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Assignment Coversheet

Student Name: Natasha Morgan

Student Number: 35701

Programme: Bachelor of Education (Primary)

Course Code: PIPI 6204

Course Name: Being and Becoming, The Compassionate teacher.

Assignment Number: 2

Word Count: 2100

Course Educator: Alister Gibson, Rachelle Hulbert

Due Date: 10/11/17

Extension Granted Until*: Click here to enter text.

Date of Submission: 10/11/17

I, Natasha Morgan
 CERTIFY that this assignment is my own work, and that I
have not previously submitted it for academic credit.

Date: 10/11/17
The following philosophy statement will expand my personal beliefs of discipline and positive
behavioural management that I intend to implement in my professional practice of teaching in a
primary school context. Throughout the following statement, I will endeavour to describe, justify and
illustrate the importance of reportative practice, holistic approaches, the teacher’s role, the
importance of peace and joy in learning and the need to understand our actions in the classroom for
students ranging from new entrant age to senior primary. My beliefs will be enhanced and
supported by a variety of course material, biblical literacy and my own personal professional practice
experiences.

A significant component of my philosophy is the need to have a clear understanding of discipline and
the role it has in the classroom. Discipline is often thought of as quite a harsh term. Many people
think of harsh punishments such as writing lines or sitting at the back of the classroom when they
are defining discipline. Hebrews 12:11 (New International Version) recognises that discipline has
positive outcomes at the end, and although it may not always be enjoyable, it must be done.
However, the goal of using discipline in the classroom is to help students form a sense of self
management and self-control of their thinking, emotions and actions. The Ministry of Education
(2007) acknowledge that a teacher’s role is to help a student become a self-manager, who is able to
understand their actions and the effects of those actions.

To justly achieve this, it is the professional requisite of the teacher to know the needs of the child
and the form of restorative action required. It is my belief, that approaching a situation with
restorative discipline is far more beneficial to the student than mindless punishments that achieve
no personal growth. Restorative practice is about engaging with the student, unpacking the issue
setting new expectations of growth for the future (A. Gibson, lecture notes, June 27th 2017). A stand
out example of this happened over my practical placement at Bethlehem College with Year 7
students. A group of students had enticed a girl up a climbing wall then covered her in water when
she was in no position to defend herself. Knowing that simply yelling at the students for bullying
would be no help, I took an approach where the students were to understand their wrongdoings and
form their own consequences. Through sit down conversations with the students involved, assessing
the cost of their actions, the students involved were able to see how their behaviour was much more
than what they thought was just a funny joke. The students admitted they had never thought of the
consequences for the girl on the wall, which is how we got to extra lessons for them on peoples
feeling, actions and their corresponding reactions. This approach was far more beneficial to them as
it gave an opportunity for personal growth in an area that needed development. Although I was
unable to provide the restorative action needed for the girl, such as working discreetly with her to
build her social confidence, I was able to see the importance of doing so and the effects this could
have if proper measures were not taken.

A classroom culture of discipline is developed and built over time, where it is crucial to know the
students well so that the classroom culture is right for worthwhile learning. Every child is different in
their own right, which is why holistic and individualised approaches must to be taken with every
child, to ensure their own needs are met. It is my belief that relationships with students are a critical
and essential part to learning. Knowing their needs comes from knowing each child and building the
relationships with them that best support learning. This aspect of my philosophy is affirmed in The
Code of Ethics (2017) that we engage in professional relationships that promote inclusive and
supportive practice in the classroom. Working relationships in the classroom are vital as they
promote an environment of emotional, physical and cognitive safety as well as helping in the
learning process. Another example of this came from my professional practice experience, where
one student was experiencing distress at home at school became his safe place. In a discrete and
honourable way, through the relationship with his teacher, necessary steps and precautions were
put in place to ensure he was able to feel a sense of security, emotionally and physically while he
was at school. This meant his behaviour was controlled and he was able to learn, thrive and achieve
to the best of his ability.

The bigger picture of what I am trying to do as teachers is build children to be strong minded
characters who are resilient in their nature and lifelong learners at heart. This is done through
positive behavioural management strategies that are beneficial to both the child and their learning.
Positive behaviour management strategies are the things implemented into everyday practice that
allow for a well-functioning classroom environment. The strategies needed for positive behaviour
management vary depending on the age of the students. New entrant students respond well to
positive words of affirmation or rewards such as free time, whereas a teacher of intermediate age
students may use their proximity in the classroom as a non-verbal reminder to students.
Additionally, another highly affective behaviour management strategy is Positive behaviour for
Learning (PB4L). PB4L is based on the principles that positive behaviours can be learnt and the
environment can be shaped to meet the needs of the child (Ministry of Education, 2015). This
directly links to and affirms my belief mentioned above of holistic approaches to classroom
management as well as being a proven effective form of behavioural management.

