Developing your personal philosophy of classroom

management
John De Nobile
School of Education, Macquarie University
With adaptations by Roberto H Parada, School of Education, Western Sydney University

This resource consists of a series of linked activities chapter-by-chapter to the De Nobile et al

2017 course text Positive learning environments: Creating and maintaining productive
classrooms. These activities enable you to progressively work on and develop your own
philosophy, plan and style of classroom management.

A classroom philosophy, simply put, is a statement of what you believe about how to best
manage a class and how you will go about achieving that vision. This resource will help you
build it bit by bit. Complete the activities linked to each chapter of the text and by the end of
chapter 10 you should be able to bring your work together to form your classroom
philosophy.

FINAL PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY FOR ASSESSMENT 2

Insert in the box below your final personal philosophy (max 1000 words).

Personal Reflection - Teaching Philosophy

Catherine Lock 19199102, 14 June 2018.

Introduction

In junior school good teachers had immense imaginative power and inspired me with
stories, in high school they imparted deep content knowledge. In later life good teachers
presented challenges that I felt determined to master.

A positive learning environment (PLE) is understanding what captures the imagination of the
student by getting to know the students and how they learn. It is also understanding that a
PLE is created and negotiated by both teacher as role models and students as participating
learners, with the knowledge that ill structured problems require investigation and reference
to evidence-based theory before the ABC (Event, Belief, Reaction) effect reaction, which was
first studied by Albert Ellis in the 1950’s (Daniel Man of Reason, 2012).
PLE Theories/Models

In this unit we were presented with several theories or models studied by researchers, these
are listed in Table 1. While all perspectives have merit, some resonated more than others,
some have been ear-marked for further study at a later stage.

School wide behaviour management communication and values education are essential to
create a cohesive school society, where required behaviour is taught and understood. School
community members then choose to responsibly create a socially just school environment
with restorative justice pathways to follow, when required. This perspective very basically
summarises the connection between resonating theories that I learned during the course
work.

De Jong (2005) outlines principals for student behaviour management that translate into
best practice strategies. These include a clear, ecosystemic and comprehensive behaviour
management policy that promotes a healthy culture and support systems. It includes
student centred, relevant, engaging curriculum and quality learning experiences guided by
effective pedagogy and inclusive classrooms that embrace democracy, empower students,
and provide flexible learning environments.

Good communication is vital to a positive classroom climate because relationships are

important especially in the current information age of Dr. Google, where gaining of
information can often exclude social contact and interaction.
The Importance of Effective Communication

Effective communication is fundamental to building valued relationships, De Nobile’s 10C

model (De Nobile et al, 2017) provides a good example of defining school communication
simply (sender, receiver, channel, message, feedback, functions, features, noise, internal
environment, external environment). Additionally, cultural sensitivities and differences
awareness and the ability to discern personal beliefs is an important pedagogical skill for
effective communication.

Non-verbal communication includes facial expression and eye contact, gesture, posture,
proximity and positioning. Strategies to use in classrooms to develop communication include
active listening, open questioning, assertive I-messages and negotiating. Negotiating skills
include identification of problems and possible options, thinking about the outcomes of
each option, removing the unacceptable outcomes before finally applying the agreed
solution and identifying a review time.

The Plan-Implement-Review/Reflect (PIR) Cycle

The Lyford Model (De Nobile et al, 2017) promotes four positive practices that include
relationships and communications, curriculum pedagogy and assessment, classroom
organisation and professional reflexivity – the Plan, Implement, Reflect or PIR Cycle.

The planning phase includes the gathering of resources and ideas to use in lesson plans and
considers previous reflections and pertinent evidence-based research. It involves designing
topics, themes and differentiated learning experiences, that help students learn the syllabus.
This includes module order, duration and delivery and planning of formative and summative
assessment.

Implementation involves the delivery of lessons, where teacher pedagogy and student
engagement occur. Students learn by expressing their knowledge and understanding what to
focus on, so learning topic introduction is important. Curriculum delivery involves providing
differentiated teaching to meet the needs of students who are gifted and talented and
students with disabilities. Multiple means of curriculum representation, expression and
assessment are required to provide equity in the classroom. Similarly, differentiation of
feedback, either basic, instructional or coaching is also required (How to give Feedback to
Students, 2018).

Assessments should be task relevant but achievable, so students can experience academic
learning success and increase their self-esteem and motivation. Formative assessment may
include walking around the classroom, corridors and playground and noticing students’
holistic performance continually. Summative assessments traditionally measure what
students have learned during the term and should be universally designed to cater for
multiple means of assessment.
Professional reflecting on teaching practice (curriculum, pedagogy, student behaviour and
learning outcomes) guided by evidence-based practice and Action Research is vital, as it
leads to avenues for change and continual professional improvement.

Classroom Management

Democratic classrooms require behavioural rules so that they function as places where
curriculum can be delivered. Consequences are required when inappropriate behaviour
occurs. Students need to know what these are. Values I will foster in my classroom are that it
should be a place of kindness, consideration and belonging. Classrooms should generally be
organised and tidy so that risks to health and safety are minimised. Some attributes of a well
organised classroom are summarised in Table 2.

Classroom procedures should be age appropriate, explicit, well-reasoned, logical, positively

stated, measurable and achievable. The students need to be regularly reminded of
classroom procedures. It is important to implement and encourage positive behaviour
expectations and teach students how to behave. Active supervision involves moving around
the classroom and redirecting minor, infrequent behaviour errors proactively, while
frequently pre-correcting chronic errors to enable effective curriculum delivery. Teaching
classroom routines in a calm manner, role models expected behaviour.

