Developing your personal philosophy of classroom

management
John De Nobile
School of Education, Macquarie University
With adaptations by Roberto H Parada, School of Education, Western Sydney University

This resource consists of a series of linked activities chapter-by-chapter to the De Nobile et

al 2017 course text Positive learning environments: Creating and maintaining productive
classrooms. These activities enable you to progressively work on and develop your own
philosophy, plan and style of classroom management.

A classroom philosophy, simply put, is a statement of what you believe about how to best
manage a class and how you will go about achieving that vision. This resource will help you
build it bit by bit. Complete the activities linked to each chapter of the text and by the end of
chapter 10 you should be able to bring your work together to form your classroom
philosophy.

FINAL PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY FOR ASSESSMENT 2

Insert in the box below your final personal philosophy (max 1000 words).

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

Grown up in a defence force family and qualified with a research background, I stepped into

teaching to justify my passion for science. In doing so, I brought with me a firm belief in discipline and a

pre-conceived notion that, teaching revolves mainly around the technical knowledge and high-order

thinking. I believe that effective teachers form the building blocks of a progressive society. They not

only act as facilitators of knowledge, and support students throughout their school years, but also

encourage them to believe in their potential by sowing the seeds of affection and high expectations.

However, deconstructing these beliefs through the lenses of Lyford model, I now realize that along with

my subject knowledge and quality pedagogy, effective classroom management plays a significant role in
defining my teaching practice.

I have always believed that classrooms should be places where students are welcomed, valued and

accepted for who they are. A place where individual talents and potentials are recognized, appreciated

and nurtured, while adhering to a democratic discipline. However, complex interactions between

ecological, psychoeducational, cognitive and socio-cultural factors influence a classroom’s climate and

drive students to misbehave, thus impacting their educational outcomes. This awareness has made me

acknowledge that, in planning strategies for effective classroom management the foremost thing to

consider is identifying and defining the behaviour. However, in defining a behaviour problem I will have

to keep in mind that most of the behavioural issues are emergent in nature and do not fit into the

definitive structures. Such problems may not be solved by applying a defined set of rules. It is well

accepted that what works in one case, may not work in another. Therefore, a step by step approach to

develop a thorough understanding in identifying the root cause of the problem is required.

I have learnt that my foremost step is to disregard the pre-built notions about the occurring

behaviour. I am still learning that it is important to reflect on your thinking as a teacher and understand

that every child is different, has differential needs and thus will react differently to every situation. A

deeper insight into the factors that trigger misbehaviour allow the development of informed thinking for

tackling such issues. My understanding of inappropriate behaviour is inspired by a mixture of theories. I

highly agree with the proponents of ecological systems theory which suggest that the student behaviour

is a resultant of complex interactions between the classroom environment, classroom design, curriculum

and content, teaching strategies and resources, school policies, family life, biological and cognitive

developmental stage, lack of emotional support, social relationships and student-teacher interaction.

In building my teaching philosophy, I have not disregarded the aspects of psychoeducational

theories that highlight the unfulfillment of the humanistic needs of belongingness, acceptance,

recognition, power, freedom and fun as the reasons behind misbehaviour. Keeping this in mind, in my

recent professional practice, I adopted a democratic, student-centred approach in my classroom. I

involved students in their learning and set up mutually agreed classroom expectations and rules, and

linked the behavioural choices with relevant consequences. Through active listening and effective

communication, I enabled students to realize their needs, evaluate their choices to fulfil these needs and

consider alternative choices.

These psychoeducational perspectives have also made me fully acknowledge the propositions of

Behavioural theory which states that problematic behaviour generally has a purpose. I am now aware that

behaviour is generally preceded by an antecedent (interaction of environmental factors, activity/ task,

rule/ expectation) and followed by a consequence (reinforcer, punishment). However, I want to learn the

Functional Behavioural Analysis to implement changes in the antecedents or consequences surrounding a

student’s behaviour and assess the impact of these changes in shaping their behaviour.

To establish an orderly, productive and a positive classroom, I hold the values of respect

accountability, social justice, self-control and gratitude as highly important. In accordance to these

values, in my future practice, I will follow an inductive or deductive approach for setting up the values

and defining reasonable and age-appropriate rules and expectations in the classroom. Classroom values,

rules and expectations and their corresponding consequences will be clearly displayed across the

classroom for everyone to view and remember. Students will be constantly reminded of these values in a

positive manner to build a positive classroom culture. Rules and consequences will be immediately put

into action and dealt without any leniency to appreciate appropriate behaviour and discourage

misbehaviour. The established agreement will be constantly reviewed for its effectiveness by assessing

student behaviour.
 Apart from setting up rules and expectations, planning an effective teaching program is also of

utmost importance to manage classroom behaviour. By adopting the Backward Design approach, I can

make the big picture explicit to students, such that they are aware of the relevance of the content, and

understand how well it connects with their daily lives and what will they be able to do with this

information. Formative assessment tasks can be designed and incorporated throughout the program to

assess the prior-learning and formation of learning in students, and inform teaching practice to review

lesson plans and adjust curriculum. I believe that students best learn through doing and exploring.

Guided-inquiry based learning approach can be utilised for students to construct and deconstruct their

schemas by exploring, evaluating and rectifying their misconceptions and thus, driving their own

learning. Being a scientist, I firmly believe in collaborative learning which can allow students to build

social relationships, develop scientific working skills and develop safe and positive learning classrooms.

Throughout the course, I have learnt that reflexivity is a valuable tool which allows a teacher to

focus on the relevance of the content being taught, effectiveness of the teaching strategies and use

evidence-based strategies to manage classroom behaviour. By reflecting on the past lessons, I can pick

and choose different strategies and approaches that worked or failed under different circumstances with

different students. Reflexivity in my practice will allow me to think and plan for new strategies and

classroom designs that can be deployed for enhancing student-teacher interaction, student engagement

and reducing inappropriate behaviours.

