The Philosophy of Teaching and Classroom Management - Essay Example

My Philosophy of Teaching and Classroom Management Introduction I strongly believe that the key goal of education is to produce knowledgeable, skilled, independent, innovative and ethical individuals who can make a positive contribution to society. In order to realise this, I believe that the role of a teacher is paramount. In as much as teaching is an exciting, rewarding and fulfilling profession, it is also challenging. Studies have shown that teaching can be a very stressful profession mainly due to the intensity of stressors such as student behaviour, poor communications, work demands and guidance issues (McGrath & Huntington, 2007). The implementation of suitable approaches or strategies of teaching and classroom management is one of the major challenges that teachers face in the course of their profession. Basically, the school setting is a very dynamic place since it incorporates a diverse combination of students who contribute to the unique and unpredictable nature of the classroom. In some cases the dynamic nature of the classroom may be advantageous whereas in other cases it may impede of learning. Therefore, it is very essential for teachers to strive towards using suitable teaching and classroom management approaches or strategies. My Philosophy on Teaching The lack of interest and motivation to learn amongst students is one of the key challenges that most teachers face in their profession. This can be mainly attributed to a poor teacher-student relationship. When teachers do not have a good rapport with their students, it is very difficult for the teacher to connect to the students and understand their needs. As a result, students especially those with special learning needs may feel that they are left behind and thus withdraw from learning. I strongly believe that in order for teaching to be effective, there is need for a healthy teacher-student relationship. My personal teaching philosophy is one that accentuates on the need to develop caring and respectful bonds with students. Creating a good rapport with students is very essential since it enables me to easily connect with the students and learn about their interests, talents, strengths and areas of weakness. Good teacher-student relationship promotes a sense of security amongst students such that they are able to open-up and honestly communicate concerning issues related to their learning. As a result, the students are able to receive more guidance and attention from the teacher regarding their learning needs. I believe that by fostering healthy relationship with students, I can create a conducive learning environment and meet the academic, social, emotional and developmental needs of students. A study conducted by Baker (1999) established that good teacher- student interactions greatly contribute to better student outcomes. Furthermore, Hawk et al (2003) demonstrated that when there is a positive teacher-student relationship students feel motivated to learn and they actively participate in learning. Diversity within the classroom is another challenge that a good number of teachers face in their teaching profession. Catering to the diverse learning needs of students is not an easy task. It is worth noting that, every classroom has a diverse combination of students with diverse academic, emotional, social and intellectual needs. Each student has a unique way of learning and relating to others. Therefore, using a standardized approach of teaching may be ineffective when it comes to meeting the unique needs of each student. Employing a student-centered approach when teaching is one of my personal teaching philosophies that I strongly believe in. Based on this philosophy, I see myself as a teacher to be one that involves facilitating and managing students rather than controlling them. By taking up the role of a facilitator and a manager, I get to guide students through their learning as they discover and explore what works for them best rather than dictating to them how they should do things. Using a student-centered approach helps me to efficiently cater to the diverse learning needs of each student. Many studies have shown student-centered approaches to teaching to be more effective and superior than traditional teacher-centred approaches to teaching (Pettus & Blosser, 2001). Student-centered approaches to teaching encourage active learning thus providing students with a platform to formulate questions, solve problems, discuss, debate and explain new ideas. This approach also enables students to work in teams thus encouraging individual accountability and interdependence. Student-centered approaches to teaching also help to motivate and boost the confidence of students (Alexander & Murphy, 2000; Johnson, 1991). As a teacher I strongly believe in allowing the involvement of students in the planning and implementation of curriculum prerequisites. My belief is based on the Reggio Emilia approach. Generally, this philosophy suggests that students should have a certain level of control over the content and direction of their learning. In this case, children should be provided with opportunities to express themselves and they should also be encouraged to learn through experiences of seeing, listening and touching (Caldwell 1997). When using this approach in the classroom, I consider myself not only as an instructor but also as a collaborator and co-learner with the students. I facilitate the learning of the students by planning lessons and activities depending on the interests of the students. I also ask questions and actively engage in learning activities alongside the students so as to enhance their understanding. In addition to this, I strongly believe in allowing students to become progressively self- sustainable during their learning process by prioritizing and encouraging collaborative and student centered initiatives instead of curriculum centered and teacher centered instruction by using constructivist methods that mainly encourage the involvement of children during the learning process (Broderick, 2004). Employing this approach of teaching helps students to become innovative and critical thinkers. It also helps them to acquire problem-solving skills. My philosophy or beliefs in this regard have helped me to overcome challenges relating to the lack of motivation, confidence, innovativeness and independent thinking among students. My philosophy on classroom management Discipline challenges are inevitable in every classroom. There are some instances when students intentionally decide not follow the set rule. This can inturn bring about chaos and dis-organization in the classroom. For instance, noise-making in the classroom is one of the common forms of indiscipline in the classroom. Noise making can disrupt learning and evoke uncouth behaviours within the classroom. As a teacher, I do not believe in the use of unorthodox means of disciplining students and I also do not believe in autocracy within the classroom. An autocratic rule in the classroom or the use of unorthodox means of disciplining students may instil fear or encourage rebellion amongst the students. I strongly believe in creating a warm, fear-free and conducive learning environment where students can freely express themselves while at the same time abiding with classroom rules. As a teacher, I think it is very important to have an initial discussion with the students regarding the classroom rules and expectation. In this case students should be