In developing a philosophy of classroom management I am convinced that it begins with the teacher’s attitude toward their students. I believe it is important to approach the class with the assertion that all children can learn, regardless of their background or disability. This being said, it will be important to understand that children are individuals and learn at their own personal rate. Students do not develop based on their “year of manufacturing” or birthdate.
Building a classroom community is of utmost importance to this process. A healthy community is one that is based on nurturing, trust and respect. A teacher must realize that students are children first and not machines that can be fine-tuned. They are individuals and need to know that they are valued members of your community. This attitude must be expressed in word and deed. Through modeling proper behavior we, as teachers, can help the students learn to respect their fellow classmate’s differences and cultural backgrounds, whereby expanding the level of trust.
I am a hearty proponent of positive reinforcement. Having a son with special needs and spending years working with behavioral therapy with him, I know that it is an effective approach to dealing with children. If a teacher takes the time to recognize their students’ strengths and talents, they can then give the students opportunities to showcase these abilities, which will build self esteem and confidence. Too often students are only acknowledged for bad behavior choices in the classroom. We need to recognize the behavior that we want repeated. By giving task specific reinforcement we will be establishing groundwork for our behavioral expectations. Holding students to a higher standard will increase the likeliness of improvement in their overall participation. It is also important to give all students an opportunity to be successful with your expectations; this may involve scaffolding or a reward system for some students. Again, we must remember that we are dealing with individuals. One plan does not fit all!
While this kind of classroom management will take a lot of time and effort on behalf of the teacher - when implemented it will grow and develop. Students will know what kinds of behaviors are desired and what will be deemed unacceptable. These standards will not happen overnight, but rather established with consistency from the first day of school.
In order to create a positive classroom climate - photographs of the students should be taken within the first week of class and be displayed on a board within the room. Attaching the students’ names to the photos for the first month can also help students and teacher to familiarize themselves with the students, as calling a student by name will help establish trust and better gain their attention when needed. The board can be decorated to depict any holiday or event that is current. It can also be used to display the individual student’s best work beneath their photograph. This allows the students to feel a sense of pride and acknowledgment by putting forth any extra effort. When the work is sent home a small note can be attached explaining to the parent that it was displayed on the ‘best work wall’. This also helps to keep parents aware of their child’s achievements.
If space permits, a nice way of having students get to know each other is to devote a portion of the wall to a “Student of the week” here students can work at home (with family) to create a small poster that tells some information about themselves. This is not based on achievement, but in the hopes of self expression. This should start with the teacher modeling their own “all about me” poster.
An imperative component to establishing a healthy classroom climate is to involve the students in the decision making process. This should be implemented at the beginning of the year. Short classroom meetings on the first day of each week can be used to institute classroom rules that will be posted in a prominent location. Another idea that could be implemented is a “suggestion box”. Preprinted forms should be readily available. This is where students can anonymously voice their opinions about problems they encounter throughout the week. The students should be encouraged to come up with practical solutions to their concerns. These suggestions should be addressed at the weekly class meetings. Remember to keep it positive!
Once classroom proceedures have been established, student’s also need to be aware that not abiding by said proceedures will result in a predetermined consequence. In order for consequences to be effective they must be consistent and appropriate to the infraction. A phone call home to the child’s guardian is not going to deter blurting out answers or talking in class. Perhaps, a loss of extra privilege would help this situation.
A more effective route to take within the classroom, which works will for both special needs and gen ed students is a reward based program. Rewards can be bases on the grade level and can range from consumables (candy, snack items, homework passes) to tangible (prizes from a treasure chest). For students that have a harder time monitoring their behavior a reward chart can be established. A list of goals or accomplishments you want to see the student achieve can be listed and when they achieve said goals a sticker, star or check can be placed by that item. A predetermined end goal (privilege or reward) can be met when they have achieved enough tokens. This process is very individualized and should be adjusted as the teacher discovers what works for that particular student. Verbal praise and applause are also very positive motivators. Everyone likes to be acknowledged for a job well done - how can we expect any different from our students?
When dealing with student’s behavior it is important to emphasize the behavior you want repeated. This is done by task specific statements. For example, if the teacher has asked students to take out their math workbooks and only some of them have performed this task, a simple statement like “I see that Johnny and Susie are ready to move on with our math instruction” can have a ripple effect. Other students will see that Johnny and Susie are being recognized for their positive behavior and proceed to do the same.
When giving positive reinforcement it is crucial to not use labels such as “bad” or “good”. This sends a message that the child’s self worth is directly linked to their performance is the classroom. Instead of using the word bad, one can ask the student if their choices are appropriate or productive. Telling a child they are good is inferring that when they do not perform in the same manner that they are bad. Making statements like “good job”, although it seems positive, is not specific to the action you want repeated. A more appropriate statement would be “Billy, you are doing a good job sitting quietly in your seat”. This strategy works exceptionally well with students with behavioral issues, like ADHD, as they need constant reinforcement and redirecting to stay on task.
When responding to a crisis in the classroom the first course of action should be to remove the child form harm’s way. If the child is acting violently towards others they should be removed from the classroom. This may require help from additional staff members. If you know there is a child with such behavioral issues in the class consider their seating placement. Are they better located by the teacher, without ostracizing them from the group? Body proximity can impact a child’s reaction to a situation. If you get to know the child’s ‘triggers’ it would be best to roam the classroom, while staying within close reach of that student. Keep a close eye out for these sorts of situations and try to divert them before it becomes an issue.
A teacher cannot be in all places at all times, so establishing a ‘chill out’ area within the classroom could help students who are mature enough to self-regulate. This is an area set apart for the general class area, but still within the classroom where a student can go if they are starting to become overwhelmed. It should be a predetermined space, in the reading corner, where they can still participate in the class work or a beanbag chair, if sensory issues are what the student is dealing with. This allows the students to not become a disruption, but continue to feel a part of the classroom community.
Every school has policies in place on how to handle behavioral issues and a teacher must abide by these guidelines. It is the teacher’s job to protect the students in their classroom, even the ones who are acting out. Maintaining a calm and safe environment is to the advantage of all students. Remember to choose your battles wisely and that humor is a wonderful tool.