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Classroom and Behavior Management

Regent University

Tiffany Crisp

In partial fulfillment of UED 495 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2018

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Introduction

Classroom management is arguably the most important and hardest aspect of teaching. Of

course, teaching the core curriculum and having high test scores is essential, but a good

classroom management strategy must be a priority to be able to teach students effectively. I’ve

observed many successful and many unsuccessful behavior management strategies. The one

approach I observed from teachers that consistently works in any grade-level is positive

reinforcement. In this reflection, I will be discussing two classroom/behavior management

systems: the clip chart and reiterating expectations.

Artifacts

Behavior Management Clip Chart-

The first artifact I chose to highlight is a behavior management clip chart. The reason I

picked this clip chart is because the students can see and track how they are doing on behavior

throughout the day. Each student is given a close pin at the beginning of the year with their name

on it. All the students start with their clips on the “Ready to Learn” space and move up when

their behavior is good, and when they are being “model” students. At the end of each day, the

students will check to see where their clip is on the chart. If their clip is on “Great Job” or

“Outstanding,” the students get to go to the treasure box and pick out one small toy to take home

as a reward.

In order to get all the students on task and doing their jobs, I find the students who are

doing their job and compliment them. I make an announcement to the whole class and say

something like, “I love how this child is sitting. He/she has their bottom on the floor and their

eyes are on the board. They are doing a great job at showing me that they are ready to learn.
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Let’s see if I have more friends who are ready to learn.” I reward the student for their good

behavior and go and ask them to move their clip up.

Reiterating Expectations (Lesson Plan)-

The second artifact I chose to highlight was a lesson plan I created. I write classroom

management techniques and reiterate my expectations in my lesson plans so that I can remind

my students of the behaviors I expect to see from them. By laying out my expectations prior to

teaching the lesson, students will be reminded of exactly how to act/behave and will know when

they are not following directions. I’ve observed that kids—especially the ones in the primary

grades—need constant behavior refreshers and listings of expectations to be the best they can be.
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Reflection on Theory and Practice

In my courses at Regent University, we have learned that good classroom management in

the key to successfully teaching and student learning. Behavior management is a large portion of
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the teaching day and teachers always need to be monitoring and managing the students in the

class. Authors of the journal article, “Enhancing On-Task Behavior in Fourth-Grade Students

Using a Modified Color Wheel System” believe, “Effective classroom management procedures

should reduce behaviors that interfere with learning including inattention, noncompliance, and

disruptive behaviors” (Blondin, Skinner, Parkhurst, Wood, & Snyder, 2012). One of the ways

student behavior can be monitored is through proximity. Teachers need to make sure they are

moving around and weaving in between the desks to check and make sure students are following

the expectations of the classroom. Patricia Anguiano, author of “A First-Year Teacher’s Plan to

Reduce Misbehavior in the Classroom,” comments on the benefits of using physical proximity.

Through her research, she found that the more she moved around the classroom to manage

behaviors, the less opportunities that the students had to misbehave (Anguiano, 2001, p. 55).

In addition to proximity, I think the most important classroom management strategy is to

build relationships with students. Abby Blake, author of How do we Manage? Classroom

Management Strategies for Novice Teachers in High-Poverty Urban Schools, writes about how

the relationships between teachers and students create a welcoming atmosphere: “Learning

environments that promote feelings of belonging, safety, and success can impact students’ social,

behavioral, and academic decisions” (Blake, 2017, p. 15). I think one of the best ways for

teachers to build relationships with students is through meetings with the kids. Sincerely getting

to know the students’ “lives outside of school can help teachers build supportive relationships”

(Blake, 2017, p. 15) and help student behavior.

I approach all of my classroom behavior strategies from the perspective of being a Christ

follower. In all of my interactions and relationships with the students, I am sure to act in the most
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positive and beneficial way possible to promote student learning. Titus 2:7-8 says, “Show

yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,

and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having

nothing evil to say about us.” Teaching is a very public profession where teachers are acting as

role models to students. It is imperative that teachers act in the way that Titus outlines.

Conclusion

In conclusion, classroom management is essential to teaching successfully. Having a way

to track student behavior, like with a classroom behavior system, is important to encouraging

students to behave appropriately. Teachers can use strategies like proximity and reiterating

expectations to build relationships with students and create the best learning environment for

students.
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References

Anguiano, P. (2001). A First-Year Teacher's Plan to Reduce Misbehavior in the Classroom.

Teaching Exceptional Children, 52-55.

Blake, A. L. (2017). How Do We Manage? Classroom Management Strategies for Novice

Teachers in High-Poverty Urban Schools. National Teacher Education Journal.

Blondin, C., Skinner, C., Parkhurst, J., Wood, A., & Snyder, J. (2012). Enhancing On-Task

Behavior in Fourth-Grade Students Using a Modified Color Wheel System. Journal of

Applied School Psychology.