Classroom Engagement and Management - Assignment Example

The following paper traces the issue room management from a personal perspective and seeks to provide the reader with a broader understanding of how classroom management schemes can be employed to maximize student participation within the learning process. Moreover, the analysis provides remediation for many of the negative responses and likely scenarios that could be presented within the student experience. Rationale: The rationale behind writing such a piece is concentric upon the fact that each and every educator approaches classroom management from a unique perspective; however, notwithstanding, there are benchmarks of performance that must be met and universal approaches which must be included. This makes it necessary to seek to outline and tabulate an approach and present it to the reader in the form of a personal best practice. Introduction Class room management has traditionally been understood as just that – management. However, the student should also be aware of the fact that classroom management necessarily requires a close collaborative agreement with the other stakeholders in the process; students. Although the phrase classroom management necessarily refers to an active process by which a leader, the teacher, interacts with the managed, students, the reality that the article seeks to display is that classroom management is ultimately a two way street that requires close cooperative agreement from all stakeholders involved. As a function of developing this cooperation and agreement, the article notes that there are several steps that the teacher and students can engage in that will help this to take place to a greater degree. The first of these is with regards to seeking to agree on classroom rules at the very beginning of the year. This of course helps to level the playing field and present the students with the metrics by which they will be expected to follow. Additionally, checking in with students at the start of every classes emphasize as a means of possibly averting any negative behavior prior to it being exhibited. Furthermore consistency and expectations is emphasized as a means of ensuring that conformity in cooperation is uniform. Naturally, reinforcing positive behavior among students is one of the most effective means of discouraging negative behavior. As the age-old dictum goes, it is easier to catch flies with honey. A further aspect of classroom management is emphasizes with regards to maintaining student dignity. This not only helps to increase the level of self-respect the student has for himself/herself, it also helps to increase level of respect with which they engage with others (Deaton, 2013). Tying along with this is the need for the teacher to maintain a level of neutrality and not engage in any accusatory type behavior. i) Specify how you will present and conduct yourself Oftentimes, it is the case that classroom management has a great deal to do with the way in which the stage is set. What is meant by this is the fact that the teacher must be highly cognizant of the fact that their appearance and the way in which one conducts the interaction has a great deal of impact with regards to the way in which stakeholders will interact with the educator. As such, the classroom management plan that this particular student would seek to implement would be one of presenting a recognizable appearance of authority while maintaining this visual appearance with an ordered and structured approach to the lesson plan (Lawrence, 2013). Unfortunately, this is oftentimes overlooked and counts as one of the elements that is either performed in excess or not at all. However, when performed appropriately, the results allow for an educator to maintain control of the classroom, maximize the level of respect that is rendered, and encourage participation from all involved. ii) Specify the behavioral goals for you students With regards to the behavioral goals that would be expected, this is also oftentimes misunderstood and underutilized by the educator. All too often, the behavioral goals that are sought to be affected are merely contingent around the students behaving in a manner that is non-obstructive to the classroom and/or the integration knowledge to other shareholders. However, this is but half of the equation. Instead, educators should be fully cognizant of the fact that one of the main behavioral goals that should be addressed is an environment that is conducive to learning in and of itself (Culbert, 1977). This necessarily reduces and outright penalizes any student that would seek to disrupt, the little, or derail the process of learning for any one of the participants. By changing this one aspect and maximizing and behavioral goal of participation and inclusion, the educator can go a great way in helping stakeholders to integrate with the information that might be presented within a given lecture. iii) Describe the classroom conditions you will provide Although the information that is thus far been presented is necessarily important, none of these can be achieved without providing the proper classroom conditions for these to take effect. As such, one of the most important classroom conditions that can take place is with respect to creating a culture of respect; not only with regards to the actual educator but with regards to the individual students. In this way, speaking over one another and/or any intimidation of any kind must not be tolerated. By presenting students a situation in which the educator is respected and respects each of the students, such a culture of