Behavior Management Philosophy Paper

Monitoring and facilitating student behavior and learning is an extremely important aspect of education. In order to be an effective teacher, I feel it is necessary to implement a specific behavioral plan with clear guidelines for the students. I plan to involve the students in the creation of a safe learning environment. Namely, I plan to teach my students how to respect authority and one another. My main goal regarding behavior is to train my students to be responsible and respectful students in and outside of the classroom.

Throughout my classroom management course at the University of Northern Iowa, I have been able to research and learn about several different theories on classroom management. Of the theories and practices I have learned about, there are several which I hope to implement into my teaching and classroom management skills. 

One strategy I particularly like comes from Canters’ Assertive Discipline theory. Canter proposes that there are three types of teachers including, hostile, nonassertive, and assertive. I hope to be an assertive teacher in that I will be confident, clear, and consistent in following through with the management plan. Another positive strategy comes from Nelson, Lott, and Glenn. They propose that teachers use classroom meetings to facilitate a positive environment and give everyone a chance to speak. I also hope to use Glasser’s plan of holding students accountable for their own decisions. Another strategy that I found to be helpful comes from Jones’ positive classroom discipline plan. Jones proposes that teachers start every day with specific routines. This way, students know what is expected and are able to stay on task. A final strategy which I think will facilitate a positive classroom environment comes from Richard, Gerwin, & Mendler. They encourage teachers to be respectful of their students by treating students with dignity and giving students hope that they can be successful.