ClassroomManagementStatement

Havingeffectiveclassroommanagementskillsandtechniquesisjustasimportant
asknowingyoursubjectmatter;itisonlywhenstudentsareinasafeenvironmentthat
learningcantakeplace.Thisdoesntnecessarilymeanpunishingbehaviorproblemsbut
ratheracombinationofsettingthetoneinaclass,preventingbehaviorproblemswith
interestingandengaginglessons,andeffectivelyincludingallstudentsintheclassroom
sothattheirindividualneedsaremet.Themainfocusofmyclassroommanagement
philosophyistocreateasafe,positiveenvironmentthatisconduciveforallstudentsto
learn.

PhilosophicalStatement
MyphilosophyforclassroommanagementhasevolvedfromFayandFunks
philosophyofLoveandLogic.Thisphilosophymakesthestudentsresponsiblefortheir
ownactionsandholdsstudentstohigherstandardsofbehavior.Studentbehavioris
primarilymotivatedbyhowtheyfeelaboutthemselvesandothers,aswellastheirrolein
thevarioustaskstheyareaskedtoundertake.Everystudentisauniqueindividualand
hasdifferentattributetocontributetotheclassroom;itisimportantthateachstudentfeel
thathisorherindividualtraitshaveaplaceinthelearningenvironment.Ibelievethatall
studentsneedtoleavetheclassroomfeelingproudthattheyhavesucceededin
accomplishingsomething;nomatterhowsmallthevictoryeverystudentneedspositive
feedback.Generally,studentsworkhardandavoiddisruptiveordisrespectfulbehaviors
whentheyfeelsafe,believetheyareparticipatinginimportantandmeaningfullearning
activities,receivepositivefeedbackfromothers,andrespecttheteacherandtheirfellow
peers.Mygoalistohaveeachstudentfeelthatwayinthemusicclassroom.

ClassroomArrangement
Myclassroomwillbevibrant,bright,andorganized.Iwillhavealargemusic
carpetinthecenteroftheroom.Thiscarpetwillcontainpicturesofdifferentmusic
symbols.Thestudentswillbeassignedasymbolandthatwillbethereassignedseat.
Inthefrontoftheclassroomwillbeadryeraseboard;halfwillcontainstafflinesandthe
otheraplainboard.Havingadividedboardwillallowmetonotatemusicpatternsonthe
staffsideandstillhaveaplainsidetowriteon.Iwillhaveanelectricpianoinfrontof
theboard;thiswillallowmetoteachandconductfromthepianoeasilysoeachstudent
willbeabletoseeme.IwillhaveOrffinstrumentssetupalongtheeastsideoftheroom
sotheyarereadyforuseonaregularbasis.Iwillhavealisteninglabsetupiontheback
oftheroomsostudentscanparticipateinindividuallisteningactivities.Iwillhavea
surroundsoundstereosystemsetupwitharemotesothatIcanutilizethesystemfrom
anywhereImightbeteachingintheclassroom.Iwillhavecabinetsandcupboards
locatedinthebackandwestsideoftheclassroom.Eachcompartmentwillcontainan
assortmentofinstruments(mainlypitchedandnonpitchedpercussion),props,books,
videos,recordings,classfiles,andanyotherresourcesIhaveavailabletome;each
compartmentwillbelabeledaccordingly.Thiswillallowmeeasyaccesstoallthe
resourcesImayneedforvariouslessonsandwillserveasaguidetoanystudentsor
guestteacherswhoneedtofindcertainmaterialsfrommyroom.Iwillhaveposters
hangingonthewallsofvariousmusicalelements;thesepictureswillbeutilizedto
stimulatelearningandreferencedduringvariouslessons.