As the teacher, it is my role to set the expectations and model what is expected. Because of this, it is
my belief that a well-functioning classroom environment that is set up for learning is one where
consistent expectations and routines are put in place daily. This is just as much for the students as it
is for myself as a teacher. It is my role to model this in the classroom, and this starts with well
organised yet flexible planning. Karakas (2011) recognises the importance of flexibility in teaching
acknowledging it is a way of adapting to the needs at the time. Proper organisation and planning for
learning mean that my own mind is clear and I am in the moment, meaning I am more effective in
my role as a teacher. It is not just about having something planned, but planning for engaging tasks
is one of the best ways to manage student behaviour. I experienced this first hand whilst I was on
placement. During my two days of full control, I had planned out every aspect of my day and I was
feeling very clear and ready for the tasks ahead. It was evident in my reflection of those lessons that
because I had taken the time to think through and plan out each step, I was able to effectively
manage student behaviour by having them all on task. In direct correlation to this, I had an
unexpected subject change that resulted in 30 students sat in front of me and no work to do. Quickly
students became restless, loud and disruptive which changed my mood from happy to frustrated. All
of this commotion from a lack of planning.

It is my belief that a highly motivated class is one where the learning climate and culture is
characterised by peace and joy. Sometimes it is so easy to be caught up in the chaotic daily life that
is teaching and learning but it is important for the mind and soul that we take time to appreciate the
small things that can brighten our day. Joy and peace are both fruits of the Spirit, and directly linked
to development of classroom culture. In Deuteronomy 16:15 (NIV) it is recognised that hard work
must be followed and rewarded with joy, and this is no different in our classroom. Positive climates
for learning mean that students can learn in an environment suitable for their needs. As every
student has different needs, it is often tricky to create a classroom environment completely suitable
for every learner, but the possibility to create environments that cultivate these two major
elements; peace and joy, is attainable. Gibson (2016) recognises the importance of a peaceful and
joyful classroom, explaining that worthwhile learning happens when the classroom environment
fosters these two characteristics. A clear example of this came from my own experience on my
professional practice, where realistic approaches took over structured routines. It was a class of Year
7 students who were nearing the end of the term. As the students were tired and starting to become
restless, the teacher acknowledged that the students needed something that would bring the joy
back into the classroom, which happened to be an exciting science day where they made slime.
Because the teacher was able to be responsive to the needs of her students and give them a task she
knew they would enjoy, she was able to retain the class climate and inspire her students again. New
entrant students have a shorter attention span, meaning the class could become unsettled easily.
Brain breaks that encourage peace and joy are a simple yet effective way of rewarding students for
their hard work and also to keep them encouraged. Sometimes, taking time away from the learning,
to do something like a game or have a time of laugher with the students, is just as beneficial of a
management strategy anything else.

My last belief is that I need to understand the impact of our actions when we do not demonstrate
positive behaviour management or discipline techniques. Relationships with students are made over
time, yet can be broken in mere seconds. Actions such as outbursts of anger towards or meaningless
punishments could be detrimental to not only the relationship between teacher and student but
also to the child’s emotional state. Students in the new entrant or junior years at school have not
developed a sense of resiliency towards incidences such as this, where as a student in intermediate
levels may have a similar reaction of anger or frustration. Whatever the situation, it is important to
remember the reasoning behind your restorative reaction. An example I noticed of this on practical
placement was my own reaction to a child in the intermediate age bracket who, after many
reminders, was not listening and talking over me. Whilst I do not support my action of raising my
voice at her, this time I felt like I had done everything to try and gain her attention and I simply
didn’t know what else I could do. Yes, I got her attention pretty quickly, but it was important for me
to remember my frustration was not at the child herself or anybody else in the classroom, it was at
her action. Shortly after the incident I pulled her aside, explained my reasoning for raising my voice
and came to logical and practical examples of how we could work together to ensure it doesn’t
happen again.

Though so important to remember yet easily to forget, discipline and positive behavioural
management strategies take time to uncover and implement in the teaching. But what is most
important for a teacher, is that there is still the enjoyment in the teaching and learning. It will
become clear to the students when or if the passion for the classroom is fading away. Remember
that in a classroom context, there is always time for quiet, structured learning but there has to be
time for joyful moments that also cultivate happiness. Teachers are only human too, which is why it
is highly likely that I as a teacher am vulnerable to misunderstanding or being frustrated, however
my philosophy also acknowledges the importance of apologising, repairing and rebuilding my
mistakes. Hao (2011) also illustrates the significance of compassion in teaching, something we must
have if we are realistic to our role as teacher. I model what I expect in the classroom, so I am
committed to showing students that it is ok to make mistakes and no one is ever above apologising
or restitution.

In conclusion, it has been eye opening to see just how many ways discipline and positive behaviour
management strategies can be implemented in the classroom. Effective strategies that are
responsive to each learner will create a classroom environment that fosters learning. It is my belief
that implementing the strategies examined above is the key to classroom success.
References

Gibson, A. (2016). Joy and peace in teaching: Keys to effective pedagogy and well-being. In R. V. Nata
(Ed.), Progress in Education (Vol. 40, pp. 1 - 36). New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers Inc.

Hao, R. N. (2011). Critical compassionate pedagogy and the teacher’s role in first generation student
success. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 127, (Autumn), 91-98.

Karakas, F. (2011). Positive management education: Creating creative mind, passionate hearts and
kindred spirits. Journal of Management Education, 35(2), 198-226.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning
Media.

Ministry of Education. (2015). Positive behaviour for learning: 2015 overview. Retrieved from
http://pb4l.tki.org.nz/content/download/656/2571/file/16037-
PB4L%202015%20Overview.pdf

New Zealand Education Council. (2017). Our code, our standards. Retrieved from
https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20w
eb%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf