Ch. 13 - Developing Your Personal Classroom Management Philosophy

Most of the textbook has spent a considerable amount of time reviewing classroom management plans and strategies.  This chapter gives some solid advice about developing your classroom philosophy.

Big Idea #1:  A management philosophy is necessary regardless of the grade or subject you teach.  This is solid advice because the kind of behavior you will face will differ from grade to grade, and you can never rely purely on your subject matter to enthrall the class.  There will always be someone who is not as interested in your subject matter as you would hope them to be, and there will always be an age group where there will be some discrepancies about behavior.  Even seniors in high school are still learning to be adults, and as a result may resort to behavior that is not conducive to a learning environment.  That's why a classroom management plan is necessary for every age and subject matter, and it should be specifically tailored to that grade and subject matter.

Big Idea #2:  Your philosophy should address discipline, roles of the teacher, behavior problems, and the goals of classroom management.  The goal of your classroom should be clearly defined, whether you want a mastery of the subject material, a productive social environment, or any number of other educational goals.  You should outline how you will handle discipline and behavior in your classroom, and then be consistent with those decisions.  Of course, in the same way that you have clearly defined the goal for your classroom, you should clearly define your own role as the teacher.  Are you a mediator for discussion?  Is your job to lecture and relay the pertinent information?  Are you a role model or a parental figure?  All of these factors should be addressed when formulating your classroom philosophy.

Big Idea #3:  It is best to pick and choose from the presented strategies that you think will work best for you.  The ideas that you agree with will be the ones that you execute with more precision and accuracy.  If you lack conviction for certain ideas presented, then you won't perform them as intended, resulting in its failed execution.  In the same way, one single set of principles won't work for every child.  Use the ideas and principles for each appropriate moment.