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Research Essay

An individual teaching philosophy is a very important document and it important that is
thorough and also well research and well informed. From completing the draft of my
philosophy, it was evident that there were a few gaps and things that I could look further into.
In my draft teaching philosophy, I had a focus on the use of Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) in the classroom, knowing your students, values education and inquiry,
collaborative and hands on tasks. Due to the peer feedback I received, I have decided to focus
my research on three main areas to get a deeper understanding. These areas that I will discuss
are positive behaviour management, information and communication technology in the
classroom and the importance of knowing your students.

In my observation and teaching experiences in classrooms, I have noticed that students
respond better with behaviour management approaches that are positive in nature. Atherley
(1990) describes positive behaviour management (PBM) as a more acceptable form of
behaviour management in the classroom than the traditional behaviour modification. Positive
behaviour management entails building up a positive atmosphere by making the student a
partner in the education process. By doing this, you give each student the opportunity to self-
discipline through suitable learning experiences. Grundy and Blandford (1999) write that how
pupil misbehaviour is actioned is not so forthcoming or imaginative and this is a crucial issue.
They also write that this an ingrained cultural factor and a lot of work needs to be done to
encourage a more consistent and collaborative approach to behaviour management at a whole
school level (Grundy & Blandford, 1999). Positive behaviour management involves students
setting behaviour goals and managing and recording their own progress when there is a
behaviour that needs to be changed (Atherley, 1990). This method of management is focused
on positive reinforcement with good behaviour being acknowledged and rewarded while
negative or inappropriate behaviour being ignored when possible. Skinner proposed that
suitable and immediate reinforcement strengthens the chances that appropriate behaviour will
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be repeated (1948, cited by Bucher & Manning, 2001). This involves praising students who
behave appropriately rather than reprimanding students that dont. According to Skinners
theory, behaving students will continue to behave due to the positively received from this
action, and students than misbehave will begin to behave desirably due to the want for positive
reinforcement (Bucher & Manning, 2001). Positive behaviour management approaches involves
both changing the problem behaviour as well as the conditions which may be maintaining or
initiating the behaviour. Bennett and Blundell (1983, cited by Atherley, 1999) state that
environmental factors such as seating arrangements are often important in PBM as they are
influential to what they children do. Atherley (1999) describes changing the physical structure
of classroom, changing the teaching strategies, developing a classroom of co-operative
learning, self-directed learning, goal setting, rewards and praise, and redefining the role of the
teacher as changes that can be made to positively affect behaviour. Atherleys studies showed
that from making these changes, childrens behaviour in the classroom while working or socially
improved dramatically, proving that reprimands and punishments are not the answer to
behavioural issues.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are being introduced into more and more
classrooms all over the world (Prieto, Villagr-Sobrinob, Jorrn-Abellnb, Martnez-Monsc, &
Dimitriadisa, 2011). Kreijns, Acker, Verlmeulen and Buuren (2013) describe Information and
communication technologies in the classroom as a set of tools that enable, support and
reinforce learning. While ICT is becoming more prevalent in classrooms, studies have shown
that the presence of multiple forms of ICT in the classroom does not necessarily guarantee
improved learning experiences for students. The use of ICT in the classroom must also be
accompanied by effective pedagogy techniques for coordinating these technologies (Prieto,
Villagr-Sobrinob, Jorrn-Abellnb, Martnez-Monsc, & Dimitriadisa, 2011). Jones and
Reynolds (2013) concur with this by stating that while digital technology is available in most
Australian schools, the use of this technology is not always creative or meaningful to students.
Jones and Reynolds conducted research into how ICT can be integrated into classrooms through
multimodal discourse with positive results. Integrating ICT into the classroom has many
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benefits when it is done properly, Edinson (2011) describes a number of benefits such as the
comprehensive sources of information computers allow, skill development in collaboration and
data processing, meta cognitive skills as well as increased student achievement. Unfortunately
while ICT has been greeted into communities, schools and homes with enthusiasm for the
potential benefits, there are also some concerns with the growing prevalence of technology.
Thiessen and Looker (2007) describe these concerns as technologies intensifying inequalities in
society. While I believe this is a valid point, so long as these technologies are kept in the
classroom and the technologies used in the classroom are only belonging to the school, these
concerns should be alleviated. From this research, it is evident that ICT has a place in the
primary classroom, so long as teachers are well educated in the use of the technology and have
the pedagogical approaches to implement it effectively.