I believe that a classroom should reflect a positive relationship between students and teachers in

which, efforts are appreciated, and empathy and respect are reciprocated by all. A place where the

teacher acts as a facilitator of knowledge and not the dictator, students are involved and are encouraged

to explore and drive their own learning and not follow a rote-memorisation routine. I also believe that a
positive classroom should reflect a professionally satisfied, effective teacher. With this, I expect myself

to be a creator of such a classroom where both the student and the teacher feel a sense of belongingness.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My understanding and views on behaviour and theories around it, role of classroom culture, climate and

ways for effective communication are inspired form the readings in,

De Nobile, J., Lyons, G., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2017). Positive learning environments: Creating and

maintaining productive classrooms (1st ed.). Australia: Cengage learning.

My learning on understanding of cognitive development and its influence on behaviour are from

Sweller, J., van Merrienboer, J.J.G., & Paas, F.G.W.C. (1998). Cognitive Architecture and Instructional

Design. Educational Psychology Review, 10(3), 251-296. Retrieved from

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1022193728205

Pentimonti, J. M., Justice, L. M., Yeomans-Maldonado, G., McGinty, A. S., Slocum, L., & O’Connell,

A. (2017). Teachers’ use of high- and low-support scaffolding strategies to differentiate language

instruction in high-risk/economically disadvantaged settings. Journal of Early Intervention, 39(2)

125–146. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1053815117700865

For my views on values and ethics in class, I would like to acknowledge

Peterson, C, & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strength and virtues: A handbook and

classification. American Psychological association. Oxford University Press: New York, USA.

Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2igSv6R

I thank my secondary curriculum organisers in making me familiar and apply the concepts of
Understanding by Design/ Backward design and Inquiry-based learning in my professional practice

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2011). The understanding by design guide to creating high-quality units.

Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Retrieved from

http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/UbD_WhitePaper0312.pdf

Bybee, R. W. (1997). Achieving scientific literacy: From purposes to practices. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann, Green Wood Publishing group. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.au

Quality teaching model and the Hattie’s work were a real eye opener towards quality teaching practice,

role of assessment and effective classroom management

Gore, J. (2007). Improving pedagogy: The challenges of moving teachers toward higher levels of quality

teaching. In J. Butcher & L. McDonald (Eds.), Making a difference: Challenges for teachers,

teaching, and teacher education (pp. 15-33). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers

Hattie, J. A. C., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research,

77(1), 81–112. Retrieved from

http://education.qld.gov.au/staff/development/performance/resources/readings/power-

feedback.pdf

Hattie, J. A. C. (2012). Visible learning for teachers. London, UK: Routledge. Retrieved from

http://bit.ly/2xD5feJ

To show me the power of reflection and allow me to build on that ability, I will like to thank Dr. Jackie

Ullman and the following reading

Feucht, F. C., Brownlee, J. L., & Schraw, G. (2017). Moving Beyond Reflection: Reflexivity and

Epistemic Cognition in Teaching and Teacher Education. Educational Psychologist, 52(4), 234-

241. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2hsZD0s

Finally, a big thank you to Dr. Roberto Parada for sharing his wisdom and nerdiness with the us all the

time. His work on bullying and in-depth knowledge on importance of research and evidence-based

strategies has enabled me to look for genuine research in the field of education to improvise my teaching

practice.
(Week 1) Pedagogy for Positive Learning Environments: A problem based
approach
Reflection of the week’s Lecture, tutorials and readings.
The following activities are designed to get you thinking about your own model of teaching
and classroom management.

1.1 What is a ‘good teacher’? Think about the teachers from your days in primary and
secondary schooling. What qualities did they have that made them ‘good’? Make a list in
the box below.

Good teachers are like building blocks of the society. They act as role models in a student’s
life, who not only guide and support students throughout their school years but encourage
the students to believe in their potential by sowing the seed of care and affection. They are
good listeners, patient with the queries and repetitive questions, appreciate the student
talents and hard work, are supportive, humorous, friendly, give clear instructions, have high
expectations from the students, give personal attention, motivate, recognize and support
student abilities, do not judge students and are always approachable in case of concerns.

1.2 Using what you have learnt about ill structured vs structured problems in relation to
classroom behavior, what do you think are the key considerations when a teacher is
planning their strategy for classroom management? list them below.

In planning strategy/ strategies for classroom management the foremost thing that should
be considered is the problem itself. A teacher should be able to identify, analyse and define
the problem (if any). However, in defining a behaviour problem it should be kept in mind
that most of the behavioural issues are emergent in nature and do not fit into the definitive
structures. A step by step approach should be followed to develop a thorough
understanding of the issue at hand and identify the root cause of the problem. In doing so,
the first step is to disregard the pre-built notions about the occurring behaviour. It is
important to reflect on your thinking as a teacher and understand that every child is
different, has differential needs & thus will behave / react differently to every situation. It is
important to know the students (with inappropriate behaviour) and their needs before
making judgements about behaviour. A deeper insight into the factors that trigger
misbehaviour can allow the development of informed thinking for tackling such issues and
allow reflection upon teacher’s dispositions to refine the teaching practice.

In designing solutions to ill-structured problems of classroom behaviour, it should be

considered that such problems may or may not be solved by applying a defined set of rules.
It should be well accepted that what works in one case, may not work in another. By
reflecting upon the designed solution/ solutions, the viability of alternative solutions should
also be assessed. The solution should be applied in real life scenarios and their impact
 should be carefully monitored and the adjusted depending upon the requirements and
feedback. Equally important is to be patient, professional and flexible in your approach to
student misbehaviour. A teacher should persistently try to build a positive relationship with
all students by giving them respect; set up expectations in class; set up a list of levels of
misbehaviour and their corresponding actions & make students aware of the consequences.

