Zoë Kingsley’s Philosophy of Classroom Organization and Management

The classroom throughout the year not just acts like a home for learning, but social and emotional

growth as well. This is why I believe you need buy in of all your students to make the classroom an

effective place for learning, having fun and making friends. The most effective classrooms are the ones

that are structured, organized and have set routines. If the students know what is expected of them

throughout the day they will follow. This also allows for the classroom to be a place of uninterrupted

learning where ideas can flow (for the most part! As teachers there are always interruptions).

The students shouldn’t feel as though the teacher is making the rules for them, but that they get

to make the rules of their classroom, and be a part of how they get to manage their day, strategies to

implement this effective behavior management could be through rewards systems, class rules/charters

that you make together as a class, through figuring out what hand and quiet signals work best for that

group of learning as each class is different.

This helps make the students accountable not just at the beginning of the year when everything is

new and shiny but throughout the year, as this was what they thought of and created. I agree with the

meaning behind logical consequences and instill it in my teaching. If students want to behave a certain

way, or not follow the rules of our classroom/the class charter then there will be logical consequences of

that behavior, saying you’re going to do something and showing the students logical consequences will in

turn have their understanding of how they need to act in and out of the classroom when at school.

A great working classroom is not just effectively managed but organized. The classroom should

be maintained as clean as possible, neat and organized. This could be through labeled bins for various

classwork, cubbies held for materials, classroom libraries labeled properly where everything has a place.

A clean, and organized classroom is also vital in the students having clear minds and being ready to focus

and work. If everything is messy, and they don’t know where anything is more time will be spent on that,

and less time on producing great work. Student jobs are also an asset where each student knows what

they’re responsible for every week or day and the students understand the value of a job and helping to be

a part of the classroom community, where we work as a team.