1

Running Head: Classroom & Behavior Management

Classroom and Behavior Management
Jennifer Sevinsky
Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience Portfolio

Running Head: Classroom & Behavior Management

Introduction
Classroom and behavior management are imperative in order to ensure the success of
students. For many, it is a foundation in which we expect students to grow upon because it will
go on to impact the many aspects of their daily learning. Students need structure and order to
function and, therefore, enhance their learning experience.
Rationale for Selection of Artifact
For this competency I chose an overview of a quality incentives approach, weekly
progress report, and a good behavior chart that were already used by my cooperating instructor,
that I decided to use during my teaching as well. Each of these artifacts goes hand-in-hand as
effective tools for establishing good classroom and behavior management.
I chose my first artifact because I feel it represents that bond of trust between the
instructor and their student. As instructors, we want our students to behave; however, we have to
realize their need for instant satisfaction. By using a method of earning tickets to exchange for
rewards it establishes a sense of taking responsibility for their own behavior. Every time a
student is showcasing quality behavior that I, believe, allows them to enhance the classroom
environment they could earn a ticket to be used towards prizes.
I chose my second and third artifact because it is a great physical representation to
remind students of their behavior each day. Kids need constant reminders in order to stay on task
and by being able to, physically, see where they stand with their behavior, on a daily and weekly
basis; it can make the difference in how they present themselves over the course of the school
day, month, or even year. Each day the students would start on a green and were expected to
demonstrate quality behavior to stay on green throughout the day. Any time I observed poor
behavior, the kids would move their clips to yellow for a warning and red if the behavior
continued.
In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience Portfolio

Running Head: Classroom & Behavior Management

Reflection on Theory and Practice
According to Losen, Hodson, Keith, Morrison, and Belway (2015), the number of
students suspended in just one school year could fill all of the stadium seats for nearly all the
Super Bowls ever played (n.p.). It all boils down to effective classroom and behavior
management and training students behavior. According to Kratochwill, DeRoss, and Blair
(2016), the benefits of effective classroom management include:
1. Establishing and sustaining an orderly classroom environment.
2. Increases in meaningful academic learning facilities and emotional growth.
3. Decreases in negative behaviors and increases in time spent academically engaged (n.p.).
This approach gives them something to work towards and is a great representation of B.F.
Skinners operant conditioning. According to McLeod (2015), B.F. Skinner (1938) coined the term
operant conditioning; it means roughly changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is
given after the desired response (n.p.). For children, they look for positive reinforcements in order
to know what is considered appropriate behavior, which in this case, is earning tickets to exchange
for prizes when they follow classroom policies and procedures.
This will, not only, make it easier on the students, but on the instructor as well, allowing
more time to be focused on the childs education, therefore, enhancing the childs chances for
success. As students get older, behavioral management quickly becomes an underlying concern
in the classroom environment. For older students, they are always looking for immediate
satisfaction when it comes to understanding why they should or should not do something as it
was experienced by my fifth graders. By using a method of tickets that can be traded in for
prizes, it gave them a sense of responsibility for their behavior, especially, since better prizes can
be earned with more tickets.

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience Portfolio

Running Head: Classroom & Behavior Management

Reflection
Proverbs 22:6 states, Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he
will not depart from it (The Holy Bible, NKJV). As educators, we have a duty to raise
upstanding citizens of the community. The only we can do such is by setting rules and
expectations for our children to strive for. While no child is perfect, they should, still, strive for
excellence just like there is no perfect child of God, yet, still we strive for Godliness.
Overall, these techniques provide a foundation in molding childrens actions so they may
work towards becoming upstanding citizens of the community. It is important to remember that
kids look for immediate satisfaction; however, teaching them the importance of working for
rewards is imperative within their growth. Using techniques where kids have to work for their
rewards creates a solid foundation of teaching responsibility that they will use for the rest of their
lives.
Conclusion
Classroom and behavior management go a long way in ensuring a childs success. From
establishing an orderly classroom environment to decreasing negative behaviors, it can make
the difference in a childs success (Kratochwill, etc. al, 2016). As educators, we have a duty to
raise upstanding citizens of the community, which can only be done by providing a foundation in
the molding of a childs behavior that they will use for the rest of their lives.

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience Portfolio

Running Head: Classroom & Behavior Management

References
Kratochwill, T.R., DeRoss, R., Blair, S. (2016). Classroom Management: Teachers Modules.
Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/education/k12/classroom-mgmt.aspx
Losen, D., Hodson, C., Keith, M.A., Morrison, K., Belway, S. (2015). Are we Closing the School
Discipline Gap? Retrieved from
http://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/projects/center-for-civil-rightsremedies/school-to-prison-folder/federal-reports/are-we-closing-the-school-disciplinegap/
McLeod, S. (2015). Skinner-Operant Conditioning. Retrieved from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html
The Holy Bible, New King James Version. (1982). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience Portfolio