Running Header: BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

Classroom and Behavior Management

Rachel Chadwick
Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2015

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Introduction

In education, behavior and classroom management has perhaps the largest effect
on student achievement. Without adequate teacher interaction and expectation in the
classroom, instruction will quickly suffer. Students thrive on consistency and a set of
expectations, and need constant reinforcement in order to develop any sense of
behavioral self-regulation. In the learning environment, this starts with an easily
understood and maintained set of rules and procedures. Overall, I believe that the quality
of student-teacher relationship is the keystone for all other aspects of behavioral
management.
Rationale
The first artifact I chose was a picture of the clip chart that served as the behavior
management system in my third grade classroom. This is used in order to give students a
visual representation of how they are doing throughout the day. It is designed similar to a
number line, where students may go up or down starting from green at the beginning of
every day. Depending on the behavior of students, they can be clipped up from green,
and move on to yellow, orange, or red. At the end of the day, those who were on yellow
receive one ticket, those on orange receive two, and any on red get three tickets. As in the
picture, those student(s) who are at the very top get to have lunch in the classroom with a
friend. Conversely, if a student breaks a classroom rule, such as getting up out of their
seat without permission, calling out, being off task, not following directions, or any other
misbehavior, they must clip down one color. Further poor choices will bring them down
from blue, to purple, to pink. If students reach pink, their parents are contacted that day.

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Most students do well with this system, as it allows them to take responsibility for their
behavior, whether positively or negatively. In addition, it teaches them, on a basic level,
the consequences of their actions, and how the goal for improvement in positive behavior
can be rewarded accordingly.
The second artifact I chose to demonstrate my involvement in classroom
management is a template for the weekly progress report given to students that serves as
a running record or summary of their weekly behavior. Included in this progress report
are the categories of citizenship and work habits. Students receive a grade for each,
which involves the areas of following directions, staying on task, putting forth best effort,
accepting responsibility, working well with others, obeying class rules, etc., as well as
reading log and math homework. Also noted is the amount of clip ups and clip downs for
each student. All progress reports are to be reviewed and signed by their parents each
week. For students who struggle with constant movement up and down the clip chart, it
allows for parents to see an overview of their actions and gives them goals to work
toward. This is an integral part of classroom management because it keeps students
accountable and presents them with a visual motivator for improving certain areas of
behavior.
Reflection
I chose both artifacts as it relates to classroom management because it is highly
important to outline expectations for students that align with the consequences received,
both positive and negative. My students were well accustomed to an agreed-upon set of
expectations for classroom behavior, group work, seat work, transitions, hallway
procedures, use of materials, and beginning and ending the day. Along with the clip chart

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system that gave students a visual representation and means for tracking their behavior, I
was sure to continually acknowledge students behavior, reinforcing acceptable behavior
through praise, and providing a variety of physical cues and verbal redirections to move
students toward fixing any inappropriate behavior. In addition to this, tickets were often
given out to students who were caught being good and deserved positive
reinforcement. The weekly progress report is also something that I believe to be
important because it clearly establishes citizenship and work habit goals and
communicates feedback on how students are doing. I believe that these artifacts relate to
practicing and developing teaching techniques that maintain order in the classroom, hold
students accountable, allow me to implement changes in dealing with their behavior, and
contribute to a positive learning environment.
Overall, my biggest focus within classroom management is fostering a sense of
community and relating to students in a way that emphasizes the good, rather than
negative behaviors that may be surfacing. As a teacher, it is my belief that through
invested relationships where students feel accepted and are motivated to take
responsibility for their actions, a healthy management system will be sustained in the
classroom. Communicating my interest in students and responding to them in ways that
go beyond behavior to meet their needs allows for the dynamics of my classroom to
better support student learning.
W. George Selig supports this perspective for behavior in saying, An effective
teacher demonstrates competencies that build healthy relationships with students,
establish authority and control in the classroom, communicate expectations clearly and
consistently, and engage every individual (Handbook of Individualized Strategies for

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Building Character, 2009, p. 26). Since all teachers model a version of how to conduct
oneself as a person, the moral dimensions of teaching character should be to provide
modeling and mentoring for desired behaviors on a regular basis, both as a part of
instruction, as well as fun and engaging activities independent of academics (p. 25). I
strive to create a classroom environment that values that equity of all students and
involves them in upholding an established code of conduct through having a shared sense
of responsibility and accountability for their actions. In this, my desire is to train up a
child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs
22:6, ESV). As a teacher, students deserve a learning environment that respects them
enough to provide them with opportunities to grow in character and learn accountability
for their behavior and work habits in the classroom. My expectations in this will always
start and finish with the belief that all students can learn, grow, and demonstrate good
behavior, and will be supported by me being fully present through ongoing and invested
relationship with them.

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Resources

Selig, W. George. (2009). Handbook of Individualized Strategies for Building Character.

Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.