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Running head: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT REFLECTION 1

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Classroom Management Reflection Paper

JaNae Burger

EDUU 540

Brandman University


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Classroom Management Reflection

In each classroom teachers will find a room full of students with unique challenges,

personality and abilities. It is a teacher’s job to build a bridge between where the student is and

where the student should be in order to reach the educational standards and curricular goals

established for the class. Creating the most effective learning environment for each child is

critical for students to reach their educational goals.

Established routines and structures; understood rules and guidelines; well thought out and

executed lesson plans; collaboration amongst colleagues for best practices, considering all

students and learning styles; constantly assessing students and adjusting lessons accordingly;

increasing personal knowledge through continual learning; providing a safe and productive

classroom environment. All these factors will contribute positively to student learning.

A well-structured classroom with clear expectations for student behavior and academic

success will facilitate learning and positive behavior inside the classroom. Pairing students that

will work well together can also enhance learning while eliminating problems. By expecting an

orderly space, clearly outlining rules and expectations and remaining firm but kind and

consistent while dealing with any infractions will allow all students to feel safe. Teachers should

show respect to students. Each student is a unique person, worthy of appreciation and respect.

When a student feels welcomed and respected they will likely return that respect. These are just a

few of the elements teachers need to focus on in order to create the most effective learning

environment, anything which will negatively or positively impact the classroom climate or

students opportunities to learn falls under classroom management. Contemporary learning theory

suggests that the way teachers share the information with students is just as important as the


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information itself. Presenting information in a safe environment and in a way that encourages

learning to occur for all students is critical.

Classroom management is more than just being able to create a safe learning environment; it

is about understanding the learning needs of all students and creating learning opportunities to

help all students succeed. Every student learns differently. Jean Piaget suggests there are specific

stages of cognitive development which measure a child’s ability to understand things in different

ways. For example, Piaget points out it’s not wise to expect a 3 year old to have abstract

reasoning because their formal operational skills are not yet developed. As teachers we need to

be aware of intellectual growth and appropriate developmental stages for our students and be

able to respond accordingly- both in regard to behavioral expectations as well as academic

expectations. John Locke suggests that a child’s mind is a blank tablet that gets shaped by their

experiences (Hilgard & Bower, 1975). The purpose of education is to help students fill those

blank tablets with relevant and valuable information which can be applied to their daily life in

such a way that they will grow to be contributing members of society. The challenge of

education is to help determine what is going to be the most beneficial for each student

individually.

As we are introduced to new information and have different experiences, our brains filter

through all the incoming information, determining what is important and how to categorize the

information. As we categorize new information our world view changes with each new

experience or piece of information. These views are called schemes (McLeod, 2009).

Additionally, the positive or negative consequences of the experiences or gained knowledge can

create positive reinforcement which will influence our behaviors in the future (Skinner, 1989).

The classroom climate, the way the teacher structures the day, manages behavior and creates


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appropriate learning opportunities will greatly impact the way student’s schemas change and

develop.

Evaluation of Original Classroom Management Plan

My original classroom management plan as created in 511 was based on my experience

as a high school teacher. Many of the components I would still keep. For example, I had outlined

my four classroom rules (Be Safe, be an Outstanding learner, Always be respectful, and be

Responsible= SOAR). The plan also outlined the expectations and what consequences would be

should the rules be broken. The management plan also talked about the importance of structure,

daily procedures and communication with parents- all of which I find important.

Some of the things which I would alter from the original plan would be the use of

ClassDoJo as a primary part of classroom management. While creating the original plan I was

very concerned about (and even scared) to be working with elementary students as I thought they

would need much more control than high school students. I thought ClassDoJo would be a good

way to keep structure and discipline and motivate students to behave. I have found through my

student teaching that elementary students respond just as well to my strategies as my high school

students did. ClassDoJo would be fun but it isn’t necessary or as vital of a piece as I thought it

needed to be. I also recognize that table groupings, as stressed in my original plan, may not

always be the most effective seating options as it makes it hard to accommodate some student

needs, especially those needing to be away from distractions.

