Reflection Paper

Section 1: Domain 2b: Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

Creating an environment of respect and rapport is essential in my plan for

prevention for my future classroom. I believe that mutual respect between the teacher and

students as well as among the students themselves is critical in order to establish a

learning community in a classroom. Not only does it make the classroom a place where

students feel comfortable, heard, and accepted, but with this respect and rapport comes

less behavioral issues overall. This decrease in behavioral issues will allow for more

student learning and growth to take place in the classroom. I was introduced to many new

strategies for this after learning about the different intervening models of classroom

management. One in particular that I plan to use in my future classroom is having a

positive and encouraging attitude with every student. Harry Wong suggests that success is

directly correlated to attitude. As we have discussed in class, I want to make sure that I

am always making a deposit in my students accounts in my response to them, not a

withdrawal. I believe that this will help to establish rapport and a positive environment

that helps students learn to their full potential.

Section 2: Domain 2e: Organizing Physical Space

My future classroom will have a carefully thought out physical arrangement that

is conducive to student learning and overall efficiency. I have seen firsthand how big of

an impact the physical design of a classroom can have on learning and the overall

classroom environment. I plan to make the most effective use of space in my classroom,

as it gives students the opportunity to move around and take a brain break when needed.

I also think that it helps contribute to the sense of trust in a classroom community when
students feel that they are free to move around the classroom. Fred Jones has many good

ideas about seating arrangement in his intervening model Tools for Teaching that I will

use in my plan for prevention. Jones states that teachers should arrange the classroom in a

way that allows them to work the crowd. I really like this idea because I want to be

able to monitor my students as they are working and be accessible to them at all times if

they need assistance. I also plan to use classroom displays such as anchor charts or

posters that are bright and colorful. I believe that this creates a warm and inviting

environment while helping to keep the students engaged in the learning process.

Section 3: Domain 2c: Managing Classroom Procedures

All of the intervening models that we have discussed in class talk about the

importance of the teacher conveying their expectations to their students. This proactive

form of management makes students unaware of what is expected of them in regards to

their behavior and interaction with others in the classroom. In my future classroom, I

will involve my students in creating a class promise where we come up with a few clear

expectations for how we will behave and treat each other. I believe that these rules will

be more meaningful for students if they are coming up with them together. I will also use

Wongs strategy of explaining, rehearsing, and reviewing when it comes to

implementing different procedures in the classroom. While there are many procedures I

plan to establish, one in particular is getting my students attention by raising my hand in

the air, without having to say a word. This aligns with Wongs belief of the importance of

the teacher being calm and never using an angry voice. Another important routine laid

out in my plan for prevention is the one for transitioning between activities. Jacob

Kounins intervening model advocates for smooth transitions with momentum. This
will be a critical part of my future classroom to ensure that instructional time is not loss

due to ineffective transitions. I will introduce these procedures to my students during the

first week of school and continue to reinforce them throughout the year in order for them

to become routine.