allowed to suggest the rules and expectations that will govern their conduct in the classroom. In addition to this, they should be allowed to provide suggestions on the possible punishment that should be rendered on those who disobey the set rules. Moreover, during such sessions, it is important to make the students understand about the importance of each rule and how the set rules will help them as a class. Personally, I think it is not good to bombard students with rules on the first day however, I think it is important to ensure that student know and understand what is expected of them. Specific and clear rules can avert disruptions in the classroom (Schroer, 2002). After, establishing the classroom rules and expectations, I think it is essential to put the rules in writing and post these rules in the classroom notice board, so that the post can be a constant reminder to the students on what is expected from them in the classroom. Students especially those in the pre-school and primary years tend to forget easily, therefore, when these rules are written and posted, they can constantly remember how they are expected to conduct themselves in the classroom. There should also be consistency when it comes to disciplining students. Any laxity or negligence when it comes to disciplining students, may cause students to disregard the classroom rules, therefore, it is always important for teachers to be consistent and vigilant when it comes to disciplining errant students. In addition, in order to reinforce good behaviour and discipline in the classroom, I believe it is essential to reward good behaviour. This particular outlook is based on a behavioural theory and is in line Frederic Jones’ philosophy on classroom management. Jones emphasizes on the need to rewards students when they portray exceptional behaviour (Hardin, 2004). I believe that students learn better through their experiences, relationships and interactions with others. Students cannot learn effectively if they solely rely on textbooks rather they learn effectively by being actively involved in various learning activities that may involve the manipulation of materials or data among many other activities. For example, providing pre-school learners with building blocks to use during the learning process can help the students to develop hand to eye coordination and problem solving capabilities (Broderick 2004). Furthermore, creating a class debate session or using of concrete representations such as card numbers, pop-sticks and Multi-base Arithmetic Blocks (MAB) can help students learn better about a particular issue or a concept. I believe that my role as a teacher is imperative when it comes to developing an environment where students can actively participate in different learning activities and constructively interact with others. In order to create such a learning environment, first of all, it is important to plan in advance. As a teacher, it is important for me to ensure that sufficient time and space is allocated for the children to engage in various learning activities. This can be realised by developing a simple timetable. The space for conducting various learning activities also needs to be scheduled and prepared in advance in order to avert conflicts or squabbles over insufficient resources or materials such building blocks, card numbers, pop-sticks and Multi-base Arithmetic Blocks (MAB) and plastic clay among many other resources(Broderick 2004). Hence, it is important to budget before hand for the available resources based on the number of children. Alternatively, one can schedule different activity participation times for different groups of students so as to enable each individual child to have adequate time and resources. Additionally, the creative sessions must also be scheduled and planned for in advance. Every student must be allowed space, time and materials to express their creativity and individuality. It is also important for to schedule, group sessions so as to provide students with a platform to interact with others and exchange ideas. One of the theorists that I can identify with most when it comes to classroom management is Jacob Kounin. I can identify myself with Kounin’s views mainly because he accentuates on the importance of preparation on the part of teachers. I strongly believe that it is important for teachers to be well prepared before they embark on their lessons. Just like Kounin, I believe that it is essential for keep students happy and active. When students get bored they will not pay attention in class (Tauber, 2007). Therefore, it is essential to incorporate strategies such as physical and play-based activities in the course of learning so as to capture the attention of students in the classroom at all times. As a teacher, I endeavor to incorporate various physical and play based activities during the learning process in order to ensure that students become physically active. I strongly believe that a healthy body contributes to a healthy mind (MacNaughton 2003). Furthermore, I believe that physical and play-based activities help to improve the learning of students since play activities capture the attention of students and help them to construct meaning from their experiences (Singer et al, 2006). This philosophy has overtime helped me to address challenges such as students’ poor academic performance, lack of concentration and lack of motivation to learn. References Alexander, P., & Murphy, P. (2000). The research base for APA's leaner-centered psychological principles. In N. Lambert, & B. McCombs (Eds.), How students learn (pp. 25-60). Washington, D.D.: American Psychological Association. Baker, J. (1999).Teacher –student interaction in urban at-risk classrooms: Differential behaviour, relationship quality and student satisfaction with school. The Elementary School Journal 100(1), pp. 57-70. Broderick, J.T. (2004). Initiating experiences with clay and drawing as dynamic conversations. Canadian Children, 29 (2), 7-13. Caldwell, L. (1997). Bringing Reggio Emilia Home: An innovative approach to early childhood learning. New York: Teachers College Press. Hardin, J. (2004). Effective classroom management: models and strategies for today’s classroom. Virginia: Prentice Hall. Hawk,K., Cowley, T., Hill, J. & Sutherland, S. (2003). The importance of the student- teacher relationship for Maori and Pasifika students. Set: Research Information for Teachers 3, 44-49. Johnson, D. (1991). Student-student interaction: The neglected variable in education. Educational Research, 10(1), 5-10. McGrath, B. & Huntington, A.(2007). The Health and Wellbeing of Adults working in Early Childhood Education, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, Vol. 32, No. 3,pp 33-38 MacNaughton, G. (2003). Shaping early childhood: learners, curriculum and contexts. New York: McGraw Hill International Pettus, A. & Blosser, M. (2001). Teaching science in the block. New York: Eye on Education. Schroer, P. (2002). Philosophy of Classroom Management. Retrieved on March 15, 2012 from                                                                                                                                              Singer, D., Golonkoff, R. & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2006). Play=Learning: How play motivates and enhances children’s cognitive and social-emotional growth. New York: Oxford University Press Tauber, R. (2007). Classroom management: sound theory and effective practise. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. Read More