Creating a Positive Classroom Culture

By: Xiomara Garcia

· When you think about managing a classroom, what do you feel most confident about? 

            When I think about managing a classroom, I feel most confident about holding students accountable. I think this is very important because students need to know what is expected from the teacher in order to be productive in the classroom. Our text states that first, teachers should clearly communicate assignment expectations and requirements. Second, teachers should monitor their progress. During class, this can be accomplished by circulating around the classroom and giving corrective feedback. For assignments completed outside the classroom, the teacher can monitor students’ work by scheduling progress checks. Third, teachers provide regular and prompt feedback (Krogh, Fielstein, Phelps, & Newman, 2015).

· What are your biggest concerns?  State carefully one possible way to deal with your greatest concern and relate it to Kounin’s preventive approaches to managing a classroom. 

            My biggest concern is to determine or set up the rules and procedures to follow in the classroom. Our text states that “teachers have the right to teach and to expect appropriate behavior in the classroom. Students have the right to expect support from their teacher and help minimizing inappropriate behavior” (Krogh, Fielstein, Phelps, & Newman, 2015).  One possible way to deal with my greatest concern would be to use one of Kounin’s preventive approach: the Assertive Discipline. This strategy focuses primarily on rewards and consequences in the classroom, but also on catching students being good. I will first establish set of consistent rules, developing a set of positive consequences, developing a set of negative consequences, and creating a plan for implementing the model with students.

· Why do you think your solution will work?  What challenges or obstacles could impede its success? 

            I think this solution will work because rules and procedures are important components for an effective classroom management. In the assertive discipline model, teachers “must be persistent in stating classroom expectations and recognize the responsibility they have to themselves and their students. Teachers must also reward or compliment appropriate behavior and point out inappropriate behavior (Krogh, Fielstein, Phelps, & Newman, 2015). One of the challenges that this model might have is that the teachers won’t have consistent rules and this would cause the students to be inconsistent in their behavior. The thinking behind this strategy is that it is essential for students to understand exactly what will happen when they misbehave but if the teacher’s expectations are not clear, the students won’t be able to function.

 Review at least two of your classmates’ responses and relate their views of classroom management to the models described in Chapter 5.  Describe whether their classroom management views are teacher-centered or student centered and why.

By: Ronald Taylor Jr.

When you think about managing a classroom, what do you feel most confident about?

I feel confident about making students feel comfortable and at ease in the classroom. Even working with students now they are very comfortable around me and enjoy talking to me. I have had  multiple students ask to talk to me about an issue or problem they are having. I think that making students feel at ease in the classroom is so important so that they fell they can learn and take risks without being out down or judged. I want it to be a supportive environment they can thrive in. 

What are your biggest concerns?  State carefully one possible way to deal with your greatest concern and relate it to Kounin’s preventive approaches to managing a classroom.

My biggest concern is that since I currently work with special needs students and have to break down instruction and directions so much, I will overly explain assignments and my students will lose interest. As Kounin says, "when a teacher overdwells, students lose interest, become frustrated, and may take advantage of opportunities to misbehave" (Krogh et. al). I do not want to overdwell on something and create an atmosphere of frustration. I think a good tip to avoid this would be to use what Kounin calls group alerting. By using a phrase "Everyone look up here" I could have all attention on me and only have to explain an assignment once (hopefully).

Why do you think your solution will work?  What challenges or obstacles could impede its success?  Explain.

I think that this solution could work because in having everyone's attention I would not feel as though I had to explain directions more than once and if there is any confusion I can exlain to everyone at once before letting them work. There could of course be challenges such as students not focusing and paying attention which could distract others and myself, however, if this occurs I will use Kounin's suggestion of simply waling by and touching the desk they sit at.