Leading

and Managing a Classroom Learning Community

I believe that man and woman are people made in God’s image. I believe that we were
placed on this earth for a reason and that each of us has a purpose for this earth. Although I
believe we are made in God’s image, I realize that our world is very broken and corrupt. I know
that each person has their own personal story, and that is something that creates and develops
individual, whether that is good or bad. Although everyone has different stories I know that
God placed us here to complete something, we may not know what it is at this point in our
lives. The thing we need to remember is that he knows why we are here and that’s the only
thing that really matters. He can see the big picture. Personally, I believe that God is calling me
to work with children as a teacher. I have had the joy of seeing this through my work
experiences and also through my different experiences with observations and teacher-aiding at
Calvin.
I believe that knowledge is something that you acquire through hard work and
determination. I think that there are basic skills that everyone should know, such as the
material that we learn in elementary school through high school. After you know the basic skills
of academics I think that everyone should continue their learning to initiate curiosity and
wondering. I researched this idea online and found a quote from Desiring God that helped me
understand why we should want to learn as Christians and it said, “For Christian in particular,
the stakes are even higher for cultivating holy curiosity and the mindset of a lifelong learner.
Teaching and learning are at the very heart of our faith. To be a “disciple” means to be a
“learner.” God designed the church to be a community of lifelong learners under the earthly
guidance of leaders who are teachers at heart”. This quote helped me understand why we
should want to keep learning in our lives. I think that everyone has different things that they
want to learn about, which is needed. We need different people to make up our society. That is
why it is great that we have so many different programs at different colleges such as Nursing,
Pre-Med, Education, Accounting, Business, Speech Pathology, and many others. Being a lifelong
learner allows people to discover what they are passionate about and what they enjoy learning
about. This is what makes our world and the people in it so diverse and unique.
As I believe knowledge and learning is important I think about how different people
learn. I know for me personally I love learning in a hands on environment where I can use my
own findings to discover knowledge and learning. This is one way that I learn, but I know there
are many different ways of learning such as writing, reading, watching films, listening to
lectures, completing projects and problems, and so many other ways. I think that each person
has different ways of learning and that the purpose of learning shouldn’t just be about
acquiring the knowledge, but I think it should be about the application and how you apply what
you know to your life. As a future teacher, I think that this can be done in multiple ways. I think
that this can be done in a supportive learning environment through positive students and
teacher relationships, space for when a student needs a break or time to work, and discipline or
direction for when it is needed also. I believe that this is not only the teacher’s job, but it is also
the students. Students need to be able to express themselves when they have a problem and
teachers should be able to do the same, whether that comes to discipline, homework, school
work, or even relationships within the classroom. In the book I’m reading called Better Than
Carrots or Sticks it shared three broad rules that can be used in a classroom and they are, “Take
care of yourself, take care of each other, and take care of this place” (Smith, Fisher, & Frey,
2015). I think this is a great example of using three broad rules to build off of to have a positive
learning environment.
Classroom management is needed for a classroom with learning happening in it,
Woolfolk says, “the aim of classroom management is to maintain a positive, productive learning
environment. But order for its own sake is an empty goal. It is unethical to use classroom
management techniques just to keep students docile and quiet” (Woolfolk 2017). In the book
Schoolwide and Classroom Management it gives three broad guidelines to follow, almost like
the broad rules from Better Than Carrots or Sticks. These three broad guidelines are covenant
management, content management, and conduct management. Froyen and Iverson talk about
covenant management in terms of classrooms being crowded places with little privacy. They
also talk about content management as planning ahead for room management with seating
arrangements, traffic area, and supplies and materials. Lastly, they talk about conduct
management with the idea of disciplinary problems and the relationships with your students in
the classroom. Below are these guidelines with activities and methods that I would hope to see
in my own classroom:

Covenant (relationships) management -
Create a positive learning environment:
- The teacher will create a positive learning environment through having students share
good things every day.
- The teacher will have positive relationships with their students through conferencing
with them to find out their interests.
- Student are expected to conference with the teacher.
- Students are expected to share good things every day.

Communicate clearly between students and parents:
- The teacher will communicate with parents effectively through a class website.
- The teacher will create an agenda for the students to take home.
- The students are expected to communicate with their parents about what is happening
in class through an agenda.

Create an environment with respect:
- The students are expected to respect the teacher and their authority through actions,
words, and effort in school.
- The teacher will respect students through his actions and words.


Content (teaching and learning) management -
Create a focused learning environment:
- The teacher will arrange seats and desk in groups so that it promotes community in the
classroom.
- The teacher will allow students to use different areas of the room when they have work
time.
 - The teacher will re-arrange seats and desks every month so that students get to sit by
multiple classmates during the year.
- The teacher will create a sign in and sign out sheet for students that have to use the
restroom.
- The teacher will give the students 10 minutes in the morning to settle in and be
prepared for class to start.
- The teacher will have a rotation each day of 4 students who are allowed to sit on the
couches for that day.

Respect the school and other classes:
- The teacher will give clear instructions on how to walk in the hallway.
- The teacher will make a poster that shows the class rules.
- Students are expected to be able to sit in groups without distractions.
- Students are expected to walk in the hallway without disrupting other classes.
- Students are expected to keep their desk area and the classroom neat.
- Students are expected to put their belongings in their lockers before class.
- Students are expected to use the restroom as needed with the sign in and sign out
system.
- Students are expected to sharpen their pencils before class.

Conduct (behavior) management -
Create a safe class:
- The teacher will provide a PBIS matrix for the students to follow that are based off of
the rules: take care of yourself, take care of each other, and take care of this place.
- The teacher will create a safe spot for students to go if they need a break from the class.
- The teacher will reinforce positive behavior through ‘class cash’.
- The teacher will have make the students who didn’t complete their work finish it during
the other kid’s free choice time or recess.
- Students are expected to respect and follow the rules of the teacher.
- Students are expected to use the safe spot if they know their behavior isn’t good.
- Students are expected to finish their work during class.
Care for one another:
- The teacher will allow students to give inputs on what the rules are in the classroom
through a classroom contract.
- The teacher will care for all his student’s different behavioral needs through behavioral
plans.
- The students will care for other students by having a buddy to help you if you need help
or are having a bad day.


Work Cited:
Mathias, D. M. (2014, October 19). Resolve to Be a Lifelong Learner [Blog post]. Retrieved
October 4, 2018, from https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/resolve-to-be-a-lifelong-learner

Smith, D., Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2015). Better Than Carrots or Sticks (pp. 54-55). Alexandria, VA:
ASCD.

Froyen, L. A., Iverson, A. M., & Froyen, L. A. (1999). Schoolwide and classroom management:
The reflective educator-leader. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Merrill.
Woolfolk, A. (2017). Educational Psychology (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.