Philosophy of Classroom Management - Term Paper Example

Heading: Management of Classroom Your name: Course name: Professors’ name: Date Introduction For effective teaching and learning process, it is vital that instructors posses excellent classroom management skills. Classroom management is every teacher’s responsibility. Therefore, this paper addresses the philosophy, theory and practice in the classroom management. Moreover, it focuses on various sub-topics that include classroom procedures, theories, rules, routines, beliefs, curriculum, pedagogy, class motto, teacher’s role, and codes of conduct. Besides, the paper describes degree of control and seating arrangement that teachers should consider in their classrooms. Philosophy of classroom management Every classroom consists of children that have unique abilities, skills, and background experiences that affect their processes and experiences in school. It is for this reason that the instructors should consider their skills, experiences, and abilities in the process of preparing lessons, environment, and units in the classroom (Clark &Treisman, 2004, 37-45). For effective learning of the students, it is essential that they first understand that a school is a learning place. This will help them cooperate in the teaching and learning process, instead of developing a negative attitude towards the environment. Besides, Harrison (2011, pp. 249-255) argues that it is important that teachers communicate the students’ learning expectations clearly and equitably so that the learners are well-informed of what they should learn. Effective learning is also determined by the teachers’ confidence in themselves. This implies that every teacher should believe in their classroom management abilities and teaching. Lack of self-confidence among instructors can make students lose confidence in them (Johnson, Mims-Cox & Doyle-Nichols, 2010, pp. 122-130). Therefore, teachers should be respected and admired, and seen as role models and source of inspiration by their students. In addition, learners like teachers who model curiosity and passion for learning about the world through display of enthusiasm and interest in their lessons. Moreover, a teacher should create a well-organized learning environment that encourages creativity. What is more, effective teaching and learning process in determined by the teachers’ role of engaging every student in each lesson. Besides, Clark and Treisman (2004, 37-45) learning and teaching success lies on the effectiveness of the instructors in meeting their learners’ needs. This is achievable through the use of strategies that include conducting face-to-face conversations with the students in order to understand their experiences and feelings. Moreover, students feel supported in their learning process when teachers choose topics that are related to the learners’ culture of origin, interests, and background knowledge. Instructors should also ask their learners to suggest topics that they are well-conversant with, that interest both teachers and students (Harrison, 2011, pp. 249-255). Furthermore, teachers should employ various teaching tools, such as, word walls aides and posters in order to promote learners growth and development. This way, learners become more resourceful as they employ learning tools. Most important, seeing their work hanged on the classroom walls will build self-efficacy in them since they can monitor their progress. In addition, instructors should realize that learners are sensitive to negative and positive reinforcement. Therefore, in order to achieve the desired results, teachers should control learners’ behaviors by rewarding the desirable ones and punishing the undesirable ones (Desouza & Czerniak, 2002, pp. 12-16). Teachers can reward their teachers verbally and materially as way of reinforcing the desired behavior. Effective classroom management is brought about by the teachers’ clear understanding of the causes of the learners’ behavior. Negative behavior in learners is caused by various factors that include stress and frustrations, low-self esteem, lack of communication between them and the adults, and the media (Badiu, 2011, pp. 12-18). To start with, media affects young children’s behavior through the video games and violence programs. Behavior development gradually happens when children watch the programs and internalize them. Consequently, the same behaviors will be demonstrated in class when students encounter some challenges. Secondly, poor communication between parents, teachers and learners is instrumental in the development of undesirable behaviors among learners (Young, 2010, pp. 10-16). This is because children cannot effectively express their experiences and feelings that may be affecting their personalities. As a result, these issues pile up and intensify to an extent in which learners release them on the teachers or their classmates. Stress and frustrations can influence children behavior in class when they are not noticed and corrected earlier (Mayer, 2001, 10-15). For instance, frustrated and stressed learners often fail to concentrate and cooperate in the teaching and learning process in their classroom. Self-esteem is a vital value that influential in the determination of the learners’ performance in class (Magableh& Hawamdeh, 2007, 15-20). A problem arises when learners stop believing in their own abilities and skills, and despise themselves in relation to their colleagues. Here, learners often lose the interest and motivation to carry on with their learning activities (Badiu, 2011, pp. 12-18). Therefore, understanding these causes of behavior is critical for every teacher wants to achieve success in teacher. This is because it will aid