrated into the general education classroom and
what a general education teacher can do if a deaf education student is in his or her classroom.
The classroom management was very different when it was just one-on-one attention
compared to a full classroom of students. The teacher was able to give constant reinforcement
and encouragement, especially when the student was getting frustrated at the assignment. It
was interesting to see the signing being done between the teacher and student and hear how
the student interpreted what the teacher was trying to say. It was great to see how deaf
students are able to do what other students can; they just do so in a different way.
The ESL classroom had a different management feel from all of the other classrooms.
The ESL teachers had to be very specific, direct, and precise with their directions so all of the
students were able to understand the directions. The students knew exactly what groups they
were in and what job they needed to complete at each station. It was obvious the teachers had
spent a lot of time making sure the students were aware of the rules at each station. Each
student received a star after they had completed a station successfully and if they were staying
on task. This behavior management system worked great for the ESL students because they
were able to visually see their reward and I learned later that if they fill their sheet at the end of
the week they earn a reward. It is a simple, yet effective, behavior management system.

My Classroom Management Plan

Classroom management does not need to be an elaborate effort in my opinion, simple
can be just as effective. For this reason, my future students will be asked to follow three ABC
rules: Always respect others and yourself, Be responsible, and Cooperate. These three rules
embody many different situations that might arise in the classroom, and can also help to
prevent those situations from occurring. For example, if there was a student who likes to speak
whenever he/she feels like it I can reference rule A about showing respect. Speaking out of turn
would not only be disrespectful to the teacher, but also to the students that are trying to learn
around them. If a student has late assignments, loses library books, or forgets their shoes the
day of P.E., all of these instances would fall under rule B, being responsible. Cooperation will be
a big deal in the class. Following the Three Cs will be especially important when working in
groups: Collaboration, Cooperation, and Communication. I will also implement the rules of
SLANT when I am instructing the class: Sit up, Listen, Ask and answer questions, Nod, and Track
the speaker.
The first week of school we will work together as a class on a Class Contract. This
contract will allow the students to voice other rules that will help to keep our classroom
running smoothly. The rules determined by the students will be agreed upon by everyone. We
will make a large class rules poster to hang up. All the students will be asked to sign the
poster and agree to abide by the rules.

A classroom reward system will be put in place so that the class must work together to
earn a raffle party. Students can also earn individual recognition with a raffle drawing done
on Fridays. Students will be given two raffle tickets a day, and they will not be able to write
their name on the back of the raffle tickets until the end of the day. At the end of each day I will
collect the raffle tickets. Once the class reaches a set number of raffle tickets collected
(depending on the class size for that year), they will earn the right to vote on a raffle party.
During the raffle drawing on Fridays I will draw three raffle tickets from the bucket to receive
a small prize, for example a pencil or a piece of candy. If a student misbehaves, I will take a
raffle ticket away. If a student loses both tickets in the same day they will have their name
written in my teacher book. If their name is written in the book more than five times in a
month, they will lose recess privileges for a day as well as have to call home.
The students will have classroom jobs so they can be accountable to helping out in the
classroom. The jobs will include: errand runner, pencil sharpener cleaner, raffle ticket passer,
paper passer (x2), board cleaner (x2), chair stacker (x4). I will keep track of what jobs each
student does and I will rotate students each week so everyone has a chance to do each job at
some point.
A routine that will be established at the very beginning of the year will be how we do a
bathroom order. After lunch every day I will read aloud a book to the class. During the read
aloud, a bathroom/drink order will be going on, silently. I will pick where the bathroom order
starts before I start reading. Depending on the class desk arrangement at that time, the student
I start with will use the restroom and get a drink if they want too. Once they have finished, they
will tap the next students desk (either the person beside or behind them). The bathroom order
will go up and down the row with the taps until everyone has had a chance to get a drink or use
the restroom. This routine will allow me to continue reading, and will allow for the students to
use the restroom before we start our next subject for the day.
Throughout the first few weeks of school my class will practice the morning routine so
students know what to do the minute they step into the classroom. Students will be asked to
clean out their backpacks of their take home folders, planners, and the book they are reading. I
will come around the classroom and star their planners if it has been signed by a parent.
Students will get use to the routine of putting any notes or papers that I need on the corner of
their desk for me to pick up as I go around the classroom. This will help alleviate all of my
students running up to me right away in the morning. Students will move their lunch magnets
while we prep for the morning. The magnets with their names on them will let me know if they
are eating a hot or cold lunch. I will have some sort of activity on their board for the students to
accomplish if they get done with everything else. We will also practice getting into a line, how
to open and shut our desks quietly and get out books, how to leave the classroom in case of an
emergency, and how to pass back papers. My hope is that by practicing all of these routines for
the first few weeks it will help the students to ingrain the class routines and help with
classroom management as the year moves on.

The classroom environment will be one that supports learning and student interaction. I
will have a classroom library that students will have access to check out books from. My desk
will be off to one side of the classroom, or in the back, so that the front of the classroom where
the white boards are can be used entirely for teaching. Student desks will be arranged in a way
that they can be easily moved for group projects and discussions. Students will be able to pick
the desks that they want the first day of school, or the open house, whatever comes first. I will
not put any name tags on until the students have selected the desk they feel the most
comfortable in. Anchor charts will be added to the class walls as the content on the charts is
covered so we can make reference to them throughout the units. Class schedules and
objectives will be posted so students can visually see what we will be doing each day.
I believe classroom management is the key to an environment where learning can take
place and students can feel safe participating. I hope I can create an environment that is
conducive to learning and involves all my students. I believe the most important part of
classroom management is creating a good rapport with the students, encouraging them to
succeed and setting high expectations for them.