Classroom_Management

Management 1 Classroom Management Stephen Lemmons PSY 372 Mrs. Laura Prout 9 June 2011 Management 2 My personal philosophy of classroom management would be simple in that it would apply a few and applications to the student that works. The world of education is ever changing and in my opinion a great teacher needs to be able to change his or her approach to what works for every student. My opinion of education is quite simple; the student comes to school to learn in order to prepare him or herself for something in life they have a passion for. Schools are a tool in the world to prepare young children and adults to function properly in society. I don’t think anyone started in school with the vision of not learning anything. The only difference in my classroom management that makes it different from any other teacher is that I believe a truly great teacher has to have passion. A passion for the subject is the most important passion I can think of. A teacher cannot possibly reach a student if they themselves do not have a passion for the subject they instruct. My personal subject that I have the most passion for is history. I have always felt that a person cannot know where they are going until they fully understand where they have been. History certainly provides a challenge to any teacher, in that the student is always going to be reluctant to learn something that has already happened. That is where the passion comes in, a teacher with passion will find a way to reach any student and make the subject interesting to them. Proponents such as John Dewey, and Charles Darwin saw reality as open ended and ever changing, and so is education. No one perspective, theory, or philosophy applies to all students. We as teachers have to be ever changing and have a tool box full of theories to apply to students in order to reach each and every one of them. Passion for teaching will ensure that we Management 3 reach them all, and that we have the motivation to move on and change for the next student in need. My second tool for classroom management would be effective communication with the students. You have to be reasonably available for consultation and talk with students before, after, and outside class. Learn your student’s names. Show interest in how students are doing. Show interest in students and their ideas. Be sensitive to student progress and motivation (e.g., know when students are having difficulty or are bored). Show concern that students understand and learn the subject matter. Take action when students lose interest or have excessive difficulty (e.g., use more examples, modify requirements'). Make students feel welcome (e.g., announce availability for help, be approachable). When students seek help, be understanding, patient, helpful, and not overly critical. Be tolerant of other points of view. Provide opportunities in class for questions. Engage in give and take with students. Show approval for student ideas (e.g., positive comments, praise, smile, nod head). Respect thoughts, opinions, and rights of students and others. (Clark, Effective Teaching). All of these points and suggestions have one thing in common they involve passion. My vision of the ideal curriculum would be one that applies to the student’s needs and interests. I find that group discussions and projects work effectively in managing a classroom. It provides an opportunity for the students to get involved together and brainstorm their ideas collectively. Opinions and views are shared and ultimately the Management 5 group comes to a decision, one they feel is correct based off of the group’s opinions not just one person. I find that they are much more prone to stand up and present themselves when they have come from a group environment. The curriculum for the course needs to be presented with some enthusiasm and excitement so that the class is not bored or lost in translation. History has a lot of obstacles in this field, in that a lot of times classes get bored with dates and numbers. This subject as well as the instructor has to be presented in a way that reaches the student and motivates them to participate. Group activities and projects could be one example as well as hands on experiences such as field trips. The third tool and most likely one of the most effective would be character education. Character education is a must in our schools and is creating schools that foster and caring young people by modeling and teaching good character through an emphasis on universal values that we all share. Traits such as respect for self and others, responsibility, integrity, and self-discipline provide long-term solutions that address moral, ethical, and academic issues that are of growing concern about our society and the safety of our schools. Character education may address such critical issues as student absenteeism, discipline problems, drug abuse, gang violence, teen pregnancy, and poor academic performance. At its best, character education integrates positive values into every aspect of the school day. (NC school website). To include this in my philosophy of classroom management would be an everyday part of my style of teaching. The students would have no doubt that respect for one another amongst many other traits are very important in my class. Management 6 In conclusion I have described my theories and techniques that would be effective in classroom management. Passion, communication, and character education are the three most effective tools I have found for classroom management. Passion for the subject should draw the students to pay attention, communication should allow them the freedom to speak on the subject at hand without fear of reprisal, and character education should ensure that respect flows in every direction. All three of these should ensure proper class room management. Management 8 References Clark, J. (1995), Suggestions for Effective University Teaching. Character Education Mission Statement retrieved from website on 3 Jun 2010: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/charactereducation/ .