CLASSROOM & BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

Classroom and Behavior Management

Riley “Caden” Arendt

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 495 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2020

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Introduction

Classroom and behavior management is a crucial aspect of teaching. Lesson success

hinges on effective management. Therefore, classroom rules that will provide clear and

consistent expectations must be carefully thought out and fairly implemented. Students are not

robots that teachers can control, therefore, teachers must take time to instruct their students on

how they should live- they ought to guide students to a desire to do what is right rather than seek

to control them. My aim in classroom and behavior management is to exhort my students to do

what is right as is modeled in 1 Thessalonians 2:11,12: “For you know how like a father with his

children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner

worthy or God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory” (ESV, 2016). It is important that

students critically think about their behavior and how this will impact themselves and others. As

students feel seen and understood, reflect on the impacts of their actions, and are taught the

freedom that is found in rule-following, they will grow in appreciation of what is right and

portraying character.

Rationale of Artifacts

The first artifact chosen for this paper were my classroom rules that I implemented during

student teaching. I developed these rules during UED 406: Classroom Management and

Instructional Strategies at Regent University. I believe these rules cover a wide range of values

that should be held for a classroom. I believe they promote personal responsibility; respect

towards authority, peers, and property; and relational learning. My aim in classroom rules was to

have clear and consistent expectations for all my students. The enforcement of rules is not meant

to be an opportunity for the teacher to deal rewards and consequences; rather, it is to encourage

the students to desire what is right and to grow in character.

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The second artifact is a “behavior think sheet.” The intent of this sheet was to encourage

my students to reflect on their actions when they broke a rule, caused another student to feel hurt,

or showed disrespect. Students would reflect on a series of questions with the knowledge that it

would need to be approved by the teacher and would be sent home to their parent. This

accountability was in place to spur on deeper reflection and a thoughtful plan of improvement. In

this way, students would consider their own next step without the teacher providing it. This

artifact enforces thoughtful consideration of why the rules are in place, reflection of how one’s

actions can impact others, and an understanding of why respect and responsibility are important.

Reflection of Practice

According to Robert Marzano, Jana Marzano, and Debra Pickering, “Teachers play

various roles in a typical classroom, but surely one of the most important is that of a classroom

manager. Effective teaching and learning cannot take place in a poorly managed classroom”

(2003). Statements similar to this have been echoed to my ears countless times from a variety of

textbooks, professors, and other educators. However, no source has portrayed this truth more

clearly than my student teaching experience. The success of my lessons rested on the quality of

my management. It did not matter how prepared or detailed my lessons were, or how strong my

teaching was, if classroom management was not incorporated in planning and enforced

throughout instruction, the lesson would capsize. That statement may sound dramatic, however,

lesson, as so many have affirmed, really does hinge on effective classroom and behavior

management.

In enforcing classroom and behavior management, my intent was always that my students

would learn to desire to do what is right, or, at least, see the value (or purpose) in the rules. It is

my belief that you cannot force a student to do anything. A teacher can only encourage through
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incentive or persuasion. My approach is to persuade students to see the value in following the

rules- to show them there is freedom in following the rules. Galatians 5:1 states, “For freedom

Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery [to sin]”

(ESV, 2016). Here, it is implied that living according to our own (sinful) desire is actually

bondage. However, using our freedom to ‘stand firm’ against sin leads to life. In the same way,

when students follow well-developed rules, they will find that they have more freedom available

to them. Breaking the rules leads to consequences (both natural and enforced) which bind them

from certain freedoms.

To persuade students of this freedom found in following the rules, I sought to build

relationships with them. I have found that when students respect (or even admire) authority, they

desire to follow their example and do what they say. Students do not listen to someone who they

feel does not understand their life (Rademacher, 2018). Therefore, I sought to know my students.

The ‘behavior think sheet’ gave me an opportunity to hear how my students were feeling or

explain why they acted in a particular way. Even though their actions were not excusable it

showed me where I could come alongside of them and encourage them. After reading their

reflections, I would often find a moment where I could ask them to share what frustrations or

other feelings they were having. This would give students a chance to unload feelings they had

been bottling up. Sometimes, this was all that was between them having a good day.
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References

ESV Bible, The Personal Reference Edition. (2016). Crossway. (2001).

Marzano, R.J., Marzano, J.S., & Pickering, D. (2003). Classroom management that works:

research-based strategies for every teacher. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision

and Curriculum Development.

Rademacher, T. (2018, November 26). Our students are talking but we're not listening. Retrieved

April 08, 2021, from https://educationpost.org/our-students-are-talking-but-were-not-

listening/
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Artifact 1: Classroom Rules

Artifact 2: Behavior Think Sheet

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