Targeted Strategies

The following charts outline the targeted strategies identified for each of the questions

provided.


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Working with Diverse StudentsAdaptations for EL learners

I will make sure to try to avoid idioms, and teach students new vocabulary by connecting new information to their prior knowledge.Why: EL students may need explanations, pictures, examples or even demonstrations for them to understand the meaning of new words. Helping them connect information to prior knowledge will ensure they will correctly understand the word and feel more confident using new words.

I will provide additional wait time for student responses to questions.Why: Students need to have appropriate time to think or the answer and then they need additional time to articulate their thoughts in English.

This will take conscious effort on my part as waiting for student response can be a challenge for me.

I will model how I would like students to complete tasks. I will also periodically check to ensure EL students understand what is being taught.Why: EL students may not fully understand directions, either from the lack of vocabulary, difficult time following instructions, or simply not understanding expectations. Modeling what you would like students to do helps them understand expectations and can also teach new vocabulary.

Adaptations for Special Needs students

In my opinion the most important step a teacher should talk is being familiar with the student’s IEP or 504 plan, understanding the terms and accommodations outlined, and providing ALL accommodations as written.Why: This is the law. I felt it was important to write this as many teachers know a student receives services outside of their classroom but often they do not take the time to become familiar with the student’s plan, the just do what the Special Education teacher has told them. This is not ok.

Although preferential seating may not be stated in their educational plan teachers should careful consider the placement of special needs students.Why: The environment around a student greatly contributes to their ability to learn. Placing a special needs student away from distractions and in close proximity to the teacher will often increase the opportunities for the student to learn and

All setting, materials, pacing, adaptations for difficulty and time, etc. will be made according to their plan or as seen necessary. An adaption that is often overlooked is scheduling. I will create a routine that is easy to follow and is consistent. If there will be a change to the routine I will let the student know this beforehand.Why: Routine provides structure and a sense of safety to many special needs


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Teachers are still responsible for the accommodations even if the Special Education teacher has not mentioned them to the teacher.

decrease behavioral and learning concerns.

students. Sudden changes in the routine can hinder learning and cause other issues to arrive. Knowing about changes can help them be prepared and handle the changes better.

Adaptations for Gifted Students

Teachers an help increase gifted students learning opportunities by identifying the students interests strengths, and learning styles and gearing lessons to address these things.Why: Why students have a personal connection with the information they are learning they will be more engaged and will want to take the learning to more meaningful levels.

Providing real-life hands on activities and making connection to the real world promotes learning and interest for many gifted students.Why: Gifted student can get bored easily. Helping students connect knowledge to the world around them will spark their imaginations and logical thinking.

Using project based learning can also promote higher thinking for gifted students.Why: Project based learning allows students to take something that interests them and explore the topic in a way they connect. It also promotes higher level thinking and learning.

Adaptations for Underperforming Students

Reducing the amount of work may increase actual learning for underperforming students.Why: Some students are considered underperforming because they are consistently not completing ALL of their work. This may be a result of spending so much time on each individual question (meticulous attention to detail) they do not move on. Teachers may find the student demonstrates perfect understanding of the concept if they just review the work the student has been able to

Providing additional time may increase understanding for underperforming students.Why: Students may work at a slower pace than other students. Providing them with additional time, especially on tasks which will be graded, can give students the ability to truly demonstrate their understanding.

Providing opportunities for students to work with partners can be an incentive for underperforming students.Why: Students who are underperforming because they are not putting the effort into the work may perform much better when working with peers because they do not want to appear to be stupid or they do not want to let a peer down.


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complete.Strategies for Underperforming Students

Modeling instructions and directions can promote success for underperforming students.Why: Students may routinely not understand directions or may not be able to visualize assignment processes. Providing clear and simple steps to an assignment, often with modeling, can help a student organize thoughts and understand how they too can complete the assignment.