1.3 With your responses to the last two activities as a source of ideas, complete the
sentence in the box below.

I believe a positive learning environment is about providing students with physical, social,
emotional, intellectual and psychological support thus ensuring their well-being. This in turn
aids in development of a positive state of mind, resulting in higher cognitive outcomes.
Respecting the identity of every student and empowering them with equal opportunities to
express themselves and voice their concerns. It is about generating a sense of belongingness
and connecting the students to their peers, teachers, community and the world.

(Week 2) Review of classroom management theories

This week you have been introduced to some theories of behaviour/classroom
management. Your readings (Ch 8 & 9 of the text and De Jong in tutorials) introduced you to
different views on why young people misbehave and particularly what to do about it. Some
of these might have caused you to react in some way, either negatively or positively. Of the
ones you developed a positive feeling about, was there a particular theory that stood out?
Was there a theory or approach that you felt might fit your view of how children should be
treated and how teaching happens? Think about this before responding to the activities.

2.1 In the box below, list the theories that you think are ‘not for you’ under the heading ‘Not
me’, and the theories that you think are more favourable under the heading ‘More like
me’.

I do not fully agree or disagree with the discussed theories. Therefore, I have mentioned the
aspects of the theory which I agree or disagree below rather than just naming them.
Not me More like me
Psychoeducational theories Psychoeducational theories
like Goal and Choice theory Goal theory highlights the needs that all human beings strive for –
do not take into belongingness, acceptance, recognition and autonomy. It links the
consideration the unfulfillment of these needs with the development of inappropriate
developmental psychology behaviours driven by mistaken goals of attention, revenge, power and
of an adolescent which is escape. As a preventive measure, it suggests the adoption of a democratic,
governed by the hormonal student-centred approach to teaching rather than authoritative, teaching.
changes, cognitive It suggests involving students in their learning, setting up the classroom
development and expectations and rules and linking behavioural choices with relevant
inclination towards peers consequences. As an intervention, the goal theory allows the identification
and sensation seeking. They
also disregard the effect of
a student’s environmental
factors like family life,
medical conditions, social
relationships, bullying,
victimization or any medical
conditions on his/ her
behaviour. They also make
the students solely
responsible for
inappropriate behaviour
and do not consider the
role of classroom
environment like ineffective
teaching, lack of
instructions and
expectations and ineffective
teaching resources.
Assertive discipline theory is
based on a teacher-centred
approach and focuses on
establishment of set of
rules and controls in the
classroom defined by the
teacher. Although positive,
it does not take into
consideration the
significance of involving
students in their own
learning and behavioural
choices.
and disclosure of mistaken goals to the student in question, provision of
mutually agreed choices and enables the student to experience the logical
consequences for the own decisions.
Choice theory also highlights the importance of humanistic needs of
survival, belongingness, power, freedom and fun, and attributes
misbehaviour to the unfulfillment of these needs. The theory suggests
building classrooms in which these needs are met for all the students. It
focusses on building and strengthening positive relationships between
students and teacher and among students. To address concerning
behaviours, choice theory suggests for adoption of classroom reality
therapy, which can enable a student to realize their needs, evaluate their
choices to fulfil these needs and consider alternative choices.
Ecological systems theory which suggest that the student behaviour is a
resultant of complex interactions between several environmental, social,
personal and psychological factors. This includes the classroom
environment, classroom design, curriculum and content, teaching
strategies and resources, school policies, home life, social relationships
and student-teacher relationship.
Behavioural theory which attributes behaviour to the antecedents and
consequences. It emphasises on observation and identification of factors
that preceded and followed misbehaviour. This theory states that by
incorporating reinforcement (positive and negative), punishments
(negative and positive) and providing positive behaviour support.
Cognitive theory links misbehaviour with student’s own thought process
and beliefs (rational; and irrational) and negative life experiences. It also
links
behaviour as learnt from social experiences, and observing parents,
teachers, peers and society.

2.2 Now take a closer look at the theories you placed in the ‘More like me’ column. Read
the suggested readings provided in this chapter and the online companion. Get to know
the theories more intimately. Use this new knowledge, specifically the key philosophies
behind the theories (or theory), to develop your own statement of belief about the sort
of places classrooms should be. Complete the following sentence and perhaps add
another to accompany it.
I believe classrooms should be places where students are welcomed, valued and accepted
for who they are. It should be a place where the individual talents and potentials are
recognized, appreciated and nurtured, while highly maintaining a democratic discipline. It
should represent a safe, warm and a positive learning place which promotes inclusiveness in
terms of teaching and learning experiences among students as well as teachers. A classroom
should reflect a positive mutual relationship between students and teachers in which both
are involved in establishing and complying with the classroom ethics and expectations,
appreciating efforts and reciprocating empathy and respect for each other. It should be
based on student-centred philosophy, in which students are involved with their learning and
are encouraged to inquire and drive their own learning rather than follow a rote-
memorisation routine. A classroom should be a place where individual student needs are
addressed, students are engaged in learning and not occupied with tasks, they are happy to
learn and motivated to achieve more. Finally, a positive classroom should also reflect a
professionally satisfied effective teacher. It should be a place where both the student and
the teacher feel a sense of belongingness.

(Week 3) Relationships, communication & professional reflexivity

Effective communication is a key component of effective classroom management, and
quality teaching depends on it. The lecture, tutorial readings as well as Ch 2 & 3 of the
textbook describe some very useful skills for dealing with inappropriate student behaviour in
a non-confrontational and positive way. Being aware of non-verbal cues will lead a teacher
to be more sensitive to how their messages are being received as well as how to send
messages and provide feedback more effectively. Active listening allows teachers and
students to interact with minimal interference from underlying emotional factors. I-
messages provide the teacher with a tool to convey to students how their behaviour is
affecting the class in a non-submissive, informative and positive manner.

Teaching philosophies often describe the way a teacher will interact with their students and
this, in turn, provides a window into the classroom climate that a teacher is trying to
establish. The following activities should help you to identify your preferred way of
communicating with the class generally as well as in dealing with inappropriate behaviour.
After completing them you should have a better idea of how your classroom philosophy will
describe your communication style in the classroom.