Positive behaviour reinforcement should be pursued as a priority. Followed by positive

behaviour reinforcement for negotiated behavioural change. In ill structured student
behaviour scenarios, where difficult behaviour occurs, individual intervention plans may be
required.

Behavioural Assessment and Interventions Plans

Conducting a behavioural assessment and developing an intervention plan is a collaborative

effort which includes: establishing the need for a behavioural intervention, identifying the
target and replacement behaviour, implementing the plan and reviewing it at a future date
(Killu, 2008). Behavioural Management Approaches I studied are listed in Table 3.

Social & Emotional Well Being

Group based interactive tasks where every member’s participation is required is important
for building problem solving capacity, inter personal experience and resilience in preparation
for life outside school. Curriculum based activities should be applicable to daily life and
achievable to encourage student engagement and social interaction. Zins et al, (2007)
suggests that pursuing Social and Emotional Learning is scientifically based and assists with
successes at school and can help to improve school attitudes, behaviour and performance.
Learning climates promoting student well-being are to be aimed towards moulding citizens
to be participants of an ethical socially just democracy (Cohen, 2006).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many thanks to: Dr Roberto Parada, Mrs Patricia Maidens, Dr Karin Mackay, Dr Paul Rooney,
Dr Anne Power and Dr William Nketsia my lecturers and tutors this semester; Rebekah
Wetherton and the staff at students at Christadelphian Heritage College in Kemps Creek,
where I completed my Professional Practice and Community Engagement placement;
Western Sydney University, School of Education Learning Guide - 102082 Pedagogy for
Positive Learning Environments, for a comprehensive unit guide detailing essential and
suggested course readings; and other course material, some of which have been listed
below.

Cohen, J., (2006). Social, Emotional, Ethical, and Academic Education: Creating a Climate for

Learning, Participation in Democracy, and Well-Being. Harvard Educational review:

Summer 2006; 76,2; ProQuest.

Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., & Heward, W.E., (2013). Applied Behaviour Analysis. (2nd Ed.).

Pearson New International.

Daniel Man of Reason (Oct 18, 2012, October 18). Albert Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavior

Therapy (REBT). [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=mg5d9fdwI0o.

De Nobile, J., Lyons, G., & Arthur-Kelly, M., (2017). Positive Learning Environments: Creating

and Maintaining Productive Classrooms. South Melbourne, Australia: Cengage.

De Jong, T. (2005). A Framework of Principles and Best Practice for Managing Student

Behaviour in the Australian Education Context, School Psychology International,

26(3): 353–370.

Freeman, J., Simonsen, B., McCoach, D. B., Sugai, G., Lombardi, A., & Horner, R. (2016).

Relationship Between School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports

and Academic, Attendance, and Behavior Outcomes in High Schools. Journal of

 Positive Behavior Interventions, 18(1), 41-51. doi:10.1177/1098300715580992

How to give Feedback to Students. The Advanced Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018,

from http://www.evidencebasedteaching.org.au/how-to-give-feedback-to-

students/

Killu, K. (2008). Developing Effective Behavior Intervention Plans: Suggestions for School

Personnel. Intervention in School and Clinic, 43(3), 140-149.

Zins, J. E., Bloodworth, M. R., Weissberg, R. P., & Walberg, H. J. (2007). The Scientific Base

Linking Social and Emotional Learning to School Success. Journal of Educational and

Psychological Consultation, 17(2-3), 191-210. doi: 10.1080/10474410701413145

Zirpoli, T. J. (2012). Positive Behavioral Supports. Behavior management: Positive

applications for teachers (6th Ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
(Week 1) Pedagogy for Positive Learning Environments: A problem-based
approach
Reflection of the week’s Lecture, tutorials and readings.
The following activities are designed to get you thinking about your own model of teaching
and classroom management.

1.1 What is a ‘good teacher’? Think about the teachers from your days in primary and
secondary schooling. What qualities did they have that made them ‘good’? Make a list in
the box below.

In junior school a good teacher inspired me with stories, had an immense imaginative
power, and was able to impart knowledge and skill that stuck with me many years later. In
high school the teachers I remember best were the ones who imparted deep content
knowledge and taught me concepts and ideologies that were outside my conscious thought
process. In later life good teachers have been the ones who have presented me with
challenges that I felt unequipped to master.

1.2 Using the what you have learnt about ill structured vs structured problems in relation to
classroom behavior, what do you think are the key considerations when a teacher is
planning their strategy for classroom management? list them below.

In the context of classroom management, structured problems appear to be well defined

problems in that they have specific goals or expected solutions which match the problem, in
other words textbook type problems with textbook defined answers, these are far removed
from the real world. Ill-defined problems on the other hand are problems that emerge
within the classroom and are a unique consequence of specific classroom dynamics. They do
not seem to have clear goals, solutions to problems or expected outcomes. They are
problems where some or many pieces of information that contribute to the problem are not
known and therefore present a dilemma or a challenge. In summation they are problems
that require further information and investigation to solve or manage.