Teachers need to find out why the student is underperforming.Why: A variety of things can cause a student to appear to be underperforming. Students may not understand the language or a specific skill, students may have a processing or learning disability, and students may be gifted and therefore bored. Understanding why a student isn’t performing will allow teachers to make appropriate accommodations.

Help students understand the value and importance of the learning goals and objectives.Why: Occasionally students do not perform or put effort into a school because they do not understand why what they are learning or doing is important. They cannot see how it will benefit their lives and as a result they do not put the effort forward. When students accept a concept as valuable to their life they will strive harder to master the concept.

Strategies for Students who Lack Motivation

Teachers should strive to find out why the student is not motivated.Why: Students can lack motivation for a variety of reasons. Students may not have the skills needed to attempt the task, students may not have the intellectual understanding of how to complete the task, students may not have the self-esteem needed to try or students may simply not understand why the knowledge they are learning is valuable. Understanding why students aren’t motivated will help teachers create an appropriate plan to help

A teacher may motivate students by connecting the information being taught to the student’s personal life.Why: When students are able to see specific examples of the information or concept in their life it not only fosters an interest in the content being taught but also help cement a much deeper understanding of the information and appreciation of the importance of what they are learning.

Creating rewards systems is often recommended for students who lack motivation.Why: Sometimes students simply are not motivated to learn. They do not see the value of the information and as a results they do not think it is worth putting for effort. Some educators will create an award system to help establish that sense of value. Personally I think this is a strategy that should rarely be


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them be successful. used and only after everything else has been tried.

Working with ParentsApproaches to build positive relationships with parents

Teachers need to be available to parents through email and phone. Teachers should work with parents to find convenient times to meet to discuss concerns. Teachers should always respond promptly.Why: When parents have concerns about their child they should be able to have their questions answered in a timely manner. Working with parents in order to meet them at a time that will work with their work schedule shows parents that an educator truly does care about both the student and the parent.

Teachers who give families information about how the classroom works, what the school day looks like, and what their student is learning build a foundation that allows more positive relationships with parents.Why: When a parent is able to feel like they know what is happening in their child’s day it allows them to feel a connection with the student, the teacher and the school. This also opens the doors for questions and other communication.

Teachers can ask parents what they need to help their student learn at home fosters a collaborative feeling between teachers and parents.Why: When a teacher acknowledges the critical role the parents plays while helping with homework it validates the importance of the homework as well as places a sense of value and appreciation for the effort the parents put forth in supporting their child’s academic success. Acknowledging the parents as collaborators in the education process increases the feeling of unity and sense of connection and purpose.

Engaging Parents in Supporting their Child’s Learning

Communication is a key part of engaging parents in their child’s learning.Why: Not only does communication increase the trust between the teacher and the parent, it also helps the parents to understand what is

Teachers can foster learning at home by creating homework or projects that involve the whole family.Why: When families do projects or activities together it gives the student the

Inviting the parents to be part of the classroom and school activities fosters parent’s participation.Why: Parents like to be involved in the student’s education but often are not


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expected of their child each day, what they are learning, and how they can help their child learn.

opportunity to share what they have learned. The family is also able to have opportunities to learn together in a way that supports the academic growth of the student.

aware of the opportunities to participate. Simply having an invitation may open the doors for parents to feel welcome and then volunteer to be more active participants.

Addressing Confrontational and/or Disenfranchised parents

Treating all parents with kindness and courtesy goes along way.Why: Teachers should always respond kindly and respectfully even when parents are not. Meeting anger or frustration with confrontation will not solve the problem, rather it will escalate the problem. When parents are treated kindly the typically are more open to working with the teacher.

Teachers can focus on the positive and make clear steps for moving forward while working with disenfranchised parents.Why: Often disenfranchised parents do not believe the school will do anything to help their student. They do not feel there is anything that will help. Focusing on the positive gives them something that has already happened that they can feel good about and having clear steps for moving forward gives them a sense of action and purpose.

