Running Head: CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

Classroom and Behavior Management

Jennifer King
Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 495 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2015

CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

Introduction
Classroom and behavioral management is a vital aspect of teaching. Proper management
of the classroom insures that the teacher and the students accomplish their daily tasks and that
instructional time is devoted to instruction, and not trying to solve minor housekeeping or
behavioral issues again and again. I have chosen two artifacts that reflect my ability to manage a
classroom and sustain a safe and supportive learning environment for my students.
Rationale
The first artifact is a 30 second video from a math lesson I taught for 17 kindergarten
students. In the video the students are practicing their addition facts. The students have to use dot
combinations and write the number sentence on the Mimio board. I used a small jar that contains
a stick for each student with their name. I pulled a stick from the jar to randomly select a student
to participate in the activity. In this lesson I wrote the number sentence on the board because it
was a longer lesson and the students tend to lose focus when a student is standing up and walking
to the board to write the number sentence. Drawing the students names at random help the
students see that each of them have a chance to participate. This group of students was all about
fairness and having an equal amount of turns. I chose this artifact because it demonstrates how I
incorporate management strategies into my instruction to allow each student to have a chance to
participate.
The second artifact is an observation report from Dr. Cheryl Goulds, the Director of
Student Teaching, first observation of my teaching. This report is on a lesson I taught for 22
fourth grade students. In this report the Dr. Gould presented me with feedback on my lesson
plans and student teaching journal, what went well in the lesson and what I could have done
differently. She also gave me feedback on my strengths and areas where I need to focus on

CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

developing. In this particular report she wrote that I demonstrated effective classroom
management strategies. I chose this artifact because it shows that I am capable of managing a
classroom and can implement effective strategies into my lesson to keep students focused on the
lesson.
Together these artifacts demonstrate that I manage classroom activities adequately and
make use of effective strategies that keep the students focused and on track during instructional
time and minimize behavioral issues that distract from the lesson.
Reflection
Effective classroom and behavioral management is vital to establishing a positive
classroom environment. Students need to feel safe and protected in the classroom in order to
learn. During my time at Regent, I learned that it is important to provide the students with a
secure and loving environment. As a Christian I want to choose classroom management
strategies that reflect the love and grace of Christ in the classroom.
As a Christian, I believe that this world is broken. God created this world perfectly, but
Adam and Eves disobedience brought sin into the world. Gods perfect creation is now
imperfect. Everyone and everything feels the effect of sin, including the classroom, my students
and myself (Graham, 2009). Because of sin, my students will not always make the right choices.
They will disobey, say unkind things to their friends and to me, they will want to take short cuts
in their school work or not do it all. I will feel tired and frustrated, and struggle to care that the
students are not listening or being kind to each other. I will also not always do my best as their
instructional leader. However, God did not leave humankind in sin. He sent His son, Jesus, to
become the propitiation for His people who love and believe in Him.

CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

As a recipient of Gods grace, I rely on God in the classroom as I guide the students
through the instructional day. My reliance on Gods grace influences how I see my students.
Graham writes that teachers who have experienced the redemption of God that recipients of
grace, we become dispensers of it as well (2009, p.39). While students are fallen and not all
have experienced the grace of God, I still bring honor and glory to God through sharing His
grace with my students through establishing clear routines in the classroom that promote student
responsibility and trains them to make good choices.
As a teacher and a Christian, it is my responsibility to create a positive classroom
environment that will meet the students needs in the classroom so that they feel safe and secure
in the classroom and are able to learn and grow in their knowledge of the world and of
themselves.

CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

Reference
Gould, C. A. (2015). Report of observation & conference by the Director of Student Teaching.
Unpublished internal document, Regent University.
Graham, D. L. (2009). Teaching redemptively: Bringing grace and truth into your classroom (2nd
ed.). Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful design publications.