1.3 With your responses to the last two activities as a source of ideas, complete the
sentence in the box below.

I believe a positive learning environment (PLE) is about understanding what captures the
imagination of the student by getting to know the students and how they learn. It is also
understanding that a PLE is created and negotiated by both teacher as role models and
students as participating learners, with the knowledge that most days ill structured
problems will be the order of the day and require investigation before reaction.
(Week 2) Review of classroom management theories
This week you have been introduced to some theories of behaviour/classroom
management. Your readings (Ch 8 & 9 of the text and De Jong in tutorials) introduced you to
different views on why young people misbehave and particularly what to do about it. Some
of these might have caused you to react in some way, either negatively or positively. Of the
ones you developed a positive feeling about, was there a particular theory that stood out?
Was there a theory or approach that you felt might fit your view of how children should be
treated and how teaching happens? Think about this before responding to the activities.

2.1 In the box below, list the theories that you think are ‘not for you’ under the heading ‘Not
me’, and the theories that you think are more favourable under the heading ‘More like
me’.

Not me More like me

Pain Model
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) (Carr)
Assertive Discipline Model (Canter)
Democratic Discipline Model (Dreikurs)
Systematic Training for Effective Teaching
Choice or Goal Theory (Glasser)
Responsible Thinking Process (RTP)
Social/Restorative Justice
Teacher Effectiveness Training (Gordon)
Values Education
Solution Focused Approach (Porter)
Developmental Management Approach
(Lewis)
Balance Model (Richmond)
Supportive School Environment Model
(Miles)
Positive Behaviour Leadership Model
(Rodgers)

2.2 Now take a closer look at the theories you placed in the ‘More like me’ column. Read the
suggested readings provided in this chapter and the online companion. Get to know the
theories more intimately. Use this new knowledge, specifically the key philosophies
behind the theories (or theory), to develop your own statement of belief about the sort
of places classrooms should be. Complete the following sentence and perhaps add
another to accompany it.

I believe classrooms should be places where teachers are trained in a school wide behaviour
management communication to create a baseline for addressing causality: student
behaviour / teacher response. Values education needs to be a school priority, to create a
cohesive school society, where all members understand what required behaviour looks like.
Teachers and students then have the choice that together with responsible thinking, they
can create a socially just school environment. Restorative justice systems need to be in place
so that when members of the school communities are involved in incidents, pathways are in
place to restore civility and harmony. In addition to this an effective classroom management
plan is important in order to create a positive learning environment that encompasses the
Lyford model which incorporates the Humanist, Knowledge Acquisition, Ecological Systems,
Sociocultural and Psychoeducational Theory. Additionally, De Jong outlines seven principals
for student behaviour management that translate into seven characteristics of best practice.
These include a clearly articulated and comprehensive behaviour management policy, which
adopts an ecosystemic approach, health promoting cultures with well-established internal
and external support structures, student centred relevant and engaging curriculum, quality
learning experiences that foster a love of learning guided by effective pedagogy, inclusive
classrooms that embrace democracy and the empowerment of students and alternative
flexible learning environments.
(Week 3) Relationships, communication & professional reflexivity
Effective communication is a key component of effective classroom management, and
quality teaching depends on it. The lecture, tutorial readings as well as Ch 2 & 3 of the
textbook describe some very useful skills for dealing with inappropriate student behaviour in
a non-confrontational and positive way. Being aware of non-verbal cues will lead a teacher
to be more sensitive to how their messages are being received as well as how to send
messages and provide feedback more effectively. Active listening allows teachers and
students to interact with minimal interference from underlying emotional factors. I-
messages provide the teacher with a tool to convey to students how their behaviour is
affecting the class in a non-submissive, informative and positive manner.

Teaching philosophies often describe the way a teacher will interact with their students and
this, in turn, provides a window into the classroom climate that a teacher is trying to
establish. The following activities should help you to identify your preferred way of
communicating with the class generally as well as in dealing with inappropriate behaviour.
After completing them you should have a better idea of how your classroom philosophy will
describe your communication style in the classroom.

3.1 Using your readings of the chapters, in particular the Relationships and communication,
Interference, Communication process and Non-verbal communication sections,
complete the sentence in the box below. You might need to add a second or even a third
sentence.

I believe that good communication between teacher and student is vital to a positive
classroom climate because relationships are important especially in the current information
age of Google where the gaining of information may often not be contextualised with social
human contact and interaction.

The ability to communicate effectively is fundamental to building valued relationships with

De Nobile’s 10C model providing a good example of defining school community
communication simply (sender, receiver, channel, message, feedback, functions, features,
noise, internal environment, external environment).

Non-verbal communication includes facial expression and eye contact, gesture, posture and
positioning, proximity and touch. Four strategies that I will use in my classroom to develop
communication include active listening, open questioning, assertive I-messages and
negotiating. Negotiating skills include identification of the problem and possible options,
thinking about the outcomes of each option and then removing the unacceptable outcomes
before finally applying the agreed solution and identifying a time for review.

This week you also looked at how personal beliefs can help or hinder in your relationships
and communication with students.
3.2 Briefly outline your understanding of how beliefs can help or hinder your ability to create
positive learning environments:

Teacher personal beliefs affect the way we create Positive Learning Environments by not
acknowledging the role of teacher self-management styles. These approaches ranging from
Permissive, Negligent, Authoritarian and Authoritative are variable and should be regulated
by control in the presence of caring. Positive Learning Environments may be facilitated by
ascertaining the student’s competency and skills rather than a judgement based on whether
they are “good” or “bad”. Every teacher has a life story and personal bias that affect their
teaching style. Advice from the unit tutor: leave personal baggage at the door, we (as
teachers) have a mandate to create a positive classroom environment. Awareness of cultural
sensitivities and differences and the ability to discern personal beliefs which can affect the
way teachers teach is important pedagogical skill.

