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Mr.

Hendricksons Classroom Management Philosophy

What is classroom management? In our textbook, Classroom Management, Models, Applications, and Cases, authors M. Lee Manning and Katherine T. Buchner define classroom management as implementing strategies for assuring physical and psychological safety in the classroom. (pg. 4) How does one manage a classroom? What special skills or techniques are required to ensure that children have a positive experience in our classroom? There are many ideas out there and many different theorists who have ideas on how they believe a classroom should be managed. My job as an educator is to find a management philosophy that fits my personality and style. I think that this philosophy may change or evolve as I learn and experience more. As a long term substitute teacher in a vacancy position, I find myself in a position of having to experience real life, real world experiences in the classroom. I have found that the approach I have begun to take seems to align pretty well with Lee and Marlene Canter. In our textbook Classroom Management, Models, Applications, and Cases, the authors referred to the Canters book Assertive Discipline: Positive Behavior Management for Todays Classroom, where the Canters call for teachers to take charge of the classroom in a firm and positive manner. They also said that the teacher should accept the role of giver of rewards and punishments and must be able to hand out rewards and punishments consistently. (pg.48) In my classroom, my students receive classroom money. This is similar to an allowance or paycheck. I believe that this strategy teaches a real life lesson. In the real

world; when you perform your job, you are paid accordingly. These classroom monies can be utilized to purchase prizes or rewards from our classroom store. For consequences, I use a card pulling system that has consequences which increase in severity as poor behavior increases. If a student pulls a yellow card, the consequence is a monetary fine in classroom monies. The amount of the fine increases with each occurrence, and other consequences are also given. I would say that this strategy seems to align with the Canters belief of Discipline Hierarchy discussed on page 49 in our textbook. I want my students to love coming to school. I want them to feel that they belong and that I care for and love them. They should feel that school is a place where they can feel good and I want them to know that I am there to help them. While I seem to lean towards the Canters method of classroom management, I do like some of what the Driekurs theory offers. In our textbook Classroom Management, Models, Applications, and Cases, a key concept mentioned states that students should not feel that their self-worth depends on worthy behavior and academic achievement: (pg. 63). I want a student that I am entrusted to teach to know, that regardless of their behavior or their performance, they are still just as important to me as any other student and I am there to help them in any way I can. Driekers speaks a great deal in our textbook about implementing Democratic Classrooms as he calls them. He states that students should help devise rules and their logical consequences, and that by doing this the students could help deter discipline problems. (pg. 69) I think that allowing students to have a say in forming classroom rules and their consequences is a great idea. I would like my students to help me come up with rules that would help our class

run smoothly and efficiently. I want them to have a say and I think it will help my students feel like they are part of the class family. As I look at my own teaching philosophy, I am still forming my teaching philosophy and figuring out who I am as an educator. As a father, I find that I am very assertive and perhaps a little on the strict side. I expect my children to listen and follow my instructions. I expect them to give me respect and I give respect accordingly. I expect my children to behave and follow the rules that I have implemented in my home. I realize that as an educator there are other considerations to think about so I may not run my classroom in the exact fashion that I run my home.. I do not know all of my students circumstances or their upbringing. However, I believe that students should come to school ready to learn. My role as an educator is to provide an environment that is loving and conducive to learning. I want my students to know that I genuinely care for them and will show that by giving them the respect that they deserve. I will greet my students each day with a good morning and a smile. I want to teach my students responsibility. I have classroom jobs that students will be responsible for each week and they will be classroom money for doing their job. I believe that this strategy teaches real life lessons. When you do your job in the real world you get paid. When a student makes a mistake, I will address the behavior with the appropriate consequence and let them know that I still care for them and that I am still grateful to have them in the classroom. I have learned that when you follow up discipline with an increase of love and respect, a child has a desire to behave better and this allows for respect and rapport to flourish in the classroom.

In conclusion, I believe that by using some of the great ideas of Canter and Driekers as well as my own personality and ideas, I will be able to have a positive impact on the lives of the young people I teach.

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