Running head: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Classroom and Behavior Management

Allison Workman
Regent University

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Classroom and Behavior Management

Classroom management is key to fostering a learning environment. If the students are disrupting
the class it is impossible for the other students to learn. I was a part of a history class in high
school and we tormented our teacher. Most days, by the end of the class almost every girl had
made a trip to the bathroom. We completed homework for other classes. I remember sharing
some of my deepest secrets with a friend while sitting in the back of the room. These are the
things I remember about Ancient History, I could tell you very limited information about the
Greeks and the Romans. I desire more for my students. I pray six and seven year olds have more
respect than we did at the age of fifteen but I know that each group is different.
Rationale for Selection of Artifacts
The first artifact is a photo of the behavior chart I am using in Ms. Soreys second grade
class. Some classrooms have a stoplight and some have color charts, we are using the same
system but with different terminology. Each day the students start at ready to learn if they
exhibit good behavior such as staying quiet in line or helping another student they have the
chance to move up to tail-wagging good and then to hot dog. But if the student is being
disrespectful or not following directions they will move down to barking up the wrong tree,
then down to dropping the ball, and with the possibility to end in the dog house. At the end
of each day the students get stickers according to their success. And if their dog is at a negative
step, a note is sent home in their planners. This systems works for most of the students. There are
two students that it does not seem to affect but the rest of class reacts well to the positive
reinforcement.
The second artifact is a copy of the behavior chart used in Ms. Boothes third grade class.
There were four students on behavior intervention plans and this is the chart the special
education teacher was using with them. The reward is different for each student. Each day G
works towards ten minutes of Lego time, and that works for him. K works for ten minutes on

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the iPad. J also works for ten minutes of free time. P works for ten minutes of free time and
if she meets her goal for five consecutive days she gets to have a brag session with the principal.
In the time I spent with these students G got his reward nearly every day, P met with the
principal once, and K and J did not care enough about their rewards to try. At first I thought
that the charts were a good idea, but they did not work. I have heard of this system working for
some teachers and students. If the teacher can find the right reward, one that can motivate the
student, this behavior chart can work.
Reflection on Theory and Practice
Lee Canter proposes that students have a right to learn and teachers have the right to
teach, and his discipline methods are shaped by his belief. He uses the term assertive discipline,
which calls for assertive teachers who clearly and firmly communicate needs and requirements
to students, follow up their words with appropriate actions, and respond to students in ways that
maximize compliance but in no way violate the best interest of the students (Canter, 1976, p. 9).
Assertive teachers are not authoritarians or dictators but they demand responsibility and respect
from their students. Rules and expectations are clearly outlined at the beginning of the school
year so that the parents and students know what is going on. Canter does not accept excuses for
misbehavior whether it be a home environment, peer pressure, or inherited traits; students are
responsible for their behavior. There are also rewards for positive behavior, not just negative
consequence for those who break the rules.
I do not know all of Canter theories, but I agree with this one. In my opinion, discipline
has taken a back seat in todays society. In order to produce upstanding citizens understanding
that there are consequences, whether good or bad, to your actions is essential. Canters method of
assertive discipline does not mess around, he wants to create an environment that is not hindered
by a students misbehavior or disobedience. Students who follow the rules and act respectfully
are rewarded for their behavior. And the students who do not follow the rules and act

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disrespectfully are properly disciplined. The system may seem harsh but punishment is gradual;
for example, the first time the student calls out in class he is given a verbal warning but if it is the
fifth time that this has happened the parent is called to inform them about this reoccurring
problem and to ask them to help enforce the rule. This method may seem harsh but I think that
the effectiveness comes with a direct approach.
Proverbs 22 encourages parents to, Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is
old he will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6, New International Version). I believe the Bible calls
parents to discipline their children. As an educator, I will come alongside of them in order to
encourage their student to be the best they can be. Unfortunately this does not always happen. It
may fall on me, the teacher, to enforce discipline in a students life.

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5
References

Canter, L., & Canter, M. (1976). Assertive discipline: A take-charge approach for todays
educator. Los Angeles: Canter and Associates.