3.1 Using your readings of the chapters, in particular the Relationships and communication,
Interference, Communication process and Non-verbal communication sections,
complete the sentence in the box below. You might need to add a second or even a
third sentence.

I believe that good communication between teacher and student is vital to a positive
classroom climate. Communication is the key to establish any relationship – positive or
negative depending upon the context and the delivery of the context and your feelings. How
a teacher presents feelings of care, gratitude, anger or unaccepted behaviour depends on
how they are put in words or actions and even how they are intercepted by the receiver. A
positive effective teacher-student relationship can be maintained in the form of a give and
take of positive communication (verbal or gestures) and respecting other’s feelings. Being a
teacher, it poses more responsibility on you to reflect more, think before you speak, and
remember that every action has a reaction.
Active listening forms an essential part of a good communication by allowing you to
understand and observe others to address their special needs. Show the students your
positive intentions for them through your strategies, they will see it and respond positively
to it. Communication is important to assess the formation of learning. By interacting with
students, a teacher can assess that are they getting what you are saying and teaching them,
and whether it is making any sense to them. Communication makes students comfortable to
school settings. It allows them to open their problems, concerns and questions. One on one
interaction or group interaction they both cover different aspects and have different
outcomes; depends on different students.
This week you also looked at how personal beliefs can help or hinder in your relationships
and communication with students.

3.2 Briefly outline your understanding of how beliefs can help or hinder your ability to create
positive learning environments:

Teacher personal beliefs affect the way we create Positive Learning Environments by
restricting their thought process and confining their classroom building approach to be
teacher-centred rather than student-centred. Their pre-formed beliefs can give rise to
assumptions and make judgements. Building up a positive environment requires you to be
fair and aware of other’s feelings, situations. One’s beliefs may affect the pedagogy and the
teaching strategies.

Your teaching philosophy should describe how and for what purpose you might engage in a
cycle of professional reflexivity, be it through critical analysis using various perspectives or
an action research model, or both.

3.3 Why should teachers engage in professional reflexivity? Once you have given this some
thought and done some further reading, complete the following sentence.

I believe professional reflexivity is important to my teaching because …it is important for me

to know myself and my perspectives before I can act on or change my belief system as per
the situation. Reflexivity is a valuable tool which allows a teacher to focus on the relevance
of the content being taught and effectiveness of the teaching strategies and resources
utilised. It allows the use of evidence-based strategies in teaching and managing classroom
behaviour. By reflecting on the past lessons, teachers can pick and choose different
strategies, resources and approaches that worked or failed under different circumstances
with different students. It enables the teachers to think and plan for new strategies and
classroom designs that can be deployed for enhancing student engagement and reducing
inappropriate behaviours. Finally, self-reflection allows one to be more aware of one’s own
thought process and action. Teaching without self-reflection is like teaching blind-folded
without realising the effectiveness of your practice.

3.4 Having thought up a justification for it, how will you go about engaging in reflection
about your practice in your teaching career? Once you have thought this out, think of
some practical and achievable ways you can engage in professional reflexivity and
complete the next sentence.

As a consequence of this belief, I will create a reflection log book for my reference so that I
can go back and look at what went wrong, what worked with a specific lesson or a student,
what can be done next time to improve this lesson, make it simpler or more challenging
depending on student needs. I can use the onion model for reflection and teaching
proposed by Korthagen in 2004. I can use this model to improve myself and my teaching
practice and do better. I can speak to other teachers, how they teach and what approach do
they follow in teaching specific content and classroom management. I can observe fellow
teachers’ classes to watch what they do, request other teachers to observe my classes and
ask for their feedback. To gather more information for improving my teaching practice, I can
ask students to do a survey on my teaching practice by asking them their likes/ dislikes
about the taught content and the way it was taught.

(Week 4) Classroom organisation and curriculum, assessment and pedagogy

Classroom management is not just about managing behaviour. At the heart of teaching and
learning are the curriculum taught, the pedagogy used and the assessment designed to
measure how well that curriculum was taught and how well the pedagogy worked. This
chapter takes you through these three areas one at a time.

The next part of your teaching philosophy will be about how you will deliver curriculum and
assess student achievement/growth. After reading this chapter, please reflect on the
following:
 What will you take into consideration when planning your teaching program?
 How will you know what to teach and where to start?
 What are the many ways in which your students could demonstrate achievement other
than tests and quizzes?
 What teaching approaches will you use and what philosophical views will your
pedagogies reflect?

4.1 Using the PIR Cycle (see Ch 5 p118) as a stimulus, explain how you will go about planning
your teaching program in the box below.

The foremost thing that should be taken into consideration before planning a teaching
program is identifying the big picture of the content at hand and making it explicit to
students. How is the information relevant to students, how well it connects to them in their
daily lives and what will they be able to with this information? Understanding by design or
backward design approach by Wiggins & McTighe (2011) provides insights into design and
development of an effective teaching program based on such essential questions pertaining
to the outcomes of a program. Once the essential questions are in place, the assessments
tasks can be designed to assess student learning outcomes and evaluate the effectiveness of
teaching -learning process.

Assessment of prior-learning introduced at the beginning of every new topic help to

understand the current knowledge base in students and connect them with their existing
schemas. This can be done in the form of a range of activities like mind-maps, true or false,
short quizzes, Venn diagrams, brainstorming sessions, think-pair-share sessions, match the
columns and even interactive games. As suggested by Sweller et al., (1998), once the base
line data is available, the teacher can then use this information to build new schemas in
students. Formative assessment tasks can be designed and incorporated throughout the
program to assess the formation of learning in students and inform teaching practice and
review lesson plans and adjust curriculum. In this regard, as suggested by Natalie Regier in
her book “60 Formative Assessment Strategies”, different types of formative assessment
strategies like graphic organisers, brainstorming activities, demonstration stations,
discussions, exit cards, open-ended questions, etc. can be used. Finally, depending upon the
number of allowed summative assessments, a criterion-referenced assessment rather than
norm-referenced (Gronuland & Waugh , 2009) can be incorporated to assess formed
learning and ability of students to achieve the learning outcomes.

