Approaches to Teaching and

Learning
Philosophy of Education and Classroom Management Plan

Education Philosophy
I believe that every child is a unique individual who deserves to feel safe, cared for and
provided with an atmosphere that stimulates their creativity and curiosity, allowing for
growth emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially. I believe Bertalanffy's Systems
Thinking theory of educating the whole child and not segmenting their abilities, I
understand that I order to do this successfully, I must draw upon Gardeners theory of
Multiple Intelligence, and individualise students learning approaches. As an educator I
hope to inspire and facilitate in the advancement in knowledge and individual growth,
enabling them to reach their fullest potential. I aim to assist children in moving towards
independence, expressing their own opinions and developing their own ideas.
From Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, I understand that it is important for students to feel
safe before they are able to successful learners; it is therefore my role as a teacher, to
nurture, guide and provide the opportunity to foster learning and advanced knowledge in
all areas of my teaching. I plan to develop curriculum that is centred around students
interests to foster intrinsic motivation to stimulate the passion to learn. I draw from
Bruner's Discovery Learning and believe that a student being given a problem solving
question that allows them to draw from past experiences and previous knowledge is of
extreme benefit for the child. I will allow all members of the class to voice their opinion,
generate their own ideas and work together with them to set both short term and long
term goals for their learning. I will work towards being engaging and catering for all
learning styles by encouraging thinking and learning, seeking questions and finding
answers, creating an inclusive, positive and motivational classroom that focuses on
respect for all of its members.
For me, teaching provides an opportunity to become a physically active role model to the
future. By promoting a healthy lifestyle, positive ways to engage in relationships and
focus on model behaviour based teaching, I can aim to enhance student learning and
engagement. This is an essential part in preventing the loss of courteous, respectful and
kindness in our future generations. This belief draws upon the humanist theory about
believing that it is necessary to study and develop the person as a whole, this too
includes developing healthy mannerisms in students.
I am a compassionate, strong, dedicated and excited for my future of teaching and
shaping children. I am excited to be able to share my knowledge and passion and I will
forever strive to further develop myself and be the best educator I can be.
I intend to take a constructivist approach by assisting the progress of self-reliant
students, expressing opinions that are their own and encouraging the spark of individual
ideas. Discipline and behaviour management is important in ensuring my students are
being respectful to all; I support using preventative and supportive behaviour strategies.
If I need to correct a students behaviour I will do so by giving the necessary discipline,
and then allow the student to have a fresh start. I believe in the acknowledgement of
desired behaviour as a powerful tool in my behaviour management.
Learning Theories I Draw From

COGNITISM
Focuses on the inner mental activities opening the black box of the human mind is
valuable and necessary for understanding how people learn. Mental processes such as
thinking, memory, knowing, and problem-solving need to be explored.
CONSTRUCTIVISM
States that learning is an active, contextualised process of constructing knowledge rather
than acquiring it. Knowledge is constructed based on personal experiences and
hypotheses of the environment. Learners continuously test these hypotheses through
social negotiation. Each person has a different interpretation and construction of
knowledge process.
HUMANISTS
Believe that it is necessary to study the person as a whole, especially as an individual
grows and develops over the lifespan. It follows that the study of the self, motivation, and
goals are areas of particular interest.
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
- Leon Festinger (1919-1989)
Cognitive dissonance refers to the uncomfortable feeling that occurs when there is a
conflict between ones belief and behavior.
DISCOVERY LEARNING
- Jerome Bruner 1915
Discovery learning is an inquiry-based, constructivist learning theory that takes place in
problem solving situations where the learner draws on his or her own past experience
and existing knowledge to discover facts and relationships and new truths to be learned.
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING
Rather than having a teacher provide facts and then testing students ability to recall
these facts via memorisation, PBL attempts to get students to apply knowledge to new
situations. Students are faced with contextualised, ill-structured problems and are asked
to investigate and discover meaningful solutions.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Daniel Goleman (1995)
- Howard Gardner (1983)
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is defined as the ability to identify, assess, and control ones
own emotions, the emotions of others, and that of groups.
MASLOWS HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Abraham Maslow (1908 1970)
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs (often represented as a pyramid with five levels of needs) is
a motivational theory in psychology that argues that while people aim to meet basic
needs, they seek to meet successively higher needs in the form of a pyramid.
BLOOMS TAXONOMY
- Benjamin S. Bloom (1913-1999)
Blooms model consists of six levels, with the three lower levels (knowledge,
comprehension, and application) being more basic than the higher levels (analysis,
synthesis, and evaluation)
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES THEORY (GARDNER)
- Howard Gardner (1943-)
Multiple Intelligences Theory posits that there are seven ways people understand in the
world, described by Gardner as seven intelligences.
SYSTEMS THINKINg

- Ludwig von Bertalanffy, Peter Checkland, Peter Senge, Donella Meadows

Systems thinking can be described as the ability to think about a system as a whole,
rather than only thinking about its individual parts.