instructors in the development of appropriate strategies for correcting these behaviors among their learners. Practice Teachers should create a positive social and learning environment at the beginning of every academic year. This is achievable through the development of a classroom management program that supports all the learners. Teachers should cultivate a friendly relationship between them, learners, and parents, such as, warm greetings (Taylor & Nixon, 2004, pp. 36-45). When learners are entering their classroom, a teacher can develop a certain order that the learners are expected to follow for the rest of the year. Here, learners can line up in order to enter classroom in turns. Then, teachers can let the learners to bid their parents goodbye, and then inform them of what they will be doing in their classrooms. This approach is beneficial in enabling the parents and learners view teachers as ready and focused (Johnson, Mims-Cox & Doyle-Nichols, 2010, pp. 122-130). Giving learners engaging lessons is noteworthy in that it establishes a positive learning environment. Here, teachers should realize that whenever there is a subject or topic that is interesting and linked to the learners’ background experiences, students’ motivation to learn is enhanced. In fact, motivated learners are ready to handle whatever challenges they face and take responsibility of their own learning (Harrison, 2011, pp. 249-255). Self-efficacy among learners is best developed by allowing them opportunities to succeed as well as providing positive responses and liberal praise. What is more, Taylor and Nixon (2004, pp. 36-45) says that learners feel more acceptable in an environment that is well organized. Therefore, teachers ought to organize classroom procedures and routines in order to make it easy for the students’ learning process. Moreover, Taylor and Nixon (2004, pp. 36-45) states that this allows learners a chance to take part in the school culture. In class, learners also use a common language as they use similar signs in their communication, similar resources, procedures and routines. Appropriate behavior can be complimented by asking students to raise their hands in order to answer questions about themselves (Magableh& Hawamdeh, 2007, 15-20). This way, learners will be developing a rapport that will enable them interact freely with the classmates and their teachers. Most important, teachers should introduce themselves and their expectations in their classrooms (Desouza & Czerniak, 2002, pp. 12-16). It is critical that instructors put lists of classroom rules and regulations, or develop and explicitly communicate routines and procedures, and behavior expectations to the learners. Besides, teachers should ensure that learners learn, rehearse and practice these rules and procedures because they will automatically be displayed within the initial weeks of the academic year. Discipline management In an attempt to ensure that learners’ behavior is under control, instructors ought to understand the intention and outcomes of some of the disciplinary interventions. In case of continuous behavior problems in class, instructors ought to find out the causes of the behaviors (Young, 2010, pp. 10-16). One step of making this possible is by identifying any patterns of these behaviors in order to decide whether they are worth correcting. For instance, some learners display undesirable behavior merely as an avoidance strategy of some stressful, abusive environment, or learning disorder. In the process of identifying their causal factors, instructors can send messages to the learners’ parents about the behavior change. The next thing to do in such as situation is to reflect on the antecedent (Magableh& Hawamdeh, 2007, 15-20). This implies that teachers should consider what was happening prior to the display of the undesirable behavior. Then, they can reduce the effects of these antecedents in order to curb the recurrence of the same problem in a learner. For example, the problem is relatable to hunger; the teacher can ensure that the learner is satisfied before embarking on classroom activities. Moreover, Mayer (2001, 10-15) states that it is important that the teacher talks to the concerned learners in order to find out exactly what they are experiencing. Therefore, the presentation of the known consequences is beneficial in the correction of the undesired behaviors in classroom. Nevertheless, the use of known consequences is only effective when learners can make sense out of them (Mayer, 2001, 10-15). Appropriate solutions to the behaviors problems can be interrogating learners on they think the problem is all about, and their opinion on the reasons for their occurrence. This strategy is instrumental in making learners responsible for their actions as well as teaching them abut self-regulation. At times, instructors can have learners generate their own consequences, which are harsher than theirs. Nonetheless, this should be discussed widely with the parents and learners before its implementation. Besides, the effective of the learner’s self-generated consequences can be used with regard to their maturity and age. Another appropriate strategy in the behavior problem management in a classroom is positive reinforcement. According to Magableh& Hawamdeh (2007, 15-20) this is involves rewarding learners’ acceptable behaviors in order to reinforce the repetition of the same. This can be done through verbal or material reinforcement, such as, praises, and rewards whenever they demonstrate slight improvement. Consequently, Young (2010, pp. 10-16) says that learners will change their behaviors because they will notice that the instructors are concerned about them as well as reminding them that