Your teaching philosophy should describe how and for what purpose you might engage in a
cycle of professional reflexivity, be it through critical analysis using various perspectives or an
action research model, or both.

3.3 Why should teachers engage in professional reflexivity?. Once you have given this some
thought and done some further reading, complete the following sentence.

I believe professional reflecting is important to teaching because regular thought on

teaching with respect to curriculum, pedagogy, student behaviour and learning outcome,
lead into avenues for change that facilitates action for the implementation of strategies for
continual improvement guided by mechanisms of Action Research: develop a plan, activate
the plan, observe and record findings and then reflect on the findings.

3.4 Having thought up a justification for it, how will you go about engaging in reflection
about your practice in your teaching career? Once you have thought this out, think of
some practical and achievable ways you can engage in professional reflexivity and
complete the next sentence.

Because of this, I will plan teaching activities to the best of my accumulated knowledge and
experience, deliver the lessons/curriculum to the students and assess both student learning
and total classroom behaviour outcomes. Then I will reflect on the processes I implemented
to determine what worked and what did not work. I will then reuse the processes that
worked (bearing in mind that contexts and students change) and seek ways to alter the
things that were not successful, to continually improve my pedagogy.
(Week 4) Classroom organisation and curriculum, assessment and pedagogy
Classroom management is not just about managing behaviour. At the heart of teaching and
learning are the curriculum taught, the pedagogy used, and the assessment designed to
measure how well that curriculum was taught and how well the pedagogy worked. This
chapter takes you through these three areas one at a time.

The next part of your teaching philosophy will be about how you will deliver curriculum and
assess student achievement/growth. After reading this chapter, please reflect on the
following:
 What will you take into consideration when planning your teaching program?
 How will you know what to teach and where to start?
 What are the many ways in which your students could demonstrate achievement other
than tests and quizzes?
 What teaching approaches will you use and what philosophical views will your
pedagogies reflect?

4.1 Using the PIR Cycle (see Ch 5 p118) as a stimulus, explain how you will go about
planning your teaching program in the box below.

The Lyford Model promotes four positive practices that include relationships and
communications, curriculum pedagogy and assessment, classroom organisation and
professional reflexivity – the Plan, Implement, Reflect or PIR Cycle. Planning involves
designing topics, themes and learning experiences, that help students learn what they need
to understand from within the syllabus/curriculum. This includes the order of the modules
taught, their duration, delivery and both formative and summative assessment.

The planning phase includes the gathering of resources and ideas to use in lesson plans and
the incorporation of the outcomes from previous lesson plan reflections and/or the
embedding of pertinent evidence-based research methodology or processes.
Implementation involves the delivery of the planned lesson in the classroom and is where
teacher pedagogy and student engagement take place. It involves a pre or baseline
understanding to ascertain what the students already know. This information can be
gathered using formative mind-mapping or informal questioning. (Formative assessment can
include walking around the room, how does it look on a continual basis, in the classroom, in
the corridors and in the play-ground. Use journal to capture words for teacher parent
interviews collected over time).

Curriculum delivery involves teaching, facilitating, monitoring and providing feedback,

usually followed by a summative multimodal assessment, to measure what students have
learned. Review can occur at different times. This happens when things did not go as
planned and leads to replanning the lesson, or it may occur after an assessment, or when
the student outcomes did not meet expectations. It may also include the decision to embark
on action research within the classroom or the search of peer reviewed evidence-based
research for specific classroom orientated problem resolution.
The PIR Cycle may also engulf professional reflective journaling, working with a teaching
peer/buddy and/or mentor. Ideas can also be obtained by reviewing other subject units and
observing how other teaching staff plan and implement their teaching methodology.

4.2 Pedagogy refers to how you will teach the curriculum. Usually, the type of pedagogy you
implement is influenced by a basic belief about how students best learn. After
considering your pedagogical approach and strategies, complete the sentences below.

I believe that students best learn through starting off by articulating/expressing what they
know about the topic that is being taught (by brainstorming, utilising mind maps or
answering questions) and understanding clearly what they need to be focussing on. So,
introduction of the learning outcome is important. Then I think that they learn best through
presentation, questioning, discussion and assessment in both individual and peer group
tasks. Group based interactive tasks where every group member is expected to participate
are important for building problem solving capacity, inter personal experience and resilience
in preparation for the student’s future outside of school. The activities should be curriculum
based but should be applicable to daily life so that they are relevant and achievable. This
ensures that student involvement and social interaction are incorporated into the lesson.

In addition to providing differentiated teaching to meet the needs of both students who are
gifted and talented and students with a disability, multiple means of curriculum
representation, expression and assessment are required to provide equity in the classroom.
Similarly, the differentiation of feedback given to students is also important in that it should
be: Basic to cater for intermediate or advanced learners, Instructional to cater to struggling
or novice learners or Coaching type feedback that encourages self-evaluation for proficient
learners. Assessments should be task relevant but achievable, so students can experience
academic or learning success and increase their self-esteem and motivation.

As explained in Chs 3 & 4, there are several dimensions to classroom organisation. Each of
these put together become the manifestation of your classroom culture. Your classroom
culture is, simply put, the way your class operates and incorporates:
 rules and procedures
 organisation of the physical space.

It is now time to think about how your teaching philosophy will describe these two aspects
and explain them in terms of an overarching set of beliefs or approaches. After reading these
chapters, complete the next two activities.