I strongly believe that knowing your students is a very important part of being a teacher. To be
able to effectively help your students to learn and choose appropriate teaching methods, you
must first know something about the students you are teaching (Center for the Integration of
Research, Teaching and Learning, 2012). All students in your class will come from different
social and cultural backgrounds and have a number of different learning needs (CIRTL, 2012).
Reed, Banks and Carlisle (2004), describe that often you can do a lesson all right, breaking down
the material, keeping an appropriate pace, perfect demonstrations and congruent feedback but
many students still dont get it. This can all be rectified by knowing how the students learn.
Reed, Banks and Carlisle (2004) describe that teachers should get to know students in a more
personal way, their backgrounds, interests, strengths and weaknesses as well as learning styles.
By doing this, teachers have all the information to successfully address all students needs for
effective teaching and learning. Students have the potential to learn practically any subject
matter when taught with instructional methods that suit their preferred learning styles and
strengths (Dunn, 1990, cited by Reed, Banks & Carlisle, 2004). CIRTL (2012), state that
knowledge about your students will assist you in refining instruction, class discussion,
illustrations and activities so that they are more beneficial as well as effective learning
experiences for all students. By referring to students interests, background and knowledge you
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can make the classroom more personal and build a better relationship and rapport with
students (CIRTL, 2012). As part of the standards for graduating teachers (Victorian Institute of
Teaching, 2009), under professional knowledge, graduating teachers should be able to know
their students. This document outlines a number of characteristics such as demonstrating a
rapport with students, knowing prior knowledge, learning strengths and weaknesses, and
having an understanding of cultural and religious diversity, amongst other points. The inclusion
of knowing your students in this standards documents supports how important it is for a
teacher to do.

Through this research, I have determined that my strong beliefs in positive behaviour
management approaches, using ICT in the classroom and knowing your students is strongly
supported by informed research and studies undertaken by a number of experts on the
respective areas. Using positive behaviour management approaches, ICT and knowing your
students all lead to more positive and beneficial learning and teaching in the primary classroom
setting.

Words count: 1248













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References
Atherley, C. (1990). The Implementation of a Positive Behaviour Management Programme in a Primary
Classroom: a case study. School Organisation 10(2), 213-228.
Bucher, K. T., & Manning, M. L. (2001). Exploring the foundations of middle school classroom
management: the theoretical contributions of B. F. Skinner, Fritz Redl and William Watternberg,
William Glasser and Thomas Gordon all have particular relevance for middle school educators.
Childhood Education 78(2), 84+.
Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning. (2012). Addressing Students' Needs:
Importance of Knowing Your Students. Retrieved from CIRTL Network:
http://www.cirtl.net/node/2543
Edinson, R. (2011, June 21). Advantages and Disadvantages ICT integration in the Classroom. Retrieved
from Education for a Better Life: http://www.cenarestgabon.org/advantages-and-
disadvantages-ict-integration-in-the-classroom.html
Grundy, W., & Blandford, S. (1999). Developing a culture for positive behaviour management. Emotional
and Behavioural Difficulties 4(3), 5-9.
Jones, A., & Reynolds, N. (2013). Integrating ICT through multimodal discourse in a primary classroom.
Australian Educational Computing 27(2), 22-26.
Kreijns, K., Acker, F. V., Vermeulen, M., & Buuren, H. v. (2013). What stimulates teachers to integrate ICT
in their pedagogical practices? The use of difital learning materials in education. Computers in
Human Behavior 29(1), 217-225.
Prieto, L. P., Villagr-Sobrinob, S., Jorrn-Abellnb, I. M., Martnez-Monsc, A., & Dimitriadisa, Y. (2011).
Recurrent routines: Analyzing and supporting orchestration in technology-enhanced primary
classrooms. Computers & Education 57(1), 1214-1227.
Thiessen, V., & Looker, E. D. (2007). Digital Divides and Capital Conversion: The optimal use of
information and communication technology for youth reading achievement. Information,
Communication & Society 10(2), 159-180.
Victorian Institute of Teaching. (2009, January). Standards of Graduating Teachers. Retrieved from
Victorian Institute of Teaching:
http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/PDF/Standards-for-Graduating-Teachers-
jan-09.pdf