My Responsibility as a Teacher, is to:

-

Always be punctual, organised and prepared for all classes.

Encourage, facilitate and motivate student learning.
Ensure that all students in my care are and feel safe.
Model exemplary behaviour in the classroom and execute my
classroom management plan.
Provide an excellent level of care to all students.
Monitor, evaluate and report on a students progress in the key
learning areas.
Be a fair, empathetic, consistent and approachable mentor and role
model.
Be consistent in my execution of my classroom management plan.

Classroom Structure
I believe that classroom structure is n important way to help develop classroom
culture. I would structure my classroom in a routine that began with a positive
greeting asking them to enter the room and taking a seat. I would then use a
variation of Marzanos theories and GANAG by Pollock (Marzano, et al. 2001) as a
lesson template to run a typical lesson; the following structure is the variation
that I would use.
Lesson Objectives/ Learning Intentions: I would write these on the board at the
beginning of class and make sure every student is aware of and understands
what they will be learning during the lesson.
Prior Knowledge: finding out what information the students already know about
the topic planning on being taught is important. This can be done by creating a
mind map and through asking students to find out what they already know.
New Information: this is where the new information is presented for the topic.
This can be done in a variety of ways. One way could be the use of PowerPoint
presentations.
Apply Knowledge: once new knowledge is presented; the students should use
higher-order processing skills in order to best learn. To do this I will use various
activities and questions that are applicable to the content learnt.
Lesson Objective/ Learning Intention Revised: whatever work hasnt been
completed at the end of the lesson will be expected to be finished as homework.
The goal of the lesson will be reviewed and each student will be asked to write 35 dot points of what they learnt today or create a small brainstorm.
The following headings I would have laminated and on magnets and brought with
me to each classroom to help keep the above structure:
-

Date
Todays Topic
Learning Intention
Learning Tasks
Homework

Reflection
Review Prior Knowledge

Classroom Culture:
The culture of my classroom will be one of a positive learning
environment. I will create a space that promotes:
-

An increased engagement of students

A safe learning environment
Student participation and collaboration
Respect for all members in the classroom
The right to have a voice and express thoughts and ideas
Trust and student choice
The embracement of individuality
Student interaction with each other and myself

I will at all times aim to be fair, unbiased, easily approachable, eager to

help and knowledgeable. I will work towards creating my classroom to be
united and have a community feel that fosters and enhances student
learning, goal setting and achievement.
Learning Environment:
I would set up my
classroom as an open
space by arranging
tables into groups and
situating my desk
towards the front of
the room. The concept
of Professional
Learning
Teams/Groups I
believe to be really
effective; I will divide
my class into PLTs, giving each group a permanent table and space for
learning. I want to create an inviting feel in my classroom, to do this I will
have a bright environment displaying students work and activities. I also
believe that it is important to learn organisation, I would have a class
calendar that had all assessment dates, school holidays, sporting events
etc. to help encourage this.
The above image is an example of how I would structure my classroom. This
structure allows for maximum participation for all students and also create a
positive learning environment that is surrounded by class work.

Classroom Rules and Regulations:

I would use a student centred approach, by negotiating with the students on the
first day of class and allowing for their input; together we would develop the
classroom rules and consequences. By allowing students to help dictate the
rules, it puts the ownership onto themselves and creates a responsibility for the
whole class to uphold the rules. Rules that reflect my classroom culture of
diversity, individuality, inclusion and positivity are written below.
1. Positivity: Every student should adopt a positive attitude when in my
classroom. When students are having a bad day, they are expected to
leave it at the door and enter in a positive manner.
2. Encouragement: Every student will have the encouragement, from all in
the class, to learn and grow.
3. Honesty: Every student is expected to be honest in every situation.
4. Respect: Students are encouraged to have discussions and debates in
class, however whilst doing so, everyone should be given the respect of
the rest of the class listening. Disrespect towards peers or myself will not
be tolerated.
5. Try: Students are expected to try to the best of their abilities.
6. Punctual: Everyone is expected to arrive on time to class. Arriving late is
disruptive and can mean vital information is missed.
These rules are linked to Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences: to
remember that everyone learns in a different way and to ensure that all students
are aware and understand that its okay to do things differently, we must still
adhere to the above morals.
Preventative Measures:
1. Explain the Rules and Regulations
Once the rules have been created with the class, they will be re-explained
to all students. This way students can be held accountable for all rules and
regulations as they have been informed of what they are.
2. Treat all Students with Respect:
I will treat all of my students with respect and talk to them as adults. I
expect them to treat me with the same respect that I show them, so if I
dont treat them respectfully, I cant ask for them to treat me any
differently.
3. Keep the Classes Interesting:
I will mix up the way I deliver lessons, to meet the learning needs of all
students and to keep them engaged and interested.
4. Create an Environment thats Positive:
Every Lesson plan will be designed for all students, regardless of their
abilities, and will promote an environment where all can be successful. The
lessons will be fun and interesting to maintain student engagement.
Rule Consequences:
Once the rules have been presented and understood to all students, I expect
them to be adhered to. If for whatever reason they are broken, I will follow a
restorative approach (Dublin 2016) and try to find the underlying reasons for why
they are acting in the disrespectful manner. The following will occur:

