Ashley

Marshall EDAC 314

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Assessment Two: Philosophy of teaching, and behaviour management

plan
Part 1:
When I envision myself as a teacher I begin to acknowledge the immense
responsibility and influence I have each day on the lives of my students. I
understand that I may not know everything there is to learn, and instead see
learning as a life long process for not only myself, but also my students. I
believe one of my major roles as a teacher is to create a learning environment
where students feel welcomed, safe, and supported in their education, and
feel comfortable during lessons to take risks, and deepen their understanding
alongside their peers.
I envision a classroom where students are at the forefront of each decision
made, and that every learning opportunity should strive to be engaging and
relevant to my students lives to enable them to share experiences and learn
from one another. I value and respect students for who they are, and the
experiences they bring forth into the classroom community and believe it is
important to ensure that each learning opportunity is inclusive and catered to,
to support a diverse range of learner needs and styles.
A quote by Benjamin Franklin resonates closely with my philosophy of
teaching and classroom management theory, this quote was brought to my
attention whilst out on my second year teaching rounds and goes as follows;
Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.
As a pre-service teacher I value the Cognitive Behaviourism Theory (CBT) as
an approach for classroom management as it emphasises the importance of
students being active, rather than passive in the decisions they make about
their behaviour whilst promoting self-discipline, and self-regulation. Franklins
quote helps me to emphasise the benefits of applying a CBT in the classroom,
as it focuses on students taking ownership, and recognising their thought
processes whilst learning what is acceptable behaviour.

Focus area: 4.3

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I value CBT as a positive approach to managing classroom behaviour as

students are active participants instead of passive in their development, rather
than being controlled by an assertive teacher who relies on disciplining
students in the hope that the undesired behaviour is not repeated in the
future. I firmly believe that it is important to give students more responsibility
for their actions, establishing standards for the classroom is apart of the
learning process, enabling students to see for themselves and process
behaviours cognitively enable them to learn from their mistakes and do so in a
supportive environment.

Focus area: 4.3

Words + 10% = 406

Ashley Marshall EDAC 314

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Part 2:
Theory: Cognitive Behaviour Theory
The theory of behaviour management that influences me the most is the CBT,
as I value a classroom where students are developing their ability to
independently self manage their behaviour, and make conscientious decisions
about what is right, and what is considered wrong. Implementing the CBT will
assist me in sharing the application of classroom management (CM) with
my students. The theory emphasises that students begin to take ownership
for their own behaviour, as I work collaboratively with students to set

Focus
area:
4.3

standards, and behavioral objectives to adhere to. Lyons, Ford and ArthurKelly (2011) highlight that CBT seeks to develop student self-management
skills to the point of (behavioural) independence. (p.10) CBT is an effective
CM tool which resonates closely with my philosophy of teaching, it helps
highlight the importance I place on ensuring each student is respected, and
supported as they develop concepts about appropriate behaviour, and takes
into consideration the way students should act in different contexts. CBT
enables me to assist my students in becoming independent thinkers who self
regulate their behaviour, and offers guidance to students as they grow and

Focus
area:
4.3

develop into people who are responsible, and in control of their actions, and
thought processes. Tal (2010) expresses that self regulation is often
associated with Albert Banduras studies where stated that it is the
process of forethought through which people motivate themselves and guide
their actions in an anticipatory, proactive way. (p. 146).
I value the CBT in the classroom, as it is a collaborative approach that
encourages a respectful relationship between the teacher and the student.
They both work alongside each other to set expectations and goals that are
achievable for that individual. Lyons Etal (2011) expresses a positive practice
that helps build an optimistic learning environment using the CBT, stating that
teachers need to be actively collaborating with students in the selection of
behavioural goals and due process. (p.10) Through this theory teachers
become active role models for their students, expressing cognitive thinking
processes, and ways of controlling ones thoughts, to assist in managing

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certain behaviours as the need arises. Van Iesrel and Bradley (2009) indicate
that the most common role models for young children are their parents,
teachers, peers and the media. What children observe in others is what they
learn to do themselves. (p. 220)

CBT resonates closely with my philosophy of teaching, as I believe that

students benefit more significantly, and grow in their behaviour management
when they develop independence, and take ownership for their actions. CBT
relies on students being motivated to behave, or refrain from a particular
behaviour because they internally want to, and know why not to, rather than

Focus
area:
4.3

acting in a desired way because of extrinsic motivations such as rewards.

