Running Head: CLASS AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT 1

Classroom and Behavior Management

Joanne Van Zyl

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2019

Introduction
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Class and behavior management implements positive behavior expectations and putting

accountability on students for their behavior. Classroom management is the most important

aspect of teaching because without the ability to control the flow of transitioning, individual

student behavior, and student obedience to rules and direction, there could be no way to

implement instruction. Teachers need to exhibit a great deal of patience, responsibility, and self

control in order to model correct behavior for their students. They also need to be held

accountable to how their students are treated by their peers and how they treat others. Many

factors may be at play for disruptive behavior such as troubled home lives, learning or emotional

disabilities, or even just direct defiance. It is a teacher’s responsibility to take all these factors

into account and promote a safe and positive learning environment.

Rationale for Selected Artifacts

The first artifact I have chosen to represent class and behavioral management is a note

given to me by a student with frequent behavioral issues. Although there are grammatical

mistakes, the message of the note is clear. The note states “I am really sorry for my actions

today. I will try my best to do better.” This was during my first week of student teaching where

the student had frequent outbursts of interrupting instruction, arguing with his classmates, and

distracting his peers. After Ms. Crichton warned the student for the last time to improve his

behavior or be sent to another room, the student interrupted again, prompting Ms. Crichton to

instruct me to escort the student next door.

Before I sent the student into the room, I went down to the student’s level to try to reason

with him. I asked him what was so important that it cost him his privileges in the room. He did

not have an answer. I told him that I was very disappointed to have to send him away, as I saw

what was written on his paper and thought he had many bright ideas to share, and it was a shame
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he was not able to show the whole class. The student started to cry and I told him how he could

prevent this from happening again. I told him he was a very bright student and he would need to

put his intelligence into his actions and be the student I know he could be. I was very surprised to

receive this note from him as it showed he truly took accountability for his actions. Although it

was in my instincts to instantly forgive and forget, I stayed firm and thanked the student for

taking accountability, but also told him to show me how he can behave better. Although the

student still has issues with behavior, I noticed a significant change in how he approaches

situations before he acts upon them.

Another artifact I have chosen to represent classroom management and behavior is

behavior charts that Ms. Crichton and I have assigned to specific students who notably have

problems with acting out in class. The behavior checklist will be kept on their desks, and with

every outburst, the student must take accountability for their actions and write what they did

wrong so they can reflect on their actions and how they can improve. Although not shown, there

are similar checklists for students who have trouble with organization and attention, so they can

constantly remind themselves on what is appropriate in the classroom and how they can become

more accomplished as individuals.

The rationale for selecting these two artifacts as my representation of this competency is

to show how important stressing student accountability and differentiated behavioral instruction

when managing a classroom. Students think, behave, and act differently, and constantly

punishing students for behavior problems do not improve individual student behaviors. It only

makes them fearful of the punishment. When you treat students like they are individuals and

capable of being responsible for their own actions, then they won’t see their consequences as

punishments, but a direct result of their own behavior.

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Reflection on Theory and Practice

In regards to this competency, I learned a lot from my Classroom Management and

Instructional Strategies class. I remember a guest speaker came into the classroom and explained

how she would never raise her voice at a student. When a student refused to cooperate, she

calmly and rationally offered the alternatives, which she knew the student would never want to

take part in. She treated her students like individuals, showing them that their behaviors are a

choice, and how consequences can be a choice as well. She also explained how developing

strong relationships with students and investing time in their success increases their incentive to

display positive behavior. Sometimes I struggle with keeping my voice level when addressing

students, as it can be easy to become carried away when students repeat the same behavior after

given many chances. However, with practice, I believe I will be able to gain a more calm attitude

when addressing these students. I do believe I have developed a good rapport with them, and am

able to address them as if they were individuals instead of nameless learners in the classroom.

From the course materials, we had access to an article that promoted culturally responsive

PBIS. PBIS is defined as the Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports method and has been

widely accepted as a way to encourage positive behavior in students that caters to the individual

instead of using universal punishment. The article (Banks & Obiakor, 2015, p. 84) states “To a

large measure, PBIS is based on the notion that effective behavior change must not only reduce

inappropriate behaviors, but also must teach suitable alternatives. Behavior changes should not

only help the child in the immediate environment, or the short-term; they must also be important

for their life after school, or the long-term.” This quote explains that managing our students’

behaviors does not only make them succeed in our classroom, but we are helping transform into
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the contributing citizens of society we know they can become. The article encompasses that

adhering to their needs as individuals of all different cultural backgrounds can ease this process.

Another article that was referenced highly in this class was “Tearing Down Your

Behavior Chart”. The article’s (Jung & Smith, 2018, p. 12-18) philosophy focused on not

enforcing punitive punishments on students in order to make them feel ashamed for certain

behaviors, but allow them to reflect on their character as a whole. Jung and Smith (2018) state

“We want students to be held accountable in more natural ways and to have a chance to learn the

impact of their actions on others. We want them to build empathy, persistence, or whatever skills

they need to behave appropriately—and for those positive behaviors to become internally

driven.” I have learned that I can sometimes struggle with enforcing good behavior by relying on

punishment instead of modeling good behavior. As an incoming teacher, I should be able to

practice using more positive language when correcting inappropriate behavior and promote

growth in my students.

In the blogging website Teach 4 The Heart, one blogger wrote about how she integrates

her faith into her secular classroom everyday by modeling principles in the Bible everyday for

her students. Loving our neighbors, teaching our children, and exhibiting patience and

understanding are all principles of the Bible. If we model these traits in strong and courageous

ways our students will recognize that there is a different peace inside of us and will want to learn

how they can achieve the same kind of peace. The most compelling verse about modeling

behavior for students comes from Titus 2:7-8 (ESV) “Show yourself in all respects to be a model

of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be

condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” This

verse demands us to become positive role models for our students and achieve classroom
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management by being examples of good character ourselves. I hope to constantly improve on my

ability to manage my classroom and stand as a role model and mentor to each and everyone of

my students to help them build their own character as individuals.

References

Banks, T., & Obiakor, F. (2015, February 12). (PDF) Culturally Responsive Positive
Behavior Supports: Considerations for Practice. Retrieved from https://jets.redfame.com

Jung, L. A., & Smith, D. (2018). Tear Down Your Behavior Chart. In Classroom
Management Reimagined(Vol. 76, pp. 12-18).
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