Sarah Westhoff

EDF 310-01
November 26, 2016
Professor Stockton
Educational Theory & Practice
There are many different educational theories which are used to inform teaching
practices. As a future teacher, it is important that I develop an understanding of these theories. I
must choose which theories I want to implement into my own teaching practices, keeping in
mind the Five Elements of an effective classroom: Culture, Expectations, Discipline, Curriculum,
and Strategy. Over the course of my undergraduate education, I have studied various educational
theories and have determined which ones align with my personal beliefs and educational
philosophy. Through my education and experiences in the school environment, I have begun to
align my educational beliefs with the Humanistic Theory and Choice Theory. The following
information describes how I have aligned these theories to the Five Elements of an effective
classroom.
1. Culture:
I believe that a positive classroom climate is essential. Everyone in the classroom needs
to feel welcomed, safe, and cared for. Therefore, establishing a positive classroom
culture is extremely important to me. For me, the culture in a classroom is determined by
the relationships. Students not only need to have a positive relationship with their
teacher, but also with each other. Building positive relationships is essential to
maintaining respect and building a collaborative classroom community.
2. Expectations:

I believe that students should take some responsibility for their own learning. Therefore,
I expect my students to put forth effort. Together, the teacher and student should
determine the students learning needs and they should work together to help the student
be successful. It is not just the teachers job; the student needs to be involved as well. In
addition to having academic responsibility, putting forth effort, and participating in the
learning process, I also expect students to be respectful. This includes respecting oneself,
respecting others, and respecting property.
3. Discipline:
I believe that students should be given opportunities to make choices, but they also must
be aware that all choices have consequences. Consequences can be positive or negative,
and it is important that students are given choices so they can develop their decisionmaking skills. Therefore, I think that students should be involved in the discipline
process. Students should know what possible consequences are and should use that
knowledge to inform their choice-making decisions. The most important element of
discipline, though, is consistency. There must be stability and follow-through, or
discipline will be ineffective.
4. Curriculum:
I believe that school curriculum should not focus solely on academic achievement.
Academic subjectslike Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studiesare
important, but they are not the only things that children should be learning in school. I
believe in the concept of educating the whole child. So, students should be educated in
the academic domains, but also in the arts, music, health, physical education, and social
skills.
5. Strategy:
My strategy for setting up my ideal classroom environment is to establish routines,
procedures, and expectations from the very beginning, and to keep those routines,

procedures, and expectations clear and consistent throughout the entire school year. As I
previously mentioned, clear expectations and consistency are extremely important when
building an effective classroom community. I will inform my students of my educational
beliefs and expectations, and will involve them in the process of creating a positive
classroom environment.