Philosophy of Classroom Management

Effective classroom management is essential in creating a safe, supportive, and fun

learning environment. I view the classroom as a community, of which my students and I are all
members. It is important to me that the students in my classroom feel that they matter and have
agency in this community. I plan to achieve this by working collaboratively with students to
develop norms and expectations for our classroom community. These norms and expectations
will be displayed in an easily viewed area so that students are reminded of them daily. If
students do not behave in line with these expectations, I will have conversations with them
before their behavior escalates to discuss what the consequences for their behavior are. These
consequences are not intended to be punishment - rather, they are an opportunity for students
to manage their own behavior and take accountability for their actions. A frequent issue I see in
the field is students not being productive during time meant for working on assignments
independently. In these situations, I will approach the student calmly and ask them to tell me
what they should be doing at that moment. Then, I will ask them if their behavior is in line with
expectations and how they can adjust their behavior so that it would be. I make a point of
checking in with these off-task students throughout the class period to ensure that they are on
track. If they are not, they are already aware of the consequences.
Classroom procedures must be explicitly modeled and scaffolded for students. I am also
subject to our classroom’s norms and expectations and, as such, will model these for my
students so that they know we are all held to the same standards. Similarly, I will implement
consistent routines for my students so that they know what to expect every day. A typical day
will include opportunities for students to move so that they are able to expend energy in a
non-disruptive manner. Situations which occur less frequently will be preceded with a
conversation to check-in about our norms and expectations. For example, before a class
discussion, I will spend time with my students talking about what a discussion looks like and
how we can engage in one respectfully. Moreover, respect is something that means different
things to different people. I strive to understand my students’ backgrounds and beliefs in order
to create an inclusive classroom.
In addition to jointly-developed norms and expectations, strong relationships are key to a
positive classroom environment. That includes knowing myself, knowing my students, and
knowing the larger school environment. My first goal for all of my classes is to learn all of my
students’ names. Knowing my students’ names (and how to pronounce them correctly) is key to
showing my students early in the school year that I care about them as individuals. I aim to
greet students by name as they enter the classroom and start every day by asking students,
“¿Cómo están?” (“How are you?”). Students who want to share will have the opportunity to
elaborate on their feelings. This not only reinforces target language vocabulary, but also
encourages students to check in with themselves and their emotions. When students are not
doing well, I check in with them to provide additional support. Recognizing that conflicts will
arise in my classroom, I will also strive to understand the general school culture so that I can
resolve conflicts in a productive and respectful manner. Finally, taking time before making
important decisions to ensure they are approached in an appropriate, well-thought out manner
will contribute to a positive learning environment for all students.
In dealing with conflict, I view my role more as a coach than as someone meant to
punish students. I recognize that growing up is difficult and that students will make mistakes.
Rather than punishing students for making poor decisions, I aim to talk with students to
understand why they made those decisions and how they can make better ones moving
forward. My goal is that because I have spent time building strong relationships with my
students, I will be better able to understand these decisions. If I am unsure how to respond to
something, I will acknowledge it and let the student know that I need to think about it and they
can expect to talk with me the next day. Likewise, I will utilize time when I am not actively
instructing the class to check in one-on-one with students. Finally, I will be sure to include both
colleagues and parents in decision making to make sure the solution is fair to everyone
involved. In implementing all of these ideas, I hope to make my classroom a welcoming place
where all students are empowered to achieve their best.