Aleksandra Peric, 3809997

Classroom Management
Classroom management is the combination of approaches and processes that teachers use to achieve and
maintain a classroom environment where they can educate and instruct, using tools and techniques to
produce behavioural change as needed, and prevent discipline problems. (Romi, Lewis & Roache 2013, pp.2)
Classroom management is the key component in any educational setting. If students are in a safe
environment, then learning can take place. This does not necessarily mean punishing behaviour problems but
rather a combination of setting the tone in a class, preventing behaviour problems with interesting and
engaging curriculums and effectively including all students in the classroom so that their needs are met.
Having the right environment for all students to learn is the major goal of implementing good classroom
management. Meeting the needs of students is a very crucial part of any classroom and it is essential that
students feel comfortable with other students, as well as their teacher, so that there can be meaningful
discussions and interactions. Encouraging all students to participate in class so that they can learn from each
other as well as their teacher is a very important part of a classroom environment .
I believe each and every child has the potential to bring something unique and special to the world. As a
teacher, I will help students to develop their potential by believing in them as capable individuals. I will assist
students in discovering who they are, so they can express their own opinions and nurture their own ideas.
Every classroom should present a unique community of learners that varies not only in abilities, but also in
learning styles. My role as a teacher is to give students the tools with which to cultivate their own gardens of
knowledge. To accomplish this goal, I will teach to the needs of each student so that all learners can feel
capable and successful. I will present curriculum that involves the interests of the students and makes learning
relevant to life by incorporating themes, integrated units, projects, group work, individual work, and hands-on
learning in order to make students active learners. My classroom will be a caring, safe, and equitable
environment where each student can blossom and grow. I will allow students to become responsible members
of the classroom community by using strategies such as class meetings, positive discipline, and democratic
principles. In showing students how to become responsible for themselves as well as their own learning, I am
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giving them the tools to become successful in life, to believe in themselves, and to love themselves. If
students basic needs for power, competence, belonging, freedom and fun are not provided for by their
teacher, they will find other ways to meet those needs. (Shindler 2010, pp. 19)
Edward DeBonos Six Thinking Hats is something Id really like to be incorporated into my classroom. Six
Thinking Hats is a powerful tool that facilitates productive critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and
creativity. It enables each person's unique point of view to be included and considered and thinking becomes
more thorough. Six Thinking Hats is a time-tested, proven, and practical thinking tool. It provides a framework
to help people think clearly and thoroughly by directing their thinking attention in one direction at a time--white
hat facts, green hat creativity, yellow hat benefits, black cautions, red hat feelings, and blue hat process. A
company in Finland reported that, as a result of using Six Hats training, time spent in multinational project
discussions was cut from what used to be thirty days to just two. (Powell 2007, pp. 3)
As far as classroom set up goes, having the tables in a U shape will create an environment rich in discussions.
Engagement is a kind of cooperation in which people involve themselves, in terms of time, effort, and
resources, and in return, they hope to obtain various benefits, both economic and socio-emotional. (Newley
2011, pp. 60) It is very important to engage students in discussion to try to draw out and challenge ideas and
let the class learn from each other. No one is sitting behind the U shape or on the sides of the room; the class
enjoys the eye contact and facial expressions of everyone as they share ideas. Students can create
knowledge, not simply absorb it from higher authorities in the classroom where personal experiences are
shared and learned. This arrangement of tables encourages discussion and in turn, students learn from each
other.
Whilst at my practicum, the way I arranged my lessons was with a step by step plan of what I achieved to do.
At the start of the lesson, I wrote on the white board what the learning intention so that the students knew what
the topic was about and if a student does not know what to do at any point of the lesson, he/she can first look
at the learning intention. Each lesson begins with a starter activity, which is displayed on the interactive white
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board. The students were advised at the beginning of my practicum that once they enter the classroom, they
are expected to sit down, get out their materials, and quietly get to work on this starter activity which is
explained to them once they enter. This is a great way to review past material or introduce the students to a
new topic. I always end this part of the lesson by discussing the starter activity with my students and then
continue on with the rest of the lesson that is planned out for them. At the end of each lesson, I usually have
about 5-10 minutes left to end it. The format of this ending varies from lesson to lesson. I might have the
students write in their journals, or I might summarize the lesson, highlighting the important things we learned
(or ask the students to do so). By actively ending the lesson together and making this a part of my daily lesson
plan, I will not be surprised by the bell. Finally, the bell does not end a lesson, I do.

Instead of focusing solely on the misbehaviour in the classroom, I want to focus on the good behaviour and
attitudes in my classroom. Acknowledging and encouraging good behaviour and academic success in my
classroom will be an essential part of teaching and learning in my classroom. I think that letting parents know
at home is another way to involve parents in the classroom as well as reinforce good behaviour and learning
by the students. I will make sure that positive feedback home will be given out for all students no matter how
big or how small the accomplishment. I will also make some positive phone calls home as these have worked
well for my mentor teacher. I think parents really appreciate positive phone calls home and it also sets up a
dialogue between parents and teachers. I dont believe in sending students to the principals office if they are
misbehaving, Id rather talk to them privately about their behaviour and work on ways to fix this issue. If the
misbehaving continues to arise, a behaviour contract would be something I would implement which outlines
what they need to achieve each lesson with a point system that needs to be ticked off by their teacher. The
points will be out of 10 and if they dont achieve 5 every lesson on a continuous basis then it will be time to talk
to their parents about the issues arising in the classroom. The time I have spent in my practicum, I had a few
rules classroom rules set up which I think worked effectively during my time there. The main rule I reinforced
with the students was to "respect each other, the classroom and the teacher in order to create an environment
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in which to learn." I also outlined that I did not want any negative language in the classroom such as put downs
and name calling. The students understood that I tried to create an environment where everyone felt welcome
to participate in class discussions.
As stated earlier, I believe classroom management is the key to an environment where learning can take place
and students can feel safe participating. As a teacher, I hope to create an environment that is conducive to
learning and involves all my students. I believe the most important part of classroom management is not the
behaviour problems but creating a good relationship with the students, encouraging them to succeed and
setting high expectations for them. As well as using an engaging a curriculum, I believe you can create this
environment and it will limit the behaviour problems in your classroom from the start.










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References:
Newley, R, J., 2011, Classrooms: Management, Effectiveness and Challenges Nova Science Publishers
Powell, S., 2007, Spotlight on Edward de Bono, Emerald Insight

Romi, S., Lewis, R., & Roache, J., 2013, Classroom management and teachers coping strategies: Inside
classrooms in Australia, China and Israel, School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel, Faculty
of Education, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Shindler, J.,2009, Transformative Classroom Management : Positive Strategies to Engage All Students and
Promote a Psychology of Success Wiley Publishers