Mr.

McAllisters Philosophy of Classroom Management

I want a motivated, safe, democratic, structured student based classroom, which will foster creativity, critical thinking and student achievement. To create this classroom I will promote student involvement and interest by providing students with structured choices that spark student interest. Most importantly, as the leader of the classroom, it is my primary goal and responsibility to make the classroom a safe environment, which I will do by promoting respect, responsibility, and teamwork. One theorist that believes in the idea of a democratic classroom is Rudolph Dreikurs. Dreikurs says that teachers in a democratic classroom demonstrate effective instruction and provide a collaborative learning community where teachers and students work towards common goals. To be able to promote student interest in choices a classroom will have to have structure and backup plans, which are two of the main things that Fredric Jones emphasizes in his theory of positive classroom management. One of the major concepts in Jerome Freibergs theory is the idea of active learning and genuine student participation in class. Freiberg came up with the terms tourists and citizens to explain how students behave as either passive or active and an integral part of the classroom. In this type of classroom you would see students given responsibilities such as helping come up with rules and punishments. Another thing that you would see in a democratic classroom is group work and open student lead classroom discussions. A structured classroom will provide students with choices to help them succeed and to spark their interests. In a structured classroom you will also see that the teacher is flexible and has backup plans for lessons, assignments, activities, disciplines and rewards. A classroom that is full of active learners (or tourists) will be full of class participation and discussions that have the students doing most of the talking.