Trail1
Lindsey Trail
28 November 2015
Philosophy of Classroom Management and Discipline
As the semester has progressed I have learned more in depth about the different
discipline models along with my views, beliefs and views of how I see the classroom
should be run best. With that being said, I still identify with the assertive discipline model
founded by Lee and Marlene Canter that I addressed prior in the year in my Rules and
Procedures paper. I agree with the assertive discipline model because it supports my
beliefs of how teaching should be, along with disciplining and managing within the
classroom. I feel that education serves many purposes and with the right discipline
model enacted in the classroom, students can achieve success academically and
socially.
The purpose of education has many facets that benefit students as they prepare
to embark on their journey into the real world. Education equips students with the
necessary tools to achieve their goals. During the education process they are able to
refine their personal and academic skills to achieve those goals in the future. I see
education as a means of learning about who you are by identifying your strengths and
weaknesses through the many challenges education presents. As a student being able
to find ways to strengthen those weaknesses can be obtained through encouragement
and help from teachers and peers.
A good teacher is someone who is a lifelong learner as well as an avid reflective
practitioner. Being a good teacher is having the capability to identify the weaknesses
Trail2
and strengths of any lesson. This also includes having the skills to make the necessary
changes that will address the shortcomings appropriately for more academic success in
the future. As a lifelong learner, your goal along with creating strong effective lesson
plans should be to create lifelong learners in your students. Good teachers create
lifelong learners by meeting students where they are. Meeting students where they are
can be done by addressing the various learning modalities into each lesson. When
students’ learning styles are appropriately addressed, they feel more confident and
successful because they are able to learn in a way that best suits them.
In order to have a good classroom management plan you are first responsible for
creating an environment conducive for student learning. Students learn best in an
environment where their physical and emotional needs are met. This can be done by
creating with students a set of classroom rules and practicing the lesson, class, and
interaction routines and procedures on the first day. When students know what to expect
in terms of interacting with peers, rules and procedures the element of uncertainty is
eliminated and students are better able to focus on the task at hand. Keeping students
engaged while on a brisk pace eliminates the time for misbehavior because the class is
steadily moving onto the next item on the agenda.
I want to maintain a high level of teacher control, but also encompass the traits of
a “warm demander” (Weinstein & Romano, 2015). Being a “warm demander” means I
will be a teacher who possesses the traits of an authoritarian and permissive style of
teachers. I will create warm and nurturing relationships amongst my students but also
expect students to uphold the classroom rules set in place in addition to treating other
students respectfully at all times.
Trail3
The discipline model that best aligns with my current view of classroom
management and discipline style is the assertive discipline model, founded by Lee and
Marlene Canter. This model highlights the high level of teacher control I wish to have in
addition to ensuring students’ needs are met by creating a classroom environment free
from disruption. The Canters believe students have the right to learn in an environment
free from disruption, which I agree with. If you are constantly correcting student
misbehavior then the focus has shifted from learning the material to the student
disruption. Teachers also possess the same rights as students and have the right to
teach in an environment free of disruption.
The specific strategy I like most from this model is the, “discipline hierarchy”
(Charles, 2005). I like this strategy because the teacher handles student discipline and
misbehaviors in the classroom by addressing a student in levels. Every time the teacher
has to speak with a student, the consequence increases in severity. This model also
states that in addition to each time the teacher has to speak to a student in regards to
misbehavior, she states the rule(s) that a student is breaking. The teacher should also
explain to a student because they chose to misbehave, they have chosen to pay the
logical consequence. The logical consequence is chosen by the teacher.
The assertive discipline model is a discipline model that I will use in my future
classroom due to the various benefits. I see this being an effective discipline model to
follow in my future classroom because the focus is on learning not students’
misbehavior. I plan to create a classroom where teachers and students can learn and
teach in an environment that is free from distraction (Weinstein & Romano, 2015).
Trail4
References
Charles, C.M. (2005). Building classroom management. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Weinstein, C.S., Romano, M.E. (2015). Classroom management. New York. NY:
McGraw-Hill Education.