R and R

ELM-250

David Snyder

1. Professionalism

Professionalism is the way a person presents themselves to students, their families, co-workers, and administrators. Professionalism with students is having a good relationship with your students and having a bond with students so they feel safe and protected while in your classroom. Being a teacher to students you must set an example that is positive, and they are able to see as a good role model. Being approachable so students and their families feel comfortable talking with you about any concerns they may have with schooling. Keeping a line of communication open with students and their parents to keep them updated on students progress. Being open to adapting to students different learning styles, so each student is able to experience a learning environment that they can flourish and grow to their full potential. Positive relationships with peers, especially those you are on a team with is important so each team is able to build lessons and curriculums that are in each students best interest. Always striving to continue to grow as a teacher, and having integrity when carrying yourself outside of school. Creating an image for yourself that peers can look to when in a leadership positions. Continuing to grow as an educator showing administrators that you are willing to keep up to date on any new information pertaining to the well being of student learning. Having the drive to always learn, continuing education classes so your teaching style and lessons that are what is best for your students

2. Student Engagement Strategies

Student engagement is one of the most essential parts of teaching. For students to be engaged in a lesson they must be actively learning. For them to actively learn they must be engaged. The two go hand in hand, and a teacher will have to one for the other to happen. To do this your lesson must catch their interest and get them asking questions (curiosity), it will make things easier if it is something that students enjoy doing. Some strategies you can use are Create classroom jobs, interactive learning centers, incorporate play into the daily schedule. Creating classrooms jobs teaches students responsibility and fosters leadership skills. Interactive learning centers gives students the hands on learning so they can experience what they are learning. Making a schedule with time for students to play gives them a break from the days lessons so they can give their brains a break. It also helps them with learning social skills they need to interact with others and how to react in situations. The teachers job is to show them positive ways to interact with their peers. Kagan is a great strategy to get students engaged all students benefit from a pair-think-share approach, and students are more actively involved in the lesson.

3. My Philosophy of Classroom Management

My philosophy in a classroom is that students should be involved in the making of the ground rules with set consequences for each, and that there should only be 3-5 (Harmon, 2017). It is important to have respect for students but also demand respect for you and any other adults who may visit my classroom. I do believe that children are not naturally mean or evil behavior is learned. Usually when a student is being mean and nasty it is because they have either seen that behavior or that is how they are treated at home. We will also have a schedule that includes play, interactive learning centers, the round robin, think-pair-shares, etc. I also really like the Kagan engagement strategy and the Win-Win Discipline. These all play a vital role in running a classroom smoothly. Incorporating set consequences for behaviors are essential in my classroom management, but these will be different each year and depend on the students in the class that year. Some of the things I will incorporate in my classroom from the Win-Win is the ABCD of disruptive behavior, Aggression, Breaking rules, Confrontation (power struggles), Disengagement. This is something that is part of my philosophy as far as students behavior having a reason behind them. Win-Win says that behavior is due to some unmet need(s) and to stop the behavior we have to figure out what that/those need(s) (Kagan, 2017). I do also believe that we need to be empathetic in students needs. Every student is different and dealing with the different behaviors is going to be different as well. So there cannot be a specific consequence for every action they take. It has to be on a case by case basis. Understanding and showing the student that their feelings are validated is important even after they have gotten in trouble for something (Delesio, 2018).

My classroom framework will meet the needs of each student by getting to know my students and what those needs are. I will also be making sure that I have some play/free time built into my daily schedule. Students need a break from learning just like we get a 15 minute break and 30 minute lunch they need more than a 20 minute recess to really be able to decompress and re-focus in the classroom (Narvarez, 2014). Giving play/free time in the day is going to also allow me to talk with my kiddos and build those bonds that teaching effectively requires. Having play/free time also promotes positive social interactions. It allows students to interact with their peers more often so they get to practice to social skills and learn from them. This can also help foster self-motivation. For me to promote motivation I need to know my students so I can create lessons and ways to help students self-motivate. Having certain strategies that promote the self-motivation is going to be crucial to my classroom success as a whole. I can tell you I am going to use all these different strategies, but the truth is I have to see what is going to work for my students. I will have to get to know each student individually every year and change my strategies to meet their needs. I do know that certain procedures will be used yearly. For example, transitioning to a different activity or subject for curriculum I will use a warning tone so students know they have 2 more minutes until they switch groups so they know to start cleaning up when they hear it. Then when it is time to transition using a different tone a long with verbal ques. All in all I have all these ideas of how I want my classroom to be and run. Having a string foundation is what is going to keep me strong. Also keeping students thoroughly engaged is going to be key to running a smooth classroom.

4. Classroom Procedures

Moring meetings and closing circles help create a sense of community in the classroom. It gives students the sense of belonging and helps each of them get to know each other, and the teacher. Closing circle is a time of reflection on the positives of the day. It allows teachers to point out the good students did so the next day they come in and do not harbor bad feelings or emotions that may hinder teaching or learning the next day (Northeast Foundation for Children, 2012). Having procedures in the classroom that students do on a daily basis also creates structure so students know what to do and when. Students also know that there are re-enforcements when they are not doing what they are supposed to at the appropriate time. When students know what they are supposed to be doing it leaves little to now time for behaviors. Structure and routine pave the way for a classroom to run smoothly so the teacher has more time to spend on instruction (Cox, 2019).

5. Rules, Consequences, and Reward System

When making rules for a classroom they need to be specific and clear. There should only be 3-5, and include consequences for breaking those rules. If you make rules a long list is too hard to remember. Including students in making the classroom rules helps put them in words that they understand, and they are more likely to follow them if they have a hand in creating them. Generally, students first consequence will be a verbal reminder of the rules. If behavior continues they will be referred to their clip chart. Everyone starts the day on green which is the middle of the clip chart. Clipping up is for good behavior, and there are blue then purple at the highest. Rewarding students for good behavior re-enforces that making good choices has good consequences. Clipping down is yellow then red at the very bottom. If a student reaches yellow, they get a note/email home, and red is a call to parents with possible meeting for interventions. Parent conference depends on the student and if they are a pattern with the student or just a bad day. Giving consequences for bad behavior makes students take responsibility for their actions. When students receive rewards for good behavior it motivates them to continue the good work, and that helps the classroom run smoothly. Some students need consequences to re-direct their behavior and remind them that there are rules that have to be followed. If a classroom does not have rules with rewards and consequences (especially younger grades) the classroom will become chaotic. When the class is chaotic students are not able to focus and their learning is not effective at all. To reduce the negative behavior students must know that there are consequences to any behavior. Bad behavior gets bad consequences, good behavior is rewarded. Once students get down the routine, and classroom rules are given they know what is expected of them, and it motivates them to stay on task (Dusenbury, 2012). Even giving stickers or stamps for turned in homework is a great motivator for some students. Which in turn contributes to a well-tuned classroom and learning environment that students can focus and feel safe in.

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