they can behave well. Therefore, in order to build self-efficacy among students, teachers should reinforce their efforts. Control In classroom management, teachers ought to exercise a considerable amount of control in order to maintain learners’ interest and achieve their desired goals. There are various management styles that instructors exhibit in their classrooms (Unal & Unal, 2009, pp. 10-18). For proper understanding of these styles, it is notable that teacher’s management is categorized into control on students, and degree of involvement of both students and teachers. Control varies from the high levels in which teachers enforce the laws strictly to the low level in which instructors do not apply any rules and expectations for the learners. On the other hand, Allen (2010, pp. 8-15) says that involvement can vary from high to low degrees. High involvement entails instructors holding high regard for learners, like them, hang around them, and strive to see them excel. On contrast, low involvement is about absence of both concern and regard for learners. In terms of both degree of involvement and control, teachers’ management styles can be divided into authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and permissive (Unal & Unal, 2009, pp. 10-18). To begin with, authoritative style entails high expectations of suitable behavior, behavior principles, warm teacher-learner relationships, and clear statements on acceptable and unacceptable behaviors (Badiu, 2011, pp. 12-18). By contrast, the authoritarian management style involves many behavior regulations, is restrictive and punitive, and denies learners a chance to contribute in the management, and entails cold teacher-learners relationships. On the other hand, Allen (2010, pp. 8-15) notes that permissive style lacks involvement, is non-punitive, little demand s from learners, and has too much freedom. Indulgent management style is characterized by a setting that has no demands on learners, and supports them to meet their objectives by their own sensible means. With references to the aforementioned management, it is notable that teachers consider and choose the most appropriate styles in order to achieve their objectives. Unal and Unal (2009, pp. 10-18) demonstrate that effective classroom management is determined by moderate control and involvement degree used on learners. Explicitly, learners lose interest in environments that are so restrictive and punitive, and thus, get frustrated and motivated to display undesirable behaviors as a way of revenging (Badiu, 2011, pp. 12-18). In order to avoid this, instructors should employ authoritarian and indulgent management styles. Teacher’s role For effective teaching and learning process, it is necessary that teachers have well-defined roles. Success of every teacher and their classes is determined by the manner in which they execute their roles in the classroom. Efficient teachers keep their learners motivated through the creation of a positive classroom environment (Johnson, Mims-Cox & Doyle-Nichols, 2010, pp. 122-130). Consequently, teachers will be minimizing cases of indiscipline among their students. In addition, teachers ought to meet the learners’ basic needs. These include both basic and age-related needs. This means that teachers should make students feel safe, physically comfortable, welcome, socially valued and accepted. Moreover, Mcentire (2008, pp. 20-15) says that it is the teachers’ responsibility to use moderate amount of control on students. Successful classrooms are those in which their instructors exercise neither too much nor too little control on learners. Additionally, instructors should empower their students so as to make them in charge of their learning activities. This is beneficial in that it will cultivate a sense of independence among the learners. What is more, keeping the instruction at the learners’ level is another role of a teacher (Tauber, 2007, pp. 5-20). This implies that teachers should only deliver the instruction that is relevant to the learners’ development levels. Teachers should describe rather than characterize the undesirable behaviors of the learners. Moreover, they should add more work in order to increase the learners engaged time. Furthermore, Mcentire (2008, pp. 20-15) argues that instructors should teach routines and role to the young learners with a lot of illustration, explanation and practices. In addition, they ought to develop a few rules and regulations that are applicable to a wide range circumstances. They should also display the rules to the students in order to ensure that everyone accesses them. Furthermore, instructors are charged with the responsibility of dealing with the immediate present problem rather than the past one. Most important, they should avoid talking about the learners, but instead, they should directly talk to them. Effective teachers should not be provoked or harsh before the students, but should address them calmly and firmly (Tauber, 2007, pp. 5-20). They also ought to be assertive; applying rules forcefully fairly, calmly and consistently. Furthermore, Mcentire (2008, pp. 20-15) notes that instructors should create a business-like classroom setting whereby learners realize that they and their teachers have a common goal to accomplish. Classroom seating arrangement In order to cater for all the learners’ needs and decrease indiscipline cases in classroom, instructors should consider appropriate seating arrangements. The chosen seating arrangement depends on the lesson taught, and the existing classroom management. According to Mcentire (2008, pp. 20-15), every teacher should determine who and why sits where in order to prevent fight for seats and positions, and also