Portfolio D

My Classroom Management Philosophy

“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it’s our job to share our
calm not to join their chaos.”
- L.R. Knost

Classroom management is more than just managing a classroom and keeping it calm. It’s
about the relationship and the build of the classroom that helps students to feel comfortable and
feel like they belong. I love this quote that I found about teaching students and helping them with
their emotions. It doesn’t even just need to apply to “little people”, it can apply to older students
as well. When students are emotionally overwhelmed and turn to a teacher, they are not looking
for that person to make them feel bad about their emotions or to make their matters worse, they
are looking for help and understanding. I would hope that my future classroom is a place where
students can bring their emotions and we can work through them together to make them feel
okay again. I do not expect students to come to my classroom whole or completely perfect, but I
would hope that by being in my classroom and creating a warm and comfortable environment,
that students can be built up and potentially leave better than they arrived. I plan to create this
environment through following my classroom management plan and always remembering that it
is not my job to join in on the chaos but to share my calm. Below is my classroom plan and
philosophy, that I feel will help my future students and create a good classroom environment.

My Beliefs About Students:

I believe that students should be shown and taught how to act in a classroom. They will
all arrive with their different experiences, backgrounds, emotions, and perceptions, and it is the
teacher’s job to show and teach them how to act within the classroom. This includes teaching
them what things like kindness, self-control, responsibility, and respect look like in the
classroom. While some students might naturally be talkative or active, I do not think that it is of
most student’s intentions to be disruptive or bother others, and therefore I do not think that
students should be “molded” to behave appropriately. I think students might need to be shown
how to act and reminded that some things are not appropriate or necessary in the classroom, but
at the end of the day—I will always try to believe that students have the best intentions. I feel
that the best way that teachers can establish these classroom aspects is by spending time at the
beginning of the year to teach rules and routines to students and remaining consistent. It is
important to remain consistent and not let these rules and routines dwindle throughout the year.
They can always be revisited and re-evaluated throughout the year, but I think that students
thrive off consistency and deserve it. I also believe that students need to be treated as equals. No
two students are the same, and therefore will require different things within the classroom. Some
students might require more attention or one on one work, some students might need more time
to process things, some students might require visual aids or physical representations of things,
but regardless of what a student needs- it is my job to provide the best learning experience for
that student and accommodate for them.

My Beliefs About Teachers’ Roles:

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 I see myself as a facilitator in the classroom. While I will sometimes have to be the boss
and really have a backbone with students to make sure that they are following the rules, being
safe, and treating each other correctly, I see myself as someone who is more of a helper and
facilitator than a boss. I think that a teacher should be a good mix of someone who knows when
to put their foot down, but still approachable, empathetic, and courteous with students. The
teacher should not be the only person who implements and creates things in the classroom. In
fact, it is just as much the student’s classroom as it is the teacher’s, and therefore they should
also have some sort of control in it as well. They should be able to help make the rules,
consequences, and decisions in coherence with their students. I feel as though the teacher’s job is
to manage students, instead of discipline them. A teacher should keep them under control, help
them to make the right decisions, and help them learn, but not punish them or discipline them. A
teacher should help them to grow from their mistakes and teach them what to do better next time,
instead of giving them punishments. Sometimes boundaries are necessary and certain
circumstances lead to certain consequences, but I feel that a teacher’s job in the classroom is
more to facilitate instead of discipline.

My Beliefs About Managing the Classroom:

