Classroom Management Philosophy

By: Kailee Gilhooly 

April 2020
Students and teachers are the first part of a classroom, but there are many more
underlying parts in a classroom. Students need a clear, solid structure in a classroom with
expectations, procedures, and a safe setting. Students will have expectations to allow them to
know how they are expected to act in my classroom. Students learn how to behave throughout all
their years of schooling and from their lives at home. Since every student has a different home
life teacher must provide students with the structure of expectations to help them to know how to
behave in the classroom. The following expectations will be implemented as part of my
classroom management.
1. Be a good listener
2. Be honest
3. Treat others how I want to be treated 
4. Always try my best! 
The students will learn about these expectations through the first week and continue to
model and practice them throughout the rest of the year. Along with these class expectations
students are allowed to add other expectations and have a voice in establishing the expectations.
When appropriate students should be allowed to make their own choices or decisions.
Students are going to be spending the whole year with me and I want them to know I am their
teacher, but that does not mean my mind is set in place. They are going to have their own
opportunities, along with these opportunities they will be able to make choices. Some choices
that they may have are in regard to their work, partners, and other things that come up
throughout the school year. There will still be times where students will just be given things, but
it will not be all of the time. I believe allowing students a choice every once in a while, will
create stronger, positive relationships. 
My role as the teacher in the classroom is just as an important role as the students. As a
teacher, I plan to be both the facilitator and a guide while still being in charge. It has to be known
that I am in charge as the teacher and that students are expected to follow directions and listen to
me, but I do not want to just be a boss. I want to be a guide for students. I want to lead students
on a tiny part of their path through life. I think that also being a facilitator will provide students
with the content knowledge they learn each grade. I also want students to have the chance to be a
facilitator through things like different class projects and providing their peers with the
information they have learned and mastered. 
As a teacher, I want to be able to work in different ways to be able to manage my
students. One way I plan to manage students is through the idea of whole brain teaching. Whole-
brain teaching allows students to become more knowledgeable in teaching. This is the concept of
combining direct teaching instruction with sharing and feedback. Along with this whole brain
teaching actively engages students using songs, movement, gestures, and dances into teaching.
There will be different gestures when gaining the class’s attention using different classroom. Cue
systems. Part of my plan to manage students is allowing them to move and be active in the
classroom. Activity in the classroom is so important to help students focus when
learning. Another part of my classroom management plan is to use technology for classroom
management, for example Class Dojo. This is a website or app that teachers can use to award
students individually or as a whole class for following directions or being respectful.
Along with whole brain teaching, I like the idea of abolitionist teaching from Bettina
Love. I like the idea because it is as much about tearing down old structures and ways of
thinking as it is about forming new ideas. I plan to help students break down old structures that
are not a great fit for them and to help them find new ways to build their structure in a way that
supports them.
There are two different quotes that stood out to me as I was thinking about how to create
my classroom management style and a positive learning environment. The first is a quote from
Nelson Mandela. I liked this quote because it is a reminder to me that teachers are changing the
world one student at a time. The second quote comes from George Evans. This quote is more
directed at students directed, encouraging and reminding them they are all different, but they are
all capable of learning, even if they learn differently.