When I envision my future classroom, I picture a safe and comforting, yet organized space of learning for both my students and myself as I continue to grow through the craft of teaching. It is open, with plenty of room to walk around and assist each student, with filled bookshelves, beanbags, and round tables for students to work in small groups—not just in their desks. The blinds on the windows are open, letting light fill the room, and students’ work lines the bulletin boards. In those mental images, everything tends to be absolutely perfect and nothing ever goes awry; however, I know that particular portion of my classroom fantasy isn’t realistic and simply cannot be. Throughout my EDML 425 course at Coastal Carolina University, which …show more content…
I have an Authoritative classroom management style, and I’d like to believe that I am fair in terms of discipline. I would be willing to follow the tenets of a school-adopted classroom management program (if it had been proven successful) but if given the choice, I’d appreciate the ability to adopt my own system that I would tailor to any given class’ needs. I believe in the statement “honest pay for honest work;” whether that payment is a reward or a punishment is up to the student. However, I also believe that any consequence—good or bad—should not be random, but meaningful to provide teachable moments. For positive behaviors, there will be purposeful, evaluative praise on a student’s efforts and accomplishments. I believe that notes and calls home should not only be utilized for misbehaviors, but also to inform parents and guardians of a student’s positive behaviors and successes as well, and will use them for such. I’d like to believe that I am a democratic teacher as well, and recurring positive behaviors could also result in a student taking on a miscellaneous leadership position in the classroom, such as a line-leader, lunch tally-taker, passing out the class’ notebooks, etc. For misbehaviors, there would be 3 warnings in the form of non-humiliating reprimands and reminders of the rules. In the classrooms that I have observed, I have found that sarcasm and condescending attitudes are not effective or appropriate with students, and that yelling or inconsistency with discipline will amount to the same result of ineffectiveness. For consistent misbehaviors, lunch detentions or revocation of recess privileges would be my next step, leading to a parent-teacher conference with the student present, and if the misbehaviors continue, a conference with the parent, student, teacher, and administrator present to create a Behavioral Intervention Plan for the future with the