Once the assessments are put in place, the next step is to incorporate the activities and
tasks that will be required by students to learn and achieve the defined learning outcomes.
For this the content to be taught is narrowed down and activities are designed around that
content. The content is taught in such a way that it provides students with real world
connections (Brady & Kennedy 2014, Keddie, 2011), allows sequential flow of information
(Grossman et al., 2013), is age appropriate, differentiated to address student needs (Jones &
Jones 2013; Henderson & Jarvis, 2016; Benjamin, 2013), scaffolded to cater diverse learning
abilities (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly 2017; Pentimonti et al., 2017), does not increase
unnecessary cognitive load on students (Sweller, van Merrienboer & Paas, 1998), promotes
high-order thinking and develops deeper-understanding in students (Gore, 2007; Hattie,
2012). Use of guided-inquiry based learning approach can be utilised for students to
construct and deconstruct their schemas and drive and regulate their own learning (Bybee,
1997; Singh & Yaduvanshi, 2015).

As the designed activities are used in the class for delivering the content specific knowledge,
success of such activities must be constantly reviewed to enhance student engagement and
connection, reduce inappropriate behaviour and incorporate challenges and modifications
as per student needs and abilities. Student performance should be religiously monitored
and evaluated to bring about the necessary modifications. Reflexivity in teaching practice
can be incorporated in assessment stage by using bi-directional feedback which gives both
students and teachers with a clear picture of their performance and ways for improvement
(Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Feucht, Brownlee & Schraw, 2017).

4.2 Pedagogy refers to how you will teach the curriculum. Usually, the type of pedagogy you
implement is influenced by a basic belief about how students best learn. After
considering your pedagogical approach and strategies, complete the sentences below.

I believe that students best learn through doing and exploring. Literature suggests that
learning is enhanced when it is student-centred, constructive in approach, involves an active
learning process and happens in collaboration (De Nobile, Lyons & Arthur-Kelly, 2017). I
believe that students bring pre-existing knowledge to the class, therefore it is good to allow
them to connect to these concepts, explore, investigate, evaluate and rectify their
misconceptions instead of just explaining and describing the new information. Collaborative
learning should be introduced more often as it not only allows students to build social
relationships and develop scientific working skills but also aids in creation of safe and
positive learning classrooms.
Therefore, I will use Understanding by design to plan my programs and incorporate guided-
inquiry based learning approach in my lessons to allow them to drive their own learning
with me acting as a facilitator of knowledge. Students also learn well when they are
constantly motivated to achieve the desired outcomes. Positive reinforcement, appreciation
and encouragement for learning efforts in class will allow students to do more.

As explained in Chs 3 & 4, there are several dimensions to classroom organisation. Each of
these put together become the manifestation of your classroom culture. Your classroom
culture is, simply put, the way your class operates and incorporates:
 rules and procedures
 organisation of the physical space.

It is now time to think about how your teaching philosophy will describe these two aspects
and explain them in terms of an overarching set of beliefs or approaches. After reading
these chapters, complete the next two activities.

4.3 What values do you hold as important to establishing an orderly, productive and
positive classroom? Answer this question below, then list the key rules/expectations you
think flow naturally from those values and which you want to stress in your class.
Complete the section by explaining how rules and consequences will be established in
your classroom.

To establish an orderly, productive and positive classroom, I hold the values of respect (for
others and their properties), accountability/ responsibility (for actions, choices and
learning), social justice, self-control and gratitude as highly important.

Rules & Expectations:

- Respect for each other’s views, cultures and identity
- Raise hands when we want to speak or respond to a question
- Listen carefully and quietly when others are speaking
- Speak in a friendly and polite manner
- Follow the school policies and rules
- Appreciate others for their efforts and help
- Share knowledge and classroom materials with others
- Make appropriate choices for yourself and be accountable for them
- Be ready to learn and share our knowledge
- Be self-aware and manage our emotions in a positive way
- Ask for help or support when required

My classrooms will reflect a student-centred place; however, the initial decision-making

process will initially be in the hands of the teacher so that a fair classroom culture is
established. With time this approach will change, and the decision making will be based on
an agreement between students and teacher. Depending on the age and abilities of my
students I will follow an inductive or deductive approach for setting up the values and the
defining the rules and expectations in the classroom. Mutually agreed consequences linked
to the rules and expectations will be clearly defined in accordance to the school policies and
procedures. Classroom values, rules and expectations and their corresponding
consequences will be clearly displayed across the classroom for everyone to view and
remember. Students will be constantly reminded of these values in a positive manner to
build a positive classroom culture. Rules and consequences will be immediately put into
action and dealt without any leniency to appreciate appropriate behaviour and discourage
misbehaviour. The established agreement should be constantly reviewed for its
effectiveness by assessing student behaviour and their ability to achieve the learning
outcomes for holistic development of the students.

(Week 5) Principles of behaviour modification

This week we looked at fundamental aspects of behaviourism and learning (see Ch 6 & 7 of
your text) But also Ziporli from your references in the Learning Guide and Killu your tutorial
reading which provide examples of the application of such theory and research to classroom
management and behaviour change. Important concepts such as reinforcement, functional
purpose of behaviour and behaviour shaping are discussed
5.1 After reading Ziporli and Killu and reflecting on the lecture content what would you add
about aspects of your classroom management that have not been mentioned so far in
your philosophy? Add these in the box below in rough draft form. You can refine them
later.

