Philosophy of Classroom Management:

Behavior Management
By: Kiana Dabay

Classroom management is one of the most important parts for an educator since it will

allow students to learn the importance of discipline and in return, allow teaching and learning to

occur. Once the rules and routines are set, students know the expectations so there are less

misbehavior and more successful learning (“Why Classroom Management Is Important,” 2015).

When there is a lack of planning and reinforcing the rules, surely there will be more problems

with student behavior and respect between students and teachers. So, creating and strengthening

the expectations and routine in the classroom will allow teachers and students to save time and

dedicate those to academic education. In the following paragraphs, you will encounter my beliefs

about the three components of classroom management which are the students, teachers’ roles,

and managing the classroom.

My Beliefs About Students

A democratic classroom is important for both sides, teacher and students, so that they can

gain skills that are required for them to be good citizens of this country and the world (Hartley,

2008). Students need to fulfill their needs of power and feel that their voice is valued so that they

will reciprocate the demands of formal education and your class. In order to have a democratic

class, allowing students to discuss the problem and find a solution will be a good practice for

them, especially to find consensus from the diverse opinions of their peers. Teaching the students

to find an agreement that meets the needs of everyone will be an important characteristic that

they can use in the future, as they will actively participate in our society and political needs.

In one instance, the classroom teacher wants to hold a puppet show and asked the

students’ opinions. Three students were against the idea, so the rest of the class listened to their
classmates’ opinions about the disagreement. The students who were for the puppet show tried to

propose a solution that will meet the needs of the other side. In the end, the whole class agreed to

hold a puppet show with compromised ideas. With that said, giving these students, a practice to

express their opinions and respecting others will come a long way for our community. This is

important since I want to create a safe community that is open to everyone.

My Beliefs About Teachers’ Roles

At the beginning of the school year, teachers must spend time introducing and reinforcing

the rules and routines (Wong & Wong, 2009). Doing so will set a mood and the type of

community your classroom has. Having rules and routines will allow students to feel safe,

physical and emotionally, since they know what to expect and in return allow learning to take

place. In an instance, the teacher spent two weeks at the beginning of the school year to allow

second-grade students to practice and remember the teacher’s expectations. For the rest of the

school year, the students were able to learn and transition smoothly between classes since they

know the agenda and rules that were set for them. If there were any issues, the teacher reinforces

the rule so that her students know that rules, which the whole class had created, cannot be

broken. All in all, the teacher is there to guide and reinforce the rules so that all students can

learn, be supported, and feel safe in the classroom.

My Beliefs About Managing the Classroom

Classroom management is the backbone of a teacher’s classroom. Meaning it is there to

guide and organize the demands of being an educator so that all participants in my classroom

will successfully learn and master the lesson. Also, to learn how to respect others’ property,

culture, and opinion. Once the rules and routines are set at the beginning of the school year, the
teacher expects students to learn and discipline themselves. As a democratic class, where rules

were discussed and agreed beforehand, students should follow the rules and not be managed by

the teacher. Since the expectation is there, students should learn how to discipline themselves.

An issue with self-discipline should be addressed by the teacher so that students will learn that

rules are there to guide themselves and others. With that said, classroom management is put into

place so that students will learn how to independently practice freedom and abide by the rules.

Classroom management is significant for any educators since it will benefit us and our

students in the long run. Without solid classroom expectations and routines, our classrooms and

students may not experience the support and safeness that they deserve. While creating the rules,

it is important to include the students when creating a list of rules so that they feel valued in the

classroom and allow learning to occur. However, these rules and routines should be reinforced at

the beginning of the school year so that your class will experience authentic learning and practice

discipline; which is the essential aim of classroom management. Overall, teaching and learning

will only occur when students feel valued and safe in the community, they are in.
 References

Hartley, V. (2008). The elementary classroom: A key dimension of a child’s democratic world.

Journal of Educational Controversy, 3(1), 1-9.

Why classroom management is important. (2015, August 24). Retrieved April 24, 2020, from

https://www.education.gov.gy/web/index.php/teachers/tips-for-teaching/item/1651-why-

classroom-management-is-important#

Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The first days of school: How to be an effective teacher.

Harry K. Wong Publications Inc.