enable them easily learn the learners’ names. A suitable seating arrangement enhances classroom functionality because learners are arranged in such a way that they can access both primary and secondary sources, for example, audio-visuals, computers, teacher, and work areas (Harrison, 2011, pp. 249-255). Besides, classroom furniture can be arranged in various ways for proper light and temperature regulation. Teachers can also use art work and paints in order to promote or detract from the appealing classroom setting (Mcentire 2008, pp. 20-15). Theories There are various theories that explain a proper way managing a classroom by instructors. Firstly, Young (2010, pp. 10-16) states that assertive discipline theory is important in the achievement of the desired classroom management. This is a theory that is attributed to the Lee Canter who stated that in order to encourage positive behavior among the learners; teachers should consider recognition of the learners’ efforts. Learners ought to know what their instructors expect from them in order to act accordingly. Notably, Mcentire (2008, pp. 20-15) notes that teachers should be keen on those that comply with the expectations as well as those that do not. Further, the theory posits that instructors should strive to redirect those learners that do not meet classroom expectations (Young, 2010, pp. 10-16). Besides, the theory is influential in the instructing students with minimal distraction as well as enabling the learners to participate in the process without any interference. Secondly, effective classroom management is achievable through the use of the choice theory by Glasser. According to the theory, learners ought to control their own behaviors with minimal supervision from the instructors (Greve, 2010, pp.13-16). Here, teachers’ responsibility involves the provision of guidance to the learners in order to display only the desirable behaviors. Besides, Greve (2010, pp.13-16) argues that the framework posits that learners should be given a chance to reflect and correct their undesirable behaviors, rather than being punished by the teachers. Therefore, choice theory is aimed at helping students see the motives behind their conduct so as to decide on what way to take. In addition, instructors should consider behaviorism theory by B.F Skinner so as to effective in their classroom management. This framework focuses on how teachers can nurture and correct unacceptable behaviors among their students (Young, 2010, pp. 10-16). It further suggests the application of operant conditioning in order to development of positive behavior in the learners. What is more, Young (2010, pp. 10-16) argues that the theory advocates for the use of behavior intervention plans that involve promising learners that they would get awards, stars and points if they behave well. In addition, the theory focuses on the use of rules in order to execute negative reinforcement among the learners. Here, positive behavior is rewarded while the negative one is punished. Additionally, student-directed learning theory is important in the enhancement of classroom management. This is Alfie Kohn’s theory that states that classroom management process should be left to the learners. In other words, the theory calls upon teachers to permit their learners to make their own decisions on classroom activities (Taylor & Nixon, 2004, pp. 36-45). For instance, learners should select topics that they find interesting instead of letting teachers choose for them. Further, the theory discourages the use of tests and standards in classroom since they are ineffective in evaluating the learners’ performance. Conclusion Efficient classroom management is achieved by the use of the right procedures, routines, rules, code of conduct, theories, appropriate instruction, discipline management, and effective execution of teachers’ roles. Philosophical, learners have unique abilities, skills, and experiences. Therefore, teaching strategies and instruction to meet all the learners’ needs. In order to achieve success, teachers ought to communicate learning expectations, procedures, routines, rules, and code of conduct to their students. In addition, teachers ought to carry out their roles appropriately in order to achieve their objectives. The seating arrangement should be based on the type of lesson and classroom functionality. Besides, discipline management is vital in the achievement of successful management. Notably, teachers should understand the causes of unacceptable behaviors, and employ positive and negative reinforcement, antecedent, and consequence in correcting behavior. Imperatively, instructors should management styles that imply moderate control on the students. Some of the theories that aid philosophical beliefs of a classroom include behaviorism, student-directed learning, choice, and assertive discipline theories. References Allen, K.P. (2010). Classroom Management, Bullying, and Teacher Practices. The Professional Educator, 34(7), 8-15. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5045052966 Badiu, I. (2011). Paradigmatic Shift: Journaling to Support Interpreting Learners Cognitie, Creier, Comportament / Cognition, Brain, Behavior, 15(3), 12-18. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5049614716 Clark, M.R. &Treisman, G.J. (2004). Pain and Depression: An Interdisciplinary Patient- Centered Approach; 17 Tables. Basel [u.a.]: Karger. Pp. 37-46. Desouza, J.M.S. & Czerniak, C.M. (2002). Social Behaviors and Gender Differences among Preschoolers: Implications for Science Activities. 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Journal of Teacher Education, 61(4), 10-16. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5047614187 Read More