In designing a classroom management plan it should not be disregarded that most

behaviours are dependent on environmental stimuli, they can be taught, learnt and
modified. As stated in the lecture, problematic behaviour generally has a purpose/ function
which is either to avoid or obtain something. Also, every behaviour can be categorised
depending on its antecedent (interaction of environmental factors, activity/ task, rule/
expectation) and consequence (reinforcer, punishment) that follows it.
Behavioural theory suggests the implementation of Functional behavioural analysis (FBA), a
systematic manner of collecting environmental and contextual data surrounding a student’s
dysfunctional behaviour. This data can then be used to design and implement changes in
the antecedents or consequences surrounding a student’s behaviour and assess the impact
of these changes in shaping their behaviour.
As suggested by Parada, 2006, micro-techniques, support with regulating emotions and
feedback can be used to address and reduce student misbehaviour. Strategies like Broken
record technique and Refocus can be used to maintain focus on the task in the class.

(Week 6) Applying behaviour modification in schools PBIS

Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support also known as Positive Behaviour Support (see
Text Ch 6 p168) has become an accepted and often implemented part of schooling in NSW.
A key aspect of PBIS is to teach students behavioural expectations.

6.1 Previously (see week 4) you reflected on what your classroom could be like. In the
section below pick 1 expectation (e.g., respect self and others) and list how you will
teach what this expectation looks like, is exemplified by and demonstrated in your
classroom. Give as many examples as you can.

Out of all the values mentioned above, respecting others is of utmost importance in a
classroom. But respect is something that you don’t just get, but develop and earn with time.
Like communication and feedback, it is also a bidirectional in nature. If a teacher does not
show students’ respect, they won’t reciprocate it. Respect should reflect in a teacher’s daily
practice in class and interactions. To promote respect as a value, one can place an ethics
and morals chart that you expect in the class. It can be taught through values chart and by
involving students in making values and rules. This increases the chances that are they going
to follow them. By allowing social skills training (group activities), a teacher can in turn help
students in managing and regulating their emotions.

(Week 7) Social Emotional Learning in Schools SEL

Readings: Cohen, J. (2006) & Zins, et al (2007).
Social and Emotional Learning brings your attention to focus efforts on promoting students’
social and emotional competencies. Many leaders in the field underscore the importance of
skills-based teaching and learning to properly address this important facet of teaching the
whole child.
7.1 After reading Cohen and Zin and reflecting on the lecture content what would you add
about aspects of your classroom management that have not been mentioned so far in
your philosophy? Add these in the box below in rough draft form. You can refine them
later.

Self-management, by keeping calm in a difficult situation and not making the things worse in
the classroom is another aspect of classroom management. By promoting a sense of self-
awareness in the student, bringing out their positives and motivating them by kind words
and actions, promoting social learning by incorporating collaborative tasks and group works
in class can increase social support among students and promote positive relationships
among the group. It also generates a sense of empathy towards others and make them
more appreciable of others. Promoting self-belief in students by encouraging them may
reduce the chances of them feeling low and paying low attention & participation in class.

(Weeks 8 & 9) Drafting your personal reflection/philosophy

In the space below cut and paste each of the sections you have completed above and create
a (very) draft version of your personal philosophy

My personal reflection/teaching philosophy (Draft 1)

Good teachers are like building blocks of the society. They act as role models in a student’s
life, who not only guide and support students throughout their school years but encourage
the students to believe in their potential by sowing the seed of care and affection. They are
good listeners, patient with the queries and repetitive questions, appreciate the student
talents and hard work, are supportive, humorous, friendly, give clear instructions, have high
expectations from the students, give personal attention, motivate, recognize and support
student abilities, do not judge students and are always approachable in case of concerns.

In planning strategy/ strategies for classroom management the foremost thing that should
be considered is the problem itself. A teacher should be able to identify, analyse and define
the problem (if any). However, in defining a behaviour problem it should be kept in mind
that most of the behavioural issues are emergent in nature and do not fit into the definitive
structures. A step by step approach should be followed to develop a thorough
understanding of the issue at hand and identify the root cause of the problem. In doing so,
the first step is to disregard the pre-built notions about the occurring behaviour. It is
important to reflect on your thinking as a teacher and understand that every child is
different, has differential needs & thus will behave / react differently to every situation. It is
important to know the students (with inappropriate behaviour) and their needs before
making judgements about behaviour. A deeper insight into the factors that trigger
misbehaviour can allow the development of informed thinking for tackling such issues and
allow reflection upon teacher’s dispositions to refine the teaching practice.

In designing solutions to ill-structured problems of classroom behaviour, it should be

considered that such problems may or may not be solved by applying a defined set of rules.
It should be well accepted that what works in one case, may not work in another. By
reflecting upon the designed solution/ solutions, the viability of alternative solutions should
also be assessed. The solution should be applied in real life scenarios and their impact
should be carefully monitored and the adjusted depending upon the requirements and
feedback. Equally important is to be patient, professional and flexible in your approach to
student misbehaviour. A teacher should persistently try to build a positive relationship with
all students by giving them respect; set up expectations in class; set up a list of levels of
misbehaviour and their corresponding actions & make students aware of the consequences.

I believe a positive learning environment is about providing students with physical, social,
emotional, intellectual and psychological support thus ensuring their well-being. This in turn
aids in development of a positive state of mind, resulting in higher cognitive outcomes.
Respecting the identity of every student and empowering them with equal opportunities to
express themselves and voice their concerns. It is about generating a sense of belongingness
and connecting the students to their peers, teachers, community and the world.

I believe classrooms should be places where students are welcomed, valued and accepted
for who they are. It should be a place where the individual talents and potentials are
recognized, appreciated and nurtured, while highly maintaining a democratic discipline. A
classroom should represent a safe, warm and a positive learning place which promotes
inclusiveness in terms of teaching and learning experiences among students and teachers. A
classroom should reflect a positive mutual relationship between students and teachers in
which both are involved in establishing and complying with the classroom ethics and
expectations, appreciating efforts and reciprocating empathy and respect for each other. It
should be based on student-centred philosophy, in which students are involved with their
learning and are encouraged to inquire and drive their own learning rather than follow a
rote-memorisation routine. A classroom should be a place where individual student needs
are addressed, students are engaged in learning and not occupied with tasks, they are
happy to learn and motivated to achieve more. Finally, a positive classroom should also
reflect a professionally satisfied effective teacher. It should be a place where both the
student and the teacher feel a sense of belongingness.