1. The first time a student breaks a rule, the student will be issued with a
warning and reminded of the rules of the classroom, and the one they
have broken.
2. The second time a student breaks a rule, they will be moved away from
where they are seated and sit at a table alone without distractions.
3. The third time a student breaks a rule, a meeting with the student will be
organised, either after class or at a recess or lunch time. At this meeting
we will discuss why the rule was broken and what we can do together to
help their behaviour.
4. The fourth time a student breaks a rule, a meeting between the student,
myself and either a coordinator, the parents, principle, etc. will be
organised. The severity of the rule broken will determine who is present at
the meeting. At this meeting the student is also expected to write an
apology letter, outlining the reason why this behaviour has occurred.
Upon the breaking of a rule the fourth time, it is expected that by the end of the
meeting, the underlying issue will be brought to the surface and this can then be
dealt with. By having this approach with behaviour management, the student is
unlikely to get punished severely from an action that could be the result of many
other situations, eg. Family life. The student is also able to learn in a positive way
that their actions are unacceptable and that they will be helped and guided in
changing their ways.
Seeking Help:
As a teacher, it is important that I am able to pursue help when I am in need of
it, either when a student isnt learning or if there are any issues with behaviour
that I am unsuccessful with dealing with. If after trying to resolve the issue
myself proves to be not beneficial; I would first go to the year level coordinator
(or equivalent) and consider strategies that I could adopt. If I believed that a
student was having problems at home or outside of school, then I would speak to
a member of student welfare or the school counsellor for advice on the most
effective way of addressing the problem. I would also speak to the student and
advise them of whom they should speak to. If a problem was severe, then I would
organise a meeting with the principle to discuss the matter at hand.
If I was struggling with curriculum or engagement of a student, then I would seek
help from other areas. I would look to other teachers in the same department
and ask for their advice, then if I still needed extra help I would talk to the
teachers in charge of the faculty that I am struggling with, be it PE, Health or
Science/Biology.
Classroom Management Plan Example:
An example of how I implemented my classroom management plan was whilst
undertaking placement at Penola Catholic College. I was teaching Lacrosse to a
group of year 9 students; I began the class by introducing Lacrosse and from the
beginning students began to talk over me, having their own conversations and
mucking around. This continued throughout the whole class, and it was
challenging as being on crutches made it really hard to control the group. I
struggled to get through the activities and content that was planned as the
students were not engaged and reluctant to participate. I knew that I needed to
think about some strategies that would discipline the class and allow me to gain
control of the class and get them engaged again. I began to stop and stare at

those who were speaking, instead of continuing to explain what we were doing. I
would just wait until they understood that I was waiting for them to listen, this
proved to be very effective and managed to get the group back on track. By
implementing my classroom management plan I was able to regain control of the
class and steer them back on track of the lesson.

References:
Darst, P., Pangrazi, R., Sariscsany, M., & Brusseau, T. (2012). Dynamic physical
education for secondary school students (7th Ed.)
Breed, R., & Spittle, M. (2011). Developing Game Sense through tactical learning:
A resource for teachers & coaches. Cambridge university press
Chen, C., Jones, K., & Moreland, K. (2014). Differences in Learning Styles:
Implications for accounting education and practice. The CPA Journal. Pp 46-51.
Dubin, J 2016, 'Learning to Switch Gears: In New Haven, a Restorative Approach
to School Discipline', American Educator, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 17-21.
Gardner, H 2006, Multiple intelligences. new horizons, New York : Basic Books.
Marzano, RJ, Pickering, D, & Pollock, JE 2001, Classroom instruction that works.
research-based strategies for increasing student achievement, Alexandria, Va. :
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
McGuire, KJ, & Maslow, AH 2011, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Norderstedt :
GRIN, [2011]
Steffe, LP, & Gale, J 2012, Constructivism in Education, NJ : Taylor and Francis.
Tinning, R., McCuaig, L., & Hunter, L. (2006). Teaching health and physical
education in Australian schools. Pearson education Australia.
WikiHow to do anything, 2014. Available from:
<http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Classroom-Management-Plan > (10 April,
2016)
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<http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/About/ProgramsforGraduateStudentsandPostdo
cs/resources/Pages/Writing-a-Teaching-Philosophy-Statement.aspx > (10 April,
2016)