Classroom Management Philosophy

An effective classroom management plan consists of creating routines and procedures that lead students to rise to lofty expectations instead of floundering in uncertainty. According to Harry and Rosemary Wong “effective teachers prevent problems before they occur, rather than react after a problem occurs” (Wong & Wong, 2013). By training my students in the appropriate routines and procedures of my classroom and keeping them engaged in learning, I will be able to prevent problems before they occur in my own classroom.

Rather than having an extensive list of rules, I will have a short list of the expectations I have for my students. I will expect them to treat themselves, their peers, their teacher, and their classroom with respect. Starting on the first day of school, I will train them in the proper procedures for multiple tasks, including: Entering the classroom, going to the bathroom, turning in work, and dismissal. We will spend the first week of class practicing our procedures and routines in preparation for the rest of the school year, because when students know what they are expected to do, they will not spend time in confusion over what is expected of them (Wong & Wong, 2013). This will enable them to achieve success in meeting the expectations of my class.

Since a busy student does not have time to engage in antics, I will work to keep my students engaged in bell to bell learning. The moment students quietly enter my classroom they will begin working on a journal prompt that will lead them into the next activity. Because they will have learned how to transition from one activity to the next, students will be able to transition from one learning activity to the next without the eruption of chaos, allowing them to stay engaged with the material. To keep students from getting bored and disengaging, I will allow students to take part in self-directed learning. I will use tools like goal setting sheets, logs, and reflection to hold them accountable for their learning while still encouraging independence and engagement (Miller, 2012). This will allow for differentiation among my students in addition to giving them some autonomy.

Teaching students is a team effort, and the most successful teachers involve students’ families in their education. I will be intentional in communicating with my students’ families, creating a bi-monthly newsletter along with one on one communication throughout each week. I will send notes to parents to celebrate their child’s successes, rather than restricting communication to negative issues. I will clearly communicate the expectations and calendar to parents through my newsletter, along with keeping open lines of communication. In this way, I will build relationships with my students and their families, ensuring success in meeting my expectations and engaging with the curriculum.

Through teaching thorough routines and procedures, and setting the bar high with my expectations, I will manage my classroom in a proactive way. I will keep students engaged to keep boredom and confusion at bay. By opening lines of communication with parents, I will work to meet each student’s individual learning needs and create a well-managed classroom.

References

Miller, A. (2012, September 6). From management to engagement. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/classroom-management-student-engagement-andrew-miller

Wong, H., & Wong, R. (2013, September). Prevention: The key to solving discipline problems. Retrieved from https://www.teachers.net/wong/SEP13/