I believe that good communication between teacher and student is vital to a positive
classroom climate. Communication is the key to establish any relationship – positive or
negative depending upon the context and the delivery of the context and your feelings. How
a teacher presents feelings of care, gratitude, anger or unaccepted behaviour depends on
how they are put in words or actions and even how they are intercepted by the receiver. A
positive effective teacher-student relationship can be maintained in the form of a give and
take of positive communication (verbal or gestures) and respecting other’s feelings. Being a
teacher, it poses more responsibility on you to reflect more, think before you speak, and
remember that every action has a reaction.

Active listening forms an essential part of a good communication by allowing you to

understand and observe others to address their special needs. Show the students your
positive intentions for them through your strategies, they will see it and respond positively
to it. Communication is important to assess the formation of learning. By interacting with
students, a teacher can assess that are they getting what you are saying and teaching them,
and whether it is making any sense to them. Communication makes students comfortable to
school settings. It allows them to open their problems, concerns and questions. One on one
interaction or group interaction they both cover different aspects and have different
outcomes; depends on different students.

Teacher personal beliefs affect the way we create Positive Learning Environments by
restricting thought processes and confining classroom building approach to be teacher-
centred rather than student-centred. Teacher’s pre-formed beliefs can give rise to
assumptions and make judgements. Building up a positive environment requires you to be
fair and aware of other’s feelings, situations. One’s beliefs may affect the pedagogy and the
teaching strategies. I believe professional reflexivity is important to my teaching because it
is important for me to know myself and my perspectives before I can act on or change my
belief system as per the situation.

Reflexivity is a valuable tool which allows a teacher to focus on the relevance of the content
being taught and effectiveness of the teaching strategies and resources utilised. It allows the
use of evidence-based strategies in teaching and managing classroom behaviour. By
reflecting on the past lessons, teachers can pick and choose different strategies, resources
and approaches that worked or failed under different circumstances with different students.
It enables the teachers to think and plan for new strategies and classroom designs that can
be deployed for enhancing student-teacher interaction, student engagement and reducing
inappropriate behaviours. Finally, self-reflection allows one to be more aware of one’s own
thought process and action. Teaching without self-reflection is like teaching blind folded
without realising the effectiveness of your practice.

As a consequence of this belief, I will create a reflection log book for my reference so that I
can go back and look at what went wrong, what worked with a specific lesson or a student,
what can be done next time to improve this lesson, make it simpler or more challenging
depending on student needs. I can use the onion model for reflection and teaching
proposed by Korthagen in 2004. I can use this model to improve myself and my teaching
practice and do better. I can speak to other teachers, how they teach and what approach do
they follow in teaching specific content and classroom management. I can observe fellow
teachers’ classes to watch what they do, request other teachers to observe my classes and
ask for their feedback. To gather more information for improving my teaching practice, I can
ask students to do a survey on my teaching practice by asking them their likes/ dislikes
about the taught content and the way it was taught.

The foremost thing that should be taken into consideration before planning a teaching
program is identifying the big picture of the content at hand and making it explicit to
students. How is the information relevant to students, how well it connects to them in their
daily lives and what will they be able to with this information? Understanding by design or
backward design approach by Wiggins & McTighe (2011) provides insights into design and
development of an effective teaching program based on such essential questions pertaining
to the outcomes of a program. Once the essential questions are in place, the assessments
tasks can be designed to assess student learning outcomes and evaluate the effectiveness of
teaching -learning process.

Assessment of prior-learning introduced at the beginning of every new topic help to

understand the current knowledge base in students and connect them with their existing
schemas. This can be done in the form of a range of activities like mind-maps, true or false,
short quizzes, Venn diagrams, brainstorming sessions, think-pair-share sessions, match the
columns and even interactive games. As suggested by Sweller et al., (1998), once the base
line data is available, the teacher can then use this information to build new schemas in
students. Formative assessment tasks can be designed and incorporated throughout the
program to assess the formation of learning in students and inform teaching practice and
review lesson plans and adjust curriculum. In this regard, as suggested by Natalie Regier in
her book “60 Formative Assessment Strategies”, different types of formative assessment
strategies like graphic organisers, brainstorming activities, demonstration stations,
discussions, exit cards, open-ended questions, etc. can be used. Finally, depending upon the
number of allowed summative assessments, a criterion-referenced assessment rather than
norm-referenced (Gronuland & Waugh, 2009) can be incorporated to assess formed
learning and ability of students to achieve the learning outcomes.

Once the assessments are put in place, the next step is to incorporate the activities and
tasks that will be required by students to learn and achieve the defined learning outcomes.
For this the content to be taught is narrowed down and activities are designed around that
content. The content is taught in such a way that it provides students with real world
connections (Brady & Kennedy 2014, Keddie, 2011), allows sequential flow of information
(Grossman et al., 2013), is age appropriate, differentiated to address student needs (Jones &
Jones 2013; Henderson & Jarvis, 2016; Benjamin, 2013), scaffolded to cater diverse learning
abilities (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly 2017; Pentimonti et al., 2017), does not increase
unnecessary cognitive load on students (Sweller, van Merrienboer & Paas, 1998), promotes
high-order thinking and develops deeper-understanding in students (Gore, 2007; Hattie,
2012). Use of guided-inquiry based learning approach can be utilised for students to
construct and deconstruct their schemas and drive and regulate their own learning (Bybee,
1997; Singh & Yaduvanshi, 2015).

As the designed activities are used in the class for delivering the content specific knowledge,
success of such activities must be constantly reviewed to enhance student engagement and
connection, reduce inappropriate behaviour and incorporate challenges and modifications
as per student needs and abilities. Student performance should be religiously monitored
and evaluated to bring about the necessary modifications. Reflexivity in teaching practice
can be incorporated in assessment stage by using bi-directional feedback which gives both
students and teachers with a clear picture of their performance and ways for improvement
(Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Feucht, Brownlee & Schraw, 2017).