I do think that acknowledging good behavior is important, but I wouldn’t say I plan on
necessarily “rewarding” good behavior in my future classroom. Because I expect students to
have good behavior, I don’t think receiving a reward for having good behavior is exactly
necessary. However, when students have particularly good or noticeable behavior, I think
acknowledging that for other students to see is important. This way the student is acknowledged
and noticed, and that other students can see a good example of the expectations within our
classroom. I think that using classroom systems like “brag tags” or classroom shout outs is a
good way to acknowledge this behavior in a positive and appreciable way. When I (or another
student, teacher, or classroom guest) notices a student having particularly good behavior, they
might fill out a classroom shout out (shown/explained below), or mention something to me about
that student receiving a brag tag (shown/explained below). With this in mind, I think that it is the
point of classroom management to teach students to supervise and discipline themselves and
make the right decisions. It is not my job to be a babysitter when it comes to behavior, but rather
to show and teach students how to act and how to manage themselves in the classroom. Of
course, if a situation came up where I was needed to manage a situation or intervene, I would.
But I think that giving students the opportunity to problem solve and work out conflict is
important. They will not always have someone to work things out for them, which is why I think
it’s important to encourage them to be independent, but also to know when to ask for help. I want
my students to be able to trust me and confide in me, but I think teaching students how to be
problem solvers is important, especially as a teacher. As far as using a school-adopted classroom
management program or using my own management practices, I think I would do both. I would
want to remain consistent for students and incorporate the school-adopted program so that they
are familiar with it and that I am following along with school policy and procedure. However, if
there were certain elements or procedures that weren’t part of the program that I found to be
necessary, I would implement those into my classroom. As far as implementing specific
classroom management procedures like call and responses, check in/check out, hand signals, etc.,
I would likely try to do something similar to what other teacher’s in my school do, but use my
own that work for my teaching style and for my students. Again, I want to remain consistent for
students, but also use what works best for them. If something doesn’t work well in my

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classroom, I would likely find a way to adjust or modify it to make it work for my students,
because to me, they are most important.

My Classroom Management Plan

Classroom Design and Layout:
 I, personally, love the idea of having table groups for students. I think they create a sense
of unity and provide students with the opportunity to get to know each other in a close-
knit setting. I also think that it’s a way to manage the students better, as you can easily
see if a student is missing from a table group or if a group is off task. It also provides
responsibility, as table groups can ask each other for help if needed or work together on a
given assignment as a small team, instead of working together as an entire class. I would
change this seating arrangement every month or so, to get students to get to know each
other and have the opportunity to work with other types of learners.
(Photo example below)

 I think it is important to make our classroom accessible to all students. I would hope to
have a decent amount of space between groups and open floor space so that students can
spread things out on the floor if necessary or have the opportunity to do activities as a
group on the floor. This also includes flexible seating arrangements (bean bags, wobble
chairs, pillows, etc.) and for students to be able to move about the classroom without
feeling confined.

 Our classroom door would likely remain shut during instruction and group activities to
hinder the amount of disturbances from other classrooms, but also to ensure that we do
not disturb other classrooms. This is not to say that other students, teachers, or guests are
not welcome in our classroom, but rather that when we are in our classroom we want to
be present with what is going on and not distracted by things outside.

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 I also think it is important to have alternative lighting and noise in our classroom.
Sometimes having all the lights on in the class can be harsh for students or create a
certain mood in the classroom. I love the idea of having lamps in the classroom or having
strings of lights, because I think they set a certain mood for students (such as during
reading or silent work time). In addition to this, I love the idea of playing music or having
a noise machine in our classroom. Nothing super loud or distracting, but rather something
calming to give students background noise while they work. I know that sometimes I
work best when I have a little bit of background noise, so having calming music or noises
(waves or rain) or even opening a window might be helpful for students when they are
working.
(Photo example below)

 Our classroom would also have a “calm down corner”, where students could go if they
just need a minute alone or need to collect themselves and their emotions. This would
likely be in the back of the classroom with pillows, sensory toys, and a timer so that
students can rejoin the group within a given amount of time. Students would have the
option to go to this part of the classroom any time for any reason. It is meant to be a safe
spot where students can be alone and gather themselves.
(Photo example below)

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  Depending on the age of the students, I would have a “classroom carpet” or selected spots
on the floor for students to sit on when we are doing things as a class. One of the
classrooms I have been in had “sit spots”, where each student was assigned to sit in a
specific spot or on a specific color for “carpet time”. This way it avoids having students
clustered together and gives each student their own space and designated spot. The spots
were strategically spaced certain lengths apart to give students enough space to
themselves. These spots are also a good way to release or group students, for example,
the teacher might say “The red row has been very quiet and sitting nicely, you may go
line up for recess first.” These dots could also be used for other classroom activities (such
as math or team building activities).
(Photo example shown below)

