Classroom Management Part 2

As I begin to think of things that could possibly go wrong within my classroom the first thing that comes to mind is the student who does not do their work. If my teaching was informed by the behaviorist learning theory then I would talk to that student about my concern for them and I would use intermitant reinforcement for their positive behavior with verbal praise or other objects the student may desire. I would not tell the student when they were going to get reinforced so that their positive behavior would not be a result of the reinforcement much like a bribe. In talking with a student I would show my concern with more than there school work. I would spend time checking to see why they are not motivated to finish their work or if there may be a reason behind this such as something going on in their home environment. With teaching that is informed by the constructivist learning theory than I would remember that most students have a separate schema for home and for school and that I may need to do a better job at finding what the student's school schema is. Then I can begin to rearrange or add to this schema. Within this conversation, I could also be informed by social learning theory by using language and things which are familiar to the student. I could give the student descriptive examples and let the student tell me how they should act. This would allow me to talk within the student's ZPD because their behavior may be a result of something that they simply need help in. Using a student's ZPD leads to the developmental learning theory because you have to keep in my the role of your student's age. Teachers need to be reflecting on whether or not they are giving their students the accurate amount of work and using this work correctly within their classroom.

Another behavior that is familiar to a classroom is the student who is a constant distraction to others because they talk out. In a circumstance in which the a student is talking out of turn while I or another teacher is talking I would need to be informed by the social learning theory because I will need to show that student that they are not respecting me or the other students within the classroom when they are talking out of turn. I can also be informed by the constructivist learning theory because this student's high rate of distractibility could be due to my ability to keep the class actively mentally engaged. I need to find away to keep students engaged by teaching information that they will find relevant in order to add to their schemas. I can also be informed by the developmental learning theory because I can reflect upon how appropriate their behavior is for their age and what the most concrete example that I could give them would be in order to help them reflect more positive behavior. Finally, I would need to be informed by the behaviorist learning theory in my decision on how I will use punishments and rewards to help this student. Within my classroom I should be able to manage in a way that allow to never need to single a student out. This means that punishment would be having that student come in for lunch to talk to me or things such as this. While rewards could be group discussion or things such as this.

Managing a classroom seems to not be something that is just black and white. It involves knowing your roles within your relationship to your students as their teacher and someone who truly cares beyond their school work to their well being. Clearly, as a teacher, their learning is at forefront but when dealing with behavioral issues we need to show that we understand what matters to our students as well. Classroom management isn't simply trying to a desired behavior from your students but also leads to your need for reflection upon yourself. When students do act out in class, we need to evaluate more than the behavior but also look to its function for the student and to how to aid the student with our teaching.