My Personal Management Philosophy
Classroom
management is the foundation on which learning can take place, and it is the teacher’s
responsibility to assure that both learning and management are part of their
classroom, managing the learning environment. Managing the learning environment
is a multifaceted subject, covering the physical classroom, behavior and
expectations of the teacher and students, ethical considerations, rules and
consequences, and the community within the class. Because of the wide expanse
of topics and areas that classroom management covers, there is no simple
solution or answer, and even if there were for once student or one class, the
one that will follow the next year will be different and require adjustments
from the teacher. This is why good teachers aren’t necessarily the ones with
the plans, but the professionals who can use their flexibility to work with,
manage, and teach their students.
An enduring debate in classroom management and education is whether to approach learning from the standpoint of Behaviorism or Humanism. In behaviorism, learning is facilitated through the reinforcement of desired responses. A simple example of this would be if a kid completes their chores they receive their allowance; the desired behavior of doing work is identified and reinforced by providing a positive reward. The opposite about behaviorism also works, where if the behavior is not desired or correct, a negative response or the absence of a positive response is meant to train the learner that they did not meet expectations. Behaviorisms strengths are in producing results faster and more efficiently, but not necessarily creating genuine connections between the learner and the material. In contrast, humanism depends on the learner to make connections between desired and undesired behaviors through personal experience and reflection. Because of this strategy, humanism is often considered a gentler and more natural form of learning compared to behaviorism. The role of the instructor in humanism is to guide the learner to make connections through their own investigation. Because the learner is the one responsible for making connections, they have a stronger connection with the material and are likely to better understand and retain the information. However, because the learner does not have direct guidance they are not as efficient in learning a volume of information as with behaviorism. Each philosophy has aspects that both make it useful and less successful.
I believe that learning is best facilitated with a use of a combination of the two. The traditional framework of school tends to gravitate towards behaviorism more than humanism, but recently there has been a greater infusion of inquiry based learning, helping students to both cover the necessary material and make greater connections with their lessons. From a classroom management angle, the combination of the two is more powerful in keeping students engaged during class, the aim of the first year teacher to the veteran sage of education.
The convictions about education and teaching I have developed from my own educational experiences as well as the pre-service experiences I’ve had during college have been expanded and become clearer. I have seen how the way that a classroom is managed and the philosophies of the teacher about managing the learning environment can make a significant difference in how the year goes and how the learners leave the classroom at the end of the year. As I approach my teaching career I hope to continue refining my ideas on the role of classroom management, the necessities and possibilities.
An enduring debate in classroom management and education is whether to approach learning from the standpoint of Behaviorism or Humanism. In behaviorism, learning is facilitated through the reinforcement of desired responses. A simple example of this would be if a kid completes their chores they receive their allowance; the desired behavior of doing work is identified and reinforced by providing a positive reward. The opposite about behaviorism also works, where if the behavior is not desired or correct, a negative response or the absence of a positive response is meant to train the learner that they did not meet expectations. Behaviorisms strengths are in producing results faster and more efficiently, but not necessarily creating genuine connections between the learner and the material. In contrast, humanism depends on the learner to make connections between desired and undesired behaviors through personal experience and reflection. Because of this strategy, humanism is often considered a gentler and more natural form of learning compared to behaviorism. The role of the instructor in humanism is to guide the learner to make connections through their own investigation. Because the learner is the one responsible for making connections, they have a stronger connection with the material and are likely to better understand and retain the information. However, because the learner does not have direct guidance they are not as efficient in learning a volume of information as with behaviorism. Each philosophy has aspects that both make it useful and less successful.
I believe that learning is best facilitated with a use of a combination of the two. The traditional framework of school tends to gravitate towards behaviorism more than humanism, but recently there has been a greater infusion of inquiry based learning, helping students to both cover the necessary material and make greater connections with their lessons. From a classroom management angle, the combination of the two is more powerful in keeping students engaged during class, the aim of the first year teacher to the veteran sage of education.
The convictions about education and teaching I have developed from my own educational experiences as well as the pre-service experiences I’ve had during college have been expanded and become clearer. I have seen how the way that a classroom is managed and the philosophies of the teacher about managing the learning environment can make a significant difference in how the year goes and how the learners leave the classroom at the end of the year. As I approach my teaching career I hope to continue refining my ideas on the role of classroom management, the necessities and possibilities.