If teachers make a mistake they should admit it.Why: Everyone is human and we all make mistakes. It is difficult for parents to remain angry when you admit you made a mistake and you are working to fix it.

Working with Paraprofessionals and Resource SpecialistsUsing Paraprofessionals in the Classroom to Involve and Engage Students in Learning

By working together teachers and paraprofessional can motivate students to learn by showing them that adults really do care about the student’s learning.Why: Students who have

Having clear understanding of the lesson goals and objectives can help foster a positive collaboration between paraprofessionals and teachers.

Treating the paraprofessional with respect and expecting the students to do the same will increase the opportunities for students learning and engagement.


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not had a tremendous amount of academic success often lack academic self-esteem or self-confidence. When there is more than one adult encouraging them and providing them with positive feedback and praise the student is more likely to believe this and they can begin to repair their sense of academic ability.

Why: When there is clear communication between the teacher and paraprofessional about what the learning objectives are both individuals can help students reach the goals. Not having this understanding may cause the paraprofessional to focus on an inconsequential part of the assignment and while helping students.

Why: Often paraprofessionals are able to provide additional help to students by directing them through their work and providing supervision. When students see the teacher doesn’t respect the paraprofessional’s presence in the classroom it diminishes the paraprofessional’s ability to be effective.

Collaborating with Resource Specialist to Involve and Engage Students in Learning

Communicating frequently about the student’s successes and struggles promote collaboration and student learning.Why: When teachers discuss things which positively impacted and engaged a student in one learning environment they may be able to figure out what triggered the engagement and recreate that in other environments.

Understanding the personality and learning style of the student can help teachers develop ideas on the most effective way to collaborate together.Why: Tailoring the students interventions and instructions to their learning style or personality will greatly impact the students desire to learn. Having more adults observe and note these preferences will likely increase the effectiveness of the selected strategies.

Collaborating with special education specialist prior to working with the parents can prevent confusion and frustration.Why: When a teacher or Special Education Specialist contacts the parents prior to talking to each other it may cause confusion or frustration as it may contradict information the other teacher has provided. Collaborating prior to contacting the parents can prevent this from happening.

Managing Specific Teaching ResponsibilitiesProcess to Insure all Curriculum Expectations are being met

Using the school or district established curriculum map / pacing guide or

Collaborating with other educators in the same grade level or who have taught similar topics can

Building in pre-assessments on-going assessments during lessons, and summative


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creating your own pacing guide will help ensure all content is covered adequately.Why: There are so many things that need to be taught in a school year. Establishing on overview of the year which can then be broken down into months, then weeks, then days will allow teachers to have an understanding of how much time they can spend on each topic before moving on.

create more effective learning opportunities.Why: Other teachers may have more effective ways of presenting information. Efficient ways of presenting information may reduce the time it takes for students to learn a new idea which can free up time for other information to be presented.

assessments can assist with planning and preparation.Why: When teachers are able to gain a clear understanding of what students know and do not know about a topic they are able to use their time effectively. They may be able to skip some of the information they had planned on covering if the students understand a concept and spend more time on a concept the students are struggling with.

Process for Grading Student Work

It is important to decide during the planning stages what will be graded and what will not be graded.Why: Not every activity need to be graded. This is something I did not understand during my first year of teaching high school history and let me tell you, that was a rough year! The grading alone took up many of my nights. Student work can be to help them gain understanding, used for formal and informal assessment and sometimes just for practice. The work that a teacher selects to grade truly should reflect the learning

Tests and exams should appropriately reflect what the students know and have learned.Why: This may seem obvious and yet many teachers will either use a test out of a book that may / may not cover the information they have taught their students OR they will create their own test that may not appropriately assess what the students were supposed to have learned. The terminology on the assessments should be the same as the terminology on the practice materials as to not confuse students. Teachers should carefully select assessments that truly do

As a teacher I do not believe that a student’s grade should be derived completely from either test scores or assignment scores. Rather the final grade should be a combination of the two.Why: Summative assessment scores are important as they generally indicate how much command a student has over the concepts being taught. That said test anxiety, memory issues and misunderstanding directions can all skew this information. Additionally, students effort and ability to work hard on assignments should be factored in as efforts


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objective the teacher would like the students to achieve.

assess what was actually covered in class.

and ability to work hard as high predictors of success in adult life.