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Independent Teaching Philosophy FINAL

Teaching for the Future

I strongly believe that the primary teachers job is to teach students for the future. As a primary
educator, you are the first step children take into what is hopefully a life full of learning.
Because of this, we need to equip these young people with the skills, values and attitude to
continue on learning and with life. The primary teachers job is not only to teach students to
read, write, add, subtract and all the basic foundation skills, but also to shape them as people.
To do this, I believe there are a few important things that I can do as an educator that will put
them in the right direction after they leave my classroom.

While technology is becoming increasingly more advanced and more abundant around the
world, it is also growing more common in the Australian classroom. Engaging students with
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) results in 2 major benefits for students.
Firstly, incorporating ICT in the classroom and throughout your lessons can greatly improve
learning and understanding. This being said, it needs to be done in the right way. I am
passionate about learning the ins and outs of these technologies and how they can be used in
the classroom. The second benefit for students with increased ICT use in the classroom is that
learning skills in ICT will be of strong use to them in high school and beyond. With technology
being as prominent as it is today, all over the world and ever growing, students developing
these skills at an early age will be necessary skills for them to have.

In my experience, I have seen a number of different behaviour management approaches. Of
these, I have felt very strongly about the use of positive behaviour management strategies.
These entail rewarding good behaviour while ignoring (when applicable) bad behaviour. Other
strategies for this that I have experienced are behaviour goal setting, where the student and
the teacher together set goals that they want to accomplish. The important part of this strategy
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is that the teacher and student are a team, and they are helping each other to avoid
problematic behaviour. An important part of positive behaviour management is also trying to
find the source of the misbehaviour. I think that by identifying the stimulus for the bad
behaviour, and trying to rectify this will have a better outcome than punishment or blame for
the misbehaving student. From my experience and research, I believe that students respond
better to positivity than punishment.

Overall, I believe the most important thing about being a teacher is to know your students. This
should not just be knowing their academic status, their behaviour or learning style (while this is
important also), teachers should get to know their students further than that. I think that
finding out students interests, strengths, weaknesses, fears, family, skills, and much more can
be very positive and rewarding in the classroom. One of my placement teachers also told me
that it is important that you share these things about yourself as well. By doing this, you build a
rapport, helping you to teach each individual student as best you can, as well as helping them
to learn as best they can.

This is why I chose to become an educator, to teach for the future.

Word Count: 550

















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Critical Reflection

Between my first and second individual teaching philosophy, there has been a number of
changes. In my first teaching philosophy, I mentioned quite a few beliefs I had, but did not fully
immerse myself in the theories, research or ideas behind them. After reading my philosophy to
my peers and consulting with them, I received the feedback that I should choose a couple of
main ideas out of my piece that I feel strongest about, and delve deeper into them. I chose to
focus on ICT in the classroom and knowing your students. In addition, after hearing positive
behaviour management spoken about by a peer, I decided this was something I felt strongly
about as well.
From my research, Atherley (1999) was a strong contributor to my ideas and thoughts about
using positive behaviour management strategies in the classroom. While I had not studied
these approaches before, it was evident that I had seen them in action in the classroom and
had noticed the success of them. Bucher and Manning (2001) also opened my eyes to the
positive approaches that involve finding the source of the misbehaviour, rather than putting the
whole blame onto the student.
While the use of ICT and knowing the students featured predominantly in both my draft and
final philosophy, the final had much more depth and support to my knowledge from my reading
of Edinson (2011), Thiessen & Looker (2007) and Center for the Integration of Research,
Teaching and Learning (2012).


Word Count: 246