ClassroomRules

Myclassroomrulesarefewandconcise.Ifindthatchildrenfollowrulesbetter
whenthereareonlyafewtorememberandtheyareeasytounderstand.Icallmyrules
theMusicManners.
1. AlwaysRaiseYourHandtoSpeak
2. BeKindandConsiderate
3. BeanActiveParticipant
4. OnlyTouchtheInstrumentsWhenAsked
WhileIpresentmyrulesIexplainwhyIchosethemandwhateachofthemencompass.
Afterpresentingmyrulestotheclassroom,Iaskthestudentstolookthemoverandtell
meifthereisanythingthatseemsunreasonable.Thiswaythestudentshaveavoicein
acceptingtherulesandthatwayiftheybreakaruleIcantellthemthattheyagreedto
thesetermsonthefirstdayofclassandiftherewasanissueIgavethemtheopportunity
tosaysomething.Ifthereareanyobjectionstoanyoftherules,theclasscanthenhavea
discussionaboutwhyIchosetomakethatruleandwhyitmightbenecessary.

ToolsandStrategiesforProblemStudents
Evenwiththebestclassroommanagementsysteminplace,therewillstillbe
studentswhowillexperiencedifficultieswithbehavior.OnemainfocusofFayand
FunksLoveandLogicphilosophyisunderstandthateachsituationisuniqueand
differentandthuswillmeritadifferentconsequence.Ialsobelieveinthepowerofa
delayedconsequence;inmostcaseswhenasituationarises,itisbesttodealwithitwhen
bothpartieshavehadanopportunitytocooldown.Whenastudentdemonstratesanon
threateningbutstillinappropriateactionIwilltellthestudenttheactionisunacceptable,
remindthemofthemusicmannersandbrieflyexplainhowweneedtofollowthemusic
mannerssoeveryonecanbesafeandhavefunlearninginmusicandifstudentsdont
followthemusicmannerstheycannotparticipate.Ifthestudentstillisdisruptivethey
willhavetogotothecooldownareainthebackoftheroomuntiltheyarereadyto
participateappropriately.AttheendoftheclassperiodoratanotherappropriatetimeI
willhaveadiscussionwiththestudentandaskwhymighthaveprovoketheactionand
howwemightpreventitfromoccurringinthefuture.Byworkingoutasolution
together,thereshouldbenoaccusationsthattheconsequenceisnotfair;however,ifa
studenteverfeelsthataconsequenceisunfairIwillaskthattheytellmesowecanwork
outadifferentalternativethatwebothfeelisappropriate.Ifthesituationpersistsover
multipleclassperiods,Iwillthenconfrontthechildagainexplainingthatitseemsweare
stillhavingproblemsbehavingappropriateintheclassroom.Iwillrefertotheprevious
conversationwhereIthoughtwehadworkedoncomingupwithasolution,however
maybeitwillhelpifwediscussthissituationwiththeirparent(s)/guardianandseeifthey
haveanyideasonhowwecansolvethisproblem.Iwouldthengivethestudentachoice
onwhetherornottheywouldliketotalktotheirparent(s)/guardianthemselvesorwould
ratherIcall.Thisgivesthestudentachoice.IftheypicktospeaktothemIwouldaskif
theywouldcallorwritemealetter(withparentsignature)withthesolutiontheycameup
with.IfthestudentpickstohavemecallIwouldthencalltheparent(s)/guardianand
discussthesituationorifthestudentdoesnotreturnthenextdaywithasigneddecision.
Iftherewerestillanissuewiththestudent,Iwouldexpressmydisappointmentthatthis
behaviorisstillcontinuing.Iwillexplainthatitseemsneitherthestudentsparents,the
student,orIareabletocomeupwithawaytoremedythissituationandthereforewe
shoulddiscussthisissuewiththeprinciple.IwouldbesuretodocumenteachstepsoI
canreferenceeachincidentinfuturemeetingsthatmayarise.However,ifanystudent
actsinawaythatmayharmotherstudents,thestudentisimmediatelyremovedfromthe
classroomandwillbesenteithertotheofficeortoacouncilorsoffice.Iwouldaskthat
theybegivenacooldownperiodbeforetheyareconfrontedsotheyareabletothink
rationallyaboutthesituationbeforeitisdiscussed.Iwouldthentrytoarrangeameeting
withtheprincipleorcouncilorandthestudentoutsideofinstructionaltimetoworkouta
solution.