Classroom Management Plan
I believe the best way to manage a classroom is through preventative strategies. The best strategy I have learned and been heavily trained in is Love and Logic. As I have taught with this strategy I have seen students change. They have become more autonomous and feel more self-confidence. I have also seen how choice makes a difference in the lives of children and helps them desire to make good choices. Here is an example of what the preventative strategy of Love and Logic looks like in teaching.
Fostering Self-Management: Increasing the responsibility and independence of a child is a crucial part of his or her development. For this reason, I have a firm belief in a program called Love and Logic, which teaches children increased responsibility and independence. To help aid me in the endeavor of teaching children more independence and responsibility, I present the three ways one teaches:
· Helicopter Teaching: This type of teaching is when a teacher “hovers and rescues” his or her students from making mistakes on assignments or with their behavior. The message that is sent to students is that they cannot make decisions and needs the constant help of the teacher.
· Drill Sergeant Teaching: This type of teaching occurs when a teacher takes complete control and makes demands—telling his or her students how they should behave and feel. The message that is sent to students is that they have no choice and if they want a choice they have to rebel against the wishes of the teacher.
· Consultant Teaching: This type of teaching occurs when a teacher prepares his or her students for the real world by giving them choices with empathetic consequences and encourages shared control of their learning. The message that is sent to students is that they are not forced to learn, but through incorrect choices will miss out on engaging educational activities and tasks (Fay & Funk, 1995).
In my classroom management plan, one will find more preventative strategies, along with supportive and corrective strategies, which all add necessary elements to successful classroom management.