Classroom Climate: Class Structure, Rules, Routines, Procedures, and Policies

 Classroom jobs: I love the idea of having classroom jobs in a class. It relieves the
teacher of having to do so much work, and gives the students responsibility in the
classroom. Below are some of the ideas for classroom jobs that I would implement into
my classroom:
o Paper Passer (passes out papers to class)
o Librarian (makes sure that classroom library is clean/organized)
o Line leader (leads the line down the hallway and is the beginning of line)
o Messenger (takes messages/notes to the office or other teachers)
o Chair monitor (ensures chairs are pushed in & then stacked at the end of the day)
o Light patrol (turns off lights when we leave the classroom or during the day when
needed)
o Door holder (stands behind line leader in line & holds the door open for our class)
o Lunch tub carrier (one or two students, carries lunches if needed)
o Computer station manager (manages/organizes computer station)
 Check in/check out: I think it is really important to know where my students are when
they are at school. Not because I want to control them, but because they are under my
supervision/responsibility and I want to ensure that if anything were to happen-- I know
where they are and what they are doing. I plan to have a classroom sign out sheet next to

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 the door to keep track of students going in and out of the classroom. They can write their
name, time in, time out, and where they are going. This way in an emergency, I can know
who is out and where that student is.
 Entering the classroom: When students enter the classroom at any given time of day, it
is expected that they enter quietly and while walking. If students are noisy or rowdy when
they come in to the class, they may be asked to go outside and try again while following
our classroom expectations. This procedure is similar to how I expect them to walk in the
hallways.
 Morning work/routine: When students enter the classroom in the morning, it is
expected that they enter the classroom, take care of necessary business, and then look to
the board for instructions. “Taking care of necessary business” might include; going to
the bathroom, putting their backpack away, turning in an assignment, giving the teacher a
note, putting their lunch away, etc. Instructions for morning work will be on the board.
This way students can come in and have time to themselves and get ready for the day
before we jump into instruction. Morning work might be a short writing prompt or
activity that the teacher assigns.
 Take home folder: Students will each have a take home folder that includes different
notes, homework, or parent communication. This is a way that I intend to communicate
with parents and families (as well as through Class Dojo). I will put my weekly
newsletter, homework, important notes, etc. in the student’s take home folders for parents
to view and reply to me. If I find that the folder is not working for a particular student or
group of students, I would use an email or other form of communication that worked
better.
 Brag Tags: I love the idea of brag tags! I think they are so fun and a great way to show
student achievement and behavior in the classroom. Brag tags are attainable for any
student, for many different reasons. I think they are good to show student progress over
the year, and to show parents and families their student’s behavior achievements in the
classroom. These are also a way to implement a growth mindset for students and promote
positivity. Brag tags do not have to be acknowledged only by the teacher. If another
student or guest feels that a student has exemplified a specific brag tag behavior, they are
welcome to let the teacher know to give the student a tag.
(Examples shown below)

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 Classroom shout outs: I love the idea of allowing students, teachers, and guests to give
classroom shout outs! It’s a fun way to allow students to anonymously (or knowingly)
give shout outs to each other for things they do at school. It might be a good behavior
such as, “Suzy, thanks for being a good friend and helping me carry my books. –Joan” or
it could be “Suzy, I noticed you’ve been working really hard in math. Keep up the good
work! –Joan”. We would have a small bucket or box for shout outs placed in our
classroom, and read every Friday or whenever they are full. This way students are
acknowledged for their behavior, and are being acknowledged by their peers (who
therefore are recognizing their good example of behavior). This is a great way to promote
positive behavior, build community within the classroom, and build relationships
between students.
 Absent students: As Evertson and Emmer outline on page 55, “When students are
absent, they miss instruction, directions for assignments, and assistance they may need in
getting tasks under way.” Having absent students is difficult sometimes because it
requires the teacher to catch up students while keep other students on track. I would plan
to have an “absent folder” that I put on student’s desks when they are absent. This absent
folder sits on their desk all day and collects papers and activities that are passed out
during the day (paper passer or table mates are responsible for putting papers in the
absent folder as they get passed out). When the student returns from being absent, part of
their “morning business” to take care of is to then come to the teacher with the absent
folder and get further instruction or establish what the teacher wants the student to make
up. The absent folder then becomes the student’s work folder (to keep at school or take
home) until they have completed the necessary assignments. If the student has been gone
for a long duration of time, the student and teacher may have a short meeting to discuss
make up work.
 Monitoring completion of assignments: Evertson and Emmer also outline on page 57
that teachers “may give students individual checklists to help them keep track of their
own assignments.” I was once in a classroom where each student had a laminated
erasable checklist on their desk that was their “Ticket to Friday Fun”. Throughout the
week as they received assignments they would add them to their checklist or “ticket” and
check them off as they completed them. Then on Friday, they had a “Friday Fun” time