respect necessarily be fostered and help to permeate the entire interaction. In short, the ultimate condition that will be sought to be fostered is contingent upon maximizing the amount of learning and inquiry that can take place within the classroom. Fun and education need not be separate; however, the ability to engage “fun” activities in each and every step might oftentimes prove to be impossible (Bhaumik, 2012). In this way, it is necessary for the stakeholders to be fully aware of the educators commitment to enjoying the process whenever possible but also cognizant of the fact that not each and every situation allows for this. iv) Specify how you will help students conduct themselves appropriately Although it is true that there are many expectations for the individual student within a classroom setting, each and every educator necessarily has their own level of expectations that must be met. In such a way, in seeking to help students conduct themselves appropriately, it will be necessary to foster a miniature or micro culture within the classroom itself. This does not need to deviate significantly from a culture that exists within the school as such; however, it must help to be conducive for each of the determinants that have been listed above, as well as the determinants listed below. In short, creating expectation for the individual students one of the most important aspects that the educator’s role must include. With regards to specifics for how this can be achieved, it is necessary for the educator/teacher the cognizant of the fact that punitive action in and of itself is ultimately ineffective in seeking to correct certain behaviors. Instead, opportunities for improvement and learning episodes can be utilized with regards to infractions of expectations during the beginning of such an integration. In such a way, bridges will not be burned and the expectations for a micro culture within the classroom will effectively be demonstrated to all participants. v) Indicate how you will intervene when misbehavior occurs Once again, setting a precedent for the way in which situations will be handled is one of the most important things that any educator can hope to achieve. In this way, maintaining standards and not deviating from the cause and effect of infractions must be observed at all time; without any level of favoritism being evidenced. Moreover, in helping to provide metrics through which discipline can be implemented, the stakeholders must be made aware of what expectations exist for them as well as what punitive recourses lie at the disposal of the educator. With regards to specifics of how the teacher should intervene, this must first and foremost involve a situation of threatening behavior, bullying, belittling, or verbal and/or physical abuse of any kind (Sadruddin, 2012). Second on the list would include any type of insubordination or behavior intended to derail the educational process for participants. Many of these situations can be handled directly within the classroom by any number of methods. However, depending upon the severity of the situation and the degree and extent to which the educator feels it is necessary, additional layers of intervention, up to and including the inclusion of parental and/or school authorities might be necessary as a means of correcting and countering a particular behavior or trend within the classroom. Conclusion: However of all of the strategies that will be discussed within this analysis, it is the belief of this student that the most effective will necessarily be with regards to seeking to generate a degree of self-respect and awareness within the student body. This of course engages in levels of self-esteem building as well as cooperative teaching strategies. Furthermore, it is the belief of this student that such a strategy is most likely to have a broad range of benefits with regards to the level and extent to which shareholder participation and learning ultimately takes place. In short, the process of classroom management must take several phases and engender a range of different approaches and considerations. Within such an understanding, it is clear that classroom management is a nuanced and multifaceted field that, if utilized effectively, can ultimately maximize the level and extent to which stakeholders are able and willing to integrate with the process of education. Like any educational process and/or plan, the steps and approaches that have been listed are not perfect and will not apply to each and every situation to the same degree. In this way, it will be necessary and required that the individual educator be given a level of leeway so that the individual goals and tactics that they wish to execute can be realized. References Bhaumik, P. K. (2012). Use of ICT in the Classroom Teaching of Management. Vision (09722629), 16(4), 245-252. doi:10.1177/0972262912460180 Culbert, S. A. (1977). The Real World and the Management Classroom. California Management Review, 19(4), 65-78. Deaton, C. (2013). Teachers' reflections on effectively managing their classroom: A discussion of how two experienced science teachers examined their classroom management practices. Reflective Practice, 14(2), 240-257. doi:10.1080/14623943.2012.749229 Lawrence, H. (2013). Personal, Reflective Writing: A Pedagogical Strategy for Teaching Business Students to Write. Business Communication Quarterly, 76(2), 192-206. doi:10.1177/1080569913478155 Sadruddin, M. (2012). Discipline - Improving Classroom Management through Action Research: A Professional Development Plan. Journal Of Managerial Sciences, 6(1), 23-42. Read More