4.3 What values do you hold as important to establishing an orderly, productive and positive
classroom? Answer this question below, then list the key rules/expectations you think
flow naturally from those values and which you want to stress in your class. Complete
 the section by explaining how rules and consequences will be established in your
classroom.

Classrooms require rules for behaviour so that they can function as a place where curriculum
can be delivered, and different levels of learning can be accommodated, I like the idea of
mutually agreed on rules, some contributed by the students and some contributed by the
teacher. We live in a democracy, so some forms of democracy need to be fostered in the
classroom. There also needs to be consequences for when inappropriate behaviour occurs.
Students need to know what these are, I’m not sure if I agree with the make it up as you go
along type of approach. Values I will try to foster in my classroom are that it should be a
place of kindness, where consideration of other people is important. I hope that my
classroom will be a place where students don’t feel excluded and that it is a place where
everybody feels like they belong.

Classroom rules and procedures should be age appropriate, explicit, well-reasoned and
logical. They should also be positively stated, measurable and of course achievable. The
students need to be regularly reminded of classroom procedures which may take the form of
a Code of Conduct or Values Statement or even a Manifesto of Appropriate Behaviours.

Positive behaviour reinforcement should be pursued as a priority. Followed by positive

behaviour reinforcement for negotiated behavioural change (e.g. exemption from picking up
papers at recess). Consequences for ignoring rules should be staggered from least severe to
more severe but should be aligned with those fostered by the whole school. Consequences
may include staying in at recess for 5 min, followed by 10min etc.

Classrooms should generally be organised and tidy so that risks to health and safety are
minimised.

Classrooms should be:

• Well-structured rooms with clean white boards.
• They should also have a good space to work in.
• Dirty spaces, graffiti on tables etc, should be discouraged.
• Rules and procedures should be encouraged.
• Classrooms should look inviting welcoming.
• Desks are changed around to support teaching functionality - u shapes for teacher
centred activities e.g. practicals. Individual desks in rows for exams. Desks together
for group work. Workstations that allow for access and movement when working in
groups on multiple tangible resource-based projects.
• Classrooms should facilitate security, social contact, learning enjoyment and growth,
group identification and student-teacher interaction.
• Cover walls with students work, colour, natural light, safety, own it, make a class that
speaks to the students.
• Students to leave bags outside Work Health and Safety.
(Week 5) Principles of behaviour modification
This week we looked at fundamental aspects of behaviourism and learning (see Ch 6 & 7 of
your text) But also Ziporli from your references in the Learning Guide and Killu your tutorial
reading which provide examples of the application of such theory and research to classroom
management and behaviour change. Important concepts such as reinforcement, functional
purpose of behaviour and behaviour shaping are discussed

5.1 After reading Ziporli and Killu and reflecting on the lecture content what would you add
about aspects of your classroom management that have not been mentioned so far in
your philosophy? Add these in the box below in rough draft form. You can refine them
later.

Several behavioural approaches have been researched with respect to application of

classroom behaviour management: Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), Functional
Behavioural Assessment (FBA), Assertive Discipline, Positive Behaviour Support (Ziporli) and
development of the Behavioural Intervention Plan or BIP’s (Killu). Killu suggests several
points to consider when developing and effective intervention plan - “Effective intervention
plans are not developed in isolation but rather are the product of individual and cumulative
efforts of global and specific assessment strategies”. Ziporli suggests several steps in
establishing an effective reinforcement program and identifies several high preference
reinforcers to shape student behaviour.

Conducting a behavioural assessment includes: establishing the need for a behavioural

intervention, identifying the appropriate/target behaviour, identify an appropriate
replacement behaviour, implementing an intervention to change behaviour and review the
intervention.

Positive outcomes in areas of behaviour and academia have occurred in some cases when
Multi-tiered frameworks e.g. School wide Positive Behaviour Interventions and supports
(SWPBIS) have been implemented with high fidelity in high schools (Freeman et al, 2016).

Cognitive Behaviour Approaches (CBA) are typified by recognition that individuals are self-
directed and make choices about behaviour and that behavioural choices are influenced by
social contexts, consequences, values, motivation feedback from others and seeks to
develop self-discipline as an internalised compliance. Models of CBA include the Rational
Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the ‘Talk sense to
yourself’ program and the ‘Stop, Think, Do’ process.
(Week 6) Applying behaviour modification in schools PBIS
Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support also known as Positive Behaviour Support (see
Text Ch 6 p168) has become an accepted and often implemented part of schooling in NSW. A
key aspect of PBIS is to teach students behavioural expectations.

6.1 Previously (see week 4) you reflected on what your classroom could be like. In the
section below pick 1 expectation (e.g., respect self and others) and list how you will
teach what this expectation looks like, is exemplified by and demonstrated in your
classroom. Give as many examples as you can.

Teaching respect for self and others

 Ask students what they think it means to respect themselves and others
 Self-respect: Provide several positive examples (Be kind to yourself), and negative
examples (self-harm), ask students to classify which examples are self-respecting and
which are not.
 Show the students contrasting videos or you tube clips that demonstrate these
principals and engage in a discussion, or class debate about what students think
about the videos chosen.
 Ask students to express the pro’s and cons of self-respect in an assessment style
format of their choice.
 Role model self-respect.
 Use active supervision and precorrection to monitor and review students self
-respecting behaviour.