Expectations for Homework / Using Homework Effectively

The homework procedure should be clearly explained and understood by all.Why: Whether a teacher gives a homework folder to be completed each week, gives homework each night, or has no homework the procedure should be consistent. The students need to be able to understand what homework is assigned, when it is due and what is expected. If there are not clear procedures in place students will not complete homework and it will be a source of confusion and contention.

There should be a clear way to communicate with parents concerning homework.Why: When students are working on homework at home and need additional help the most common source of help is the parents. If parents understand the homework policy they will likely be able to answer questions such as, “Do I have to do this part?” Also, when parents aren’t able to help students there should be open lines of communications where the parent can contact the teacher even if it is to simply let them know the student tried to complete the work.

Homework should build upon what is learned in class or provide opportunities for independent practice.Why: Giving homework just to give homework does not have the students, the teacher or the parents. The homework assigned should directly support what is being learned in school and should enhance student learning and understanding.

Analysis and Reflection

While interviewing a teacher for my literature course, I was told that teachers need to

take the time to help other adults who spend time in the room understand the routine, rules and

expectations. This is especially true for aids and regular volunteers. Adults are often seen as

authority figures and having all the adults say the same thing reduces confusion.

Other classroom management strategies I have observed during my student teaching

experience would include the idea that there are some teachers who really like to yell, others who

like the concept of tough love, and others who are very laid back. Teachers need to develop a


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classroom management style that is truly their own. If they do something just because another

teacher does it they will likely not be consistent. Regardless of the style, consistency is key.

When the rules, expectations and consequences are not consistent it sets the teacher and the

students up for failure.

Some of the specific classroom management suggestions that I have received through

feedback from supervisors include having a variety of ways of getting attention and regulating

my tone of voice. My master teacher encouraged me to have several ways to get students

attention. She stressed students get bored and stop paying attention when one strategy is used too

often. Additionally, I am not a soft spoken person but I do not yell. My master teacher informed

me that some students do not understand that something is serious unless you raise your voice

because this is the only way they know it is serious at home. Although I think you can manage a

classroom without yelling I do think it is important to have different tones of voice which allow

students to know you are serious. Students will come to know what your tone of voice means.

Some of my strengths in regard to classroom management is that I like structure and

routine. Students thrive on structure and routine and it provides them with a sense of purpose. I

also appreciate clearly stated expectations and consequences which allow students to understand

what they can expect from different choices. Some of the areas that I need to grow on would be

to bring more humor and laughter into the classroom. Students need to be able to connect with

teachers in a happy way as well. I am not a funny person and I don’t generally share a lot of

information about myself which can make it difficult for others to relate to me. I am working on

bringing more humor into the class as it allows students to connect with me as their teacher.

Some of my next steps include researching more information on classroom management for

really young grades. My background is teaching and working with high school students- I have


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that covered. My student teaching has been for 3rd and 5th grade and I am concerned that the same

strategies I have developed for classroom management might not be as transferable or applicable

in a kindergarten class.

References

Hilgard, E.R. & Bower, G.H. (1975) Theories of learning. Englewood Cliffs, PrenticeHall, Inc.

McLeod, S. (2009). Jean Piaget: Developmental Psychology. Retrieved:

http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

Skinner, B.F. (1989). The Origins of Cognitive Thought: Recent Issues in the Analysis of

Behavior . Merrill Publishing Company

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