Students who seek rewards for compliance eventually become reliant on them
in order to act in an appropriate way. This theory was chosen over the Applied
Behaviour Analysis approach (ABA) because it fosters on developing learners
who behave intrinsically, as a pose to extrinsically. Jones expresses that selfregulated learning researchers presume self-motivation is primarily intrinsic in
nature. (p. 2) When the teacher uses the ABA approach in the classroom,
they are developing learners who are extrinsically reliant on rewards, and
reinforcements, in order to act compliant with rules and expectations.
Implementing this approach can be quite costly and often erodes a students
motivation to be intrinsically satisfied. Koki, Van Broekhuizen, and Uehara
(2007) highlight that rewarding students who demonstrate desired
behaviours may erode the students intrinsic motivation. (p. 8) Through an
ABA approach the student is controlled by rewards and consequences, they
are less likely to self-regulate and reflect on their behaviour before acting
upon it. Lyons et al express that children learn to behave when they are
rewarded for model behaviour and punished for misbehavior. (p. 13) Unlike
the ABA approach the CBT has long lasting positive effects on students; as
students are developing their ability to self manage their behaviour. The ABA
approach although it may seem effective at the time, is in fact believed to be
unsuccessful as time progresses and as rewards are taken away. Koki etal
(2007) highlights this statement further by discussing that manipulating

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students with incentives may prove successful short-term but ineffective over
time. (p. 8-9)
Another approach that does not resonate with my philosophy of teaching is
the Assertive Discipline (AD) approach, whereby the classroom teacher is in
full control of behaviour management in the classroom, and dictates their
rules and expectations to student who must follow them. Teachers who use
the AD approach do not guide students in becoming self-regulators; instead
apply sanctions, which often fail, telling students why they are getting in
trouble rather than suggesting ways of helping them manage their behaviour.
Sanctions are usually associated with a rippling effect as the student persists
with the undesirable behaviour. Koki Etal (2007) expresses that
punishment as an intervention should be regarded as a last resort.
Punishment has serious limitations because by itself it is non-instructive and
does not address why the student is misbehaving. (p. 8) I believe that in
order to improve students behaviour the classroom teacher needs to ensure
they are working alongside students rather than above them, so their students
have someone they can trust and guide them as they develop their cognitive
thinking. Porter (2008) further expresses this point by stating that by
imposing consequences on students, it fails to teach them how to think about
and solve problems. (p. 192)

Words Count + 10% = 869 words

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Part 3

How you will make clear your expectations for appropriate behaviour
A key component of the CBT is sharing the responsibility of behaviour
management with students, therefore I believe the best way to make clear
my expectations for appropriate behaviour, is to devise a set of classroom
rules and individual learning goals in unison together at the beginning of
the year, so each person has the opportunity to see what is expected of
them, and contribute behaviour goals that they feel they can achieve on a
daily basis. Koki Etal (2007) further emphasises the importance of joint
rule development by stating that by keeping students actively engaged in

Focus
area:
4.4

the rule-setting process, the teacher can ensure that behaviour policies
are consistent and clearly understood. (p.5)
113 words

How you will address inappropriate behaviour? Through modeling and

providing students with a set of positive practices to use when faced with
behaviour that defers from the classroom rules. Through modeling
students can visually see ways of put the strategy into action, and
potentially apply it in similar situations. Lyons Etal (2011) highlights that

Focus
area:
4.3

teachers who align to CBT can build positive learning environments by

proactively and explicitly teaching students constructive thinking skills and
habits. (p. 10) Another CM tool is to model to students the reflective
pausing strategy which prompts students to pause, and reflect on their
actions before acting on them. Foster, Brennan, Biglan, Wang and AlGhaith (n/d) state that children can also benefit from learning cognitive
skills for recognising problem situations, stopping to think rather than
responding impulsively, generating ways of solving problems, and
evaluating the consequences of different solutions. (p.15)
125 words

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Strategies you will use to prevent inappropriate behaviour

To consistently maintain a harmonious and effective classroom it is
important that I make constant efforts to prevent inappropriate behaviour in
the classroom. To do this it is essential that I know each student is aware

Focus
area:
4.4

of the rules, and expectations I have of them, and that I provide them with
warm feedback when particular behaviours comply with the stated
expectations and rules. One way I can do this is to reinforce the classroom
rules regularly, and talk to students about the passages they write in their
reflective journal, suggesting techniques they can try next time if they face
a similar problem.
100 words

Strategies you will use to reinforce appropriate behaviour

As a teacher who is working towards developing self-regulators who arent
influenced by rewards or antecedents, I believe it is important to be
someone in the classroom who recognises when students act in a
compliant way, reach their behaviour goals or apply a particular strategy
they wrote down in their reflective journal. This recognition highlights to
students that what they are doing is recognised and is seen as desirable
behaviour in the classroom. This identification can be in the form of
gestures, verbal praise and feedback that assists students in their
behaviour management motivation.

Focus
area:
4.3

94 words

How you will monitor student progress

It is important to provide students with a set of skills and resources that
help them to become reflective practitioners, rather than people influenced
by rewards. One-way of monitoring students progress is for them to write
in a reflective booklet that enables them to look back on their actions and
behaviours each day, and giving students time to work with the classroom

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teacher addressing appropriate ways of approaching problem behaviours.