Other comments:
 Key features for what classroom should be like are to be informed by behavioural
science that applies practical intervention, which is committed to lifestyle outcomes
and lifestyle perspectives Positive behaviour interventions.
 Implement behavioural expectations,
 Teaching how to behave. (e.g. school outing to the shops, card reward system for
positive behaviour which links to a laser tag game reward).
 Mould monitor and role model positive behaviour. Calm personal demeanour.
 Classroom setting systems, positive expectations taught and encouraged.
 Teaching classroom routines and cues taught and encouraged.
 Ratio of 6-8 positive to 1 negative adult-student interaction.
 Are you ok today? – I care.
 Active supervision – moving around the classroom, redirections for minor, infrequent
behaviour errors, proactive.
 Frequent pre-corrections for chronic errors, effective academic instruction and
curriculum.

1) Develop class wide positive expectations how will you do this. Reinforcement every
day, what you expect, 3 rules.
2) How will you teach classroom routines – lining up, get into the class, greet the
 students, have the task on the board ready to start, manage the gaps in time where
some students have nothing to do, get the students who have difficulty concentrating
to work with the students who have effective self-discipline regarding completing
classroom tasks. Generally, develop a tool kit for the most common problems that
arise during the school day.
3) How will you remind yourself to have positive ratio? Stick a post it notes on the clock
and computer.
(Week 7) Social Emotional Learning in Schools SEL
Readings: Cohen, J. (2006) & Zins, et al (2007).
Social and Emotional Learning brings your attention to focus efforts on promoting students’
social and emotional competencies. Many leaders in the field underscore the importance of
skills-based teaching and learning to properly address this important facet of teaching the
whole child.
7.1 After reading Cohen and Zin and reflecting on the lecture content what would you add
about aspects of your classroom management that have not been mentioned so far in
your philosophy? Add these in the box below in rough draft form. You can refine them
later.

Cohen is concerned with creating a climate for learning that promotes student wellbeing
aimed primarily towards the members being part of a democracy and seeks to impart the
importance of social-emotional ethical education, which is not only driven by the delivery of
curriculum. In his view failure to teach ethics and social emotional education amounts to
social injustice.

Zins argues that the liking of Social and Emotional learning is scientifically based and assists
with successes at school and can help to improve school attitudes, behaviour and
performance.
(Weeks 8 & 9) Drafting your personal reflection/philosophy
In the space below cut and paste each of the sections you have completed above and create
a (very) draft version of your personal philosophy

My personal reflection/teaching philosophy (Draft 1)

In junior school a good teacher inspired me with stories, had an immense imaginative
power, and was able to impart knowledge and skill that stuck with me many years later. In
high school the teachers I remember best were the ones who imparted deep content
knowledge and taught me concepts and ideologies that were outside my conscious thought
process. In later life good teachers have been the ones who have presented me with
challenges that I felt unequipped to master.

In the context of classroom management, structured problems appear to be well defined

problems in that they have specific goals or expected solutions which match the problem, in
other words textbook type problems with textbook defined answers, these are far removed
from the real world. Ill-defined problems on the other hand are problems that emerge
within the classroom and are a unique consequence of specific classroom dynamics. They do
not seem to have clear goals, solutions to problems or expected outcomes. They are
problems where some or many pieces of information that contribute to the problem are not
known and therefore present a dilemma or a challenge. In summation they are problems
that require further information and investigation to solve or manage.

I believe a positive learning environment (PLE) is about understanding what captures the
imagination of the student by getting to know the students and how they learn. It is also
understanding that a PLE is created and negotiated by both teacher as role models and
students as participating learners, with the knowledge that most days ill structured
problems will be the order of the day and require investigation before reaction.

Choice or Goal Theory (Glasser)

Responsible Thinking Process (RTP)
Social/Restorative Justice
Teacher Effectiveness Training (Gordon)
Values Education
Solution Focused Approach (Porter)
Developmental Management Approach (Lewis)
Balance Model (Richmond)
Supportive School Environment Model (Miles)
Positive Behaviour Leadership Model (Rodgers)

I believe classrooms should be places where teachers are trained in a school wide behaviour
management communication to create a baseline for addressing causality: student
behaviour / teacher response. Values education needs to be a school priority, to create a
cohesive school society, where all members understand what required behaviour looks like.
Teachers and students then have the choice that together with responsible thinking, they
can create a socially just school environment. Restorative justice systems need to be in place
so that when members of the school communities are involved in incidents, pathways are in
place to restore civility and harmony. In addition to this an effective classroom management
plan is important in order to create a positive learning environment that encompasses the
Lyford model which incorporates the Humanist, Knowledge Acquisition, Ecological Systems,
Sociocultural and Psychoeducational Theory. Additionally, JeJong outlines seven principals
for student behaviour management that translate into seven characteristics of best practice.
These include a clearly articulated and comprehensive behaviour management policy, which
adopts an ecosystemic approach, health promoting cultures with well-established internal
and external support structures, student centred relevant and engaging curriculum, quality
learning experiences that foster a love of learning guided by effective pedagogy, inclusive
classrooms that embrace democracy and the empowerment of students and alternative
flexible learning environments.

I believe that good communication between teacher and student is vital to a positive
classroom climate because relationships are important especially in the current information
age of Google where the gaining of information may often not be contextualised with social
human contact and interaction.

The ability to communicate effectively is fundamental to building valued relationships with

DeNobile’s 10C model providing a good example of defining school community
communication simply (sender, receiver, channel, message, feedback, functions, features,
noise, internal environment, external environment).

