Running head: PHILOSOPHY OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 1

Philosophy of Classroom Management

Morningside College

Lesley Valerio Chairez

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An ideal academic room requires the use of classroom management. Components of

classroom management should include clear rules that use discipline effectively to reinforce a

safe environment where students gain the confidence to practice risk taking skills. Finally, the

most crucial element in supporting students is aware of methods to aid their learning better.

Actions like getting to know students better are a step towards supporting students. Teaching

effective discipline and supporting students' art steps toward the students learning the behavior

and how to best act to reflect as outstanding citizens. The theorist Coloroso and Curwin each

have theories based on discipline and classroom environment that support this philosophy.

Coloroso's theory of Inner discipline support student taking ownership of their actions

while still preserving dignity in having the responsibility to handle it individually. (Manning

2013) Discipline is a critical factor in a classroom setting. Setting the moral grounds to ensure all

disruptions in the classroom is handled effectively and authentically. Classroom rules should be

clear in both what the rules mean and what the consequences of not following the rules are. One

of the teacher's unwritten rules in a classroom is teaching students how to behave as citizens who

can self-manage and become lifelong learners. A step towards becoming a citizen can be found

in Curwin's positive discipline. Discipline is helping teaching students certain behaviors or not

acceptable and create a plan to ensure student success. A classroom that neglects discipline and

reinforcement of specific rules will lack a structure found in classroom management.

The classroom environment is strengthening students with the expectation of

unconditional encouragement. Transform the idea of 'I cannot do anything' into 'I have not

started anything yet,' leaving room for improvement and growth along the way. An open mindset

is a healthier state of mind and can be achieved in a safe classroom environment that

demonstrates this mindset. Meeting the needs of students impacts their performance in the
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classroom and their outlook on life. Reaching out to students is essential to show that level of

support. Support must be genuine as students are the first to notice if educators are putting on an

act. (Curwin 2013) Creating a safe environment for the students and ensuring their needs are

among the many ways of providing effective classroom management. If the students' needs are

not met, undoubtedly, the academic needs will not be completed.

Methods to support students show that you believe them using your actions; as the saying

goes, actions speak louder than words. The first step in secondary education is to support a

system that supports students' worth ethic and not a reward system. Students will need more

scaffolding in learning course work, and only praising them does not support learning instead of

only sheer succeeding. The next term is focusing more on student effort and not on their

achievements. A variety of students are going to succeed while others do not or go at their own

pace. The idea is to support the universal effort applied in both situations. The next point is to

continue giving students chances when it comes to making mistakes. It can be easy to forget that

mistakes are more common than success. A message is sent when there is zero-tolerance for

errors, and that is, we do not accept students who keep making mistakes. In both academic and

classroom settings, mistakes are another part of learning and crucial for overcoming their

obstacles. The final important idea is always to include opportunities for students to keep

learning. When a student is behind in another class, the first thing educators would do is pull

them out of another class or recess to catch up. Actions like these prevent the learning

opportunities the student was in before they were pulled out. Learning occurs throughout the

student's life in and outside of school instead of removing opportunities for students. Most of the

academic options given are for advanced students, but in many chances, those who need them

the most struggle with the current content and need options elsewhere to improve. (Curwin 2013)
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Supporting students is essential when scaffolding good behavior and discipline. With

different backgrounds and experiences, students differ significantly from an educator's point of

view. I believe educators should consider that students are not inherently evil and are the

byproduct of their environment—a critical factor in teaching students how to act on good morals

and react to them. If a student has never been taught compassion, it is unrealistic to expect that

same level of understanding back. Teachers in their education achievement insist they get respect

in a classroom, but teachers' needs cannot be met if consideration is not understood. (Mintz

2008) Educators should be shifted to the student's growth and development with both the

classroom content and their behavior well-being towards an understood goal. The goals in which

the students can succeed, along with feeling safe and supported in the classroom. Coloroso

describes an educator that supported and empathized with their students to cultivated originality

were called backbone teachers. (Manning 2013) I believe educators like these balance

psychological and physical needs by providing a safe and stable environment to allow students to

feel safe enough to express their true selves.

One of the most vital classroom management tools can be effectively using

discipline, a safe classroom environment, and a support system. I believe every student can

change and grow as an individual but is greatly influenced by their environment. As educators,

we should work towards behaviors and morals that ensure student learning and success as

outstanding citizens and lifelong learners long after they graduate.

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References

Curwin, R. (2013). Believing in students: the power to make a difference. Reclaiming Children

and Youth, 22(2), 38–39.

Manning, M. L., & Bucher, K. T. (2013). Classroom management: Models, applications, and

cases (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Mintz, A. V. I. (2008). Understanding evil and educating heroes. Journal of Philosophy of

Education, 42(1), 185–196. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9752.2008.00612.x