Monica Izzo

EDUCG 520
December 1, 2015
PRQ 8
How will I create and maintain an effective environment for learning through my classroom
management, discipline, and leadership role? I will do this by setting clear expectations, creating
a safe classroom environment with limited distractions, and building positive relationships that
exemplify respect.
By setting clear expectations from the first day of interacting with students and their
families, it will set a consistent and stable balance for both students and their families to know
what is expected of them. This can be done by having classroom rules both shared verbally and
posted as a reminder in the classroom. This also goes hand in hand with the consequences if rules
are broken. For example if one of my classroom rules is to not be disruptive during class, then I
need to have a consequence for what will happen if it is broken. I would also model what being
disruptive would look like, so they are clear on what not to do. What I have seen done in my
master teachers second grade classroom is that when a rule is broken the student gets a verbal
warning before their name is written on the board, once their name is on the board they get
another warning on the board before they have to sign the behavior book and write a reflection
on their behavior and how they can change it, this reflection is then shared with the parents. With
the clear expectations set from the beginning students often dont have to sign the book, because
they know what will happen and they dont want their parents to be upset with them. She not
only verbally shared with the students and families about the classroom rules and consequences,

but she had them posted in the classroom on poster board with big enough font for the students to
read, as well as typed up a letter for the parents to take home and discuss with their child about
these expectations, these parents then had to sign the bottom informing the teacher that it has
been reviewed and discussed with their children. By setting clear expectations it is more likely
that the students will not have to serve any consequences, this relates to Skinner, By following
the rules which others have derived from punitive contingencies in the natural and social
environment a person can often avoid or escape punishment. (Alfred, 1971).
By creating a safe classroom environment with limited distraction I will be able to
manage my classroom effectively without wasting valuable instructional time. For example if I
have a student who is extra squirmy and has a hard time sitting still, I will place him/her in the
back to limit any distractions and to avoid having to stop instruction to tell him/her sit still. If I
have a student who is easily distracted I will make sure to place him/her up front away from
anything he/she can touch, and away from high traffic areas; for example the trash can, pencil
sharpener, supply areas, etc. This also allows me to use non-verbal signs to get that student on
task, without wasting instructional time. I can reach over and tap their desk using touch control,
use proximity control by standing near the student, or give the student the teacher look. These
are some non-verbal ways to limit the waste of time (Burden & Byrd 2013).
By building positive relationships that exemplify respect I will be able to demonstrate,
using my leadership role what positive relationships that exemplify respect look like, by
modeling it to my students and their families. One of my classroom rules is being kind to others,
following the golden rule of do unto others what you want done unto you. There will be
anywhere from twenty to thirty different and unique students in my classroom, they wont all be
friends and that is okay, but respect is mandatory. This relates to TPE 6.4, Candidates teach and

model norms of social interactions (e.g., consideration, cooperation, responsibility, empathy).

Students will have to see what respectfulness looks like, and as their teacher I will model that in
the relationships I build with them and their families, as well as all staff on campus.
I will create and maintain an effective environment for learning through my classroom
management, discipline, and leadership role by setting clear expectations, creating a safe
classroom environment with limited distractions, and building positive relationships that
exemplify respect.