Non-verbal communication includes facial expression and eye contact, gesture, posture and
positioning, proximity and touch. Four strategies that I will use in my classroom to develop
communication include active listening, open questioning, assertive I-messages and
negotiating. Negotiating skills include identification of the problem and possible options,
thinking about the outcomes of each option and then removing the unacceptable outcomes
before finally applying the agreed solution and identifying a time for review.

eacher personal beliefs affect the way we create Positive Learning Environments by not
acknowledging the role of teacher self-management styles. These approaches ranging from
Permissive, Negligent, Authoritarian and Authoritative are variable and should be regulated
by control in the presence of caring. Positive Learning Environments may be facilitated by
ascertaining the student’s competency and skills rather than a judgement based on whether
they are “good” or “bad”. Every teacher has a life story and personal bias that affect their
teaching style. Advice from the unit tutor: leave personal baggage at the door, we (as
teachers) have a mandate to create a positive classroom environment. Awareness of cultural
sensitivities and differences and the ability to discern personal beliefs which can affect the
way teachers teach is important pedagogical skill.

I believe professional reflecting is important to my teaching because regular thought on

teaching with respect to curriculum, pedagogy, student behaviour and learning outcome,
lead into avenues for change that facilitates action for the implementation of strategies for
continual improvement guided by mechanisms of Action Research: develop a plan, activate
the plan, observe and record findings and then reflect on the findings. Because of this, I will
plan teaching activities to the best of my accumulated knowledge and experience, deliver
the lessons/curriculum to the students and assess both student learning and total classroom
behaviour outcomes. Then I will reflect on the processes I implemented to determine what
worked and what did not work. I will then reuse the processes that worked (bearing in mind
that contexts and students change) and seek ways to alter the things that were not
successful, to continually improve my pedagogy.

The Lyford Model promotes four positive practices that include relationships and
communications, curriculum pedagogy and assessment, classroom organisation and
professional reflexivity – the Plan, Implement, Reflect or PIR Cycle. Planning involves
designing topics, themes and learning experiences, that help students learn what they need
to understand from within the syllabus/curriculum. This includes the order of the modules
taught, their duration, delivery and both formative and summative assessment.

The planning phase includes the gathering of resources and ideas to use in lesson plans and
the incorporation of the outcomes from previous lesson plan reflections and/or the
embedding of pertinent evidence-based research methodology or processes.
Implementation involves the delivery of the planned lesson in the classroom and is where
teacher pedagogy and student engagement take place. It involves a pre or baseline
understanding to ascertain what the students already know. This information can be
gathered using formative mind-mapping or informal questioning. (Formative assessment can
incude walking around the room, how does it look on a continual basis, in the classroom, in
the corridors and in the play-ground. Use journal to capture words for teacher parent
interviews collected over time).

Curriculum delivery involves teaching, facilitating, monitoring and providing feedback,

usually followed by a summative multimodal assessment, to measure what students have
learned. Review can occur at different times. This happens when things did not go as
planned and leads to replanning the lesson, or it may occur after an assessment, or when
the student outcomes did not meet expectations. It may also include the decision to embark
on action research within the classroom or the search of peer reviewed evidence-based
research for specific classroom orientated problem resolution.

The PIR Cycle may also engulf professional reflective journaling, working with a teaching
peer/buddy and/or mentor. Ideas can also be obtained by reviewing other subject units and
observing how other teaching staff plan and implement their teaching methodology.
I believe that students best learn through starting off by articulating/expressing what they
know about the topic that is being taught (by brainstorming, utilising mind maps or
answering questions) and understanding clearly what they need to be focussing on. So,
introduction of the learning outcome is important. Then I think that they learn best through
presentation, questioning, discussion and assessment in both individual and peer group
tasks. Group based interactive tasks where every group member is expected to participate
are important for building problem solving capacity, inter personal experience and resilience
in preparation for the student’s future outside of school. The activities should be curriculum
based but should be applicable to daily life so that they are relevant and achievable. This
ensures that student involvement and social interaction are incorporated into the lesson.

In addition to providing differentiated teaching to meet the needs of both students who are
gifted and talented and students with a disability, multiple means of curriculum
representation, expression and assessment are required to provide equity in the classroom.
Similarly, the differentiation of feedback given to students is also important in that it should
be: Basic to cater for intermediate or advanced learners, Instructional to cater to struggling
or novice learners or Coaching type feedback that encourages self-evaluation for proficient
learners. Assessments should be task relevant but achievable, so students can experience
academic or learning success and increase their self-esteem and motivation.

Classrooms require rules for behaviour so that they can function as a place where curriculum
can be delivered, and different levels of learning can be accommodated, I like the idea of
mutually agreed on rules, some contributed by the students and some contributed by the
teacher. We live in a democracy, so some forms of democracy need to be fostered in the
classroom. There also needs to be consequences for when inappropriate behaviour occurs.
Students need to know what these are, I’m not sure if I agree with the make it up as you go
along type of approach. Values I will try to foster in my classroom are that it should be a
place of kindness, where consideration of other people is important. I hope that my
classroom will be a place where students don’t feel excluded and that it is a place where
everybody feels like they belong.

Classroom rules and procedures should be age appropriate, explicit, well-reasoned and
logical. They should also be positively stated, measurable and of course achievable. The
students need to be regularly reminded of classroom procedures which may take the form of
a Code of Conduct or Values Statement or even a Manifesto of Appropriate Behaviours.