These booklets help students monitor their behaviour, and devise a range
of steps needed to achieve their behavioural goals. Evertson and Harris

Focus
area:
4.3

(2007) further highlight the benefits of reflective journals by stating that

a combination of goal-setting and self-recording techniques help at-risk
students improve their behaviour and academics and reduce special
service referrals. (p. 4)
116 words

How you will identify if desired outcomes have been reached - By

informally observing students as they interact within the class and how
they approach behavioural problems, the steps they take, and if they
pause before they react. Another way is keeping track of entries students

Focus
area:
4.3

write in their reflective journals, discussing what they have written, why
they have written it and making suggestions for them to try in the future.
The main aim of reading the reflective entries is to identify the cognitive
methods students use to assist with behaviour management, and talking
about ways of advancing these methods in order to guide them in
becoming independent self managers of their own behaviours.
101 words

A crisis plan
Remain calm and open to interpret the situation.
Identify the problem affecting the persons ability to comply with
classroom rules.

Focus
area:
4.3

Make sure the student in the crisis is not at any risk, nor their
classmates
Tell student sternly to pause before they act further on their behaviour
Use appropriate verbal strategies for that person that I know work for
them. Name you need to put that book down NOW your going to hit

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Seek alternative help, or alternative classroom where the other students

can go if the need arises
Once the crisis has calmed write reflective notes
Discuss with the student once relaxed, put in place strategies to avoid a
similar situation
118 words

Strategies for integrating with the school and other teachers

classroom management policies.
It is important to develop rules that are in line with the whole school
behaviour management approach, and other teachers management
policies, as it highlights to students how they are expected to behave when
they step outside of the classroom and interact within the school. By
displaying whole school behaviour management policies around the
classroom students are made aware and can visually see each day what is
expected of them. Teachers can also talk to students about what each
policy is asking of them, the ways they can uphold that rule, and the
consequences if rules are broken.

98 words


Word Count Overall + 10% = 871

Ashley Marshall EDAC 314

As a class we value
reflective thinking, and use
journals to help us look
back on our behavioural
experiences.

We use these journals to
help us reflect on our
behaviour so we can make
better choices when faced
with similar situations.

Focus area: 4.4

In this classroom we see

learning as a life long journey,

Our classmates learning is
important to us we make sure
each person is valued and feels
safe in the classroom.

Part 4

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As a class we make sure that

we not only make good
choices about our classroom
rules and expectations, but
also respect and take into
consideration the rules put in
place throughout the whole
school

As a class we have developed a set of rules
and expectations that we need to follow daily.

We know that it is our responsibility to make
sure we abide by these rules and that we
strive to ensure we make right choices when
we are learning each day.

Before we act inappropriately we make sure

that we pause and consider how our actions
might affect our classmates learning, and our
compliance with our classroom rules and
expectations,

When we pause we consider different ways of
approaching the problem and can act in a way
that meets the classroom expectations

We strive to be active rather than passive

participants in our behaviour
management development.

We make sure we self regulate and
motivate ourselves to be proactive
learners.

I wonder what
expectations my
teacher has about

classroom
management and
behaviour

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Ashley Marshall EDAC 314

S00154321

References:
Evertson, C. M., & Harris, A. H. (2007). What we know about Managing
Classrooms. Retrieved from https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/5cb275570159-43d5-b8c34ee8a5f2e323/1/Reading%202%20What%20We%20Know%20About%20Ma
naging%20Classrooms.pdf
Foster, S. L., Brennan, P., Biglan, A., Wang, L., & and Al-Ghaith, S. (n/d)
Preventing behaviour problems: What works. International Academy of
Education, International Bureau of Education. Retrieved from
https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/5cb27557-0159-43d5-b8c34ee8a5f2e323/1/Optional%20Reading%208%20Preventing%20behaviour%2
0problems-%20what%20works.pdf
Jones, M. H., Estell, D. B., & Alexander, J. M. (2007). Friends, classmates,
and self-regulated learning: discussions with peers inside and outside the
classroom. Metacognition and Learning, 3(1), 115. Retrieved from
http://link.springer.com.ezproxy1.acu.edu.au/article/10.1007/s11409-0079007-8
Koki, S., Van Broekhuizen, D. L., & Uehara, D. L. (2007). Prevention and
Intervention for Effective Classroom Organisation and Management in Pacific
Classrooms.
Lyons, G., Ford, M., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2011). Classroom Management:
Creating Positive Learning Environments. Australia: Cengage Learning
Australia.
Porter, L. (2008). Young children's behaviour: Practical approaches for
caregivers and teachers (3rd ed). Elsevier: Sydney.
Tal, C. (2010). Case Studies to Deepen Understanding and Enhance
Classroom Management Skills in Preschool Teacher Training. Early
Childhood Education Journal, 38(2), 143152. Retrieved from

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http://link.springer.com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/article/10.1007/s10643-0100395-z
Van Iersel, H., & Bradley, K. (2009). Nelson Psychology VCE Units 1 and 2 Student Book (2nd ed.). Australia: Cengage Learning Australia.
Woolfolk, A., & Margetts, K. (2012). Educational Psychology (3rd ed.).
Australia: Pearson Education Australia.

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