Personal Philosophy of Classroom Management

Jade Mears
Classroom Management
5/2/17
Personal Philosophy of Classroom Management
Within a classroom, a teachers classroom management skills are essential to be
effective. When first entering this class I have a very narrow scope of what classroom
management was. I thought of it as specific strategies, such as attention getters, and
very disciplined based. Throughout this semester my definition has changed to
encompass a much broader view of a whole-child focused philosophy of classroom
management. These classroom management theories that I have been compiling over
the course of this semester are based on the Danielson Domain 2 of an effective
classroom environment. Many of these ideas and strategies that align from theorist also
alight with what a distinguished teacher would look like on this framework. Before this
class I knew very little about the Danielson framework, but over the course of this
semester this framework has become one of my best resources for developing my
classroom management plan. For the purpose of this paper I will be discussing my
personal philosophies of classroom management in the lens of a 6 th grade teacher. To
begin to understand a classroom management system it is helpful to break it up into
several key pieces, as we have done this semester. These pieces are a plan for
prevention, intervention strategies, and finally a plan for self-management.
Planning for prevention is the first aspect of classroom management. This
system has to begin to take shape before students even enter the classroom. The first
steps are establishing an idea of how the physical space of the classroom should be set
up. In a whole-child focus, my classroom environment will be focused on meeting the
needs of my students. 6th grade students are in the heart of adolescents, and in order to
engage students they need to be active. My plan for prevention begins with a classroom
Jade Mears
5/2/17
design of flexible seating. Movement and activity will be encouraged within my
classroom, and students will have a variety of active based learning seating including
standing desks, and yoga balls. The most important aspect of the physical environment
is that it promotes collaboration, with students grouped into pods of 4 students. I want
students to feel ownership and belongingness within the classroom, and so I will
encourage students to adjust the physical space to meet their needs.
The second aspect of developing a Plan for Prevention is creating an
environment for respect and rapport. To begin creating this environment a teacher has
to reflect on their personal values and what they believe respect and rapport are within
their own classroom. My personal definition are, Respect- A way of thinking, acting, and
communication that acknowledges other human beings, the environment, as well as all
things in their uniqueness in a positive way and Rapport- A way of communicating that
is respectful, kind, as well as empathetic to all. In my classroom it is my expectation
that students are treated with respect and rapport, and in turn do the same. I believe is
creating a warm and positive environment starting with my own attitudes, and so these
relationships I build with students will build on this positivity.
The last component of the Plan for Prevention is managing classroom
procedures. The works of Harry Wong and Fred Jones have been the most influential
theorist in developing my own procedural plans. Before this course I had never explicitly
thought of how many procedures must be developed to begin the year. My procedural
plans now build upon my definitions of respect and rapport as well as emphasis giving
students a choice. Within a middle school setting I believe that it is time for students to
start taking responsibility and ownership of their learning. To begin the school year I will
Jade Mears
5/2/17
sit down with my students and have a conversation about what expectations are needed
in the classrooms, as well as what procedures need to be. Through careful scaffolding, I
hope to create unique expectations for each group of students that they feel ownership
of, and therefor will be more apt to follow. My own personal procedures will include
nonverbal cues such as signaling for restroom breaks, or questions. My overall goal is
to have these procedures tie into building a students self-management.
Strategies for redirection, reinforcement, and intervention is the second aspect of
a classroom management system. Where a plan for prevention sets the stage of
classroom management, this second aspect to me is the practical ways we will address
behavioral issues within a classroom. The most influential theorist for my ideas of
managing student behaviors is the Discipline with Dignity model. I believe that this
model most aligns with my values of empathy and expectations for both myself and
students. A major part of managing behaviors is having high expectations for students to
live up to. I want my students to know that I have these expectations for them, and
above all I expect them to be respectful students, engaged learners, and successful
adults. If there are misbehaviors within my classroom I will address them immediately
with proximity, eye contact, and a strong sense of with-it-ness. If misbehaviors
continue to get worse some reinforcement tools that I will use will be is my own
reactions to behaviors and the strong relationships that I build with students. If
behaviors come to the point where intervention is needed I hope to work closely with my
colleagues to create the best individual plan for that child. With these behavioral
management systems one thing that has really stuck with me throughout this semester
is looking at my own teacher misbehaviors. Asking myself if I am doing something that

Jade Mears
5/2/17
is prompting these behaviors, and being self-reflective can be one of the most helpful
techniques that I can use within my classroom.
The final part of this plan for classroom management are strategies that promote
self-management. Before this class I had never thought of classroom management in
terms of teaching students to be self-regulating of their own behaviors, but instead
mostly focused on addressing behavior. However, this section is essentially the end
goal of education for teachers. We want students to become happy, healthy, self-
managing adults and this begins within their academic careers. My thinking is very
closely aligned with the thinking of Alfie Kohn and supporting the basic needs of
students being autonomy, belonging, and confidence. I believe in creating a culture
where it is truly child-focused instruction. I want to address students developmental
needs to create a climate where they feel at home, and in turn are more engaged
academically. Building a growth mindset is the foundation of my classroom
management styles, for both myself and the students. Within my classroom, I will care
about the content and the learning. My students will know and see my enthusiasm for
learning and teaching. Again, expectations will be high to promote a growth mindset. A
poster displayed in my classroom will sum up my thinking by stating, it is okay not to
know but it is not okay not to try.
A teachers classroom management style begins with the teachers values and
beliefs. Over the course of this semester my own values and beliefs have grown to form
my own system of management where the most important pieces are my relationships
with students and having a growth mindset. If I can have a class where students know
they are important, they are smart, and they can achieve anything then I have done my
Jade Mears
5/2/17
job as a teacher. It is my personal philosophy that every child can succeed if they have
someone in their corner, and that personal will always be me.

Personal Philosophy of Classroom Management

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Personal Philosophy of Classroom Management

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Personal Philosophy of Classroom Management

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Jade Mears

Within a classroom, a teachers classroom management skills are essential to be

management was. I thought of it as specific strategies, such as attention getters, and

very disciplined based. Throughout this semester my definition has changed to

encompass a much broader view of a whole-child focused philosophy of classroom

personal philosophies of classroom management in the lens of a 6 th grade teacher. To

begin to understand a classroom management system it is helpful to break it up into

prevention, intervention strategies, and finally a plan for self-management.

Planning for prevention is the first aspect of classroom management. This

up. In a whole-child focus, my classroom environment will be focused on meeting the

encourage students to adjust the physical space to meet their needs.

The second aspect of developing a Plan for Prevention is creating an

is respectful, kind, as well as empathetic to all. In my classroom it is my expectation

relationships I build with students will build on this positivity.

The last component of the Plan for Prevention is managing classroom

to have these procedures tie into building a students self-management.

Strategies for redirection, reinforcement, and intervention is the second aspect of

with proximity, eye contact, and a strong sense of with-it-ness. If misbehaviors

is looking at my own teacher misbehaviors. Asking myself if I am doing something that

techniques that I can use within my classroom.

self-management. Before this class I had never thought of classroom management in

terms of teaching students to be self-regulating of their own behaviors, but instead

students being autonomy, belonging, and confidence. I believe in creating a culture

where it is truly child-focused instruction. I want to address students developmental

academically. Building a growth mindset is the foundation of my classroom

poster displayed in my classroom will sum up my thinking by stating, it is okay not to

know but it is not okay not to try.

someone in their corner, and that personal will always be me.

You might also like