Positive behaviour reinforcement should be pursued as a priority. Followed by positive

behaviour reinforcement for negotiated behavioural change (e.g. exemption from picking up
papers at recess). Consequences for ignoring rules should be staggered from least severe to
more severe but should be aligned with those fostered by the whole school. Consequences
may include staying in at recess for 5 min, followed by 10min etc.

Classrooms should generally be organised and tidy so that risks to health and safety are
minimised.

Classrooms should be:

• Well-structured rooms with clean white boards.
• They should also have a good space to work in.
• Dirty spaces, graffiti on tables etc, should be discouraged.
• Rules and procedures should be encouraged.
• Classrooms should look inviting welcoming.
• Desks are changed around to support teaching functionality - u shapes for teacher
centred activities e.g. practicals. Individual desks in rows for exams. Desks together
for group work. Workstations that allow for access and movement when working in
groups on multiple tangible resource-based projects.
• Classrooms should facilitate security, social contact, learning enjoyment and growth,
group identification and student-teacher interaction.
• Cover walls with students work, colour, natural light, safety, own it, make a class that
speaks to the students.
Students to leave bags outside Work Health and Safety.

Several behavioural approaches have been researched with respect to application of

classroom behaviour management: Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), Functional
Behavioural Assessment (FBA), Assertive Discipline, Positive Behaviour Support (Ziporli) and
development of the Behavioural Intervention Plan or BIP’s (Killu). Killu suggests several
points to consider when developing and effective intervention plan - “Effective intervention
plans are not developed in isolation but rather are the product of individual and cumulative
efforts of global and specific assessment strategies”. Ziporli suggests several steps in
establishing an effective reinforcement program and identifies several high preference
reinforcers to shape student behaviour.

Conducting a behavioural assessment includes: establishing the need for a behavioural

intervention, identifying the appropriate/target behaviour, identify an appropriate
replacement behaviour, implementing an intervention to change behaviour and review the
intervention.

Positive outcomes in areas of behaviour and academia have occurred in some cases when
Multi-tiered frameworks e.g. School wide Positive Behaviour Interventions and supports
(SWPBIS) have been implemented with high fidelity in high schools (Freeman et al, 2016).

Cognitive Behaviour Approaches (CBA) are typified by recognition that individuals are self-
directed and make choices about behaviour and that behavioural choices are influenced by
social contexts, consequences, values, motivation feedback from others and seeks to
develop self-discipline as an internalised compliance. Models of CBA include the Rational
Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the ‘Talk sense to
yourself’ program and the ‘Stop, Think, Do’ process.

 Key features for what classroom should be like are to be informed by behavioural
science that applies practical intervention, which is committed to lifestyle outcomes
and lifestyle perspectives Positive behaviour interventions.
 Implement behavioural expectations,
 Teaching how to behave. (e.g. school outing to the shops, card reward system for
positive behaviour which links to a laser tag game reward).
 Mould monitor and role model positive behaviour. Calm personal demeanour.
 Classroom setting systems, positive expectations taught and encouraged.
 Teaching classroom routines and cues taught and encouraged.
 Ratio of 6-8 positive to 1 negative adult-student interaction.
 Are you ok today? – I care.
 Active supervision – moving around the classroom, redirections for minor, infrequent
behaviour errors, proactive.
 Frequent pre-corrections for chronic errors, effective academic instruction and
curriculum. – TUTORIAL SLIDES
 Never run in school – out of control, don’t chase them, don’t shout at a kid.

1) Develop class wide positive expectations how will you do this. Reinforcement every
day, what you expect, 3 rules.
 2) How will you teach classroom routines – lining up, get into the class, greet the
students, have the task on the board ready to start, manage the gaps in time where
some students have nothing to do, get the students who have difficulty concentrating
to work with the students who have effective self-discipline regarding completing
classroom tasks. Generally, develop a tool kit for the most common problems that
arise during the school day.
3) How will you remind yourself to have positive ratio? Stick a post it notes on the clock
and computer.

Cohen is concerned with creating a climate for learning that promotes student wellbeing
aimed primarily towards the members being part of a democracy and seeks to impart the
importance of social-emotional ethical education, which is not only driven by the delivery of
curriculum. In his view failure to teach ethics and social emotional education amounts to
social injustice.

Zins argues that the liking of Social and Emotional learning is scientifically based and assists
with successes at school and can help to improve school attitudes, behaviour and
performance.
Ready to roll …
Now, read it to yourself, and start editing to a maximum of 1000 words, it’s time to prepare
your final submission. Look at the Unit Learning Guide rubric and instructions and now write
your own personal reflection and philosophy You have to reflect on what you have learnt
and what you are still to learn. This reflection is an opportunity to provide your own
behaviour management philosophy/model.

Your personal model can be based on your personal experience and any of the theories and
research explored in PPLE or other Units which form part of your course. You need to
appropriately identify and credit these theories which influenced your thinking in relation to
the development of your personal approach within your text. You must provide at the end
(not counted to word limit) an ‘acknowledgement’ section where you may list the
theories/policies/ people that may have influence your model to date.

Into the future!

However, please be aware that your philosophy may well change as you gain experience in
teaching and are exposed to other ideas from your ongoing professional development, your
interactions with peers and other sources of inspiration. It will be an interesting task for you
to go back to this philosophy you have just completed in 10 years’ time and compare it to
the one you have then. Will it have changed much? How have your approaches evolved?
What kind of teacher have you become?

NOW WRITE YOUR FINAL DRAFT OF YOUR PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY (1000

words Max) IN THE SPACE PROVIDED AT THE START OF THIS DOCUMENT!