Professional Articles

Classroom Management/Behavior

In a few years I will became a teacher in my own classroom. As I sit here and try to figure out what will be an important topic for me to understand I think of classroom management or classroom behavior. Walking into a new school that contains many new faces, not only students, but staff also is a scary thing. I want to make a good impression on all these new faces. This means that I have to show the children and staff that I know what I am doing, I know how to manage a classroom. Therefore, the question that I am researching is to investigate techniques and skills I need to know in order to keep my classroom under control?

Discipline in classrooms is important for both students and teachers. Inappropriate behavior can be placed into two categories. The first category includes behavior that disrupts learning and the second category includes behaviors that cause disruptions during the lessons. Both categories cause problems for the teacher and the students, but by classifying them it may help the teacher find out the reason for the student acting the way they are.

Developing a discipline program within a classroom has proven to help maintain a positive learning environment. When coming up with a discipline program it is best to include the following three components: reduce the possibility that inappropriate behavior will occur, reinforce appropriate behavior when it occurs, and punish inappropriate behavior to minimize recurrence (The Elementary School Journal.) I have also learned from several of the articles that classroom rules, classroom routines, good seating arrangements, and carefully planned lessons help to minimize the time for poor behavior.

By reading through the different articles I have found that there are several different ways and reasons that students act out in class. Some ways that students act out include daily tantrums, yelling, self-injury, aggression towards others, property destruction, and noncompliance with instructions. Some reasons for inappropriate behavior include problems with their family, need for attention, poor anger management, and mental disorders. These are things that as a teacher I have to remember that I am going to have to deal with everyday and each student is going to be different. As a teacher I need to keep journals, talk with parents and counselors. I need to do everything I can to help this child and help maintain control in my classroom.

One last thing, to break routine and add some stress relief is to add some art to the curriculum. Many teachers don’t realize how just ten minutes of coloring can relieve stress, even in adults. Art allows students some time to themselves and a way to express how they are feeling. During this art time it is said that it is best to not give a certain assignment, but to provide them with the tools that they need to make what ever they choose. Art can give the classroom a more relaxed feeling.

By reading these three articles I have learned some approaches to controlling behavior in my classroom. I have also found out that all kids are different and it may take some time to figure out why a child is acting the way that they are acting. I think that some of the techniques and skills I have learned in these articles I will be sure to use in my classroom. Well at least give them a try!

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