I believe that students best learn through doing and exploring. Literature suggests that
learning is enhanced when it is student-centred, constructive in approach, involves an active
learning process and happens in collaboration (De Nobile, Lyons & Arthur-Kelly, 2017). I
believe that students bring pre-existing knowledge to the class, therefore it is good to allow
them to connect to these concepts, explore, investigate, evaluate and rectify their
misconceptions instead of just explaining and describing the new information. Collaborative
learning should be introduced more often as it not only allows students to build social
relationships and develop scientific working skills but also aids in creation of safe and
positive learning classrooms. Therefore, I will use Understanding by design to plan my
programs and incorporate guided-inquiry based learning approach in my lessons to allow
them to drive their own learning with me acting as a facilitator of knowledge. Students also
learn well when they are constantly motivated to achieve the desired outcomes. Positive
reinforcement, appreciation and encouragement for learning efforts in class will allow
students to do better.

To establish an orderly, productive and positive classroom, I hold the values of respect (for
others and their properties), accountability/ responsibility (for actions, choices and
learning), social justice, self-control and gratitude as highly important. In accordance to
these values, I will set following rules and expectations for my class. I will make sure that
they are reasonable, achievable, measurable, age appropriate, and clearly and positively
stated and taught.
- Respect for each other’s views, cultures and identity
- Raise hands when we want to speak or respond to a question
- Listen carefully and quietly when others are speaking
- Speak in a friendly and polite manner
- Follow the school policies and rules
- Appreciate others for their efforts and help
- Share knowledge and classroom materials with others
- Make appropriate choices for yourself and be accountable for them
- Be ready to learn and share our knowledge
- Be self-aware and manage our emotions in a positive way
- Ask for help or support when required.

My classrooms will reflect a student-centred place; however, the initial decision-making

process will initially be in the hands of the teacher so that a fair classroom culture is
established. With time this approach will change, and the decision making will be based on
an agreement between students and teacher. Depending on the age and abilities of my
students I will follow an inductive or deductive approach for setting up the values and the
defining the rules and expectations in the classroom. Mutually agreed consequences linked
to the rules and expectations will be clearly defined in accordance to the school policies and
procedures. Classroom values, rules and expectations and their corresponding
consequences will be clearly displayed across the classroom for everyone to view and
remember. Students will be constantly reminded of these values in a positive manner to
build a positive classroom culture. Rules and consequences will be immediately put into
action and dealt without any leniency to appreciate appropriate behaviour and discourage
misbehaviour. The established agreement should be constantly reviewed for its
effectiveness by assessing student behaviour and their ability to achieve the learning
outcomes for holistic development of the students.

Out of all the values mentioned above, respecting others is of utmost importance in a
classroom. But respect is something that you don’t just get, but develop and earn with time.
Like communication and feedback, it is also a bidirectional in nature. If a teacher does not
show students’ respect, they won’t reciprocate it. Respect should reflect in a teacher’s daily
practice in class and interactions. To promote respect as a value, one can place an ethics
and morals chart that you expect in the class. It can be taught through values chart and by
involving students in making values and rules. This increases the chances that are they going
to follow them. By allowing social skills training (group activities), a teacher can in turn help
students in managing and regulating their emotions.

In designing a classroom management plan it should not be disregarded that most

behaviours are dependent on environmental stimuli, they can be taught, learnt and
modified. As stated in the lecture, problematic behaviour generally has a purpose/ function
which is either to avoid or obtain something. Also, every behaviour can be categorised
depending on its antecedent (interaction of environmental factors, activity/ task, rule/
expectation) and consequence (reinforcer, punishment) that follows it.

Behavioural theory suggests the implementation of Functional behavioural analysis (FBA), a

systematic manner of collecting environmental and contextual data surrounding a student’s
dysfunctional behaviour. This data can then be used to design and implement changes in
the antecedents or consequences surrounding a student’s behaviour and assess the impact
of these changes in shaping their behaviour. As suggested by Parada, 2006, micro-
techniques, support with regulating emotions and feedback can be used to address and
reduce student misbehaviour. Strategies like Broken record technique and Refocus can be
used to maintain focus on the task in the class.

Self-management, by keeping calm in a difficult situation and not making the things worse in
the classroom is another aspect of classroom management. By promoting a sense of self-
awareness in the student, bringing out their positives and motivating them by kind words
and actions, promoting social learning by incorporating collaborative tasks and group works
in class, a teacher can increase social support among students and promote positive
relationships. It also generates a sense of empathy towards others and make them more
appreciable of others. Promoting self-belief in students by encouraging them may reduce
the chances of them feeling low and paying low attention & participation in class.

Ready to roll …
Now, read it to yourself, and start editing to a maximum of 1000 words, it’s time to prepare
your final submission. Look at the Unit Learning Guide rubric and instructions and now write
your own personal reflection and philosophy You have to reflect on what you have learnt
and what you are still to learn. This reflection is an opportunity to provide your own
behaviour management philosophy/model.

Your personal model can be based on your personal experience and any of the theories and
research explored in PPLE or other Units which form part of your course. You need to
appropriately identify and credit these theories which influenced your thinking in relation to
the development of your personal approach within your text. You must provide at the end
(not counted to word limit) an ‘acknowledgement’ section where you may list the
theories/policies/ people that may have influence your model to date.

Into the future!

However, please be aware that your philosophy may well change as you gain experience in
teaching and are exposed to other ideas from your ongoing professional development, your
interactions with peers and other sources of inspiration. It will be an interesting task for you
to go back to this philosophy you have just completed in 10 years’ time and compare it to
the one you have then. Will it have changed much? How have your approaches evolved?
What kind of teacher have you become?

NOW WRITE YOUR FINAL DRAFT OF YOUR PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY (1000

words Max) IN THE SPACE PROVIDED AT THE START OF THIS DOCUMENT!