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 where if students finished all of their work on their ticket, they got to play games or do
something fun of their choice. However, if they didn’t finish their assignments, that was
the time for them to make up their work and complete it. I loved this procedure, because
it was a way for students to keep track of things that they needed to do, and served as a
form of motivation to get things done throughout the week. It also gave students time to
have fun at the end of the week, or to catch up on necessary work, instead of getting
further behind. This ticket is also a good way for students to see what they can do if they
have free time throughout the week in their classroom. For example, if they finish early
with something, they can see what they haven’t completed yet on their “Friday Fun
Ticket”, and work on that.

*There are several other management procedures that I would plan to implement, but these were
just a few for reference!

Student Expectations for Teacher:

As your teacher, I promise…
 To teach you all that I can, but also learn all that I can from you
 To always set an honest and trustworthy example for you
 To encourage and support you in all things, and challenge you to reach
your full potential
 To provide a positive, comfortable, and welcoming environment for you to
express who you are and where you come from
 To listen to your ideas and encourage you to never stop growing or
thinking
 To hold you accountable, but not hold things against you
 To do all that I can to set you up for success and make 4th grade the best!

Teacher Expectations for Students

In return, as your teacher, I expect you to…
 Be a learner but also help to teach others
 Be honest, respectful, kind, and safe in our classroom
 Try your best and help others to do their best
 Follow our classroom rules
 Treat our classroom with respect
 Listen to others
 Have fun in 4th grade!

Teaching and Learning 405 Reflection

Throughout this course, I feel as though I learned a lot about managing a classroom, but

also a lot about myself as a future teacher. I always thought of myself as a very “OCD” and

“high maintenance” individual, but as I look over my classroom philosophy, I am more laid back

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than I thought I was. I learned that I am more flexible, and less high maintenance. Through

making my philosophy and responding to given situations in our assigned portfolios, I realized

that as much as I am organized and love to have things in order, I am also very open to working

with things as needed and making adjustments for students. I think that creating this philosophy

showed me how I expect to run my future classroom and that I really want to leave it up to the

students as well, because it is just as much their classroom as it is mine. I want to create a very

homey and comfortable classroom environment. I think that showing students that the classroom

is theirs and a place that they can be themselves and be at home, will create a better learning

experience.

This course also taught me that classroom management is not just having control over the

classroom. While having control over the classroom is part of it, it’s also the environment you

choose to create, the procedures and policies you put into place, and how people feel when they

are in your classroom. A controlling teacher isn’t always a good teacher. In fact, they might

create a barrier or distance with their students by becoming more of a boss or babysitter, instead

of being a facilitator. Though this might seem obvious, a teacher’s job is to teach students, not to

discipline them, constantly be correcting them, or bossing them around. It’s about helping them

grow and develop through time, effort, and love. I think that students will sometimes need

someone to truly be devoted to them and put in consistent work with them to help build them up

and give them confidence for their future. In response to this, as much as people think that a

teacher just teaches students reading, math, and science, a teacher is also building them and

supporting them in many different areas that are far outside of the curriculum.

I appreciate how much this course has taught me, because it truly helped me to evaluate

myself as a future teacher. It prepared me to face difficult situations and plan for how I want to

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handle them. I also appreciate how this course was laid out, and directly helped me to create

plans and ideas that I know I will use in the future. In a year from now when I am hopefully

gearing up to have my first classroom, I know that I will refer to my responses about my

classroom layout, procedures, parent/teacher communication, and my classroom philosophy, and

not have to worry about creating those things as a future teacher, because they’re already done.

Thank you, Joni, for all that you have taught us this semester, and the time and effort you

have put in to developing us as future teachers. It truly goes a long way!

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