Running Header: CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR MGMT.

REFLECTION 1

Classroom and Behavior Management Reflection

Sarah Grady

Regent University
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Although the verse “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully

trained will be like their teacher,” is speaking about Jesus and his teachings, it still applies to

educators in the field (Luke 6:40, NIV). Teachers need to have a certain level of control in order

to best serve the learning of their students. Fred Jones states, “It is the undying hope of green

teachers that, if they just love their students and are nice to them, everything will turn out fine.

This is the sweet dream of the uninitiated” (2007, pg. 25). This statement rang true for how I felt

about classroom management before being in a classroom for an extended period of time.

However, later Jones expresses that “love without expertise is powerless,” and that both are

needed for teachers to be successful (2007, pg. 25). As I am a new teacher, the first part of the

equation is fulfilled, while the second is consistently being built daily. The two artifacts I chose

to include to represent my experience with classroom management and behavior are a lesson

plan revolving around reading stations and one of the results from my student survey on the

question, “Do students behave in this class?”

One of the “prerequisites” to classroom management is to be well organized and ready for

the learning of that day by having learning targets, activities and pre-determined results prior to

teaching (Levin and Nolan, 2007, pg. 173). The lesson I chose to include in this topic was a

lesson that had four stations that revolved around reading of their novel, The Great Gilly

Hopkins, and Achieve 3000. The students in this class are familiar with stations I had been

facilitating this type of learning consistently in the past few weeks. Before beginning class I

reviewed how to transition through the stations and had each group summarize their task and

target in their beginning station. After students began their first station I was able to monitor

students by walking around from station to station and answer questions. Jones cites this method

of proximity to students as being one of the simplest ways to help students stay on task (2007).
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By taking myself from the front of the room to being able to assist students one on one I was able

to prevent some of the off task behavior that can occur during modeling and whole class

instruction.

A positive learning environment is another crucial part of classroom behavior and

management as it creates a desire and ability for students to learn in the classroom. This can be

created by rewarding students who are on task and acting positively, making sure the attention of

students is gained before beginning class, assisting in the transitions of the lesson and

recognizing attention during lessons (Burden and Byrd, 2010). The second artifact I chose to

include is a graphic representation of the response to the question, “Do students behave in this

class?” The results are as follows, 69.4% responded sometimes, 26.1% responded no and 4.5%

responded yes. This response caused me to reflect on the behavior on class and I decided to show

this to the students in all four of Mrs. Hermann’s classes. I began the next days class by

displaying the graph and and opening the discussion of how they thought we could make the

classroom a better learning environment. I prefaced the discussion by outlining the responses to

be framed in respectful and kind terms. It allowed some of the students to reflect about behavior

in the classroom and understand that they had some responsibility for how the classroom’s

environment was.

It is difficult coming into the classroom halfway through the year and trying to help

remedy classroom behavioral problems. However, it is important to get some experience while I

am surrounded by experts and guidance. As Paul encourages the Philippians to put what things

they have learned into practice, I also have the opportunity to not only gain knowledge but use it

(Philippians 4:9). Having these experiences now will prepare me for when I have my own

classroom and am able to carry out procedures and behavior management plans of my own.
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References

Burden, P. R., & Byrd, D. M. (2010). Methods For Effective Teaching: Meeting the Needs of All

Students. Hoboken: Pearson Education, Inc.

Levin, J., & Nolan, J. F. (2007). Principles of Classroom Management: A Professional

Decision-Making Model. Toronto: Pearson Canada Inc.

Jones, F. H., Jones, P., & Jones, J. L. (2007). Tools for teaching: Discipline, Instruction,

Motivation: Primary Prevention of Classroom Discipline Problems. Santa Cruz, CA:

Fredric H. Jones & Associates.